In what was an action-packed free agency and draft period, several teams took a chance in an effort to topple the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the Eastern Conference, the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes struck gold with key veteran free agent signings, while Columbus snagged an automatic scoring threat via trade. Out west, both Alberta teams threw their money and high draft picks to take a shot at the top of the weak Pacific Division, which was also under attention with the Vegas expansion draft.
The Dallas Stars, however, may have had the biggest upgrade. After underachieving in 2016-2017, they did all they could to ensure a return to the playoffs, including picking up a huge Russian veteran. They vaulted all the way up to six in the NHL Power Rankings after being in the bottom 10 for the back end of last season.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. For the second consecutive year, the defending Stanley Cup Champions were not very active. The expansion draft, however, forced them to find a new goaltender after Marc-Andre Fleury went to Sin City. They picked up Antti Niemi to back up Matt Murray, so the idea is that Murray will be used a lot more often than his first two seasons. After losing Trevor Daley and Ron Hainsey, Pittsburgh picked up Matt Hunwick and traded for Ryan Reaves from St. Louis, which happens to be their opponent for their banner-raising home opener, for a first-round pick (Klim Kostin) and Oskar Sundqvist. The core, however, remains the same for a third straight shot at the Cup.
2. Columbus Blue Jackets
With Chicago’s financial constraints, the Jackets were able to pull off a stunning trade. They traded Brandon Saad back to the Blackhawks for Artemi Panarin, who is in his mid-20s and producing at a top level. They also added plenty of depth to their roster, including trading for Minnesota’s Jordan Schroeder. The Jackets are showing that they will not settle for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
3. Anaheim Ducks
Remember when the Ducks struggled to sign their defensive unit before the season began last year? Well, they saved everyone, and their only losses during the offseason included Simon Despres and Shea Theodore. Jacob Larsson should be relied upon to have a breakout season. Anaheim also added depth in goal. They have Ryan Miller, Reto Berra, and Jhonas Enroth behind John Gibson following the free agent period. With the Alberta teams being the only serious competition at the moment, Anaheim should have no problems reaching the playoffs again, but they should be looking for a Stanley Cup at this point.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
The only thing stopping the Leafs is the potential for a sophomore slump or four. Granted, it would take a lot of slumping for Auston Matthews to drag this team down, but Toronto also reached the postseason by the skin of their teeth. Perhaps 25 goals from Matthews will drop the Leafs mightily. Keep an eye on Patrick Marleau, who has to live up to a three-year, $18.75 million contract, and playoff hero Kasperi Kapanen.
5. Edmonton Oilers
I do not blame the Oilers for giving Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid an NHL-high $12.5 million annual salary for eight years. He is a generational player and the Oilers want to build around a constant player. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks shelled similar values for both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and they now find themselves in a tough position to keep the team a Stanley Cup contender. With players like Leon Draisaitl and newest draft pick Kailer Yamamoto on the roster, it may be hard to pay other players around McDavid in the future. Of course, it might be worth it if the Oilers can get as many Stanley Cups as the Blackhawks did in this decade.
6. Dallas Stars
The Stars were bound to make a jump, but they did a little bit more than anticipated. After signing Ben Bishop, the Stars used the third overall pick on Finland’s Miro Heiskanen. Then they went all in during the free agent period and signed Alexander Radulov for five years. Add in Martin Hanzal to an offense that still has the weapons from 2015-2016 (including Tyler Seguin, who was traded from Boston for zero current production), and Dallas has just gone from eliminated in March to Stanley Cup contender in 2018.
7. New York Rangers
Let us be honest. The Rangers are probably not going to fall apart as long as the team plays in Manhattan, or so it seems. They actually made some huge moves, though. Not only did they pick up free agent Kevin Shattenkirk to make their solid defense even better, but they also traded away Derek Stepan to Arizona for the seventh pick, which became Lias Andersson. Stepan was a critical part of the offense, but the Rangers took advantage of a brighter future in grabbing a Top 10 pick. New York also got Anthony DeAngelo in that trade, and they also added depth on offense in David Desharnais.
8. Calgary Flames
At least for the short term, the Flames look like they can match up with Edmonton and Anaheim. They traded for Mike Smith and Eddie Lack as Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson moved to the Eastern Conference, and they also traded for Travis Hamonic. However, the Flames will have no picks in the first two rounds of next year’s draft barring another big trade. In a less publicized move, the Flames also signed college free agent Spencer Foo, and he expects to be a big part of the offense moving forward. Calgary is sacrificing some future picks for a chance to battle with their provincial rival, and the end result by 2020 is unclear.
9. Washington Capitals
Two moves stand out for Washington. First, T.J. Oshie signed an eight-year, $46 million deal to remain in the nation’s capital. Second, Washington traded Marcus Johansson to New Jersey for a second and third round draft pick in 2018. Not bad for a team that is still trying to find a way to get past the second round of the playoffs. Alex Ovechkin is still in Washington, and his selling price will probably decrease as the years progress.
