The free agent period begins in less than a week, and players are already beginning to fly around like flapjacks. The NHL Draft was very entertaining to follow, and there had already been two trades before the Winnipeg Jets could even select Patrik Laine with the second overall pick. It is time to reveal the NHL Power Rankings before the wild free agent period shakes things up.
Just to make things very clear: even though the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Auston Mathews, they are NOT #1 on the Power Rankings. This is based on how the overall TEAMS look at this moment. It is unlikely that adding Matthews will turn Toronto into the Stanley Cup Champions in 2017, so they do not get the benefit of a 20+ jump. However, since they did get what should be a potential superstar, I am willing to move them up a little bit from their previous ranking of 28.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
They made very little noise this weekend, but that is to be expected when the bad teams get the most attention. Their first pick was Swedish goalie Filip Gustavsson, the 55th pick of the draft. Matt Murray figures to be the goalie of the future, but there is always the possibility of Gustavsson sneaking up on the former third round pick from 2012, similar to what Murray did to Marc-Andre Fleury. The Pens gladly gave up earlier picks for Phil Kessel. He, of course, helped Pittsburgh to a Stanley Cup while the Maple Leafs took the 30th pick, although they turned it into Frederik Andersen. There actually was a trade for Pittsburgh. They gave defenseman Beau Bennett to New Jersey and got back a third round pick, which they used on Connor Hall, a defenseman from the Kitchener Rangers (OHL).
2. Washington Capitals
You cannot blame the Caps for being heavy buyers. They need to win the Stanley Cup next year, and they wasted no time grabbing a proven player. They surrendered two draft picks for Lars Eller, then gave the Blues their first round pick and got the 28th and 87th in return. As a result, their first two picks were Lucas Johansen and Garrett Pilon, two WHL players. It will be hard to grab a high profile player in free agency since they already have such players, but their expectations to win big could make things interesting.
3. Florida Panthers
Previously 4
Erik Gudbranson and Dmitry Kulikov are gone, but the Panthers (or should I say Simbas?) replaced them with Mark Pysyk and Keith Yandle. Not only that, but they also got rid of Rocco Grimaldi and now have Jared McCann. Adding Reto Berra is also a good pickup, and since he showed a lot of promise to be a starter, it makes the goaltender situation a giant competition. Also, Willie Mitchell is likely retiring, but Aaron Ekblad and Brian Campbell still accompany Pysyk and Yandle in what looks like one of the best defenses in the NHL. The Simbas should keep an eye on Henrik Borgstrom, their first round selection, in the next couple of years because he could be yet another version of Aleksander Barkov after his tenure at the University of Denver.
4. Dallas Stars
Previously 3
For a team desperately needing defense, they did not do much to fill that need. They sadly traded Alex Goligoski for a fifth-round pick. Goligoski can still be productive for the Coyotes at age 30, so the Stars better hope that goalie Colton Point, the player they got from Arizona’s draft pick, becomes the steal of all steals. Who knows. Maybe he is the goalie the Stars covet. For now, however, Ben Bishop looks to be the clearest option for them. At least the Stars saved somebody on the blue line, as they signed Jordie Benn to a three-year contract (Did Jamie have anything to do with that?).
5. Tampa Bay Lightning
I guess it is time to bring up the Steven Stamkos sweepstakes since he will have signed a massive contract by the time the next Power Rankings roll around. Of all the teams that could get him out of Tampa Bay, the Detroit Red Wings might be the heavy favorites. They cleared out “retired” Pavel Datsyuk’s contract so that they could go after Stamkos, but Buffalo and Vancouver (albeit with Jim Benning’s fat mouth…go to the end for Vancouver) have also expressed interest. Even if the Lightning cannot save their former first pick, they have enough of a team to make another playoff run, as they showed in April and May.
6. New York Islanders
Previously 11
There is almost no way of knowing what the next bunch of teams on this list are going to do. None of them had exceptionally high picks, and they did not make a lot of key pickups. The Islanders have kept Casey Cizikas, and there is now a chance that Travis Hamonic will remain in Brooklyn/anywhere due east of it. The Isles drafted Keiffer Bellows, a projected top goal scorer, in the first round. While Bellows develops, Ryan Strome will continue to be New York’s highest prize under 25. After an underwhelming performance in this year’s playoffs, he has the most to prove for the team moving forward.
