The Tampa Bay Lightning have pushed their way into the NHL’s top five, landing at No. 5 in the latest power rankings released Sunday, October 18, 2026. At 5-2-0 through the early stretch of the regular season, Tampa Bay moved up one spot from sixth and now sits among Carolina, Vegas, Edmonton, and Utah near the top of the league.
That rise has been driven in large part by Brandon Hagel, whose start to the season has forced a fresh look at where he belongs among the game’s best. Preseason debates over whether Hagel qualified as a true elite franchise talent have been answered by what he’s done in seven games.
He leads the Lightning in key statistical categories and owns an average Game Score of 2.17, which ranks inside the NHL’s top ten. His biggest statement came in the win over the New York Islanders, when he delivered a four-point night and finished the job with a late hat trick on the road. That kind of production has made him impossible to ignore.
Tampa Bay’s climb hasn’t been built on one player alone. The Lightning have shown strong play across all four lines, and their five-on-five numbers back up the record. The coaching staff has gotten efficient performances from established stars and younger role players alike, and that blend has helped Tampa Bay control possession and shots as games wear on.
With the stars producing and the structure holding, the Lightning have carried real momentum into the final days of October. For now, they’re firmly in the top five and looking to stay there as conference matchups begin to tighten up.
In Other News...
Crunch May Have Found A Needed Spark After Rough Start
After a rough opening stretch, Syracuse may have found a little life in Rochester. The Crunch trailed by two before turning things around at Upstate Medical University Arena, where Matteo Pietroniro, Sam O'Reilly, Jansen Harkins and Clark Bishop all scored in a 4-2 comeback over the Americans, and Mads Sogaard steadied the group in goal with a 15-save win.
There was extra significance in the scoring column, too, with O'Reilly breaking through for his first professional goal and Harkins and Bishop each finding the net for the first time with the Crunch. For a Tampa Bay affiliate trying to sort out its early-season footing, a rally like that can carry more weight than the two points alone, especially when a handful of new contributors suddenly start looking comfortable in key spots. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Finally Broke Through In A Game Vancouver Wouldn't Give Away
Kevin Lankinen gave Vancouver a fighting chance early, turning aside enough pressure to keep the Lightning from running away with the night and allowing the Canucks to stay within reach for much of the game. Tampa Bay still found a way to cash in, but it was not the kind of easy night that the scoreline might suggest, with the Canucks getting solid work in goal and several defensive efforts, including noticeable plays from Filip Hronek.
Even in defeat, Vancouver showed some effort in a game it could have let slip much earlier, which has been part of the problem during a rough stretch. The loss was another in a string of setbacks for a club trying to find its footing, and while the result stings, the performance at least suggested a group still competing rather than folding under the weight of the slide. [Read more 🡒]
Lightnings Hot Start Feels Real After Another Rally At Home
Another night at Amalie Arena, another reminder that this start by the Lightning might be built to last. Tampa Bay erased an early 2-0 hole and beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2, pushing its home mark to 5-0 and its overall record to 6-2-0. Nikita Kucherov was central to the comeback with two goals, while Dennis Hildeby picked up his second win of the season in goal.
Ryan McDonagh also added a notable milestone in the background of the rally, continuing to pile up the kind of defensive work that has long made him a valuable piece of this roster. For a team that has looked comfortable at home and resilient when the game tilts against it, nights like this are starting to feel less like a hot streak and more like a pattern, even before every detail of the effort gets fully sorted out. [Read more 🡒]