NHL Power Rankings: Pre-Puck Drop
Welcome back! Tomorrow is day 1 of the 2023-2024 NHL Season and what a playoffs and off-season we had. Congratulations to the Vegas Golden Knights on solidifying your Stanley Cup. Power Rankings are officially back. This article will give you my power rankings prior to going into the season. Some of it is based on playoff performance, last year regular season performance, off-season performance, and just that “eye” test we all love to fall back on. Remember, no hockey has started! With that set up, please enjoy the next 28 weeks of Power Rankings and may I wish you and your favorite team luck!
#16 Buffalo Sabres
Finished 20th in League, Missed Playoffs
The Buffalo Sabres have shown that with enough time and care, you can harvest the value of what you’ve planted. The Sabres took a massive step last season, missing the playoffs by a very slim margin and showing that the young team is finding their chemistry, their offense, and their confidence. While their offseason was a bit to be desired, especially with the cap space and trade assets available, the team will be in a position to make moves throughout the season. They are looking for their homegrown talent to take an even larger step and find their way to the postseason for the first time in 13 years. They will need goaltending and defense to take a huge step.
#15 Pittsburgh Penguins
Finished 19th in the League, Missed Playoffs
The Pens took their fair share of ridicule this off-season after missing the playoffs by a single point, by losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in a must win game situation. We were robbed of a post-season without Sidney Crosby and I would not bet on that happening twice in a row. Kyle Dubas took over as GM and President and has already made significant moves in the bottom 6 and improved the top 6 by picking up Stanley Cup Champion Reilly Smith from the Vegas Golden Knights. He also picked up Erik Karlsson, yes, that Erik Karlsson. The team did not get younger, but they did get better by my calculations. Watch out for them. It’s a wonder how many more years this core has, however.
#14 Minnesota Wild
Finished 11th in the League, 1st round exit by Dallas Stars in 6 games
Minnesota will not be judged by their regular season performance, but their ability to get over the playoff hump. They had a quiet summer and that was veteran Pat Maroon, who’s best days are most certainly behind him. The Wild will be competing for a playoff spot and I would expect playoffs in their future, if not because the Central Division may have taken a step back collectively. Marco Rossi and Brock Favor, the young bloods, will be asked to take steps if the Wild are going to be in a position to go deep.
#13 Boston Bruins
Finished 1st in the League, 1st round exit by the Florida Panthers in 7 games
Boston’s incredible regular season set them up for absolute devastation by the hands of the eventual Eastern Conference Cup representative, the unlikely Florida Panthers. The sadness did not cease there, as their longtime captain and hall of fame Selke hero, Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement. David Krejci officially joined him as well. In the summer, Brad Marchand was handed the “C” and the team will now rely on him, Pavel Zacha, and Charlie Coyle to fill the void. If Linus Ullmark can have a season like he did last season, Boston will still be competitive. They always are, but I am not convinced they will be the formidable force they were last season, and they undoubtedly won’t have a season like they did last year. Though that could be a blessing in disguise for this team in the first chapter of a new era.
#12 Florida Panthers
Finished 17th in the League, Stanley Cup Runner up, losing in 5 games to Vegas
Florida had an incredible run in the playoffs, and I was most certainly on their bandwagon. But the Cinderella run ran thin. They went from President’s Trophy team in 2022 though with a quick postseason exit, to barely making it in 2023 but with a long run. The Panthers will be out to prove that their run was not a fluke. They start the season with Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, their ace defenders, out until December. Tkachuk, Barkov and the company will need to set up to support Goalie Bob until their cavalry arrives.
#11 Tampa Bay Lightning
Finished 13th in the League, 1st round exit by Toronto in 6 games
The Bolts looked dogged and tired in that regular season run last year. Their first game in the playoffs made us think they got their confidence back. I’ll be honest, the Bolts deserved to win that series against their desperate opponent, the Maple Leafs. That said, the Bolts are a year older. Getting an extra month and half of rest from hockey, however, could be what the doctor ordered. They will need to tread water while goalie Vasilevskiy is out for the first 2 months of the season. The biggest question and worry we have is the situation with captain Steven Stamkos. Stamkos is a very proud and honorable player and for him to come out openly with an issue regarding his extension process could mean we are seeing Stamkos last year as a Bolt. Maybe it will depend how they perform this season.
#10 New York Rangers
Finished 9th in the League, 1st round exit by New Jersey in 7 games
Despite many cooks sent out the door, this teams still has an elite group in all 3 positional groups. New York has a promising young core coming up through the ranks and the addition of Nick Bonino, Blake Wheeler, Tyler Pitlick, and local boy Jonny Quick will bring some hungry veteran presence to this lineup. The Rags will be motivated and ready to come back for another shot at the cup. The competition will be tight but with Igor Shesterkin in net, you’re in every single game every single night.