7. Los Angeles Kings
Previously 8
Vincent LeCavalier is finished, and Milan Lucic is likely moving on. Sounds bad, right? Not really. Replacing a past-his-prime player and one of the most unlikable players in the NHL is certainly possible, especially since LA is a popular market. If they cannot, however, then the Kings could be entering freefall mode. They have not had much success in the drafts lately, and this team could be paper thin by season’s end.
8. Chicago Blackhawks
Previously 9
Chicago has to have one of the most confusing strategies of the offseason so far. They have already given up Teuvo Teravainen and Andrew Shaw and received six draft picks (five of them were for this year). For a team with the Hart and Calder Trophy winners, the Blackhawks weirdly look like they are rebuilding. You got to think something big is about to happen in Chicago. As of now, they have ten new draft picks, and none of them are first rounders. Western Massachusetts native Jake Ryczek (Woohoo!) was Chicago’s seventh round pick, but he both could surprise pick later on. He is committed to Providence College next year.
9. San Jose Sharks
Previously 6
Hellooooooo? Anybody home? Either the Sharks are still reeling from their Stanley Cup loss or they are waiting for July to come around. The only move they made was a trade with Arizona, the most aggressive team in the offseason it seems. They got Maxim Letunov and a sixth-round pick in 2017 out of it. The Sharks could be getting a huge piece to their future, as Letunov is shredding the NCAA and will return to the University of Connecticut for a second season. He also had 25 goals and 39 assists for the Youngstown Phantoms in 2014-2015.
10. Anaheim Ducks
They traded Frederik Andersen to Toronto for a first round draft pick…no, not THAT first round draft pick. The Ducks ended up with the pick the Leafs got from Pittsburgh for Phil Kessel (the 30th pick since the Pens won it all). Maybe that is discouraging for the Leafs and Ducks, but it likely makes John Gibson the starting goaltender for next year. It makes that quandary all but settled. Now the Ducks have to hope that Max Jones and Sam Steel, their two late first round draft picks, pan out and create a solid offensive attack. That alone would crush the Leafs, even if Andersen does well for Toronto.
11. St. Louis Blues
Previously 11
What are they doing? I understand the logic of giving away Brian Elliott, the older goalie. Anaheim and Tampa Bay have followed/will likely follow the same strategy, but the trade they pulled off was a mistake. Not only have they turned the Flames into an immediate contender within the same exact conference (goaltender was the one position the Flames needed to be legitimate again), but they now have to rely on Jake Allen. That is a very risky move, but the Blues’ defense is one of the better ones in the league. Kevin Shattenkirk is still on the team, but for how long?
12. Nashville Predators
The challenge for Nashville will be getting past the three Central Division teams above them. On the bright side, none of them have much momentum at the moment, so the Preds could take a huge step forward with some big free agent moves. After trading Seth Jones away, the Preds drafted two defensemen in the first two rounds. They must not expect Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis to stick around (Shea Weber and Roman Josi should). Otherwise, their defensive unit could be even scarier with Dante Fabbro and Samuel Girard lurking. Also, the Preds need to find a replacement for Pekka Rinne in a few years. Perhaps drafting Konstantin Volkov in the sixth round will solve that problem.
13. Minnesota Wild
They did not have much to work with, for they only had four picks in this year’s draft. Fortunately, despite being a playoff team, they were “bad” enough to get a decent pick. As a result, they picked up Luke Kunin. Is it too much to ask for Kunin to eventually perform in a way that Thomas Vanek could not do? Maybe, but the University of Wisconsin player can avoid being bought out like the Wild did to Vanek.
14. Detroit Red Wings
Previously 18
Now that Pavel Datsyuk is gone, I honestly do not think this team is good enough to reach the playoffs. However, that could easily change if Detroit takes advantage of an opportunity they created. By giving Datsyuk’s contract to Arizona (more on that later), the Wings now have more money to go after Stamkos. HUGE!!!!! Oh, I should not forget to mention draft picks, since the Wings make a mockery of other teams on Draft Day. If former first round pick Dylan Larkin (and possibly Anthony Mantha next year) are part of any trends, then Dennis Cholowski has a lot to look forward to. The same should go for second round picks Givani Smith and Filip Hronek.
