2023-24 NHL Season Outlook

It’s a little late to call this a “preview”, so we we’ll call it our “outlook” for this year’s NHL season. Below, Brandon Wamsley, Shane Ierardi, and I will share our power rankings for 2023-24, as well as recap how last season went for each team, the offseason moves they made, and break down what we expect from them going forward this season. At the bottom of the page, you can find our individual power ranking ballots, as well as how high and low each team found themselves in our rankings.

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• Brock Hartley

1. COLORADO AVALANCHE

The Colorado Avalanche will once again start the season with a “Cup or Bust” mentality. This mindset has become the norm around Denver for the past few seasons, and with the star talent the Avs have up top nothing should change in the near future. A record number of games lost to injury last season, coupled with other disasters in the opening round of the playoffs, derailed dreams of a repeat in Colorado. Once again though, FanDuel has the Avalanche as the current Stanley Cup favorites and there is no reason they shouldn’t be considering they roster arguably the 2 best players on the planet not named McDavid. Cale Makar is the overwhelming Norris favorite and will be for a long time to come. Nathan MacKinnon after returning from injury last season put up numbers that could put him into Hart contention if he can continue the pace, or even improve as he will say he has. When it comes to star power you also can’t leave out Mikko Rantanen who’s coming off a career year where he tallied 55 goals. Goaltender Alexander Georgiev also put up career high numbers, giving the Avalanche stability in net and he will play behind one of the league’s best defenses.

The only question mark in Colorado will be what caused their ultimate demise last season and that is depth. Nathan Mackinnon personally campaigned to bring in his old friend Jonathan Drouin believing they could reignite a spark. Keeping with the theme of reigniting careers Joe Sakic and Chris MacFarland believe bringing in Ryan Johansen will bring both depth and stability to the 2nd line center position, something the squad desperately lacked against Seattle in the postseason. That move is still questionable as to what success it will find, but there should be even more optimism in the brand new projected third line of Miles Wood, Ross Colton and Tomas Tatar which at least on paper should be much more dangerous than anything the Avs could ice last season. Coming into the season with some more rest, health, and maybe even the silver lining of adding Captain Gabe Landeskogg come playoff time, it should be all systems go for the Avalanche.

• Brandon Wamsley

2. CAROLINA HURRICANES

How it ended

Just a bit short! The Carolina Hurricanes had a strong team all season but came up short against the red-hot Florida Panthers in the conference finals. They got swept 4-0 as well. Honestly, there isn’t one thing to blame, they just lost to a better team.

Off-season summary

Improvement on the defense in the name of Dimitry Orlov and Tony DeAngelo. These two greatly increase the quickness and efficiency of movement up the ice by Carolina’s defense. Otherwise, this is the same squad ready to roll it back with a healthy Frederik Anderson.

How it’s going to go

Stanley Cup or bust season. This is a great roster. They have the chip on their shoulder and the extra zing to the sauce of their team that makes a Stanley Cup run possible. If Frederik Anderson can finally stay healthy, this team is prime for a deep push.

I think they land around 110 points and comfortably make the playoffs. I would wait for some stretches of losses to get Stanley Cup odds value. This also protects you from key injuries that would hamper this great team, which are not uncommon in the NHL.

• Shane Ierardi

3. NEW JERSEY DEVILS

How it went

Buzzing! This team is legit and showed what they could do last year. Jack Hughes is elite, and his brother showed signs of life when he had a couple reps towards the end of the season. Timo Meier didn’t really pan out but should still be a great addition.

Off-season Summary

Tyler Toffoli is a great addition as he adds incredible locker room presence and offensive power. Otherwise, the same unit is ready to hammer down on the success of last year.

How it’s going to go

Pretty well. Maybe even playoffs easily. Nico Hischier needs to hit the final gear of his development for this offensive unit to really take off. All 4 lines are pretty solid, and the defensive group is sturdy. There is so much hype on this team. I think they could win the regular season Presidents Trophy. Sure, Stanley Cup champion sounds good, but they need more on defense to do that.

• Shane Ierardi

4. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

The Golden Knights were last year’s Stanley Cup champions, but they are hungry for more – and why shouldn’t they be? Despite losing Reilly Smith who was a big part of this team both on and off of the ice, this team will be an elite contender once again. Much of this roster is the same as last year. It’s also worth keeping in mind that this team was plagued with injuries all season, but they were able to conquer that adversity and win a championship. Now healthy, there’s no doubt that “repeat” is on Vegas’ mind. It won’t be easy, it never is.

The Golden Knights play in a division with teams who are hungry for their own Cups. Vegas plays in a division with the best player in the world in Connor McDavid, as well as two dark horse contenders in Seattle and Los Angeles, who both had successful seasons last year that they are looking to improve on. Nevertheless, the Golden Knights squad should be a playoff team, and now they know what they need to do to get the job done, so it wouldn’t be incredibly shocking to see Mark Stone being handed the Stanley Cup once again come June.

