NHL Weekly Power Rankings: The Start of the 2023 NHL Preseason
Can you believe it? It is finally hockey time with preseason hockey starting Friday night between the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings. Before any preseason games, let’s go over some preseason power rankings to give everyone a better look at where things stand heading into the season.
NHL Weekly Power Rankings: The Start of the 2023 NHL Preseason
32. San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks sit in last place to begin this year’s power rankings. San Jose said goodbye to defenseman Erik Karlsson this offseason. While that was the right move for the organization, they now are going to be even worse on the ice. Last year they finished with a record of 22-44-16, and I think it is safe to say a similar ending will be in the cards this season.
San Jose did add Anthony Duclair, Mikael Granlund and Mike Hoffman, so their offense does have some talent to blend with some of the younger players in the organization.
31. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are still in retooling mode. John Tortorella’s squad did improve last season but with so many big departures like Ivan Provorov, Tony DeAngelo and James van Riemsdyk, this season is going to be another year spent near the bottom of the standings.
30. Anaheim Ducks
I like what the Ducks did this offseason adding Alex Killorn and Radko Gudas. I would like their offseason a lot more if they figured out the contract situations for Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. That is a big reason for the Ducks being this low in the power rankings.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets
Adam Fantilli is going to be a lot of fun to watch no matter who the Blue Jackets pair him with this season. Overall there is a lot of talent on this team, and hopefully now with Mike Babcock no longer with the organization they will be ready to go come October.
28. Montreal Canadiens
Staying healthy is the goal this season for the Canadiens. The team has a lot of young talent and giving everyone a full season to play together with minimal injuries has to be the key.
27. Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks did not win the Stanley Cup this past season, but they might have had the second most successful season having landed Connor Bedard. It will be interesting to see how good Bedard is during his rookie season.
26. Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes had a relatively good season last year. The team was competitive despite being built to lose in 2022-23. This season will be about getting young star Logan Cooley NHL ready. He could be a serious contender for the Calder Trophy especially if he gets to play with Clayton Keller or Lawson Crouse as linemates.
25. Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks go into the 2023-24 season hoping to bounce back after another season with a coaching change half way through the year. With very few additions made this offseason, it will be interesting to see how the Canucks do this year with a full season of Rick Tocchet as the bench boss.
24. Winnipeg Jets
Losing Pieree-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler are by no means small departures for the Jets roster. Heading into the 2023-24 season this team still believes they can be in the mix for the Stanley Cup playoffs. It will be interesting to see how things unfold with Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck both unsigned past this season.
23. Washington Capitals
The Capitals said goodbye to Conor Sheary, Matt Irwin, Connor Brown and Craig Smith this offseason but they added Joel Edmundson and Max Pacioretty. This team finished outside of the playoff mix in 2023, and it seems likely they will again this season, but it is all just about getting Alex Ovechkin goals at this point anyway. Less than 75 goals away from taking the record!
22. Nashville Predators
Andrew Brunette, Barry Trotz and Ryan O’Reilly all are stepping into Nashville with big new roles. O’Reilly will be the team’s new number one center, Trotz the GM and Brunette will get another opportunity to coach an NHL team. This should be a fun season in Nashville.
21. St. Louis Blues
The Blues said goodbye to Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko last season, now in 2023-24 it is all about getting used to a new era in St. Louis headlined by new captain Brayden Schenn. This probably will be another year stuck in the middle for the Blues.
20. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings very well could jump into the playoffs this season. It is going to require their star players to be at their very best, but it is possible. Detroit did have a lot of turnover on their roster this offseason adding Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, Shayne Gostisbehere, Daniel Sprong, Christian Fischer, Klim Kostin and James Reimer.
19. Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames did not have a season to remember last year. But now with a new coach in Ryan Huska maybe the Flames can prove last year was just a blip in the team’s success. There are a lot of questions around this team’s future so playing well early will be the best thing possible for the Flames otherwise they could be in sell mode by American Thanksgiving.
