*RANKING* EVERY NHL TEAM FOR THE 2026 SEASON!

*RANKING* EVERY NHL TEAM FOR THE 2026 SEASON!

With most of the offseason moves made, we can now look towards the 2026 season and predict where every team might end up. And today, I want to go through all 32 NHL teams, sorting them through five different tiers, seeing which teams make the playoffs, which ones could be Stanley Cup favorites, and which teams I think will be at the bottom of the pecking order. But we have a lot of predictions to get through, so make sure you guys watch till the end as we go through every single team, including where your favorite team might end up. and make sure you hit that subscribe button if you’re new for more hockey content just like this as we rank so much around the league this off seasonason. Now, before we get into the ranking, let’s first go through the tier list here and the five tiers I’ll be sorting all 32 NHL teams in. First, we got the Stanley Cup favorites tier. This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but I’m only going to have one team from the West and one team from the East. The two teams I think are the most likely to come out of their respective uh conferences. Then you got the Stanley Cup contenders tier. This one’s also pretty self-explanatory, though. These are teams I think maybe not my favorites to win the cup. Will certainly have a good chance at it and are one of the stronger teams heading into next season. You got the playoff teams tier. These are the teams I see making it. Not quite being strong contenders to actually go far and win the cup, but I still think having a shot at it. Then we go into the fringe teams at the second to last tier. These are the teams I think will be close. They’ll be in the playoff race, but unfortunately we’ll just miss. And then finishing us off, we got the bottom of the barrels here. Another one that I think will be interesting considering there’s only a couple teams that I think are pretty clearly horrible heading into next season, but I think there’s going to be a few teams that will surprise a few people with just how mediocre they end up becoming. So, at the bottom of the list, that’s where they’ll go. Now, going through all 32 teams, we’re just going to do this in order. And the first team we have here on the docket is the San Jose Sharks. Where will I put them? You’ll never know. Yeah, I’m going to put them in the bottom of the barrel tier. I’m sorry. Though, I will say this. I think by the end of things, I think the Sharks will be the highest team in the bottom of the barrel tier. I think they’re going to make a lot of strong progress year overyear. We’re going to see some impress progression again in the youth. And hopefully that goalending situation of Yarus Lavasarov will look a lot better after this next year. But I still think there will be some growing pains, some issues with the defense especially that I’m not really all that convinced about yet. It’s not the end of the world for San Jose and there even is the chance they might be outside the bottom five. Just not a team that I think is going to be super competitive yet. But that’s not a big deal for San Jose. They’re still extremely young and a lot of their big-time prospects have yet to even enter the NHL. They’ll be just fine. And I think in 2027, that’s when we’re going to start to see the real progress. Now, let’s move on to a team that it’s really hard to pinpoint where they’ll actually end up in the standings year to year in the National Predators. They’re a team that I was really convinced about two years ago about making the playoffs. Thought they would continue that strength and it really did not continue last season for them. I think they will be slightly better than they were last season, but it was a complete disaster. So, it would be really hard to be worse than that. I think for Nashville, I think Jussi Saro is going to have a much improved season, get back to the level that we’ve seen him at consistently. Romanos will put up some more points, but besides that, I still think that roster, especially in the four group, is rather weak. The defense has some major holes to me. Even though I think Sorrowos will be better, and that will lead to a few more points, I still think they’ll be close to a playoff team when it’s all said and done. Now, let’s move on to the Montreal Canadians. the this team, man, this team is a massive question mark to me because in a lot of respects, it feels like the progression should be linear, but for a lot of teams, that’s not necessarily the case. I think for Montreal, they’ll likely be around the same points range they were last year, hovering around the early 90s range, but I don’t know if that’ll be quite good enough to make the playoffs, especially with how stacked this Eastern Conference is. We’re gonna get into it, but I see teams like the Rangers especially taking big bounceback steps to get back into the playoffs. And the Eastern Conference was already extremely competitive. I think for Montreal, they need to vastly improve what they were on last year. And I just don’t know if that’s quite going to be the case. The center situation is still a big question mark to me. And goalending wise, Montabau has been consistent, but he’s not quite at that unbelievable elite level that you can always assume can be able to push you into