A New Beginning: NHL Power Rankings Week 0
A Twitter thread of little pump-up videos for each team.
1. Colorado Avalanche (Eliminated in Round Two) — The core of Colorado remains intact, as Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar both re-signed to hefty contracts this offseason. Fresh faced Darcy Kuemper will get lots of action early with Pavel Francouz out for about a month. This could be the year of Nathan MacKinnon, as he has the potential to win gold, the Hart, and a Cup. Makar will be a Norris nominee, again and potentially an Olympian. Expect the Avs to have a top ten power play and penalty kill; this is bare minimum a top five team.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning (Stanley Cup Winner) — Back to Back to Back? Despite losing an entire line this offseason, Tampa still has the offensive firepower to lift the Cup again this postseason. Bolstering Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Steven Stamkos in their top six, the Bolts will be able to score at will. A left side of Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Mikhail Sergachev is as good as any. If Tampa gets consistent scoring from their bottom six, now led by Corey Perry, look out. Oh, and Andrei Vasilevskiy is still in net.
3. Vegas Golden Knights (Eliminated in Semi-Finals) — While Vegas quietly prepares for another showtime season, issues at center depth persist. Newly acquired Nolan Patrick will slot in in the middle six. Patrick could potentially play with another new acquisition, Evgenii Dadonov, who put up 20 points last season with Ottawa. An elite group of defensemen in Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theadore, and Alec Martinez will protect Robin Lehner and Laurent Brissoit. Even with Alex Tuch out, the Golden Knights offense will hum during the regular season. Don’t forget about 2020 Selke finalist Mark Stone leading the way offensively.
4. New York Islanders (Eliminated in Semi-Finals) — Steady as it goes for the Islanders, as General Manager Lou Lamoriello and Head Coach Barry Trotz guide one of the most defensively sound rosters in the league. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, the best defense pairing in the NHL, guide a core featuring former Islander Zdeno Chára and youngblood Noah Dobson. Anders Lee returns after injury, while Mat Barzal looks to solidify himself as a top 10 center. New York’s Identity Line will keep teams in check while Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier lead the scoring charge.
5. Carolina Hurricanes (Eliminated in Round Two) — “The idea we would do it for revenge, or to get even, is silly”. Okay Tom, we get it, the $20 signing bonus WASN’T a cheap shot at Marc Bergevin. Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta instead of re-signing Alex Nedeljkovic? Bringing in notorious locker room cancer Tony DeAngelo? A bunch of jerks. Maybe returning Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour can settle DeAngelo down. Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and Teuvo Teravainen make up an elite young line while newcomer Jesperi Kotkaniemi will play with Vinny Trochek and Martin Nečas. Not a bad top-six. Jaccob Slavin will compete for the Norris.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (Eliminated in Round One) — Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. William Nylander and John Tavares. The Big Four. Prove it. Get over the hump. It is only the first round. Step up in the moment. Kyle Dubas and Sheldon Keefe believe in this roster; do the players believe in themselves? There is no question about the skill of this incarnation of the Maple Leafs. It’s between the ears. David Kämpf, Michael Bunting, Ondřej Kaše, and Nick Ritchie are improved depth additions. Jack Campbell and Petr Mrázek will do just fine in net. Expectations have never been higher.
7. Boston Bruins (Eliminated in Round Two) — Talent abound in a roster that continually makes the playoffs. The perfection line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrňák will continue to wreak havoc on opposing top lines. Charlie McAvoy is in line to receive a Norris nomination this season, as he will carry the Boston blueline. Taylor Hall is back long term for the Bruins, however, linemate David Krejčí has gone back to the Czech Republic. Linus Ullmark will man the net, as Tuukka Rask may come back midway through the season.
8. Florida Panthers (Eliminated in Round One) — Expectations are high in Sunrise to say the least. Sam Bennett re-signed with the Panthers after a successful trial run after the trade deadline. Sasha Barkov (newly extended!! 8years, $10 million per year, starts next year) is one of the best two-way centers in the game and new linemate Sam Reinhart will benefit greatly sharing the ice with the Finn. Mackenzie Weegar and Aaron Ekblad is a top tier d-pairing. Can Sergei Bobrovsky live up to his deal while mentoring an impressionable Spencer Knight? Florida may have a tougher time in a stronger Atlantic division than last year’s Central.
