The Vegas Golden Knights enter the 2023-24 season as Stanley Cup champions for the first time in franchise history.
Sure, the Golden Knights have only been around for seven seasons now, but Vegas made it look easy last year with their dominant postseason performance, losing just six times across their entire playoff stretch. And now, the Golden Knights come into the 2023-24 season looking to defend their title for the first time.
That’s right, hockey season is officially back! The long summer is finally over and hockey games that matter are set to begin on Tuesday, October 10. And for the next eight months, hockey fans will be treated to a full slate of 82 games for each team and a heart-pounding Stanley Cup Playoff schedule as spring hits. What more could you ask for as a hockey fan?
MORE: Why these 5 NHL teams (Maple Leafs) will win the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
It’s only right then that we kick off the new hockey season with our long-awaited preseason power rankings! Here’s how we here at For The Win rank all 32 teams headed into the 2023-24 NHL season.
32
San Jose Sharks (Last season: 22-44-16)
Erik Karlsson was the only bright spot for the Sharks last year. Now that he’s gone, there’s nothing stopping San Jose from claiming the NHL’s basement for themselves as their rebuild well and truly begins.
31
Philadelphia Flyers (Last season: 31-38-13)
The future looks bright for the Flyers when Matvei Michkov joins the team in a few years. However, this mix of just okay NHL veterans and young, unproven talent is a recipe for a bottom-tier finish. It sucks for passionate Philadelphia fans, but it’s ultimately for the best.
30
Anaheim Ducks (Last season: 23-47-12)
Getting Trevor Zegras signed to a new contract was a must, but the 22-year-old missed most of training camp and will likely take a bit to get going. Plus, the Ducks were a complete disaster last season and their big offseason acquisition Alex Killorn is out for at least a month with a fractured finger.
29
Columbus Blue Jackets (Last season: 25-48-9)
Mike Babcock’s hiring and subsequent departure was an embarrassing mistake the Blue Jackets surely want to move on from. While Columbus likely isn’t going to be that much better this season, fans will have something to cheer for as No. 3 overall pick Adam Fantilli will get his first chance to impress at the NHL level.
28
Chicago Blackhawks (Last season: 26-49-7)
Connor Bedard is the Blackhawks’ only saving grace this season. Even if Chicago goes 0-82-0 this year, as long as Bedard puts up ridiculous numbers and wins the Calder Trophy, nothing else will matter. And you know what? Fair enough!
27
Arizona Coyotes (Last season: 28-40-14)
There are reasons to be optimistic about this Coyotes team going forward. Arizona’s young talent is starting to break through and the team supplemented their youth with some solid veteran help. Most of all, Logan Cooley is the player to watch after putting together some astounding highlights in the preseason. The Coyotes could surprise some folks this year, but it won’t be enough to fully get them out of the league’s basement just yet.
26
Montreal Canadiens (Last season: 31-45-6)
The 2023-24 season will be a big one for Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and company. This Canadiens team likely needs one more big piece before they’re fully ready to make the leap to playoff hopeful, but the kids will need to take another step forward after being injury-riddled last year. Keep an eye on Juraj Slafkovsky as the year progresses as well. The sophomore likely wants to improve upon his four goal, 10 point performance in 39 games played last season.
25
St. Louis Blues (Last season: 37-38-7)
The Blues have shipped out a lot of pieces since the start of 2023. As such, a lot of St. Louis’ high-end talent that won them the 2019 Stanley Cup are gone, yet the team still sees themselves as budding playoff contenders. Kevin Hayes was an intriguing offseason pickup, but will it be enough to bolster Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas as the two up-and-coming faces of this franchise?
24
Washington Capitals (Last season: 35-37-10)
Once again, the Capitals come into a season touting one of the oldest rosters in the league. What should help Washington this season is a healthier roster and the addition of new bench boss Spencer Carbery to the mix, with the 41-year-old getting his first NHL head coaching gig. Even if the Capitals are healthier, they’re just not as talented as the rest of the Metro to make a dent in the playoff race. But honestly, at this point, we’re all here for Alex Ovechkin’s race to best Wayne Gretzky’s record.
23
Detroit Red Wings (Last season: 35-37-10)
Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings were incredibly active this offseason, bringing in names like Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, Shayne Gostisbehere and Jeff Petry, among others. That much turnover usually results in a bit of a transitionary period as players find chemistry with one another and get used to the new systems in place. Even though these moves make the Red Wings objectively better, it likely isn’t enough to save them from a bullish Atlantic Division.
22
Vancouver Canucks (Last season: 38-37-7)
With the Canucks staring down a Elias Pettersson contract extension next summer, the clock is ticking on Vancouver’s window to compete when its players are in their primes. A lot is riding on the shoulders of 27-year-old goaltender Thatcher Demko as well, as he was kept out for three months last season with a groin injury. This season feels like it’s playoffs or bust for this iteration of the Canucks, and it seems like real tossup as to whether or not they’ll get there.