#9 Seattle Kraken
Finished 12th in the League, 2nd round exit by Dallas in 7 games
Seattle made an incredible turnaround in just their 2nd season in the league. They proved they are a force to reckoned with all up and down the lineup as they found scoring all throughout the roster. Their goaltending, perhaps, was their downfall, and should the goaltending improve, they will be another force every single night. They made the playoffs and through the 1st round, despite their main goaltenders with sub-.900 save percentages. It’s a wonder what this team would be like with to above average team goaltending.
#8 Los Angeles Kings
Finished 10th in the League, 1st round exit by Edmonton in 6 games
This is where the “Cup Contenders” begin. While I really do think anyone can win, the next 8 teams are my teams I see most likely built to win the Stanley Cup. It starts with the LA Kings. The Kings boast arguably the best center depth, with the likes of Kopitar, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Phillip Danault to anchor great talent on their wings. The goaltending was the downfall for the LA Kings and that will be their X-factor this season. They are nearly a shoe-in for the playoffs but their hopes of besting their emerging “white whale” in the Edmonton Oilers, they will need to find consistent and reliable goaltending.
#7 Colorado Avalanche
Finished 7th in the League, 1st round exit by Seattle in 7 games
Colorado will be hungry for another shot at the Stanley Cup after their defending year ended in misery to the hands of the Kraken. The addition of Jonathan Drouin, Ryan Johansen, and Miles Wood will most certainly complement their core players. Any team with “Nate Dawg” Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar is always going to be a threat, and one could argue I am disrespecting the Avs here.
#6 Toronto Maple Leafs
Finished 4th in the League, 2nd round exit by Florida in 5 games
Toronto finally beat their formidable opponent in Tampa, and it was just too much excitement for the Leafs, even if they didn’t fully deserve it. They followed up by losing hard to the Panthers in embarrassing fashion. This group has to have one chance to do this. The regular season means absolutely nothing, they will make the playoffs no doubt. Bringing in Bertuzzi, Ryan Reaves, and Max Domi will bring a sandpaper that I think the buttery smooth core lacks in the playoffs. This is their final test.
#5 Dallas Stars
Finished 8th in the League, 3rd round exit by Vegas in 6 games
Dallas, per usual, is always slept on. The Dallas Stars are deep in all facets of the game and its all grown within their system. Matt Duchene comes in and adds even more depth with a veteran mind that is hungry for a cup. Jake Oettinger is an absolute beast between the pipes and that should help hide some defensive hiccups as there are some questions on the blue line. Dallas will be a major threat and be looking for better result in the postseason.
#4 Edmonton Oilers
Finished 6th in the League, 2nd round exit by Vegas in 6 games
Many argue the Oilers took a step back by not making it to the Conference Final last season. But its been 2 seasons now that the Oilers were ousted by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion. The Oilers took this last loss very hard and the motivation will be the highest its ever been by their captain Connor McDavid. Mattias Ekholm will have a whole season with the Oilers, who became the league’s best trade deadline move. The Oilers will have the league’s most national broadcasted games in the United States, and that’s huge for the league and for us fans. This is the best Oilers team most of you will see since that 2006 unlikely run and will be perhaps better than that. Buckle up.
#3 New Jersey Devils
Finished 3rd in the League, 3rd round exit by Carolina in 5 games
This Devils team proved everyone wrong. This young group is the real deal and will be a contender for many many years to come. This is a young group of home-grown talent that is stacked up front, solid on D, and competent in net. This Devils team will need to prove that they can back it up because no one will take them lightly this time around. They are one of the most fun teams to watch and I expect nothing less this year.
#2 Vegas Golden Knights
Finished 5th in the League, Won the Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup Champions won by sheer layers of depth. They are a ruthless checking team that comes at you in waves. Just when you think you managed 1 wave, another one I right behind you to knock you out. They did lose a couple players but their roster consists of so much depth and we should be prepared for a Knights team to make the Cup Final again if they can help it. They will be a tough team to beat.
#1 Carolina Hurricanes
Finished 2nd in the League, 3rd round exit by Florida in 4 games
The Hurricanes took their exit in stride by signing Dmitry Orlov and adding hungry forward Michael Bunting. They locked up their franchise guy Aho and are bringing back their elite goaltending group. I believe this team will be your Eastern Conference winner and will ultimately make the Stanley Cup. I have been behind this club for years, until last year, where they actually proved me wrong for a bit. This is the group that will get over the hump and I hope we can see a 2006 Cup Rematch.
In-Season Cup
The In-Season Cup is back! See our draft results and keep track with us every single week with these articles and on our social media! Alex looks to defend the title!