9. Minnesota Wild (Eliminated in Round One) — General Manager Bill Guerin had one hell of an offseason, sandwiching a buyout of both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter with long term contracts for Joel Eriksson Ek (8 years, $5.25 million per year) and Kirill Kaprizov (5 years, $9 million per year). Cam Talbot and Kaapo Kähkönen, for the second consecutive season, will run a tandem in the crease for Minnesota. Look for Eriksson Ek to be involved in Selke discussions while Kevin Fiala must perform in a contract year. The Wild will contend for the Central.
10. Philadelphia Flyers (Missed Playoffs) — Huge retooling was done on Broad Street this offseason, as General Manager Chuck Fletcher acquired three new players via trade. On the right side of his defense, Ryan Ellis and Rasmus Ristolainen were brought in to steady the top four; Shayne Gostisbehere was moved to Arizona to free up cap space. Philadelphia welcomes in new forward Cam Atkinson, who recorded 34 points in Columbus last year. Carter Hart, now on a three-year bridge deal, has no competition in the form of Martin Jones. Hart must be successful for the Flyers to contend.
11. Winnipeg Jets (Eliminated in Round Two) — General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is praying that newly acquired defensemen Nate Schmidt and Brenden Dillon work out, as Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk led a brutal blueline last year. Nikolaj Ehlers, who has one of the best releases in the league, will be playing with Pierre-Luc Dubois, who must improve after a disastrous start to his Jets career last season. Mark Scheifele will command a talented first line with wingers Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler, however, the line must be more defensively responsible.
12. Pittsburgh Penguins (Eliminated in Round One) — No Sidney Crosby, no Evgeni Malkin to start the year. Pittsburgh’s current first line center, Jeff Carter, must adequately fill the role while Evan Rodrigues mans the second line. Tristan Jarry, after embarrassing himself in last year’s playoffs with one play, returns as the starter in the 412. Jason Zucker looks to rebound after a nine-goal campaign in 2020, as he makes $5.5 million against the cap. If Pittsburgh can weather the storm without Sid and Geno, they may make another run towards the postseason.
13. New York Rangers (Missed Playoffs) — An offseason full of change has brought in a new head coach, Gerard Gallant, and physical forwards Sammy Blais and Ryan Reaves. Gallant will push young forwards Kappo Kaako and Alexis Lafrenière for breakout years. Artemi Panarin, a top 10 player in the world, is a dark horse Hart candidate. Adam Fox, the reigning Norris winner, looks to explode in a contract year. Igor Shesterkin looks to improve upon his .916 save percent. The Rangers will be a sleeper in a loaded Metro.
14. Seattle Kraken (Did Not Exist) — Building from the crease out, Seattle has a nice little roster coming together. Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger are both coming off great seasons, putting up .922 and .927 save percentages, respectively. Big rig Jamie Oleksiak and ol’ reliable Mark Giordano lead an exciting and physical blue line which will keep opponents to the outside. Losing Yanni Gourde to injury hurts their already slim depth at center, as Jared McCann isn’t a true number one. The Kraken open Climate Pledge Arena versus the Vancouver Canucks on October 23rd.
15. St. Louis Blues (Eliminated in Round One) — St. Louis goes as far as Jordan Binnington can push them. Binnington’s last playoff run, a .750 save percentage, was horrendous. Pavel Buchnevich and Brandon Saad are nice additions, but this forward core is far from great; Ryan O’Reilly and David Perron were the only two players who posted above 50 points in the 2021 campaign. Torey Krug and Colton Parayko will carry the defense for the Blues. Vladimir Tarasenko will be back, although his relationship with the team is fractured. The Blues will be a wild card (all over NOT guaranteeing playoffs) in the West.
16. Vancouver Canucks (Missed Playoffs) — New deals for Quinn Hughes (6 years, $7.85 million per year) and Elias Pettersson (3 years, $7.35 million per year) give Canucks fans all the reassurance they need. However, moving three expiring deals and three draft picks (one first rounder) for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland may be a risky move. OEL isn’t the defenseman he once was, however, Garland will be a welcome addition to the top six. Pettersson, if healthy, may break the 80-point plateau. Thatcher Demko must match his .923 5v5 save percent from the 2021 campaign for the Canucks to be successful.