the playoffs. I think for Montreal, I’m it’s kind of a wait and see for me right now because of the question marks I have. I want them to make the playoffs again because they were so electrifying last year. But I think in the Habs case, even though they might not take a big step back in terms of the points by the end, I think because of how much more competitive the Eastern Conference, especially the Metro is going to be, I see them slipping out because of that. But that’s the hard thing. I think the Havs did improve. I think they were one of the winners of the offseason because of the Noah Dobson trade. It’s just for them, I would have really wanted to see that extra center upgrade. It really wasn’t there in this market. I understand that. But I think because of that, it might create some issues for this next year. Long-term, I think they’ll still be fine and will be a playoff team. But for them, they might have to take a step back to take a big step forward. Moving on to the Carolina Hurricanes, and I’m going to put them in the Stanley Cup contenders tier here. They aren’t quite the favorites for me. But I I think in the Canes case, they are maybe the biggest competition for Florida right now in the Eastern Conference. Even though it hasn’t quite been there, and Carolina has flustered when they got into the Eastern Conference Finals recently. I think in their case though, I like to see the aggression they have this off season. Of course, the big Nikolai Eer signing I think will be huge for them. I think he’s going to have a fantastic first season for them too. I just think for Carolina there might be some issues. Again, still in goal in the net that’s always a position that I’ve kind of been unconvinced when it comes to Carolina, but I think the offense should be a bit better. Nikolai, I’m a big fan of. I still think the Canes are going to be a strong regular season team and still a team that should go deep in the playoffs. It’s just a question of how deep. On to the Utah Ma’am. We’re going to go on to a team that I am so excited to see how they progress onto this next year and I think they’re going to progress pretty well. I think they’re going to be a playoff team by the end. Granted, one of the teams that’s on the lesser side of things, likely taking up a wild card spot there, but I think Utah is going to be a team that just continues the progression they’ve had. The youth core they have is just so consistent, so solid, especially on the forward side of things. But I love the depth additions they made this off seasonason. guys like Tanv, even guys on top of that like like Nate Schmidt. I mean, I think they needed the kind of stability, especially in those smaller roles, and I think they were able to get that. I love the core they have already, and that defense is healthier next year. I think this Utah team is a playoff team, both on paper and also for what they could be. I think there’s going to be a lot of hype surrounding them, rightfully so. More so a wild card team, but I would not be surprised if they took a central spot. Now, we go on to the Edmonton Oilers, and they’re a team that is still in the Stanley Cup contenders tier. I have some big concerns over that four group and the losses they’ve had recently in this off seasonason. But at the end of the day, you have McDavid, you have Dry Saddle, and you still have that solid core there that’s going to be able to make them competitive and make them still a scary threat in the playoffs. The big question mark though to me still is that defense is the goalending is a bit of that forward depth, especially on the wings. But again, their strengths are just so good that at the end of the day, they’re still contenders even with those issues. Now, let’s move on to the LA Kings. A team that I obviously wasn’t the biggest fan of when it came to their offseason editions, but I still think they’ll be a playoff team by the end. My big issue is that I think a lot of those expensive, overpaid, depth editions are just largely fine and I don’t think really move the needle much for an LA team that I think needed to move the needle just a little bit more. Though, I still think they’ll be a solid regular season team. They have a great skeleton to them, a great defensive system, and still some players I like quite a bit. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if LA is maybe a team that is just on the outside looking in because of the lack of strength on that roster. But I still think we’re going to see massive improvements and players like Quinton Bifffield and Brandon Clark. And I think that solid defense, that solid system is going to hold well and ultimately still get them in a playoff spot in that West. Now, let’s move on to an Atlantic division team here that’s on the younger side just like Montreal and the Ottawa Senators. And this will be interesting because I do have them as a playoff team with Montreal ending up slipping out. But I see Ottawa being in a pretty similar position as they were last year, but I like the offseason additions they made. Nothing that was exceptional, but I love the Jordan Spence addition. I think he’s going to be really underrated ad for them. And just the depth moves. Guys like Lars Eller have always liked too. So adding that to the four line, I think is going to do some good damage there. But just