• Brock Hartley

5. EDMONTON OILERS

The Edmonton Oilers and their fans had to watch another season go down the drain with yet another disappointing postseason conclusion after having the league’s 2 leading scorers in the regular season. Connor McDavid put together one of the greatest regular seasons we’ve ever seen and further solidified his #1 status by widening the gap. Leon Draisaitl also had a career year and has become the epitome of consistency. For that reason alone, there may not be a team in hockey with more pressure coming into the season than the Oilers. The message has become monotonous and louder every year, “How long are you going to waste the best player on the planet?”. So, how can we view things entering a year where Mcdavid will turn 27? There are 2 very different perspectives to choose from. On one hand, the Oilers only lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights in a series last year that, at least analytically, Edmonton got unlucky in. We also all remember the discussion around the officiating of that series. The team’s biggest weaknesses on defense really tightened up after bringing in Mattias Ekholm and many thought the Oilers would finally bring home the Cup. So even though the only notable offseason addition is a reclamation project in Conor Brown, many think the Oilers didn’t need to add much as they were already good and expect big things from Evan Bouchard to bolster them even further. On the other hand, Edmonton was still giving up 3.5 goals per game in the playoffs last season. Even with McDavid and Draisaitl that’s not a recipe to win a Stanley Cup. Also, a lot of complaining about officiating against them shouldn’t overshadow the fact that the Oilers rode a record-breaking power play to generate most of their offense all year including in the postseason. Even though they should again be the NHL’s premiere power play unit, it would be impossible to not expect regression. For those reasons alone it must be slightly infuriating for fans in Oil Country that the team didn’t do more this offseason.

Overall, though, regardless of which side of that argument anyone is on right now, Ken Holland will have plenty of time to assess the beginning of the new season and add pieces if necessary before the trade deadline. If either the current roster or some new additions can find a way to play some defense, this could finally be the season 97 brings a Stanley Cup back to not only Edmonton but all of Canada. If not, we can expect plenty of turnover at all levels of the organization.

• Brandon Wamsley

6. DALLAS STARS

The Dallas Stars were many experts’ pick to come out of a tightly contested Western Conference heading into last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Cup dreams in Dallas came crashing down in the Western Conference Finals against the eventual champs. The downfall was due to lack of depth. The bottom 4 on defense struggled dramatically and the Golden Knights bottom forward groups decisively outmatched the Stars. The addition of Matt Duchene should really help that depth amongst the forward group. Duchene adds another lethal scoring threat behind the star-studded top line, and with the progression of Wyatt Johnston who will center the second line, Dallas has plenty of both depth and scoring up front. They also have one of the best goaltenders on the planet in Jake Oettinger. The only issue that could hold them back will again be a lack of depth defensively. Thomas Harley contributed in a big way and is progressing nicely, and the Stars have a lot of youth on defense, all of which offer plenty of room for improvement.

The question will be how much they can progress over the regular season because Dallas should have no trouble getting into the postseason. The issue will be when that young defense is forced to face a team like Vegas, Colorado, or Edmonton in the playoffs who can really put them to the test. There is no question, however, that the Stars are close, and have ways to add pieces along the way if need be. The expectation is Dallas should be nothing less than a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals.

• Brandon Wamsley

7. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

How it went

Another crushing defeat in the playoffs but this time IN THE SECOND ROUND!! You guys did it. You made it past the first round for the first time in like 20 or so years. Albeit it wasn’t good enough to keep Kyle Dubas around as he waved goodbye on his way to Pittsburgh. I have no clue about Brad Treliving but that’s a great last name.

Off-season summary

Ohhhh they made some great moves to get some real toughness on the roster with moves for Ryan Reaves and Tyler Bertuzzi. John Klingberg jumps on the defensive end on a nice deal, and he tries to find his Norris candidate form that he once had.

How it’s going to go

Ilya Samsonov has to be a solid option in net as Joseph Woll cannot be trusted to be #1. The forwards are lethal. The defense is capable. The goalies need to be dependable.

They should make the playoffs and somehow push to the second round again. I don’t know how they will do in the regular season but if everybody stays healthy and Ilya is somewhat decent, these guys are in.

• Shane Ierardi

8. FLORIDA PANTHERS

If you follow our articles and power rankings, then you may remember that I was a little higher on the Panthers than most entering the postseason last year. Frankly, I didn’t understand why this team was thought of as a “Cinderella” – and I still don’t. This team won the President’s Trophy two seasons ago. Most of that team returned. You could also make the argument that the team actually got better when you look at the trade for Tkachuk. Sure, part of the reason that they were considered such a big underdog in the playoffs last year is they had a completely underwhelming regular season, but they were also ravaged by injuries. So, here we are again – with me being a lot higher on the Cats than most. Once again, I don’t understand the low expectations. This team just won the Eastern Conference, which was an absolute gauntlet. They have some pieces from last year’s team gone, but the key pieces are still there.