21
Nashville Predators (Last season: 42-32-8)
The Predators are never well and truly out of it with Juuse Saros in net. Honestly, Saros’ play is probably singlehandedly keeping the Predators from going full rebuild mode after years of knocking at the door of a Stanley Cup. New general manager Barry Trotz brought in Ryan O’Reilly to help facilitate this latest iteration of the Predators, which should give this lineup a much-needed spark, but it feels like this Nashville team could go either way this season.
20
Ottawa Senators (Last season: 39-35-8)
The addition of Joonas Korpisalo gives the Senators some much-needed stability in goal after the team went through seven netminders last season. Unfortunately, Josh Norris seemingly had a setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery and missed training camp time. As long as the setback isn’t too serious, Norris should rejoin the Senators and solidify their lineup, but it’s never a good sign to have an injury scare this early in the year. Still, the Senators have a solid chance to make the playoff race interesting come spring with the improvements they made to their roster this summer.
19
Calgary Flames (Last season: 38-27-17)
The Flames have a lot to prove after being one of the most disappointing teams of last season. With Darryl Sutter out as head coach, the 2023-24 season should be a fresh slate for Calgary, especially if Jonathan Huberdeau can bounce back from an uncharacteristically bad year. Also in need of a bounce-back season? Goaltender Jacob Markström, who put up his worst numbers as a starter last year at the worst time imaginable.
18
Winnipeg Jets (Last season: 46-33-3)
Well, I had an entire paragraph written about Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele being unrestricted free agents next summer, then the Jets signed them to identical seven-year contracts. Outside of clearing up their looming contract crisis, I don’t see how these moves change the Jets’ compete window. Both Hellebuyck and Scheifele are 30 years old, and signing them to long-term contracts seems unwise with how the aging curve impacts players. Good on Winnipeg for clearing the air before the season starts but … if the team starts to slide, their two biggest trade chips are locked up and effectively immovable.
17
Seattle Kraken (Last season: 46-28-8)
The Kraken’s surprising playoff run last season came about thanks to an effective scoring-by-committee system, where 13 players hit double digits in goals over the course of the year. Given their shooting percentage was historically astronomical last season, regression feels like it’s in the cards for Seattle, especially if Philipp Grubauer can’t return to form in net. Still, this is a talented Kraken team led by Jared McCann up front with a solid system in place to do some damage.
16
Buffalo Sabres (Last season: 42-33-7)
Tage Thompson cemented himself as a star in this league last season after his impressive performance that helped elevate the Sabres stock significantly. Though Buffalo failed to make the playoffs last season, there’s hope on the horizon that Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin will be able to run it back with an energized young core. The Sabres biggest question mark? Their goaltending, as Devon Levi will face a lot of pressure as a rookie goaltender on a Sabres team looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
15
Pittsburgh Penguins (Last season: 40-31-11)
The Penguins missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2005-06, marking a drastic change in the powers that be in the NHL. Still, Pittsburgh’s window isn’t closed forever, as the additions of Kyle Dubas as team general manager/president of hockey operations and last year’s Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson have put a bit of wind in the Penguins’ sails. As long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin remain their usual bombastic selves on the ice, the Penguins should be able to get back to the playoffs. Whether or not it’s enough to elevate them to Stanley Cup contender, however, is another story.
14
New York Islanders (Last season: 42-31-9)
With their defensive style of hockey, the Islanders are always in the mix in the bubble playoff crowd. However, there’s only so many times the Islanders can throw their boring, shutdown hockey at the wall before it becomes trite and ineffective. The 2023-24 season might be a breaking point for this style if they can’t get past the first round. While New York’s offense is nothing to write home about, the Islanders do have one of the NHL’s best goaltenders — Ilya Sorokin — who can carry them as needed.
13
Minnesota Wild (Last season: 46-25-11)
The Wild took a step back last year from their explosive 2021-22 season where they were a top-five scoring team with 310 goals. Last season, the Wild only scored 246, a significant difference that soured many on Minnesota’s style of play even though they made the playoffs with ease. Still, there’s a lot of time for the Wild to get back on track offensively and it all starts with another rock star season from Kirill Kaprizov.
12
Los Angeles Kings (Last season: 47-25-10)
The Kings may have the best set of centers in the NHL with Anže Kopitar, Phillip Danault, and new acquisition Pierre-Luc Dubois anchoring the top three lines. That center depth is certainly going to help them balance out their biggest question mark: the goaltending duo of Cam Talbot and Pheonix Copley. Los Angeles has the talent and depth to take them into the playoffs, but are these the two goaltenders they want to hitch their wagons to going forward?
11
Florida Panthers (Last season: 42-32-8)
The Panthers will likely rely on Matthew Tkachuk even more now that they’ll be without Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour until at least December due to injury. In a tough Atlantic, that’ll probably keep the Panthers from making a real play at the division title. However, as we all learned last season, underestimate the Panthers at your own peril, as they thrive in underdog situations. This Florida team still has their trademark firepower that carried them to the Stanley Cup Final last season and they wouldn’t be the first team to outscore their problems either (cough, Edmonton).
