As the NHL season progresses towards the latter stages of 2024, the playoff picture is becoming clearer, with an 83.3-percent success rate for teams in playoff positions as the calendar flips to the New Year. Historically, 40 of the 48 teams in playoff spots on January 1 over the last three seasons have made the postseason tournament. This trend provides optimism for the teams leading the latest Power Rankings from Moneyline.

The Winnipeg Jets are particularly buoyant as they reclaim the top spot in the weekly rankings, edging out the Vegas Golden Knights by a mere two points, reversing their previous week’s position. The Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils also switched places but still remained within the top five, joined by the Minnesota Wild, who moved up from seventh and displaced the Edmonton Oilers, who experienced a significant drop from fifth to ninth. The Montreal Canadiens emerged as the week's biggest positive movers, rising four spots from 24th to 20th.

Examining the rankings, the Chicago Blackhawks suffered a disappointing 6-2 defeat against the St. Louis Blues at the Winter Classic, marking their league-high fifth straight loss. Forward Taylor Hall expressed concerns about the team’s confidence. Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks concluded 2024 with a dismal record of 1-8-1 over ten games, while the Nashville Predators reverted to their prior struggles, ending the year with three consecutive losses. Notably, the New York Rangers have been grappling with a tough stretch as their main goaltender Igor Shesterkin heads to injured reserve, following a rough December that included a 3-10-0 mark.