The one bad thing for Florida is that they will be without defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour for a month or two, so they may have some catching up to do in the standings when those guys return. But hey, they did it last year – and in much more ominous circumstances. This may not be the majority opinion on this team, but I see no reason why they shouldn’t be a top contender once again come April.

• Brock Hartley

9. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

How it went

Unfortunately. Toronto finally made it past the 1st round as the Lightning were the sacrifice after a tough Round 1 matchup. You can tell they were missing people like Corey Perry and Ryan McDounagh. It just wasn’t in the cards last year.

Off-season Summary

Conor Sheary! Welcome to the team. Other than that, it’s back out there with the same crew. Still solid as it is and if they beef up a little at the deadline, this team could be really mean.

How it’s going to go

Competitive day in and out. This team is going to be a tough matchup any night. The top two lines are some of the best defensively and offensively. Great talent and skill all around. The defense is where it gets suspect because Hedman and Sergachev will be depending upon their new d-partners a lot and they are relatively inexperienced.

Opening the season without stud Andrei Vasilevsky will be tough, but this team is really solid and experienced up front. Making the playoffs should be a guarantee, but for a Stanley Cup run they might need some more reinforcements on this roster.

• Shane Ierardi

10. LOS ANGELES KINGS

For me, the Kings are one of the most intriguing teams entering the season. I was very high on them last year, and I still am this season. These guys are young, talented, and have excellent veteran leadership. They are also deep. Especially down the middle after the acquisition of Pierre-Luc Dubois. General Manager Rob Blake has been killing it in the trade market, acquiring Dubois about a year after trading for Kevin Fiala, who thrived in his role with Los Angeles. These guys will score by committee and be tough to play against in their own zone.

There is one big question looming over this group, however. Goaltending. Joonas Korpisalo ended up being a rental, as he didn’t re-sign with the Kings after being acquired at the trade deadline. Korpisalo looked very capable in his Kings tenure, but he’s no longer an option. That leaves things in the hands of Cam Talbot and Phoenix Copley, who are not the most glamorous options, as both have struggled with consistency. The defense will help them out as much as they can, but eventually they will have to make big saves in big moments – and I’m not sure that they are capable of that. The team in front of the goalie will be great. They will be a playoff team and will also be a tough out once in the playoffs. But if this team wants to take a real run at a Stanley Cup, I believe they will have to improve in goal at the trade deadline.

• Brock Hartley

11. NEW YORK RANGERS

How it went

To a crashing stop. Patrick Kane didn’t help what was supposed to be a long and exciting playoff run. It was a double whammy as the young New Jersey Devils knocked them out in Round 1. Adam Fox never looked too elite, Igor Shesterkin never developed fully, and everybody behind Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad fell short. Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere have been better, and you have to hope that after a solid season they both can take the next step.

Off-season summary

Blake Wheeler finds his way onto the roster as Kane departs. Ryan Reaves is gone. Not much else has gone on as you hope the young guys can take their next step and produce more.

How it’s going to go

It’s not going to get easy for the gang in blue, as much of the Metro Division looks better than last year. I do expect this team to play better than they did for Gerard Gallant. Igor for Vezina this year is a sexy pick to me as I expect he’s evolving.

I expect 105 points. The Metro title will be a tough ask, but if this team looks slow early, I’m taking the good odds on the comeback. Once again, Igor for Vezina props are something I’ll be tailing this year.

• Shane Ierardi

12. OTTAWA SENATORS

How it ended

With so much potential! Unfortunately, Anton Forsberg and Cam Talbot were never the answer in net and the defense lacked consistent play against the league’s best. Guys like Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle showed why they could be some of the league’s best after solid campaigns. You can see the team missed Josh Norris who helped round out the top 6. 

Off-season summary

Lots. Say hello to Vladimir Tarasenko who should give this team some legit firepower on the 2nd line and power play now that Alex Debincat has gone to Detroit. Dominik Kubalik slides into the depths of this offense as part of the return for Debrincat. Jakob Chychrun is healthy and looks ready to dominate this season after a year off due to injuries. Joonas Korpisalo has a new home and hopefully he can have a couple great runs with this strong group.

How it’s going to go

Hard fought but defense will cost this team games more often than not. Unless Erik Brannstrom and Jake Sanderson play out of their minds, this defense will struggle behind the top defensive pairing of Chychrun and Thomas Chabot.

This is your perfect wild card team because of the assembled group of players and their most likely outcome. Hopefully Claude Giroux hits another 70-point season and brings this young group together. I can see them getting 82 points and making the wild card but eventually losing in the 1st round.

