RANKING EVERY NHL TEAM FOR THE 2025 26 SEASON I TIER LIST

RANKING EVERY NHL TEAM FOR THE 2025 26 SEASON I TIER LIST

Where would you rather be than right here, right now? The NHL season is upon us and we’re ranking all 32 teams on this amazing tier list we’ve got here. Wow, I’m fired up. We are so damn back, boys. What a short NHL offseason. I felt like very fired up for today. Um, one of the best videos all year for sure. Ranking every team 100%. And then and then we looked back at it and was like, man, we were really wrong with that. But this is why we back. This is why we play the game. Before we get started, I’m going to explain all the categories. So, we have cup champ, only one winner. It’s basically who we think is going to win the Stanley Cup right here, right now before the season starts. We have cream of the crop, which is basically just like your elite cup contenders. We’ve got playoffs, question mark, exclamation mark, like Jim Mora. Playoff teams are teams that’ll be like read in the voice of playoffs. Yeah, teams that’ll be in the playoffs guaranteed or kind of right around the playoffs give it a good fight. We have Rebuild going right, which is I think a fair way to give some teams that are not going to be contending for the playoffs but have a bright future a good shout. We have I don’t know lol for the teams that were kind of just like it could go either way. We have the void which is directionless. Call it whatever you want to call it. And then go get Gavin. That is for Gavin McKenna the number one pick. I’ve got the teams here that we have all been assigned. Let’s start at the far end of the table there. Pac, let’s start with the Washington Capitals. You brought them up and let’s see where you’re placing them right now. All right, let’s get right into it. Obviously, last year, massive year. Obie breaks the record. Team was energized by that and I feel like, let’s be honest, they’re a good team, but I think they overachieved a little bit last year. I think that’s a fair statement. Spencer Carbury, coach of the year, like credit to them. They were great. I don’t see them being the first place team in the Eastern Conference this year. I just I don’t though I do think they have a strong roster, forward group especially very strong. They also have a underrated group of young prospects that are emerging. Very good. It almost makes me feel like man I wish Obie was like even four years younger so that he could play with a kind of prime Ryan Leonard so that Cole Hudson could be up with the team by then. Andrew Crystalall was a guy who lit it up in junior last year. Protas is he might be the best prospect of all those guys. So they they do have a a nice blend of kind of young and older. They’re going to be so good. They’re they’re going to be a good team. They’re not there yet, though. I have a hard time seeing them as a true cup contender though. If we’re going to be really strict with that category, I’m going to put them in playoffs. I think they’ll make the playoffs. I think they’ll have a good season. Curious to see how Oie does. Does he go for a thousand? Does he just say, “This is my last year because what he’s doing at this age is incredible, but it can only last so long, unfortunately.” So, I’m going to put them in playoffs. A thousand goals would be insane. He he should do it. I think it’s a pretty fair spot for them. Yeah, I agree. No qualms. I I like starting off with not an argument. I think you laid out their their situation pretty pretty well. Obviously, we’re going to try and spend some time on every team, but there’s 32 teams. We also want to make this as concise as possible. Um, but for the good teams, easier to talk about. For the not so good teams, we’ll we’ll probably have a little more arguing that we do. Jesse, let’s start with a team that it’s pretty interesting. The Pittsburgh Penguins. This is a team that I feel like we get into it with every year and especially uh especially you. Look, I I I understand the position that the Penguins are in. They’re kind of in this weird phase where they have a bunch of older players, legacy players that, you know, you’re not necessarily moving. not as easily as some other teams might move some older players. I do think that this team is like really desperately in need of a rebuild, but that’s not going to happen yet for obvious reasons. So, I’m going to put the Penguins in the void. Chicago had to do a rebuild. Anaheim had to do a rebuild, and they’re still not even close to being where they need to be. I don’t think Pittsburgh’s even close to where they need to be. I mean, unless they’re able to recruit a bunch of amazing players because Sid’s in the twilight years of his career and maybe they’re able to get all these guys, but they have a lot of older players on I mean, look at Carlson is on a pretty big contract, too. So, big question with this team and I think everyone has asked this off season about it. Crosby, is he getting traded? We’ve done this same song and dance, but I feel like finally he’s actually talked about it. His agent has talked about it. