Training camps open this week, so it’s time to take stock of where everyone in the NHL is with the offseason behind us.
We will revisit these rankings a few times throughout the season once more data is available. For now, it looks like a lot of familiar names at the top … and at the bottom.
No-doubt contenders
1. Edmonton Oilers (104 points, lost Stanley Cup Final)
Big adds: Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson
Big losses: Ryan McLeod, Philip Broberg
Maybe not a 2022 Avalanche-level Terminator, but the deserved preseason favorites even after losing two young depth guys to St. Louis.
2. Dallas Stars (113 points, lost in conference finals)
Big adds: Matthew Dumba
Big losses: Joe Pavelski, Chris Tanev
Don’t love the downgrades on defense, but this is still the best Central team on paper right now if we’re only including healthy/available players.
3. Florida Panthers (110 points, won Stanley Cup)
Big adds: Nate Schmidt
Big losses: Brandon Montour, Vladimir Tarasenko
Similar to Dallas, the defense corps looks worse, but all the stars are still here.
4. New York Rangers (114 points, lost in conference finals)
Big adds: Reilly Smith
Big losses: Erik Gustafsson
Probably the last dance for this core as we know it, given all the key guys who need new contracts for next season.
Probably contenders
5. Vegas Golden Knights (98 points, lost in first round)
Big adds: Victor Olofsson, Alexander Holtz
Big losses: Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson
Added a couple of intriguing buy-low forwards and still have one of the best defense corps in the league.
6. Tampa Bay Lightning (98 points, lost in first round)
Big adds: Jake Guentzel, Ryan McDonagh
Big losses: Steven Stamkos, Mikhail Sergachev
Fascinating offseason as the Lightning try to re-configure for at least one more run — a healthy Andrei Vasilevskiy to start the year would be a big deal.
7. Vancouver Canucks (109 points, lost in second round)
Big adds: Jake DeBrusk
Big losses: Nikita Zadorov
What’s with all the best teams in the West getting worse, at least on paper, on the blue line this offseason?
8. Boston Bruins (109 points, lost in second round)
Big adds: Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov
Big losses: Linus Ullmark, Jake DeBrusk
Feels like a team that could slide a little more, but the core and coach Jim Montgomery might be fade-proof, at least for another year.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs (102 points, lost in first round)
Big adds: Chis Tanev, Anthony Stolarz
Big losses: Tyler Bertuzzi, Illya Samsonov
Could be a delightful year for narratives and hot takes with a new coach, a new captain (and the old captain) plus two of the “core four” playing for new contracts.
The Avalanche
10. Colorado Avalanche (107 points, lost in second round)
Big adds: Gabe Landeskog (?)
Big losses: Sean Walker
Could they be in the first group? One or two groups below this? Yes.
Maybe contenders
11. Carolina Hurricanes (111 points, lost in second round)
Big adds: Sean Walker, Shayne Gostisbehere
Big losses: Jake Guentzel, Brett Pesce
Went all-in at the trade deadline, but this roster looks worse than last year even before they lost Guentzel.
12. New Jersey Devils (81 points)
Big adds: Jacob Markstrom, Brett Pesce
Big losses: John Marino
Could yo-yo right back toward the top of the East after kind of a lost year because of key injuries.
13. Nashville Predators (99 points, lost in first round)
Big adds: Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault
Big losses: Ryan McDonagh
Maybe the biggest winners in the offseason, but also probably still one or two impact guys short when compared to the elite teams.
14. Washington Capitals (91 points, lost in first round)
Big adds: Pierre-Luc Dubios, Jakob Chychrun
Big losses: None
Took some big swings to re-tool for one more run with Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson, and the variance is pretty high here in both directions.
15. Winnipeg Jets (110 points, lost in first round)
Big adds: None
Big losses: Tyler Toffoli, Sean Monahan
This team could be worse overall at all three positions, though still having Connor Hellebuyck covers up some issues in the regular season, at least.