like a team like LA, they have a good skeleton there. And I think especially those star players will be a big reason why they make it again. And I think Tim Stewart is going to have a brilliant season. We’re going to see better production out of Brady Kachchuck once again getting more or so around that point per game range. Just improvements in a lot of that core base. And ultimately with the decent depth additions they made, I think they’ll still be able to make it even in a crowded Atlantic. Onto the Seattle Kraken. And I’m going to put him in the bottom of the barrel tier. Unfortunately, I’d love to see Seattle make some progress here, but at the end of the day, I just don’t see many if parts for improvement on this Kraken roster. You have a player like Joey Decor on the goending side who’s been really trying his best and putting up some marvelous seasons and even then Seattle still isn’t that great. They try to go for these big free agent editions over the last couple years, but it just seems like it’s crowding up that team and a lot of the younger players haven’t really been able to cement themselves with great seasons yet. Maybe that’s what we end up seeing. But I just think in Seattle’s case, they just largely leave me uninspired, sadly. Moving on to the Detroit Red Wings. another team that I would love to see take a step, become a playoff team finally, but I still think they’re going to be on the fringe. Unfortunately, even though I do like the John Gibson addition, for example, I think that is a huge part for solidifying that goalending. I still have massive issues with that defense. The fact that Justin Hall will likely be an everyday player next year is baffling to me. The forward group also has some issues. I think they needed to go after a really big bonafide middle six piece, especially on the wings, and that just didn’t quite happen. JVR I like. I think that signing was really solid, but I just don’t think it’s quite enough right now. I think for Detroit, they’re still going to be a competent team, still going to be competitive, but I just feel like there’s too many holes to get over the top yet again. Moving on to the Washington Capitals, a team that I’m fascinated to see how they do next year because of the consistency they’ve shown. Two years ago, they were this miraculous team coming out of nowhere. Last year, I kind of went on a limb saying they’d actually be better than the year before, and they ultimately were by a large margin. I do think that Washington is going to take a slight step back in terms of the points, more so being around the 100 point range rather than what was it 111 by the end of the season, but they’re still going to be a competent team. I think they will take a decrease just because that Metro is going to get a little bit more competitive, especially in the wild card spots, but I think Washington will still end up making there because of the depth, because of the systems they have, especially Marberry Trooper, man. This guy is incredible and will work his magic yet again. Let’s move on to the New York Islanders. A team that has made some big moves to try to get a lot less competitive than they were before. Ultimately, I think it will be great for their future. But for the now, I gotta say, I think they’ll still be at the bottom of the barrel. It’s a good thing, I think, for the Islanders to be in this position, especially with how good this 26 draft is to have a first overall pick in Schaefer last year, potentially be in the top three for this next season. I think this is exactly where the Islanders should be. they’ll still be competitive because I think they still have some really solid players there and Ilioen is one of the best goalenders still going right now. But I still don’t think it’ll be enough to be really good, especially in a Metro that once I once again I I think is just going to be extremely competitive in those top five, top six spots for the Islanders though, no shame in it. This is exactly where I want them and where they should be. Moving on to the Chicago Blackhawks in this spot and I’m going to put them at the bottom of the barrel tier. Not really much of a surprise, I know, but I think in Chicago’s case, the big win will just be the improvements in the youth. Even though I don’t see massive improvements in the standings, I think we’re going to see Bard have a queer year. We’re going to see players like Nazar truly establish themselves. Players like Oliver Moore, players like Samber and Zelig are going to have massive seasons for the Blackhawks. So, in that way, I think it’ll be a successful season. Still maybe not the progression that Chicago really wants, but the progression in the youth, I think will be the most important thing. And I think ultimately they will get that. onto the New Jersey Devils and they’re going to go straight in the playoff team tier. To me, they were already a solid team last year with some issues, but that was mostly just because of the health. They were dealing with so much crap all throughout that year with star players like Jack Hughes, but also the defense was pretty crippled for a while. It was just not a good situation. If they’re fully healthy next year season though, they can honestly creep into the Stanley Cup contenders tier. I’m still a big fan of what Jack is capable of and I think he’ll have