Full list and analysis here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6968525/2026/01/17/nhl-team-grades-2026-regular-season/

31 comments

  2. An A?

    From The Athletic?

    Happy with that (and agree with pretty much all of the others)

  3. I agree with this mostly. The panthers should be lowered to a C. Win back to back cups and are 2nd last in their division.

  7. D is a bit harsh.

    I’d rather be in last place for that “A+”, but its a solid B effort.

  12. Why are hawks so high? Tied in points with flames and less points than devils, but two letter grades better? Lol 

  14. As a blues fan we absolutely deserve the F. Utter rubbish this year. Kinda wish we hadn’t gone on a tear at the end of the season last year.

  15. Kings should be rated fucking Ö tier until they fire Hiller. Fucking dumbass shitspitting douchebags

  16. Ah yes, a B+. The Canes, second highest points % in the east, with their soon to be Olympian defenseman playing less than 2 games, their 1B goalie playing only 9 games, and them having to play the most defensemen in the league because of injuries (along with several other multi game absences for other key skaters) earns them a grade of just above average.

    Several other very confusing grades here too. I say we revolt and make them release the numerical grades instead of hiding behind letter grades.

  19. This is some lazy-ass shit and makes no sense.

    “The Red Wings have clearly exceeded preseason expectations, battling for the top spot in the Atlantic so far. They’re getting good depth contributions from players such as Andrew Copp and James van Riemsdyk, a Norris-level season from Moritz Seider, and strong goaltending as of late, too. But they still have a lot to prove, particularly as the games get harder. — Max Bultman”

    How are you going to give a mid-season grade based on having a lot to prove? They were below .500 at this time last year. Wings are an easy A, potentially an A+ now that they are getting consistent goaltending. The other thing they aren’t doing this year that they’ve been doing constantly in previous years is collapsing at the end of games and choking away wins.

    Yes, the tough part of the season is coming but that’s going to be graded at the end of the season, not now.

  22. B+!? B+!??!

    Yeah, that sounds right. And we’re doing this with 2 rookies and a slumping sophomore. The Griffins are a wagon, we just need to find space for them in Detroit over the next few years.

    Stanley cup incoming.

  24. I’m a Habs fan. That said, Detroit should be where we are, and we should be where they are, on this list

  26. As a penguins fan how tf are we tied with Tampa at an A- that Tampa team is gonna shock some people come playoff time I think

  28. F is for fire that burns down the whole town

    U is for Uranium…… Bombs!

    N is for no surviiiiiiorrrrssssss

  30. A-???? WTF, we have the 2nd best point percentage, second best goal differential, playing in the toughest division in hockey and have had 3-4 top Dmen out for 90% of the season plus long stretches of Point and Hagel injured and Kuch for a few games and Vasy for the first 2 weeks of the season.

    The Atlantic is dildos.

  31. They predicted at preseason, the red wings to end the season in 22nd place, with a projected points of 83. They are currently 5th place on pace for 103 points. And they only get a B+?! Wth

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