10. Nashville Predators
Smashville took the biggest hit of the expansion draft after Vegas took James Neal, but there was a plan behind leaving him unprotected. The Preds have several up-and-coming forwards, such as Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala, that made their presence felt this season, and they were considered more valuable than someone who will be 30 in September. Nashville focused on building around its determined core by adding Nick Bonino, Scott Hartnell, and Alexei Emelin. They also traded Craig Smith to Colorado for a 2019 draft pick.
11. Chicago Blackhawks
If I were to judge this team based on their murky future, then the Hawks would be much farther down this list. However, they still have the firepower to be a consistent playoff team now. Chicago took a chance when they gave away Artemi Panarin to bring back Brandon Saad, who actually has more NHL experience than Panarin despite being two years younger. The problem is that Panarin has been so dominant in his first two years that Saad, who has never had a season of more than 53 points, has a lot of pressure to produce in a similar way. The Blackhawks, who also reunited with Patrick Sharp, have had some trouble building the team around Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews since winning their Stanley Cups because of financial ceilings, and the saga continues in July 2017.
12. Ottawa Senators
Ottawa gets the boring reputation because it does not make splashy moves. The Derick Brassard–Mika Zibanejad trade last year was an anomaly. This year? Tyler Randell appears to be the biggest signing, but they also re-signed Mike Condon. The mission for 2018 is simple. Ride the coattails of the great Erik Karlsson and try to one-up their trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.
13. St. Louis Blues
There were three notable moves from St. Louis. First, they signed Vegas selection and former Jet Chris Thorburn. Then, they traded Ryan Reaves to Pittsburgh for Beau Bennett and Oscar Sundqvist. Nothing, however, beats the blockbuster trade that gave the Blues Brayden Schenn. They had to give away two first round picks (although the second one is Top 10 protected for 2018), but that should give St. Louis an extra jolt on offense. Expect the Blues to make another playoff run, especially since the goaltender situation in January was basically rock bottom.
14. Montreal Canadiens
They lost out on Alexander Radulov, and that should hurt their offense. Meanwhile, the defense continues to crystalize. To start off, Carey Price was locked up for eight years, which is basically the rest of his prime. They also added plenty of depth on the blue line, including Joe Morrow, Karl Alzner, and David Schlemko. Will that be enough to avoid a drop-off?
15. Minnesota Wild
Minnesota had the most dramatic jersey change following the Adidas reveal, but the Wild were also busy with the roster. The most dramatic move came very recently, when they sent Jason Pominville back to Buffalo with Marco Scandella for Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno. Ennis used to be a go-to scorer for the Sabres, but his stats tumbled after Jack Eichel arrived. Will he find a revival in the State of Hockey?
16. Arizona Coyotes
The Stars and Flames shot up because they were fringe playoff teams that wanted to be more competitive. There was nothing fringe about the Coyotes, but they still went for the gauntlet. Instead of settling for another pick in the back of the Top 10, they traded it to the Big Apple and got Derek Stepan, who could be a potential replacement for the aging, and now free agent, Shane Doan. They also traded Mike Smith to Calgary and picked up Antti Raanta in the Stepan trade. Buffalo was my sleeper pick last year, but Arizona may have joined them this year.
17. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning were generally out of the offseason picture as they try to return to the playoffs with its current group, but there were some moves. After the Jonathan Drouin trade, Tampa Bay signed defenseman Dan Girardi to reunite him with Ryan Callahan, and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Chris Kunitz soon followed. If Andrei Vasilevskiy can emerge as a star goaltender, then the Lightning should coast into the playoffs in 2018.
18. Boston Bruins
Statistically, the B’s had a lot to celebrate, including the top penalty kill unit in the NHL. Of course, they barely sneaked into the playoffs and bowed down to the Senators. Most of the team is similar to last year’s, with Kenny Agostino and Paul Postma being the most notable additions. Boston should of looked for a backup goaltender for the oft-used Tuukka Rask, but they will instead bank on Malcolm Subban ending his growing bust label. They have the tools to win games, but they do not always work the way that should. That should be a concern, but 2015 second-round pick Jakob Forsbakka-Karlsson will look to break out the year after David Pastrnak did.
19. New York Islanders
Long Island should thank the distant Alberta for its successful offseason. Although he was nonexistent in the playoffs, Jordan Eberle is an excellent acquisition for Brooklyn considering he was traded for the underachieving Ryan Strome, and he might be another reason why John Tavares might re-sign with the team within the next 12 months. New York also picked up a bevy of draft picks for Travis Hamonic, and they did not even have to part ways with prospects Joshua Ho-Sang or Mathew Barzal. The only thing stopping them from moving up in the Power Rankings is the lack of a reliable goaltender. The Rick DiPietro curse continues to haunt the team.
