NHL Standings ordered by goals per game played

Six weeks into the 2024-25 NHL season, the division standings have taken shape. Some teams have stepped up while others have struggled. One team, the Winnipeg Jets, have been making history.

Are the teams hottest teams the one who are scoring the most goals per game? It’s not a guarantee, as goals against also play a factor. There can also be some low-scoring games that a team wins with the help of stellar defense and/or goaltending. But goals scored is a good measurement of the offense a team is generating. The more offense generated, the better chance a team has of winning games.

Here are the NHL standings ordered by goals per game played.

Atlantic Division

It’s not surprising to see the Florida Panthers, the reigning Stanley Cup champions at the top of this list with 3.53 goals for per game (GF/GP). They're also at the top of the Atlantic Division by points. The Tampa Bay Lightning are also scoring 3.53 GF/GP, keeping pace with the reigning champs. 

What stands out in this division? The Boston Bruins are only scoring 2.50 GF/GP this season. They’re still third in their division by points right now, although all teams below them have one, two or three games in hand. They’re currently below .500 in win %. The team is still competitive, but not as competitive as last year or the year before.

Metropolitan Division

Seeing the Carolina Hurricanes near the top of this list with 4.00 GF/GP, is not surprising. The Hurricanes also sit atop the Metropolitan Division in points % with .733. The Canes play very strong defense, too, so they’re only allowing 2.67 goals against per game.

An early surprise this season has been the Washington Capitals. They rank first on this list with the highest average goals scored per game in the Metropolitan Division. They’re currently tied for second in the division by points % (tied for third in points with five games in hand on the Devils).

Central Division

Of course the Winnipeg Jets are at the top of the Central Division in goals scored per game with a significant lead. The Jets are the story of the NHL so far this season, becoming the fastest team in league history to reach fifteen wins, going 15-1 in sixteen games. After a loss to the Lightning, they’re now 15-2. This team is special.

Through their first sixteen games, the Minnesota Wild are playing far better than last year. If there’s one surprise here, it’s that they’re ninth overall in the NHL in goals scored per game. They’ve scored four or more goals in nine games this season.

Pacific Division

It’s no surprise to see the Vegas Golden Knights at the top of this list. They are also at the top of the division by points and points %. The 2023 Stanley Cup champions made it to the playoffs again last year and have continued to play well this year.

It’s a bit surprising to see the Edmonton Oilers are scoring less than three goals per game, at 2.76 GF/GP. The Oilers are a very good team, a team that has Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The team has played six games where they scored zero or one goal. Their 9-7-1 record is more middle-of-the-pack than expected, but there’s still time for them to go on a tear.