A few years ago, in November 2022, we here at Power Rankings HQ chose Our Guys. One per team. Those Guys being particularly good, while encouraged, was not a prerequisite.

We’re back at it for 2025-26. A lot of these picks are based on skill. Some of them, particularly toward the bottom, are based on other things. The only rule: If you showed up on Player Tiers, our league-vetted list of the top 150 players in hockey, you were ineligible. Be good, in other words, but not too good — and if you’re not good, be old, be interesting, or have a cool name.

Advertisement

1. Carolina Hurricanes, 6-1-0

Last week: 3

Sean: 1

Dom: 1

Before we get to #OurGuy, let’s first talk about the NHL aptly scheduling a Rankings Bowl game the night before. Colorado vs. Carolina: Winner gets first overall in the Power Rankings, the most coveted NHL award outside the Stanley Cup. Carolina dominated to start with a 4-1 lead and almost squandered it before putting it away in a shootout. That’s all the Hurricanes needed to cement their spot at the top of the NHL mountain.

So who’s #OurGuy from the league’s best team? We’re going with Jackson Blake, who’s off to a nice start after signing a bajillion dollar extension this summer. He’s notably stolen Andrei Svechnikov’s spot on the top power play in the early going which could put him in line for a productive season. Also, he has a movie star name which is important.

2. Colorado Avalanche, 5-0-3

Last week: 1

Sean: 2

Dom: 2

When it comes to #OurGuys, we tend to skew on the young side — the up-and-coming talents ready to make a name for themselves. We, uhh, don’t have a lot of options on that front with the Avalanche, so instead we’re going to root for the guy with the best story. That’s obviously Gabriel Landeskog. With two points in eight games (and a goal unjustly taken away from him earlier this week), Landeskog is off to an unfortunately slow start. But we have faith the Avalanche captain will look closer to the somehow-still-dominant player we saw in last year’s playoffs.

3. New Jersey Devils, 6-1-0

Last week: 9

Sean: 4

Dom: 3

How can you not love a rookie that posts updates on Telegram throughout the season? Arseny Gritsyuk has endeared us with his love for posting, and the shot on his first goal wasn’t bad either.

Arseny Gritsyuk buries his first NHL goal on the power play! 💪 pic.twitter.com/b4cyE60L4Y — NHL (@NHL) October 23, 2025

4. Vegas Golden Knights, 5-0-2

Last week: 10

Sean: 3

Dom: 4

Since the start of last season, Pavel Dorofeyev