17. Washington Capitals (Eliminated in Round One) — Starting a season without your first line center is never great, as Nicklas Bäckström sits without a timetable for return. Evgeny Kuznetsov will fill in for the Swede, lining up with Anthony Mantha (as Alex Ovechkin is day to day) and Tom Wilson; Lars Eller will occupy the 2C role. Washington’s bottom six depth will be tested early as they face the Rangers Wednesday night. John Carlson leads a suspect blueline, with Martin Fehervary breaking on to the scene; Brenden Dillon was shipped to Canada’s Columbus. Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov will split the net for Washington.
18. Calgary Flames (Missed Playoffs) — No excuses, no funny business. Calgary has been average at best the past two years while performances from Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan have been below average. Pairing Blake Coleman with Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk will put other teams in a world of hurt. Chris Tanev enters the second year of a massive four-year deal. Jacob Markström must perform better than last year’s .904 save percent, as he’s being paid $6 million a year. Calgary needs a deep playoff run or this core should be blown up.
19. Edmonton Oilers (Eliminated in Round One) — Let’s get this out of the way: Connor McDavid is the best player in the world and teammate Leon Draisaitl makes the two the best one-two punch down the middle. The talent surrounding the two forwards, however, is questionable. Will Zach Hyman compliment McDavid as well as he did with Auston Matthews in Toronto? With Mikko Koskinen and an aging Mike Smith back in net expect inconsistency between the two. Duncan Keith may prove to be more harmful than helpful when in the lineup. Playoffs are a minimum for the Oilers.
20. Montréal Canadiens (Lost in Stanley Cup Final) — Expect the Canadiens to do what they have done the past two seasons, finish in the bottom half of the league. Having key players out long term will greatly impact the Habs, as Paul Byron and Mike Hoffman will start the year on the shelf. Shea Weber may never play again. On the flip side, we’ll see a full year of Cole Caufield and newly acquired Christian Dvorak. Jonathan Drouin returns to the lineup after struggling with his mental health. Carey Price will be prioritizing his own health, as he enters the player assistance program. We’re with you Carey.
21. Los Angeles Kings (Missed Playoffs) — After Drew Doughty’s vocal demands going into the offseason were said, GM Rob Blake heard and responded. Viktor Arvidsson? Welcome to L.A. Another shut down center for the Kings? Welcome aboard, Phillip Danault. Although he’s 35, Alex Edler is reliable in the right role. If Cal Petersen continues as the heir apparent to Jonathan Quick, the Kings could burst on to the scene. Watch for Alex Iafallo, Andreas Athanasiou, Adrian Kempe, and Gabe Vilardi to contribute heavily to the Kings’ attack.
22. Dallas Stars (Missed Playoffs) — Dallas had a head full of steam towards the end of last season, however, it was too little too late. Now with a fully healthy Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov (combined 14 games in 2021), Dallas could disrupt the forces at be in the Central division. Jason Robertson will take the next step as a second year forward. Miro Heiskanen was locked in for 8 years and will continue to develop as an elite puck moving dman. A goaltending trio of Anton Khudobin, Braden Holtby, and Jake Oettinger will be serviceable for the Stars.
23. Chicago Blackhawks (Missed Playoffs) — Never hurts to get your captain and another few key players back from injury, right? Jonathan Toews, after missing the entire 2021 season, is back, as is Kirby Dach, who only played in the last 18 regular season games and was coming off a wrist injury. Patrick Kane and Alex Debrincat will light up the league; expect Debrincat to hit 40 goals. Acquiring minute-eater Seth Jones may work out for the Blackhawks. Marc-André Fleury, coming off a Vezina win, starts in net. Please remember the Blackhawks have done nothing about (WARNING) Paul Vincent’s sexual assault of two former players. Do not let Chicago forget.
24. Nashville Predators (Eliminated in Round One) — After moving the likes of Ryan Ellis and Viktor Arvidsson, Nashville will likely take a step back this season. Juuse Saros will be “the guy” in net with David Rittch there to keep Saros motivated. New blueliner Philippe Myers will provide stability in the top four. Cody Glass may develop into a top-six forward, as he currently centers the third line for Nashville. Will the super line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and Matt Duchene produce for the Preds?