Probably not contenders
16. Los Angeles Kings (99 points, lost in first round)
Big adds: Darcy Keumper, Warren Foegele
Big losses: Viktor Arvidsson, Pierre-Luc Dubois
Really, really need Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke to become high-level players or they’re still just spinning their wheels as a good, best-of-the-non-contenders team.
17. Minnesota Wild (87 points)
Big adds: Yakov Trenin
Big losses: Alex Goligoski
Give them one more year to get out of salary cap hell, and then look out … if the GM can be patient and not add any more depth guys on iffy contracts.
18. Pittsburgh Penguins (88 points)
Big adds: Matt Grzelcyk
Big losses: Reilly Smith
Some complimentary pieces were shuffled, the stars could still have one more great season left and yet … just getting back to the playoffs looks like the ceiling.
19. Utah Hockey Club (77 points)
Big adds: Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino
Big losses: J.J. Moser
What’s a real home-ice advantage and not having to answer questions about relocation going to be worth in the standings, let alone something closer to an average NHL defense corps?
20. Detroit Red Wings (91 points)
Big adds: Vladimir Tarasenko, Cam Talbot
Big losses: David Perron
Maybe the young defensemen create a step forward, but it feels like we’re building the East’s version of the Kings here.
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21. New York Islanders (94 points)
Big adds: Anthony Duclair, Maxim Tsyplakov
Big losses: None
These guys are already like the Kings of the East. Their ceiling may be a group higher if Ilya Sorokin rebounds and the ex-Avs coach trusts him over the ex-Avs goalie in net.
22. Buffalo Sabres (84 points)
Big adds: Coach Lindy Ruff, Ryan McLeod
Big losses: Jeff Skinner
Roster moves were pretty meh, but maybe the young core is ready for the playoffs.
23. Ottawa Senators (78 points)
Big adds: Linus Ullmark, David Perron
Big losses: Jakob Chychrun
One of the perpetually second-division teams in the Atlantic has to displace one of the top four at some point … so maybe Ullmark is why the Senators can do it?
24. Montreal Canadiens (76 points)
Big adds: Patrik Laine
Big losses: None
Betting on Laine to rebound is a relatively low-risk move for a team that is probably still a year or two away.
25. Philadelphia Flyers (87 points)
Big adds: Matvei Michkov
Big losses: Cam Atkinson
Watching Michkov, and how John Tortorella handles coaching him, should be entertaining.
Not totally sure what’s going on here
26. St. Louis Blues (92 points)
Big adds: Philip Broberg, Ryan Suter
Big losses: Kevin Hayes
The offer sheets were bold and fun, but the team still feels short in the near term. It’s hard to see a path to being great long-term, either.
27. Seattle Kraken (81 points)
Big adds: Brandon Montour, Chandler Stepheson
Big losses: Justin Schultz
Really banking on Matty Beniers and Shane Wright long-term to make the “not all-in like Vegas, but not super patient like most expansion teams, either” plan work.
28. Calgary Flames (81 points)
Big adds: Anthony Mantha, Jake Bean
Big losses: Jacob Markstrom
Might be the furthest from a Cup-contention window — “rebuilding” but likely too good to land a premium pick without lottery luck.
Watching James Hagens highlights
29. Anaheim Ducks (59 points)
Big adds: Robby Fabbri, Brian Doumoulin
Big losses: Jakob Silfverberg
Bunch of exciting young forwards … and a couple of intriguing veterans for the trade market
30. San Jose Sharks (47 points)
Big adds: Macklin Celebrini, Tyler Toffoli
Big losses: None
Winning the Celebrini lottery and trading for Yaroslav Askarov likely makes this the defining offseason of the next decade for a club with better days on the (far) horizon.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (54 points)
Big adds: Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen
Big losses: None
Spent a lot of money to transform a terrible team into … maybe just a really bad one.
32. Columbus Blue Jackets (66 points)
Big adds: Sean Monahan
Big losses: Johnny Gaudreau, Patrik Laine
For the second time in four seasons, the Blue Jackets have to carry the weight of unthinkable tragedy after the death of a teammate.
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