15. Buffalo Sabres
Previously 16
With the draft in their home arena, they certainly had the support in the crowd. Their highlight of the weekend was trading away Mark Pysyk for Dmitry Kulikov. Good move for a team that is looking to jump into the playoffs next season. They also traded for Harvard player Jimmy Vesey and took Alexander Nylander with the eighth overall pick. It will be tough to convince Stamkos to come to Buffalo, but it seems like the Sabres are making a lot of good future moves of late. Maybe that is the deciding factor?
16. Philadelphia Flyers
Previously 15
Another playoff team that stood pat so far. They did trade first round picks with Winnipeg, but it is hard to imagine being much a difference between the 19th and 22nd pick. They took German Rubtsov with the 22nd pick, but their second round pick, Pascal Laberge, has been talked about a little bit more due to his tragic family’s battle with cancer. Even non-Flyers fans should root for this guy to succeed.
17. New York Rangers
Previously 14
The Rangers got off to a brutal start after trading away Keith Yandle. So far, the only defenseman they have obtained since then is Nick Holden. He showed promise in Colorado this past season, but New York needs more than just promise. As for the draft, they did not have a pick until the third round (they could only get a sixth round pick and maybe a fourth round pick for next year in the Yandle trade). This season could be more painful for the Rangers if they do not pull something off in free agency, especially if Henrik Lundqvist is declining.
18. Ottawa Senators
Previously 17
For a team that should have made the playoffs, they should have been more aggressive at the draft. They made one trade, but the Devils may have shelled them. Ottawa gave away the 12th pick and a third round pick just so they could move up one lousy spot. New Jersey must have planned on taking Logan Brown if the Senators were that desperate to go from 12 to 11. Now they must hope that the Devils did not draft a star (Joseph Anderson) in the third round.
19. Calgary Flames
Previously 23
I probably should have put this team higher based on what they did in the draft, but it is hard to predict a huge leap forward this early. I have to admit, though, the Flames had as good of a weekend as possible. They torched the Blues in a trade that gave them a proven goalie, Brian Elliott, and only gave up a second and conditional third round pick. If Elliott plays anything like he did in the postseason, Calgary is almost a guaranteed playoff team. They also were fortunate enough to draft Matthew Tkachuk with the sixth pick. Just another player for a dangerous offense.
20. Winnipeg Jets
As expected, they drafted Patrik Laine with the second pick. The offense was not the only part of Winnipeg to be fueled, however. The Jets then traded up to the 19th pick and drafted defenseman Logan Stanley. If that was not enough, they also drafted Luke Green, Jakob Cederholm, and Arvid Henrikson for the blue line. Of course, it is possible that only some, or none, will actually pan out, but the upside for Winnipeg’s defense just shot up if they do.
21. Montreal Canadiens
Previously 19
No team hogged the headlines more than Montreal in the first round. They traded Lars Eller to the Capitals and immediately traded for Andrew Shaw before Laine could even don a Jets sweater. Statistically, Shaw had a better year than Eller, and he could also be the enforcer that motivates the Habs back to the postseason. They can only hope that he does not hurt them like he did to the Hawks during the 2016 postseason. There is also concern that Montreal’s defense will be shattered if P.K. Subban is shipped away, but perhaps drafting defenseman Mikhail Sergachev could be the beginning of a recovery plan.
22. Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes love flying under the radar (Did you get the pun?), and they have done just that since picking up Teuvo Teravainen. What they have done is bolster their defense for the long term. After drafting defenseman Jake Bean with the 13th pick, they drafted two goalies in the later rounds: Jack Lafontaine and Jeremy Helvig. Cam Ward should be ancient history, we think, in the near future, and Eddie Lack is not exactly a threat to control Carolina’s future (at least not yet, anyway). They also added right wing Julian Gauthier with the 21st pick, which is great considering that Andrej Nestrasil is the only official right wing currently on the Carolina roster.