a monster season this next year. I mean, the depth is incredible for this Devils team on both the defense and the forward group, especially that bottom six. I love a lot of the names there. And if Jacob Marstrom can get a little bit more comfortable than he was in his first year of New Jersey, then I think you have some massive potential here. New Jersey, I think, is still going to be a playoff team. It’s just a matter of how good. I’m really hoping though they’re able to take a bigger next step and actually be healthy this time. Let’s move on to the Boston Bruins. And even though I don’t see them being as bad as they were last year, I still see them being in the fringe teams tier, maybe the worst team in the fringe teams tier. They might be competitive for a little bit to start the season, but I I’m going to be honest, I still look at that Bruins four group. I look at the defense and the issues around it. I think Jeremy Swayman will have a much better season actually being there for training camp the full year. And I think that will help him in the end. But with all that said though, it’s still going to be a problem, especially with the depth scoring after David Poshmark in that first line. It is going to be a massive question mark to see who even steps up to begin with. I think for this Bruins team, they still have potential to be a feisty team, but in the end, I don’t see it making much of a difference, and I see them missing for the second straight year. Moving on, we go on to the Colorado Avalanche, and they’re a team that I think just gets into the Stanley Cup contenders tier. It’s mostly because the health should be improved next season. Hopefully, you’ll have Gabriel Landiskog fulltime, which will be a fantastic story. You’re also going to have Mackenzie Blackwood who they traded for mid-season there as the starter from day one which I think will be best for Blackwood as well. He was already really good for the ABS, but I think he’ll be able to really be comfortable in that net fulltime next year. I think for the abs it’ll be interesting to see the difference between that top six and the bottom six as it always is the problem when it comes to this Colorado team and the depth since their Stanley Cup win. But in the end, I think they’ll still be a contender, though maybe not as much of a contender as some other teams will eventually put on the tier. Speaking of contenders, we’re going to go on to another one in the Central Division in the Winnipeg Jets. Just above the Colorado Avalanche here. I think it will sting just a bit not having Nikolai Eers and the speed that he generates on that Jets team, but they still have so much depth, so many versatile options that I don’t think it’ll be a horrific loss for them. Still though, I don’t think they’ll be present trophy winning type of level, but still a solidified playoff team and a strong one entering the playoffs, even though they always seem to underwhelm when it actually gets going. Moving on to the Columbus Blue Jackets. And man, there’s so many teams in the East that I just want to see be playoff teams that I just I can’t put them there right now. Columbus is one of those teams just like Montreal. I think they’re going to be extremely close just like they were last year, but it might be more of a lateral season rather than a true upward swing. I think the big thing I’m still worried about for this Columbus team is the goalending. I do think Jet Greavves is going to surprise a lot of people and break out into a decent goalender, but the question will be, is it enough for them to get there? Columbus needed just decent goending last season, but I think in some ways that defense still kind of concerns me. There’s going to be a lot of youth coming out of the team, and that will be a sign of progression for some, but maybe for others, it might not fully work out. I’m just hopeful for this Columbus team that all comes together. It’s so was so close to doing so last year that I’m just hoping that they prove me wrong this next season. Moving on to a team that I don’t think is going to be nearly as competitive in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Um, don’t screenshot this right now, by the way. That would get me in a lot of trouble because we’re going to put them at the bottom of the barrel tier, right at the very bottom. Spoiler alert, I don’t think there is any team right now that is as fully in the tank mode as the Pittsburgh Penguins. And it’ll be interesting to see what ends up happening, especially since we haven’t seen trades of Eric Carlson or Brian Rust yet. Two guys that we’ve speculated for a while now could be on the chopping block. But still, even though you have some pieces there, some great ones, Cindy Crosby is still one of the best players in the league, I just don’t think it’s good enough. The depth is horrid. The defense is laughable to watch. And the goalending is going to be a circus next year to say the least. And even though Cindy Crosby will do his best, I see Pittsburgh being the biggest front runner for Gavin McKenna and likely landing him when it’s all said and done. The Penn State to Pittsburgh connection, I think, is pretty likely here. Moving on to my favorite team of the Dallas Stars. And even though I have my issues with their offseason and how they went about it, I still think they’re