NHL Standings 2026-27: Vegas and Carolina Lead Early

NHL Standings 2026-27: Vegas Lead With 14 Points

Vegas have the most points in the NHL, with 14 from nine games (seven wins, two regulation losses) and a +14 goal differential. The NHL standings 2026-27 per ESPN (pulled October 16) show Carolina one point back at 13, but the Hurricanes have played only eight games, so they own the better points percentage: 13 of a possible 16.

That games-played gap matters all season, and it is wide right now. Teams in the table below have played anywhere from five games (Los Angeles) to nine (Vegas, the Rangers, Philadelphia, Vancouver). Read the points column next to the games-played column, never alone.

Eastern Conference (games played, W-L-OTL, points, goal differential)

1. Carolina, 8 GP, 6-1-1, 13 pts, +12 2. Ottawa, 8 GP, 6-2-0, 12 pts, +3 3. NY Rangers, 9 GP, 6-3-0, 12 pts, +7 4. Boston, 7 GP, 5-2-0, 10 pts, +10 5. Tampa Bay, 7 GP, 5-2-0, 10 pts, +2 6. Florida, 8 GP, 4-2-2, 10 pts, 0 7. Buffalo, 8 GP, 4-3-1, 9 pts, -6 8. Washington, 7 GP, 4-3-0, 8 pts, +2 9. New Jersey, 7 GP, 4-3-0, 8 pts, 0 10. Toronto, 8 GP, 3-3-2, 8 pts, 0 11. NY Islanders, 7 GP, 3-3-1, 7 pts, +3 12. Pittsburgh, 7 GP, 3-3-1, 7 pts, +3 13. Montreal, 7 GP, 3-3-1, 7 pts, -4 14. Detroit, 7 GP, 2-3-2, 6 pts, -5 15. Columbus, 5 GP, 2-3-0, 4 pts, -5 16. Philadelphia, 9 GP, 0-6-3, 3 pts, -22

Western Conference (games played, W-L-OTL, points, goal differential)

1. Vegas, 9 GP, 7-2-0, 14 pts, +14 2. Utah, 8 GP, 6-2-0, 12 pts, +10 3. Edmonton, 7 GP, 5-1-1, 11 pts, +9 4. Minnesota, 8 GP, 5-2-1, 11 pts, +6 5. Seattle, 8 GP, 5-2-1, 11 pts, +9 6. Winnipeg, 7 GP, 4-1-2, 10 pts, 0 7. Colorado, 7 GP, 4-2-1, 9 pts, +9 8. Anaheim, 6 GP, 4-2-0, 8 pts, +3 9. San Jose, 7 GP, 4-3-0, 8 pts, -6 10. St. Louis, 7 GP, 3-3-1, 7 pts, +2 11. Dallas, 7 GP, 3-3-1, 7 pts, +3 12. Nashville, 7 GP, 2-2-3, 7 pts, -4 13. Chicago, 8 GP, 3-5-0, 6 pts, -11 14. Vancouver, 9 GP, 2-6-1, 5 pts, -13 15. Los Angeles, 5 GP, 0-3-2, 2 pts, -10 16. Calgary, 7 GP, 1-6-0, 2 pts, -21

The Top: Carolina, Vegas and a Crowded West

Carolina's 6-1-1 start is the best in the East by points percentage (13 of 16). Their +12 goal differential trails only Vegas (+14) among all 32 teams, and they have done it in eight games, one fewer than the Rangers. Ottawa and the Rangers are tied on 12 points, but the Rangers needed nine games to get there and Ottawa eight.

Boston deserve a look. At 5-2-0 through seven games, the Bruins have a +10 goal differential, second in the East behind Carolina's +12 and well ahead of Ottawa's +3. Tampa Bay and Florida are also on 10 points, with Florida at 4-2-2 and a goal differential of zero.

The West is tighter. Utah (12 points, +10) and Edmonton (11 points in seven games) chase Vegas, while Minnesota and Seattle also have 11 points, each in eight games. Colorado are the interesting outlier: only 9 points, but a +9 goal differential in seven games.

The Bottom: Philadelphia, Calgary and Los Angeles

Philadelphia are the worst team in the East by a wide margin: 0-6-3, 3 points from nine games and a -22 goal differential, the worst in the league. Calgary (1-6-0) sit on 2 points with a -21 differential, and Los Angeles are winless at 0-3-2 with 2 points from five games. Vancouver, at 2-6-1 with a -13 differential, are the other early disaster in the West.

Games in hand are the caveat. Los Angeles and Columbus have played five games each, so their rows can change quickly. Philadelphia have no such cushion, since they have already played nine.

What the Table Means for Bettors

I did not pull a verified, timestamped futures price for any team today, so there are no numbers to quote on the Cup or the divisions. For the long-range markets, our Stanley Cup odds breakdown and NHL division odds cover where the board sits, and you should check the live prices before placing anything.

What the standings do show is who is generating results with the numbers to back them up. Carolina, Vegas, Boston and Utah all have a goal differential of +10 or better. For nightly model reads, the AI sports picks hub is where StatSniper posts them.

What to Watch Next

Games in hand will reshuffle this table over the next week. Los Angeles, Columbus and Anaheim have played the fewest games and have the most ground to make up or lose. Philadelphia need their first win, and Carolina already sit ahead of Vegas on points per game (1.63 to 1.56), so watch whether Vegas can close that gap.

We will refresh the table as the schedule evens out.

FAQ

Who is first in the NHL standings? Vegas lead the league with 14 points from nine games. Carolina are second overall on points with 13, but have the best points percentage because they have played one game fewer.

Which NHL team has the best goal differential? Vegas, at +14. Carolina are next at +12, followed by Utah and Boston at +10.

Who is last in the NHL standings? Calgary and Los Angeles are tied on 2 points. Philadelphia have 3 points from nine games and the league's worst goal differential at -22.

Why do NHL teams have different games played? Early in the season, schedules are uneven, so some teams have played five games while others have played nine. Compare points percentage, not raw points.

Want the nightly read on every NHL slate? Chad, the StatSniper AI, breaks down the numbers behind the table, and you can follow his daily calls.

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