With fewer than three weeks remaining in the 2023-24 NHL regular season, seven teams have clinched a playoff spot and five have been eliminated from postseason contention. That means nine berths still are up for grabs, and the race for the Presidents' Trophy likely will come down to the wire.

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers already have punched their ticket to the playoffs. Those four clubs are battling to finish first in the NHL, however, along with the Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche from the Western Conference. That trio also has secured postseason spots.

The Rangers enter the week with 104 points, one more than the Stars. Carolina and Boston have earned 101 points, while Vancouver and Colorado are at 100 and Florida has 99. The Panthers are looking to overtake the Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division as well as hold off the Toronto Maple Leafs, who trail Florida by four points for second.

New York and Carolina will earn the top two spots in the Metropolitan Division, with the Rangers owning a three-point lead over the Hurricanes. There's a dogfight taking place for third in the division as the Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils are separated by just seven points.

Those five teams also are tussling with the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card berth in the East. The Buffalo Sabres still have a slim opportunity to grab the spot, as they are seven points back, while the Tampa Bay Lightning have a solid grip on the first wild card and an outside chance for third in the Atlantic.

Things are less murky in the West, even though five of the eight playoff spots still are available. Vancouver is in from the Pacific Division, while the Edmonton Oilers and reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights basically are locks. The Los Angeles Kings trail Vegas by three points for third in the division and are three ahead of the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card in the conference.

Dallas leads Colorado by three points for first place in the Central Division and the Winnipeg Jets have a six-point advantage for third over the Nashville Predators, who are three in front of Los Angeles for the top wild-card berth.

Now, we'll jump into the power rankings as we begin Week 26 of the 2023-24 NHL season. These rankings are based on the current state of the 32 teams, with their overall performance in several categories also factored in. 

Which teams hold surprising spots in the NHL power rankings for Week 26? And which ones are lower than expected? ... Join SportsLine right now to see the NHL Week 26 power rankings from the expert who has covered the league and the sport of hockey for more than 20 years!