• Shane Ierardi

13. BOSTON BRUINS

The Boston Bruins come into the 2023-24 NHL season looking completely different than the team that put up 135 points last season. The Bruins were all-in last season, which had to make it absolutely heart wrenching when one of the biggest Cup favorites of recent memory headed into the postseason and got upset in the very first round by a team later to be known as the “Cardiac Cats”. The hits kept on coming in Boston over the offseason, as they lost the face of their franchise and reigning Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron to retirement, followed shortly after by longtime teammate David Krejci. As if that didn’t make things bad enough, they also lost Taylor Hall and Connor Clifton among many others.

The Bruins still have David Pastrnak coming off a 61-goal season, and Brad Marchand with all he brings. They will play in front of one of the NHL’s best defensive units lead by Charlie McAvoy. They also have reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark between the pipes who is coupled with Jeremy Swayman, who many wanted to see more of in the playoffs forming possibly the best goaltending tandem in hockey. So, there are still some causes for optimism in Boston, however instead of the Stanley Cup aspirations of last year, they should first just aspire to just make the playoffs as the regular season will be much more difficult for the new look Bruins.

• Brandon Wamsley

14. SEATTLE KRAKEN

The Seattle Kraken were the surprise of the NHL last season and became a darling amongst hockey fans everywhere, starting a booming fan base growing at a rate rarely seen. More than any team in recent memory, the Kraken won with depth. While they had no real superstar scoring, they rolled 4 lines and got contributions from everywhere. Seattle showed that a cohesive team game can still win in today’s NHL. Scoring goals at 5-on-5 with incredible efficiency and playing responsibly along the way took the upstart Kraken all the way to a Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs. They also defeated the defending Stanley Cup Champions along the way. Led by Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers, the Kraken should only expect improvement from their young talent. While last year was a pleasant surprise in Seattle, expectations this season should be tempered a bit.

The Kraken had the best shooting percentage in the NHL at even strength last season. They scored at a rate that is simply not sustainable, much less by a team that lacks the scoring talent (at least on paper) that their numbers suggested last season. They also lost some of those key depth pieces mentioned in Morgan Geekie and Daniel Sprong. The addition of Kailer Yamamoto will not fill in that gap; it also leaves the Kraken missing some of the physicality that proved vital in last season’s playoff run. The Kraken still know their identity as well as any team in hockey behind outstanding leadership from Dave Hakstol and have plenty of speed and the ability to move the puck from back to front very well. Therefore, Seattle should once again compete for a playoff spot and should find their way in, but it’s just hard to imagine them as a real contender yet.

• Brandon Wamsley

15. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

How it went

Tristan Jarry sucked. He was really bad. Sure, the Penguins weren’t playoff material, especially with former GM Ron Hextall trading for guys like Nick Bonino and Dimitry Kulikov, who had no chance of helping this team. The Kasperi Kapanen experiment is over, finally. Rickard Rakell was nice when healthy and showed that he has legit talent.

Off-season summary

Reilly Smith joins this roster bringing some 2nd line solidity and championship experience/mentality. Let’s add guys like Ryan Graves and Lars Eller to help toughen and beef up this lineup. The big finish…. ERIK KARLSSON! Oh, Kyle Dubas you mad man! Not even 2 months into his tenure and he has flipped this lineup from a flop.

How it’s going to go

I would not be surprised if they trade for Fleury or another goalie by the deadline if they are flirting with the playoffs – as they should be. This roster is very sexy on paper, and if all goes well, the over should hit in almost every game. When Jake Guentzel comes back from injury to fill out this lineup Pittsburgh is going to be legit…  AS LONG AS JARRY CAN STOP THE PUCK!

We are talking about the playoffs with this team. Crosby is fired up. Malkin is healthy. Letang is healthy. As long as these 3 are kicking, this team has a chance. Now, with the reinforcements, I wouldn’t be surprised if they make some divisional champ threats during the season.

• Shane Ierardi

16. MINNESOTA WILD

How it went

It sure went but not well or too bad. It went meh. Injuries plagued the team, as well as inconsistent scoring out of all 4 lines. Ryan Hartman had a decent season and looks to center Mats Zuccarello and Kirill “The Thrill” Kaprizov. Matt Boldy got paid and looks to be a star on this team for the future. Marc Andre Fleury never captured his former glory as the 38-year-old finds backup minutes.

Off-season summary

Matt Dumba is gone. Patrick Maroon is in. Marcus Foligno got a nice extension. Otherwise, the same old roster.

How it’s going to go

Horribly if the youngins like Marco Rossi, Filip Gustavsson, and Brock Faber don’t play consistently. This will be a one trick pony with a quality 1st line and a young, developing squad behind them.

I think they will miss the playoffs but it’s going to be a fun and “wild” ride 🙂

• Shane Ierardi

17. NEW YORK ISLANDERS

The Islanders were one of the quietest teams over the summer, which has to be disappointing for any fans of the team. The Isles appear to be stuck right in the middle of mediocrity again. The team really struggled to score at times last season, often getting pinned inside their own zone. So, while they added some flash and scoring talent with Bo Horvat, it didn’t equate to much when they met the smothering Hurricanes in the playoffs. It also didn’t help that the Islanders had one of the NHL’s worst power play units that seemed flat out anemic down the stretch.