20. Winnipeg Jets
Want a youth movement? Look to Manitoba. Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Mark Scheifele are the headline players, but the roster is now flooded with unmatched potential under the age of 25. Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, Marko Dano, Chase De Leo, and Eric Comrie are also young players that should see playing time this season. This team could be lethal if it begins a string of playoff appearances in 2018. Comrie will likely find himself playing in the MTS Centre for the AHL squad considering Steve Mason is joining Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson on the goalie roster.
21. Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo is still not an enviable destination for free agents because of the team’s lack of success, but there was one trade that raised eyebrows. Jason Pominville, a former Sabre, and Marco Scandella were moved to Upstate New York for Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno to add more veteran presence on a team that is centered around top picks. Chad Johnson is back in Buffalo, and he may get another chance at surprising success if Robin Lehner‘s arbitration goes poorly.
22. San Jose Sharks
The roster remains similar to last season, with Joe Thornton, Joonas Donskoi, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and Melker Karlsson all re-signing with the team. They also traded Mirco Mueller to New Jersey for a second-round and fourth-round pick, which turned into Mario Ferraro and Scott Reedy (Reedy’s pick was traded from the Rangers for a fourth- and sixth-round pick). The Sharks are putting a lot of trust in Brent Burns to help the aging Sharks contend for the playoffs again, but will he get any consistent help with Thornton nearing the age of 40?
23. Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina is picking up a surprising number of veterans. After Lee Stempniak went to the Canes last year, former King and Cap Justin Williams is the newest veteran on the team. The Cam Ward era may be coming to an end soon, as Scott Darling is now in town and there are two goalie prospects lurking in the minors.
24. Florida Panthers
Florida did not do much, and that is understandable considering the tiny market. They did add Radim Vrbata, who is still a scoring threat at the age of 36, and there are still plenty of young stars waiting to put up crazy numbers. Jaromir Jagr is not going to return to Florida, so perhaps not worrying about milestones will get the Panthers back on track.
25. New Jersey Devils
New Jersey got aggressive after winning the lottery. First, they chose Nico Hischier over Nolan Patrick. Then they added Brian Boyle and Marcus Johansson. It would be bewildering to see New Jersey in the playoffs this season, but the effort to return is clearly there.
26. Detroit Red Wings
Considering I was not even born the last time Detroit missed the playoffs, it is hard to put a finger on what direction this team really wants to go. It does not look like they are throwing in the towel, yet, because they added Stanley Cup champion Trevor Daley for three years. They have even more prospects looking for a permanent breakthrough behind Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou, with the most notable players being Tyler Bertuzzi and and Vili Saarijarvi.
27. Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia is well aware of the direction of this team. Brayden Schenn is out, and Brian Elliott is not much of an upgrade after Steve Mason went to Winnipeg. The Flyers do have Nolan Patrick after drafting him second overall, but he does not have the reviews that Patrik Laine had. Even with Laine, the Jets still missed the playoffs, so what makes anyone think the Flyers could buck that trend?
28. Los Angeles Kings
It is not hard to find SoCal natives, even in New England, and they are aware of the LA issues. Jonathan Quick can only do so much for the Kings. The offense was 24th in scoring last season, and Mike Cammalleri was the best acquisition of the offseason. Even if Jarome Iginla stays, he is 40 years old. He will not save the Kings from hanging out with Vegas and Vancouver all season.
29. Colorado Avalanche
The thing with Colorado is that the team does not look bad on paper, but the standings said it all. Colin Wilson went from Western Conference champion to likely bottom dweller, but at least he can help the team be somewhat presentable on the ice. The Avalanche have nothing to lose by signing Nail Yakupov because is either going to play like a top pick or continue proving the bust labelers correct, and it is not like the team can do worse, right? There is still no deal for Matt Duchene, but Joe Sakic is certainly looking for a trade win.
30. Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas roster actually looks good, and a lot of that has to do with the Stanley Cup finalists. The Knights picked up James Neal and Marc-Andre Fleury from Nashville and Pittsburgh, respectively, and Reilly Smith, Jonathan Marchessault, and Oscar Lindberg should find the score sheet as well. Unfortunately, their defense looks bad on paper, with no notable top blue liners on the roster. It may take a breakout from Colin Miller and Nate Schmidt to prevent Fleury from getting plastered for 40 shots a night.
31. Vancouver Canucks
It sure looks like the Canucks are in full rebuilding mode, now. Their goaltending duo is likely to include Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson, and most of their signings, including Michael Del Zotto, do not appear to be moves with the expectation of winning. The mystery, however, is why Sam Gagner, who came off an impressive year in Columbus, chose to sign with a team that will be poor on offense. Also, the Sedins are still on the team without a Stanley Cup in sight.