18. Ottawa Senators
The Senators finally have a new owner so that is a win. This team missed the playoffs despite going out and adding a lot last season. With Tarasenko now in a Senators jersey maybe this year will be different.
17. New York Islanders
The New York Islanders had a pretty quiet offseason. They said goodbye to Josh Bailey and Zach Parise but they did not add a heck of a lot to the team. Last year the Islanders were one of the last teams to make the playoffs, and this year could be very similar.
16. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins had a lot of roster turnover this offseason. Now it truly does feel like Kyle Dubas’s team. The 2023-24 season needs to be better for Pittsburgh and ever adding Erik Karlsson, Reilly Smith, Matt Nieto and Will Butcher there is a chance the Penguins get back into the postseason.
15. Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres deserve to be in the playoffs this season. The young stars are all a year older and it is time to finally show just how good this team can be.
14. Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken did not just make the playoffs in 2023, they knocked out the defending Stanley Cup Champs. The Kraken jumped up 40 points last season to make the playoffs, and this year is going to be about proving they can remain one of the top teams in the Pacific. Although one of their biggest questions going into the year has to be figuring out if Shane Wright is going to be in the NHL.
13. Boston Bruins
The Bruins went on their last dance ride in 2023 and feel flat when it matter the most in the playoffs. The list of departures is very long, and this season just making the playoffs might not be as easy.
12. New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are bringing back the same defense, the same star goaltender and the same top line center in Mika Zibanejad. While they might not have Tarasenko and Kane anymore, they do have a new head coach who has had success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs before in Peter Laviolette.
11. Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are one of the toughest teams in hockey. This season will be another big year for the Wild who look like a lock for the playoffs. Getting out of the first round though will be their biggest challenge.
10. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings center depth is crazy with Kopitar, Dubois and Danault. This season the Kings will definitely be one of the top teams in the Pacific, potentially giving Edmonton and Vegas a run for their money for the top spot.
9. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are still the power house team that won back to back Stanley Cups, but with Steven Stamkos, the captain and face of the franchise, airing his disappointment about not having a contract past this season. There might be a storm brewing in Tampa Bay.
8. Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers being this high up really just has to do with them going all the way to the Stanley Cup Final last season. There were a lot of big departures this offseason in Florida, Duclair, Gudas and the Staal brothers are gone, but this still is a good team. Florida could be a top team in the Atlantic, or they could potentially miss out on the playoffs in 2024. Time will tell, they did do just fine as an underdog last season.
7. Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars went all the way to the Conference Final in 2023, and there is a good chance they can get back there this season. Dallas had a strong season last year and added Matt Duchene to their top six this offseason, that is going to be a big move.
6. Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers added Connor Brown to their top six, an addition that will definitely help flesh out the top six. The Edmonton Oilers still have Draisaitl and McDavid, and one of these years they are going to find a way to get it done in the playoffs.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs
New general manager, new additions to the top six and no first round curse to worry about in 2023-24. This team could be one of the best in hockey once again this season.
4. New Jersey Devils
The Devils had an amazing season in 2022-23 going from a draft lottery favorite to a top team in the Metro Division and even winning a series. This season will be another good year for the Devils especially with so many young players stepping up.
3. Colorado Avalanche
Losing captain Gabriel Landeskog for another season due to injury is going to hurt the Avalanche, but the rest of the roster is healthy. Plus with the offseason additions of Ryan Johansen, Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton this could be a top team in hockey once again.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have one of the best rosters in hockey, and they only got better adding Tony DeAngelo, Dmitry Orlov and Michael Bunting
This season the Hurricanes have all the skill once again to win yet another Metropolitan Division title, but what really matters for this team has to be winning in the postseason.
1. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup and will be having a banner ceremony in the coming weeks. This team might have said goodbye to fan favorite Reilly Smith in the offseason but overall the team that won the StanleyCup is still in tact. I think this could be another year of success in Las Vegas.