The power play should be better this season, at least on paper, as it has all of the pieces to be in the upper portion of the league, they just need to find a way to make it mesh. Getting the power play running smoothly will be the top priority because Lou Lamoriello didn’t add any help to a defense that struggled to move the puck in any successful way to generate offense. There’s not much else to say about this Islanders team that, for now, appears to be a team that will have to fight hard for a playoff spot in the best division in the NHL. Many teams in the Metro got better this offseason, but the Islanders were not one of them.

• Brandon Wamsley

18. BUFFALO SABRES

How it went

Better than people thought! Right?! I mean the goalie play can be better as they are still searching for a number 1 as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen struggled to find consistent play behind a developing team. Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, and Dylan Cozens have evolved and displayed that they can compete with the best. Alex Tuch showed why he can be the number 1 guy, bringing his A-game every night and motivating these youngins. Victor Olofsson is an easy 60-point machine as a 2nd line guy. Casey Mittelstadt continues to try and show 1st round talent but it seems he’s peaked as a 3rd-4th liner. Craig Anderson retired, as well.

Off-season summary

Hello Devon Levi. He is a young stud out of Northeastern University after developing for a couple years, all the while posting amazing stats as a goalie. Him and Ukka should both get plenty of playing time and you have to expect that one of them will play solidly. Mini Ryan Reaves, Jordan Greenway from Minnesota, adds toughness and energy, which the team needs. New scenery could be great for Greenway too, and what better place than with this burly forward group with other key Americans.

How it’s going to go

Believe. You gotta believe this team is ready to make the playoffs somehow. Plus, they are pretty set for the mid-season market if they need to go out and get a goalie/defenseman to round out the group. Thompson is a stud. Alex Tuch is legit. Dahlin is getting there. Owen Power is very nice. Please pray Kyle Okposo can stay healthy for most of the season. Jeff Skinner 80+ point back-to-back seasons, maybe?

They will break 100 pts. Fuck it. I believe in this team this year. Just kidding 85 pts. Goaltending is not there yet and the defense could use some more meat. The forwards look promising but there needs to be lots of depth scoring, Jeff Skinner to be an 80+ point scorer, and no injuries.

• Shane Ierardi

19. WINNIPEG JETS

The Jets were a playoff team last season, but that ended with a 4-1 Round 1 loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champions. This team will look different this season, as Blake Wheeler has moved on to New York, and Pierre-Luc Dubois was dealt to the Kings for a healthy package in return that included Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, and Rasmus Kupari. Kyle Connor is still there as an elite scoring threat, and Nikolaj Ehlers will try to find the level he was playing at before his injury. If that happens, this team could make some noise and find themselves playing April hockey again. However, the deciding factor, as always, will probably be Connor Hellebuyck’s play between the pipes. Hellebuyck is a work horse. The Jets give him more minutes than any other team gives their #1 goalie. If Hellebuyck is his typical self, this team should earn a playoff spot. If not, the forwards and defensemen will need to step up.

This team’s goal should be a top 3 spot in the Central Division. Behind Colorado and Dallas, you could argue that the Jets are the 3^rd best group. Chicago, Arizona, Nashville, and St. Louis should be substantially worse than Winnipeg. That leaves Minnesota. The Wild have been consistent over the past few years but haven’t exactly found postseason success. The Jets will most likely be battling them for the #3 spot in the Central, so those games will be critical. If the Jets do find themselves in a good position for a playoff appearance at the trade deadline, they will probably need to make some moves if they want to contend for the Western Conference.

• Brock Hartley

20. CALGARY FLAMES

Last season was a massive disappointment. After winning their division by 7 points in 2021-22, the Flames were expected to be a Stanley Cup contender last year. Instead, they missed the playoffs entirely. It appeared as if the losses of Gaudreau & Tkachuk took a larger toll than expected, even with Huberdeau & Weegar joining the Flames.

I’m not sure what to expect this season. I’m finding it hard to come up with a reason that it won’t be more of the same. The roster didn’t improve, in fact it got worse with Tyler Toffoli being shipped to New Jersey. Some of the key players are getting older. That includes goaltender Jakob Markstrom, who had been one of the most reliable goaltenders in the league up until last season. Last year, he looked shaky and wasn’t the player who the Flames would often rely on in goal. Playing the Pacific Division isn’t going to help. They share a division with the reigning Stanley Cup champs, as well as the Oilers, who are growing impatient to win a Cup of their own. Then you have teams like the Kraken & Kings, who were surprisingly good last season, and are still on the rise. If the Flames do make the playoffs, they are going to have to work hard for a berth.