going to be Stanley Cup contenders here. Not quite the Stanley Cup favorites coming out of the West to me because I still think again the right side of the defense is a massive question mark. It gets exposed over and over again. And the go the coaching change in Galuden, I’m still on the fence about still the roster when you get those issues out of the way is still strong with the top end players. They have Miko Ronson in there for how well he fit in the playoffs. Having him for a full regular season is going to be fascinating to watch. A lot of good storylines still. Even if I have my problems in the defense, not being fixed year after year. Moving on to the Tampa Bay Lining, and I’m going to put them as the strongest team in the playoffs here. Sorry for the logo, by the way. It’s very hard to see, but you get what I mean. I I think in Tampa’s case, they’re just going to be a very consistent team. They’ve shown time after time to be able to do so. And I think Tampa’s roster quite honestly is maybe better than it was to start out last season, especially with the additions of Yorkstran and Gourd fulltime for this next season. The depth in the bottom six looks way stronger than it did. But the John Cooper systems, the elite players they have and the coovs and the points and even players like Hegel putting up 90 points this last year, the progression in him has been massive for Tampa Bay. But I just think in so many ways they have still so much going for them. The defense might be a bit of a question mark, but at the end of the day, it’s just so strong and I think Vassels can continue to do great that they’re going to end up making it and be a strong team at that. Going on to a team that I think wishes they were as good. Let’s go on to the Buffalo Sabres. I do think they’ll be the last team in the fringe tier because I think they might have some competitive moments throughout the season, but unfortunately I just don’t think it’s going to be good enough. They’re really a victim of their conference because I think in the West I might be able to give them a shot, but I I just don’t quite see it honestly. There’s just too many teams that are just way farther along in terms of their rebuild developments and just how competent they are from top to bottom. I I think in the Savers case, the cheapness of the top just really has hurt them in a lot of ways. They have some great attributes, some great pieces, and there will be some progression in their youth, I do think, but just not enough to get there, unfortunately. Now, moving on to the New York Rangers. They’re a team that I do ultimately see making the playoffs. I don’t think it’s because Chris Jury pulled off this master class of an offseason or anything. I just see Igor Shashkin having a massive year. Mike Sullivan being a right coach to get the Rangers in the right spot to be able to make the playoffs. I still think for them their potential has been strangled by how much the youth just has not developed there. But at the same time, they still have a great blueprint, a great core. I think Adam Fox can have a fantastic year next to Gabri. And I think ultimately it will work out for them. Maybe not in the playoffs, but I think making the playoffs it’ll be seen as a much more successful year than last season. Now, going on to a team that I don’t know is a guarantee by any means in the Toronto Maple Leafs. I do still have them as a playoff team, but I think Toronto might be a tad bit weaker than they were before. We can talk all we want about Mitch Mner’s playoff ability, but this guy is undeniable in the regular season, and I think the Leafs will be missing a lot of that offense. I like Matis Machelli a ton, and I think he’ll replace a bit of it, but not quite enough to really replace it by any means. And I still think there are some weaknesses on the wings. You do have some additions and guys like Nick Wah who I think will be solid for them. Even guys on top of that that they just traded for in Dakota Joshua I think could be just fine, but nothing exceptional or anything. Maybe there’s a mid-season trade that boosts the Leafs up a little bit because I think that is still a point of weakness, but I think for Toronto it’ll be kind of a step back to maybe take a step forward in the playoffs if that happens. Going on to the Minnesota Wild. This is a team I have also gone back and forth on because they’re a team that I got a little bit wrong last year. much better than I was expecting and that was with Carl Capri not playing a big chunk of the season. So, you would think automatically with him hopefully being healthy that it would be much better, but I think with that central division being as competitive as it is, I think Minnesota’s actually going to be the best team to miss the playoffs this next year. Now, betting on the Wild not making the playoffs is actually pretty interesting. They’re very good at doing that. Not really great at doing much else in that, but they know what they’re good at, I guess. But to me, I still have problems with the forward group, especially up the middle. Marco Rossi I love, but it feels like he’s kind of been in a disgruntled situation there. So, I’m not really sure how productive he’s going to be. The defense, I think, will be actually quite solid. And Z Buum coming into the fold, I think, will be really fun to watch. But