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1. Panthers: Bill Jeet continues to impress, with key players like Sam Bennett, Brad Merchand, and Aaron Eckblad still on the roster. Florida is aiming for its first three-peat since the Islanders’ streak in the early ’80s, showing consistent dominance with a record of 47-31-4, climbing eight spots.
2. Golden Knights: Not surprising that the Golden Knights secured top offseason accolades. Mitch Marner now joins Vegas alongside Jack Aychel, forming a formidable duo with an expected strong blue line to complete the powerhouse team, holding a 50-22-10 record.
3. Avalanche: The Avalanche had a steady summer, re-signing Brock Nelson and adding Brent Burns on a cost-effective one-year deal to bolster defense. They remain top contenders for the 2025 Stanley Cup with a 49-29-4 record, improving three spots.
4. Stars: Facing realistic salary cap constraints, the Stars aim to challenge the Avalanche in the Central Division. Jason Robertson remains, with Dallas determined to keep him, as losing him would be a major blow. Their record is 50-26-6, up three spots.
5. Hurricanes: Carolina made smart moves, signing Logan Sternkuven to a team-friendly deal, acquiring K’Andre Miller, and bringing in winger Nikolaj Ehlers. The Hurricanes aspire to close the gap with Florida in the East, showing a 47-30-5 record, up six spots.
6. Oilers: The decision to pay nearly $4 million for Trent Frederick to play six minutes was unusual, but they signed Andrew Mangiapan to strengthen depth. Goaltending remains a key concern heading into the season, and they stand at 48-29-5, up six spots.
7. Lightning: Tampa Bay had a quiet off-season but remains a strong team. Improving defense and youth development could make them formidable in 2025-26 despite dropping two ranks with a 47-27-8 record.
8. Maple Leafs: Despite losing Mitch Marner, Toronto still boasts strong talent with three Core Four members and promising Matthew Knies. The addition of Matias Maccelli is a highlight, but losing a consistent 100-point scorer negatively impacts their standing, now 52-26-4, down seven spots.
9. Senators: Ottawa’s off-season moves under the radar focus on promising additions like Jordan Spence and Lars Eller. The Senators are positioning themselves as Atlantic contenders with a 45-30-7 record, down one spot.
10. Mammoth: The Mammoth show promise with talents like JJ Peterka, adding a scoring boost after losing Michael Kesselling. They climbed six spots to a 38-31-13 record, gaining attention before the season starts.
11. Devils: New Jersey looks ready to challenge, led by Jack Hughes, Nico Hisher, and Jesper Bratt. Consistency from Hughes across all 82 games is critical as they improved by three spots to 42-33-7.
12. Capitals: Washington remains steady, returning much of the team that won 51 games last season. While some regression is expected, they will remain competitive in the Metropolitan Division, dropping two spots to 51-22-9.
13. Jets: The Jets lost Nikolaji Ehlers and grew older with new signings Jonathan Tooo and Gus Nyquist. After winning the Presidents’ Trophy, they seem to have taken a step back, falling ten spots to 56-22-4.
14. Wild: Questions remain about their scoring and the impact of Vladimir Tarasenko, a declining player. Moving Marco Rossi could be key, but otherwise, an early exit in the first round looms again, up three spots to 45-30-7.
15. Canadiens: Montreal is intriguing, having made playoffs despite a minus 20 goal differential, suggesting luck. With Calder winner Lane Hatson and the trade of Noah Dobson, their excitement level rises, maintaining their position with a 40-31-11 record.
16. Kings: The Kings missed out on Mitch Marner, traded Jordan Spence, and signed Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin. Their offseason seems a loss, though still likely to make playoffs with a 48-25-9 record, dropping 12 spots.
17. Blues: St. Louis strengthened center depth but lack high-end scorers, limiting playoff chances. Jim Montgomery’s defensive coaching might push them back, though they fell four spots to 44-30-8.
18. Rangers: New York swapped K’Andre Miller for Vladislav Gavlikov, removed an expensive player, and brought in Mike Sullivan as coach. Their outlook appears to be a playoff fringe team with a 39-36-7 record, up four spots.
19. Canucks: Vancouver’s changes are hard to assess with Pius Star gone and Evander Kane arriving. They appear closer to a disappointing season, missing playoffs by six points last year, yet slightly up one spot to 38-30-14.
20. Red Wings: Detroit added defensive specialist Mason Appleton and seeks top goalie John Gibson. Though skeptical about ending their playoff drought, GM Steve Izelman might make big trades, with the team up one spot at 39-35-8.
21. Ducks: Anaheim needs significant internal improvements despite veteran signings. Young players like Mason McTavish and Pavel Mintyukov must step up under coach Joel Quenneville, rising four spots to 35-37-10.
22. Sabres: Buffalo has promising forwards and young defense but struggles with roster holes. They remain uncertain playoff contenders, advancing one spot with a 36-39-7 record.
23. Bruins: Ranking Boston at 23 feels generous, with excitement centered mainly on David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy. They face a tough season in 2025-26, dropping six places to 33-39-10.
24. Predators: Nashville made modest defensive tweaks but are mostly stable. They should improve from a playoff spot but could benefit more by focusing on the 2026 offseason, gaining seven spots at 30-44-8.
25. Blue Jackets: Columbus exceeded expectations last season but missed playoffs by two points. Questionable moves like acquiring Charlie Coyle and losing Ivan Provolov caused fan concerns, dropping six spots to 40-33-9.
26. Flyers: Trading for Trevor Zegras was a smart bet on a talented young star. Though Philadelphia may need more time before playoff contention, the move shows promise, maintaining their position at 33-39-10.
27. Islanders: Long Island undergoes changes with Lou Lamoriello’s influence, trading star Noah Dobson for top draft pick Matthew Schafer. This transition could lead to a tough season but a brighter future, dropping three spots to 35-35-12.
28. Flames: Calgary just missed playoffs but falls in rankings due to some roster luck. The team might face challenges if Rasmus Andersson is traded, dropping ten spots to 41-27-14.
29. Kraken: Seattle saw changes with Lane Lambert as coach and new players Mason Marchment and Ryan Lindgren. They look to improve but are expected to be on the playoff fringe, down two spots at 35-41-6.
30. Penguins: Pittsburgh shows little effort to improve, trading key players and anticipating a tough season. Their outlook is bleak, dropping two spots to 34-36-12.
31. Sharks: San Jose remains a struggling team but shows promise with young forwards and veteran reinforcements. Not playoff contenders yet, they are expected to play solid hockey, rising one spot to 20-50-12.
32. Blackhawks: Chicago has a long rebuilding road ahead, with struggles even for top prospect Connor Bedard. Greater roles for young talent are expected next season, but challenges remain, dropping two spots to 25-46-11.
Fan Take: This ranking highlights the shifts and strategies shaping the next NHL season, showing which teams are primed for success and which face rebuilding challenges. For hockey fans, it’s an exciting preview of potential contenders and surprises, setting the stage for a dynamic and competitive 2025-26 season.