• Brock Hartley

21. WASHINGTON CAPITALS

I’m wondering what this season will be about for the Capitals. Will they still be trying to contend for a Cup run, or will this be a season that is more about Ovechkin chasing history than it is about winning a title? The core players from those Caps teams who were dominant in the 2010’s are still there, but they are obviously aging. These guys were not a playoff team a year ago, and they haven’t made the type of roster moves that make me believe they will be a postseason lock this year. They brought in Max Pacioretty, but he is 34 and coming off of back-to-back torn Achilles. He will begin the season on the injured list and hasn’t even started skating yet. That is a very risky move to say the least. Even if it does pay off, you have to ask if it’s even enough. The answer to that will come down to guys like Ovechkin, Oshie, and Backstrom. Will they still be able to perform at a high level against younger, faster opponents? Color me skeptical. But it’s not impossible that they still have enough left in the tank to make a run. When it comes down to it, I think it will come down to where this team is at the trade deadline.

If they are in the playoff mix, I expect they will try to make some moves to match the Penguins in trying to get some help for their aging core in order to make another run. If the playoffs appear unlikely, then we might just be sitting back and watching Ovechkin try to make history.

• Brock Hartley

22. DETROIT RED WINGS

Steve Yzerman continued to be one of the league’s busiest GM’s this offseason with tons of new names in Detroit. There is so much roster turnover that it’s hard to address everything. The biggest addition should certainly be Alex Debrincat. Debrincat struggled to find his footing in Ottawa, but still scored 27 goals. Paired with Dylan Larkin, the Red Wings expect him to be back at, or over, the 40 goal mark this season. You must love the addition of Shayne Gostisbehere as well who should really help bolster the power play unit as well as add better puck moving capability from the back end. They also have plenty of breakout candidates like Lucas Raymond who they need to really elevate to the next level that everyone expects he’s capable of.

Mo Seider should bounce back and progress instead of regress this season and Yzerman is hoping Daniel Sprong can maintain or even improve upon his newfound success in Seattle last season and will pair him with Andrew Copp early on hoping to rejuvenate him as well. JT Compher will also add to the depth down the middle. Depth isn’t really the problem in Detroit, however, as even though Debrincat should elevate both his own and Larkin’s numbers, the Red Wings may lack some of the upper end talent that budding division rivals like Buffalo and Ottawa possess, which will make it difficult to contend in a very strong Atlantic Division.

• Brandon Wamsley

23. VANCOUVER CANUCKS

The Canucks could be a wild card this season. I’ve always been a believer in their core group of Elias Pettersson, JT Miller, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, and Bo Horvat. Of course, Bo Horvat is no longer a part of that group as he was dealt to the Islanders. However, the other guys are still there, and still capable of putting up numbers. Not to mention we saw Andrei Kuzmenko emerge as a legit scoring threat last season.

The loss of Horvat is tough for this team – both on the ice and in the dressing room, as he was the captain and leader of this team. The issue for Vancouver will be keeping pucks out of the net. This is something they couldn’t do last season, especially on the power play. The good news is that part of that could be attributed to the absence of Thatcher Demko, who has the skill and determination to keep this team in games by making highlight reel saves. The bad news is that there is still some defensive liability on this team. Tyler Myers was once highly thought of, but now he’s a turnover machine. There are way too many instances where Myers makes a risky decision or fails to get a puck in deep, which results in a rush going the other way. I’m sure that defensive responsibility and improvement on the PK were top priorities for this team over the summer, so we will have to wait and see how much improvement they get in those areas.

If this team can help out Demko, who should get a healthy workload this season, this team is capable of putting enough pucks in the net to claw their way to a wild card berth. If that happens, we saw them get hot in the bubble playoffs a few years ago, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see this team wind up with a postseason series victory.

• Brock Hartley

24. NASHVILLE PREDATORS

How it went

It went. What was supposed to be a postseason run was in fact a disappointment as they finished 3 points out of the wild card. This team just couldn’t string together wins, and eventually poor defense and goalie play led to too many goals against.

Off-season summary

Ryan O’Reilly is here now and ready to do whatever he can to make this team complete. Tyson Barrie is now here, which I do not understand at all how he will fit in, but hey you have him instead of Ekholm. Ryan McDonagh maybe helps complete the team molding. Matt Duchene is gone.

How it’s going to go

Not well. This roster screams incomplete. Luke Schenn is still around to hit everything that moves. Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg could be dealt to complete the rebuild. Nashville is loaded with draft picks, so I doubt they are going to put much into this season, but the horizon looks bright.

I think they end up at 80 points. Big regression here. This roster does not translate to competitive games day in and out. They are one injury away from being very bad.

• Shane Ierardi

25. ST LOUIS BLUES

How it ended

The season mercifully ended for the Blues after a disappointing season with no hope at the post season behind some very inconsistent goaltending by Jordan Bennington. Overall, the team play never lined up. Injuries and chemistry were also factors throughout the year.