the big problem to me is just kind of the goalending and how that’s able to fit fit into next year. With Flurry retiring, you don’t have that immediate backup. Walstead of course be coming in, but that’s not really a guarantee by any means. And Phil Gustin as well has not really shown to be a consistent goalender year to year. it seems like he’s off one year then on the next and of course he was very on this last year. So I don’t know if 2026 is going to be the the even year that takes it all apart or anything but I just think for Minnesota they have too many holes I think especially in that four group for me to get all too excited even though Kurok capab is one of the best doing it right now. On to the Vancouver Conucks and this is another team that I see being on the fringe level. Another team that I see being competitive but not quite having enough parts to make them a true playoff team. I do think we will see a better season out of Elias Person. Here’s hoping. I think you will see some aggression in players like Elias Person on the defense. Hopefully the goalending also being a pretty solid bet. And of course, Quinn Hughes continuing to be one of, if not maybe the best defenseman in the NHL. Because of that, I think they’ll still be competent. They’ll be strong enough to be a competitive team. But the four group just has too many issues. The center situation is baffling, even if Person does rebound. And I I just think for them they have far too many holes in both the forward group and the defense for me to think of them as a playoff team, especially in a crowded Western Conference, a conference that doesn’t have many off nights. I don’t know. I just think for the Conucks, they showed a lot of holes this last year that even though they might fill a couple of them, there’s too many left exposed. Moving on to the Philadelphia Flyers, a strong contender in the fringe tier. I think they’ll be around the Vancouver range. So Rick Tocket not really making much progression there in the end. But I think in the Flyers case they’ll be better than they were last year. I think the Trevor Ziggress trade he’s going to have a rebound season. I’m just feeling it right now. I think for them though the biggest issues I still have is the goalending. They signed Vadar but I’m not a big fan of Don Var honestly. The defense has some question marks too. And the four group even though you have a ton of good young pieces they haven’t truly become fantastic yet besides the rare exceptions of guys like Matthew Bichkov. We’ll see though. I think Trevor Ziggress and his year coming up will really make or break this Flyer season. But I still think even at their best, they’re a fringe team. But honestly, at their worst, they’re a French team. Just a team that is built to be decent, but nothing more for me. Speaking of a team that is built to be just okay, we go on to the Calgary Flames. A team that I’ve loved though the last couple of drafted made some smart decisions, and you’re going to start to see that in Zane Pre coming into the fold this next year on the defense, which will be a ton of fun to watch. I think though they’re going to be at the top of the bottom of the barrels here. I could pretty easily see them being a fringe team. They were that almost made the playoffs this last year. And you still have a lot of that blueprint there with, of course, the big-time players of guys like Dustin Wolf there on top of guys like Mackenzie Wager and guys like Codgery especially who always seem to put in some good numbers. But at the end of the day, I think Calgary is just going to be swept up by the improvements in the West and not don’t not quite have the same staying power as they have before as a true fringe team. But just like a team like the Islanders, I think this is where the Flames should be, continuing to get the high draft picks because this kind of retool they’ve been going on, they’ve gotten a lot of good young talent. And if they get another top five pick, I think they could be really interesting after this next year. And let’s move on now to the Anaheim Ducks, a team that is going to be a weird watch this next year because of how much they’ve seemed to have gone away from their identity. They were building in the draft, trying to go a lot more skill-based to start out. And of course with Pat Vervique coming into the fold as GM, they’re trying to get a lot more competitive, a lot older, and they’ve successfully done that. The question will be how effective will that end up being? And I think for Anaheim, they’re going to take some major strides. I think they’re going to be a team that will finally be able to eclipse the 90 point range, but ultimately I do see them being one of the stronger teams to end up missing the playoffs, but still missing the playoffs. I think there will be some improvements in the structure in terms of of the overall play and I do think guys like Chris Krider coming in as goal scorers will be helping them but at the end of the day I still don’t think they have as much progression in the YUP to get there yet. Maybe that is the case in 2027. They will take some strides but not quite enough for me. Moving on to the St. Louis Blues. They’re going to be the last team in the playoff tier. I think they will be a team that just ends up making it similarly to what they were this last