25. Columbus Blue Jackets (Missed Playoffs) — While every other team in the Metro seems to be in contention, Columbus just seems to be a step behind. Alexandre Texier slots in as the first line center, playing with Patrik Laine and Jakub Voráček; this should be a talented trio for the Jackets. The blueline for Columbus feels sneaky good, as Zach Werenski and trade acquisition Adam Boqvist man the first pair while Vladislav Gavrikov and Jake Bean command the second. With Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins in net, anything is possible. Watch for Yegor Chinakhov as a Calder sleeper.
26. New Jersey Devils (Missed Playoffs) — Landing Dougie Hamilton in free agency has officially put the Devils on the map. Young, electric forwards Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier will be the key for New Jersey as they look to take a step in their development. Jack Hughes will put up at least 60 points. Ty Smith looks to improve upon a fascinating rookie year. Mackenzie Blackwood (if healthy) will keep the ship afloat. Tomáš Tatar should be a welcome addition to the forward core. New Jersey will not be a pushover in the Metro.
27. Ottawa Senators (Missed Playoffs) — Some teams are pushovers, while others tend to go at it for the full 60; Ottawa never quits and is filled with some of the most promising young players in the league. While Brady Tkachuk hasn’t been re-signed yet, other young forwards like Drake Batherson and Tim Stützle will provide ample excitement for the Sens. A defense anchored by Thomas Chabot will be suspect throughout the year, but Erik Brännström and Artem Zub will land on the right side of the learning curve. Watch for a big year from Josh Norris.
28. Detroit Red Wings (Missed Playoffs) — Tear down, test, and evaluation. That’s the process for General Manager Steve Yzerman. Yzerman bought in Alex Nedeljkovic from Carolina, as the former Cane will provide goaltending for years to come. Moritz Seider, a 6’4” 20-year-old German defenseman, will get his first taste of NHL action. Dylan Larkin will man a first line with Filip Zadina and Tyler Bertuzzi, a formidable young trio. Filip Hronek will take another step as a number one defenseman. Expect a fun team with bad results.
29. Arizona Coyotes (Missed Playoffs) — Arizona knows exactly what they’re doing; the Coyotes own 13 expiring UFA deals, mostly up front, highlighted by former Pittsburgh Penguin Phil Kessel. The 2022 draft, as it stands, has Arizona selecting eight times in the first two rounds; Bill Armstrong has done a hell of a job acquiring picks and valuable assets in his short time as Coyotes GM. On ice, Clayton Keller looks to perform up to the standard of his contract, while Jakob Chychrun is a sleeper Norris candidate.
30. San Jose Sharks (Missed Playoffs) — Adin Hill and James Reimer fill the net for the Sharks this season, as the team still looks disastrously bad. Evander Kane has been a distraction off the ice to say the least. Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns headline a backend that will get turnstiled regularly. Logan Couture and Tomáš Hertl must take charge of a lacking offense. 2021 first round pick William Eklund, a skilled forward, will likely make his Sharks debut this year. Erik Karlsson owns the highest salary this year, making $14.5 million.
31. Anaheim Ducks (Missed Playoffs) — Anaheim screams young but not ready. Max Comtois led the Ducks in scoring with 33 points last season and the expectations shouldn’t be much higher for the full 82 game season. Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and Rickard Rakell are all playing on expiring deals, as is lifelong Duck Ryan Getzlaf; expect all four to be moved at the deadline for picks. Comtois, Trevor Zegras, and Jamie Drysdale are the future of Anaheim and need proper time to develop. Another wasted year of John Gibson’s career.
32. Buffalo Sabres (Missed Playoffs) — Are you even trying to have a decent roster this year? Dustin Tokarski and Craig Anderson? The two combined played 17 games last year and Anderson is 40. Get a grip. Rasmus Dahlin, only 21, is clearly not ready for a number one shutdown role; plus-minus should be used sparingly but Dahlin was a -36 in 2021. Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens will get taken to town against opposing first and second line centers. And Jack Eichel? You’re (the Pegulas) not offering him anything, you’re demanding; there’s a difference. Move him.