Off-season summary

Here you have a roster that’s a big ole pit of different mud. Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou lead the youth movement, Brandon Saad and Nick Leddy got that Blackhawks championship/veteran grit stuff a playoff team needs, and wildcards like Kevin Hayes and Jakub Vrana will look to help improve the group as well.

How it will go

 Jordan Binnington is still here, and this entire season will rest on him unless backup Joel Hofer has some of that magic in him too. He played a couple games last season and looked alright but he’s no Stanley Cup run Binnington. There’s a tough 6 game road trip early in the season where they take on some of the best of the west so this will be an early look at the status quo.

I expect them to land around 76 pts and miss the playoffs due to injuries or inconsistent play. Craig Berube will be on the hot seat or gone. Binnington trade rumors will go crazy.

• Shane Ierardi

26. ARIZONA COYOTES

How it went

About as expected if not a little better. Clayton Keller is legit and super exciting to watch on this feisty Yotes team. Lawson Crouse, Matias Maccelli, and Barret Hayton showed why they can be top 6 talent. Unfortunately, the muscle didn’t match the shine and the season fell short early as the losses piled up quickly.

Off-season summary

Logan Cooley is a Calder frontrunner behind Bedard, and you can expect some exciting play from him with Jason Zucker and Alexander Kerfoot as his line mates. Dylan Guenther showed flashes of high-end talent. Defensively, Matt Dumba slides into Arizona from Minnesota, and they welcome back Troy Stecher as this defense looks better than last year.

How it’s going to go

JJ Moser is this nice Swiss defenseman that the Coyotes have high hopes for. Karel Vejmelka showed lots of promise last season despite the record. Conner Ingram isn’t bad either for a backup. You might get flirty with the playoffs through the wild card, but I can 100% say they are not finishing top 3 in the West.

I expect 75 points and them to be very flirty with a wild card. It would take either Predators or Jets to have a really bad season for the Yotes to sneak into the postseason. If they could get one more quality defenseman, I would like their chances a lot better.

• Shane Ierardi

27. ANAHEIM DUCKS

It was a rough one for the Ducks last season. They were a disaster on the ice, and then when they had high hopes of landing 18-year-old phenom Connor Bedard, things went even worse, as the Blackhawks won the draft lottery and the Ducks had to settle with the #2 overall pick. Anaheim made some noise with their decision to use the pick on Swedish center Leo Carlsson instead of Adam Fantilli, who was nearly the consensus #2 prospect in the draft. There is some young talent on this team, but they haven’t exactly developed the way they were expected to. The Ducks should take their time with Carlsson, giving him some minutes in the AHL before he becomes an everyday player at the NHL level. There isn’t much hope for success when it comes to this season’s expectations. Ducks fans should just sit back and enjoy the flashes of brilliance that some of their young players will show this year, as well as keep an eye on their impending development, as they wait for this team to once again become a perennial playoff contender.

• Brock Hartley

28. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

It’s been one step forward and two steps back for the Blue Jackets recently. They landed the jewel of the free agent class last year in Johnny Gaudreau, but still had a massively disappointing season. Then they land the #3 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and perhaps got lucky with Adam Fantilli, who was practically the consensus #2 prospect in this draft class behind Bedard, falling to them with the Ducks opting to take Leo Carlsson instead. I say “perhaps they got lucky”, because I actually agreed with the Ducks decision to take Carlsson, but that’s beside the point. The point is they landed an elite forward who is expected to be the face of the franchise in the future. So, things are looking good in Columbus leading up to the preseason. Then the Babcock incident breaks in the news. In case you didn’t know, the Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock has something of a sordid reputation when it comes to how he treats his players. Well, the odd culture that he put in place reared its ugly head in the national media, specifically in the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast. Where Paul Bissonnette informed listeners that a player had stated that Babcock makes players show him the photos on their phones in an attempt to “better relate to and understand his team”. Even if his intentions were as pure as he stated (which I doubt), this is just an odd culture to implement in a professional sports organization. Babcock would go on to resign, but that kind of off ice attention can rot a team from the inside out. I’m sure that there are players in the locker room who liked Babcock and are upset about teammates speaking out. The initial accusation was made by an ex-player, but you have to assume that someone currently in the organization helped fan that flame. So, it’s not a good start to the season for the Blue Jackets, with a scandal already looming, but maybe it’s for the best. A lot of people believe that Babcock’s coaching style has been passed up, and that it isn’t a recipe for success in today’s league. Ultimately, however, this was always going to be a building year for Columbus, so maybe getting a toxic head coach out of the picture sooner rather than later will aid in the development of the young players on this team.