season. But to me, I think we’ll see improvements in the youth continually. You’re going to have a player like Jimmy Snugrude fully into the NHL this next year, and I think he’s going to be a big candidate for the Calder Trophy. You’re gonna have players like Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway continuing to do well. I think the big thing though for me for the Blues I was happy about was that they didn’t make these major mistakes. I think trading guys like Jordan Kyu or letting guys like Joel Hoffer go with an offer sheet would have been big blows to the team, but those issues never really came to pass. And I think for this Blues team, even though the Bulldog created love, you’re opening space for a player like Snugroot who I think ultimately will be better. So, it’s very justified to me. But I love the core there. I love players like Robert Thomas. I think he’s going to continue to get better. And just that top six, the golden especially, I think it’s going to be pretty undervalued, pretty underrated, and ultimately produce a playoff team by the end of things. But if you’ve been keeping track so far, you can see two teams right here at the very end of it. The two teams that I think will be the Stanley Cup favorites for this next year. And I’m just going to put them up here in the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Gold Knights. Now Florida, I’ll explain. I mean, not really that hard to explain, a team that has won back-to-back Stanley Cups and has kept basically every single major part of that core. We still might have to see a sacrificing lamb, maybe like an Evan Rodriguez or something. But even if that happens, I’m not really too concerned. This Florida team, even if they might have issues five years down the line, has been building themselves up to continually succeed for these couple of seasons and they’ve done so successfully. I think they will continue to do so. We’ll see if they win the Stanley Cup again, but they are strong contenders to do so. And then I have the Vegas Gold Knights coming out of the Western Conference right now. a little bit harder of a one to explain, I would say. But in the Knight’s case, I think they’re just going to continue to get the best out of these big players that are guys that kind of get sacrificed by other teams as not really playoff performers, but end up doing well on their own team. Mitch Marner, I think, is going to have a really successful tenure in Vegas. I think just the lack of attention on him is going to do him some good. And I think given the Gold Knight system, just like Jack Eel did, he’s going to kind of reinvent himself and get that confidence back, which I think will be huge. But I also liked a lot of the other additions they made, the trades of the like Nick H for example. I liked what they got back guys like Colton Sist kind of reinforce that center position with a player like Watt out. I I just think for Vegas they have so much going for them. My only real concern is the goalending right now. Is a player like Aen Hill going to stay consistent in that night system. But considering how well they play around him, I don’t think that’ll be much of an issue. Though I could see the Petrangelo injury making things a little bit difficult for that defense. But I even see guys like Kanan Corors coming in and playing a bigger role for the Knights and playing pretty well. So even with the concerns I have in the end, I don’t think it’ll matter much for a Vegas team that just continually is able to be a playoff team and be a pretty good one. But these are my tears for the 2026 NHL season going to the Stanley Cup favorites all the way to the bottom of the barrel teams. I think it’ll be a pretty competitive race here, especially with those Eastern Conference Wild Card races. If you thought it was a good race this last year, well, it was. I don’t think we’re going to be able to top that, but it’s going to be very good again this next season. It’s going to be a blood bath. And you know what I love about that? I love blood baths. Give me more blood baths. Give me more teams hating each other. Give me more close playoff races. That’s what we’re going to be seeing once again this next year. But I want to know in the comments down below, what do you guys agree and disagree with of my predictions and my tiers? Where do you see your team ending up if you had to place them in any of these five tiers? Do you see them being a playoff team? Do you see them not? Do you see them being Stanley Cup favorites? Let me know your predictions down below. Of course, thank you guys so much for tuning in. If you enjoyed the ranking, make sure you hit that like button, hit that subscribe button, and that notification bell for more of them. And if you want to watch some more, too, right now, you can click on this card for all my hockey rankings content right in one playlist for you to binge watch. And I will see you guys in the next one. Make sure you have a fantastic hockey day and goodbye. [Music]

► Hello guys and welcome back! Today I wanted to go through ALL 32 NHL Teams, and rank them ALL based on their teams heading into the 2025-26 NHL season!

Which teams do I think are the BIGGEST Stanley Cup contenders? And which teams do I think could be in the dumpster? Let’s find out!
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