23. Columbus Blue Jackets
Previously 24
I am bumping this team up for two reasons. One: the Boston Bruins, and two: they probably have more information on Jesse Puljujarvi than we do. They surprised a lot of fans by taking Pierre-Luc Dubois, instead. While they may have shot themselves in the foot with this move, it is hard to imagine that the Oilers actually made a good move instead of the Jackets. After all, this team knows how to get rid of players when they need to (Ryan Johansen, wink, wink).
24. Boston Bruins
Previously 21
Awfully-run hockey team…please exit stage right. Thank you. They should pray that Charles McAvoy and Trent Frederic were good picks, because no one else senses that.
25. Edmonton Oilers
Even when the Oilers fall out of the top three picks, they get a projected top three player. Now they have to hope that the Blue Jackets did not pass up on Puljujarvi because they believe he is a bust. Otherwise, the Oilers are in trouble yet again. On the other hand, Connor McDavid is likely going to take this team over eventually and turn them into a playoff team. Whether it will be with Taylor Hall is another story.
26. Toronto Maple Leafs
Previously 28
As expected, the stud from the desert, Auston Matthews, is now a Toronto Maple Leaf. That was not the only huge move, however. After taking the 30th pick of the draft in exchange for Phil Kessel, the Leafs gave that pick to Anaheim for goalie Frederik Andersen. The concern is that Jonathan Bernier also came from a SoCal team, so Andersen needs to buck the trend to make the Leafs relevant again. Matthews cannot do everything, you know.
27. Arizona Coyotes
Previously 29
Arizona is doing everything it can to become a playoff team. They got Alex Goligoski for a fifth round pick (Colton Point) and Anthony DeAngelo for a second round pick (Libor Hajek) in an attempt to improve their mediocre defense. The biggest surprise, however, was the Pavel Datsyuk trade. Why would they trade for a player that is leaving the NHL? Well, they got the 16th pick in the draft, which they turned into Jakob Chychrun (who was supposed to be a top five pick, by the way). Also, by taking Datsyuk’s contract, they can now avoid the salary cap floor. They are not actually paying Datsyuk anything since he is “retiring” from the NHL. They still have plenty of cap space to grab proven players. The question is: which players want to play for such a tiny hockey market?
28. New Jersey Devils
Previously 27
Michael McLeod and Joseph Anderson is a solid return considering the fact that they only had to sacrifice a center (Logan Brown) with a skill set similar to McLeod. They still need to prove that they were good picks, or they could be out of luck while the Senators get another potential version of Mike Hoffman or Mark Stone. As for offseason moves outside the draft, is adding Beau Bennett to the already strong defense going to make much of a difference? Just because he won a Stanley Cup does not mean he is a Norris Trophy candidate. The Devils need to start grabbing some more goal scorers if they want to leave the offensive basement.
29. Colorado Avalanche
Previously 26
The only move they made was trading Nick Holden to the New York Rangers. That is unbelievable considering that Tyson Barrie may be on the loose, too. Speaking of Tyson, another one became a member of the Avalanche. Tyson Jost was the tenth pick in the draft, but he is a center. Giving away Reto Berra for underachieving Rocco Grimaldi was also a head-scratcher. At this rate, this team is finishing dead last in GAA.
30. Vancouver Canucks
There will be a long debate about whether Olli Juolevi or Matthew Tkachuk was the better pick. Vancouver’s decision to draft Juolevi was reasonable. There needed to be work done on the defense, but they will kick themselves if Tkachuk becomes a star. Meanwhile, Jim Benning is kicking himself for likely tampering in an effort to get Subban and Stamkos. It really does not matter, though. This team is not set up for a playoff trip, so there is no reason for either player to sign there.
BONUS: Las Vegas
Since they will not have a team in 2016-2017, they cannot officially be in the Power Rankings. However, they have been granted a team for 2017-2018. It is certainly risky to have a team there since the desert market is not ideal (the Phoenix area is bigger and not an expert at good attendance. Perhaps the new arena plan in Tempe will fix things?). However, there has already been a high demand for season tickets, so it is worth a shot since the Western Conference needs more teams, anyway. I have family in suburban Vegas, so I will certainly plan of going to games. In all honesty, I sincerely hope they come up with something better than Black Knights for a team name. Chicago already has the word “Black” in their name, and there are plenty of names that would be more creative for Vegas. I have heard the name “Spades” as an option, and that could actually be a good choice (In my opinion, anyway).