• Brock Hartley

29. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

This season will be better than last for the Blackhawks – but only because it would be nearly impossible for things to be worse than last season. Forget the fact that this team finished tied with the 2^nd fewest points in the league at 59, which is horrible in its own right, but the dark cloud of what this organization did to Kyle Beach has been looming ever since the story broke – as it should be. While the team can never right the wrong that they did to Beach off the ice, they will try to improve their performance on the ice. Enter Connor Bedard. The Blackhawks won the NHL Draft lottery and received the #1 overall pick in the draft. That is a monumental thing for a franchise no matter the year. However, this year was exceptionally big, as this is the draft class that housed 18-year-old phenom Connor Bedard, who was a no brainer at pick #1. Bedard is a special kind of talent. As a prospect, he is compared to the likes of Connor McDavid & Sidney Crosby and is the best prospect we’ve seen since McDavid & Crosby’s draft classes. That hype will only continue with Bedard ending up as a member of an “Original 6” franchise. It’s no secret that these organizations have large markets and draw a lot of eyeballs. But can Bedard get this franchise back to the glory that they achieved from 2010-2015 when they won 3 Stanley Cup’s within that span? Time will tell, but I would guess “yes”. Of course, it will be a lot of work and he will need some help from the front office to bring in the type of supporting cast that makes a “dynasty” possible. Truth be told, I’m not sure what to expect out of Bedard in his rookie season. I doubt he will have the sort of success that Crosby had with the Penguins because this Blackhawks roster is downright bad. The Blackhawks brought in Taylor Hall to play on Bedard’s wing, but other than that, he won’t have much help. I expect Bedard to put in a solid rookie season. He’s my pick to win the Calder. But as far as the team’s record goes, it will be a year or two before we see any real return on investment from taking Bedard at #1 overall.

• Brock Hartley

30. MONTREAL CANADIENS

The Habs will need steps forward from their young guys if they want to find any kind of success this season. Cole Caufield will be starting the year healthy after missing a lot of time last season. We’ve seen flashes of what he is capable of, but he needs to find the type of consistency that makes the stars of the NHL who they are. He will need to be at least a point-per-game player for this team to have any hope to contend for the postseason. You could say the same for Nick Suzuki, as this duo is expected to be the face, and driving force, of this team. Possibly the biggest concern for this group is Juraj Slafkovsky. The Habs surprised people when they took him 1^st overall, but that move hasn’t paid off so far. In 39 games last season, Slafkovsky only tallied 10 points. Even more concerning is that he never really looked like a #1 overall talent. The Habs are also hoping to receive some dividends from their acquisition of Alex Newhook. It’s possible that a change of scenery could be good for Newhook, as he was typically buried on that Avalanche depth chart. Getting some top 6 minutes could jumpstart his game. Goaltending is huge concern for the Habs. They used 3 goalies last season, and all 3 ended the year with GAA’s over 3.40. Those numbers should drop this season, but not substantially. Jake Allen is getting up there in age, and Sam Montembeault & Cayden Primeau have some serious limitations. It also doesn’t help that this defensive corps is pretty young, and small, as well. It’s extremely unlikely that this team generates much buzz. They play in a tough division and have some glaring holes in their lineup. However, a rebuild is a marathon, not a sprint. This season should be about development, as well as guys like Caufield & Suzuki taking that next step in both point production and in the locker room, as they are the future of this group. It’s up to them to decide what kind of future that is going to be.

• Brock Hartley

31. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

For some reason Daniel Briere thought his team could compete for a playoff spot last season, which was part of his reasoning in bringing in John Tortorella to lead the young team. Those playoff aspirations quickly disappeared, to nobody else’s surprise, quite quickly. The Flyers’ lack of success on the ice though may have led to the best thing that has happened in Philly hockey in years when they drafted Matvei Michkov who may become one of the NHL’s brightest stars in a few years. For this season though, there aren’t many bright spots. Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson will be back, and the Flyers do have some young talent that should be fun to watch like Owen Tippett and Cam York. Travis Konecny is coming off a career-best 31 goal campaign and Morgan Frost should breakout even further. Throw in Noah Cates and Flyers fans can still enjoy watching the future of their franchise grow knowing more reinforcements are coming. This season must be viewed only through that lens though if it is to be enjoyed in Philadelphia. The biggest storyline to watch will be how Tortorella can mesh with his young core, as plenty of storylines emerged last season, both good and bad, about team cohesion which is the status quo for Torts. His future with the Flyers will depend on just that.

• Brandon Wamsley

32. SAN JOSE SHARKS

There is very, very little to be excited about for the Sharks this year. The roster is bad – and I mean BAD. The Sharks drafted Will Smith 4^th overall in this past draft, but he probably won’t be playing this year. Erik Karlsson was dealt to the Penguins after winning the Norris Trophy, leaving the blue line completely bare. The biggest acquisition was Anthony Duclair, but he’s not going to move the needle much. They also acquired Mike Hoffman & Filip Zadina, but again, that’s not enough to make me think that this team will end up anywhere but the cellar. This season will be more about getting some experience for William Eklund and some of the younger players, as this team is in the early stages of a rebuild – a rebuild that still has a lot of work remaining. The most exciting thing to look forward to this season for San Jose fans is the draft lottery. Sorry, Sharks fans.

• Brock Hartley