10
Tampa Bay Lightning (Last season: 46-30-6)
Andrei Vasilevskiy’s injury hurts, even if it’s just for the first two months of the season. Missing your starting goaltender while playing in a tough Eastern Conference would be a recipe for disaster for any other team, but the Lightning aren’t just any other team. It’s not ideal, and it definitely knocks the Lightning down our rankings a few pegs, but it’s survivable for a team of this caliber. It has to be said, however, that this feels like the start of the Lightning’s decline. The team still boasts great talent in Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman, but it’s hard to see them as the standard bearer in the East anymore.
9
New York Rangers (Last season: 47-22-13)
The Rangers went all in last season after picking up both Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane, yet their Stanley Cup hopes ended in the first round against the Devils. Tarasenko and Kane are now both gone — as is Gerard Gallant — but the Rangers are still in a solid spot to make a play in the Metro with their overall talent. The biggest story to watch in New York this season will be if new head coach Peter Laviolette can unlock Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko and get the Rangers’ two first-round picks rolling.
8
Colorado Avalanche (Last season: 51-24-7)
Injuries really curtailed the Avalanche’s chance at repeating as Stanley Cup champions last season. While Gabriel Landeskog’s continued absence is a blow to Colorado, getting healthy seasons from Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and more are a must for the Avalanche this year. In the offseason, the Avalanche bolstered their center depth with Ryan Johansen and Ross Colton, two solid acquisitions that should make Colorado’s middle-six that much harder to play against. The 2022-23 season was a frustrating one for Colorado with all the injuries, so expect the Avalanche to come out hot to start this year.
7
Boston Bruins (Last season: 65-12-5)
It’s weird to see a Bruins’ opening day roster without Patrice Bergeron penciled in. Boston also lost David Krejci to retirement as well, marking the end of an era in Boston. The Bruins will be really interesting to watch in the early goings of the season. Will they be able to shake off two major losses to their roster thanks to their overall talent and team structure? Or will the departures and regression hit them hard after becoming the NHL’s best regular season team last year? In a tough Atlantic Division, it’s hard to say where the Bruins will land as the season begins.
6
New Jersey Devils (Last season: 52-22-8)
The Devils were last season’s biggest surprise contender, dominating stretches of the regular season and winning a playoff round against the Rangers. New Jersey’s youth came up big last season, with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer all tallying career highs. Adding Tyler Toffoli to the mix should give the Devils an even bigger jolt offensively, making them an attractive early Stanley Cup pick.
5
Toronto Maple Leafs (Last season: 50-21-11)
The Maple Leafs may have won a playoff round last year, but their dreadful effort in the second round prompted sweeping changes to this season’s roster. Brad Treliving has taken over for Dubas as general manager and he brought in some necessary sandpaper in Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi and Ryan Reaves. We already know Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and company have the talent to make the playoffs, but will their offseason acquisitions be enough to move the needle?
4
Dallas Stars (Last season: 47-21-14)
It almost feels like the Stars are being underrated by the hockey world at large. Jason Robertson had a statement season last year, bolstered by Dallas’ other young talent in Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen. And if Jake Oettinger has another consistent regular season, the 24-year-old should get his first Vezina nomination by season’s end. If Robertson can continue to elevate this offense and if the Stars’ veteran talent can follow suit, Dallas will be in the mix as one of the best teams in the West.
3
Edmonton Oilers (Last season: 50-23-9)
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are as automatic of a duo as you can get in the NHL. The pair have scored over 100 points each the last two seasons — including McDavid’s nasty 153 point season last year — and it doesn’t seem like they’re stopping any time soon. And yet, the Oilers haven’t found playoff success even with the two best players in the NHL, causing many to question the team’s makeup around McDavid and Draisaitl. Goaltending, especially, seems to be the biggest hurdle, with Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner set to be Edmonton’s goaltending tandem for the season. That being said, if the Oilers can get solid goaltending from someone in net this year, the tides very well could change for this talented team.
2
Carolina Hurricanes (Last season: 52-21-9)
The Hurricanes are consistently at the top of NHL power rankings year after year, but have yet to make it over the hump that is the Eastern Conference Final. Andrei Svechnikov’s ACL injury that kept him out of the playoffs last season was a major bummer for a Hurricanes team already light on goalscoring as it is. Michael Bunting is a solid offseason pickup for Carolina, as he’ll fit in well with the Hurricanes’ defensively sound style of play while also adding another offensive dimension to the lineup. Unless tragedy strikes this season, the Hurricanes will once again be the NHL’s most stalwart defensive club and a popular Stanley Cup pick come spring.
1
Vegas Golden Knights (Last season: 51-22-9)
The reigning Stanley Cup champions will attempt to defend their title this season, returning all but Reilly Smith from last year’s squad. Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault will once again look to lead Vegas on offense, with a healthy Mark Stone hoping to complete his first near-full season since 2018-19. This Vegas team is incredibly deep and talented across their lineup, with an explosive offense that can turn things on in an instant. It might be really tough to go back-to-back in today’s NHL, but the Golden Knights seem well prepared to give it a try.