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, but there has been traction, I guess, on the conversation of it happening from like credible people now, including him. So, what do you think we ultimately get with Crosby? Like, that was one thing I actually put in my notes is that for the first time, Crosby’s camp didn’t fully rule out moving. And I think we could see Crosby and Malcolin moving this year. Malcolin, let’s Malcolin’s in the last year of his contract. Tell me that like a Stanley Cup contender wouldn’t want him as their second line center. Jets. Jets. Uh, but but I think Crosby will finish the year in Pittsburgh, but I think next summer we got to start looking at like, okay, what’s going on with this guy? I’ll start my list of 11 teams off here with the Vancouver Conucks. This one’s a really interesting one. I I don’t know how to feel about this team. I I really don’t because are they closer to the team we saw two years ago that finished first in the division, had all of these amazing seasons from so many guys, or are they closer to the team last year that underperformed exceptionally? Like Elias Person is a shell of himself at this point. There’s no more JT Miller now. Demco was hurt again. Like what are we getting out of him? There are just so many questions. obviously a new head coach now that Rick Hawin is out. To me, based on the roster moves they made this off season, it does feel like it’s just an I don’t know lol right now. And it feels like they’re potentially wasting one of two years that they have to sell Quinn Hughes that this is a legitimate cup contending team that he can win with. And I think that’s like maybe the most dangerous position you can be in as a franchise. and Jim Rutherford has kind of come out and admitted that like if if Quinn wants to leave, he’ll leave. Like we’re doing our best to build around him and um that’s all they can do. But at this at this current roster iteration, like I I don’t know if you guys disagree, but it just doesn’t feel like they have a lot to write home about this year specifically. Maybe next year that changes, but you give yourself one less year now to be like, Quinn, look what we’re doing. Like stay. because even the young guys they’re interjecting into the lineup, not everyone I think that you’d want to see is is there right now as far as their prospect pool and then up front like if Person doesn’t have a good year with under Adam foot like what what happens with him? I’m so fascinated of like if Quinn Hughes is just like I don’t want to do this anymore and he’d have every reason to if this season goes bad there definitely you’re entering the season with more questions than answers when it comes to this team. I could very well seeing a month into the season, two months into the season be like, “Oh yeah, they’re back. They’re they’re back to what we saw two years ago. But at the same time, I’m kind of hesitant to where like I don’t really know what their identity is. I’m worried that they might be struggling to score some goals at times, especially if Patterson is still playing a little bit more on the on the quiet side of in terms of offensive output. They need Le Caraki to have a good year. Yeah. And and then it’s like in net Demco is great. Can we trust him to be in the crease all season long? Again, it’s one of the things it’s like prove to me that you can and it feels like it’s harsh with Vancouver because I feel like we’ve been saying that for years and then they were finally so good and then immediately we’re we’re back to being like, hey, you got to prove yourself again. But it feels like it is, especially with this whole Quinn Hugh situation. And I wonder if that year was like the this is like the 1% outcome of this team where it was like we are going to we’re going to win the division like one of the best seasons that we’ve had in a long time. And if last year it probably was like the 1% in the opposite way where like everything went wrong. So I don’t know what the middle ground is. Is the middle ground like Person bounces back. They still struggle scoring. Demco has a pretty healthy season. He’s pretty good. Is that enough to get them a wild card spot? Because I don’t think they’re one of the top three teams in the division. I don’t know how far down the standings they fall though. It really is a a big question mark that I’m I’m kind of struggling with. And and also in regards to the Hughes brother stuff. I mean, Luke Hughes resigned for seven years. Jack is entering the fourth year of an eight-year deal. Quinn has two years left. If I’m Quinn, like I would absolutely want to go to New Jersey at this point. Why wouldn’t you? Said this off season, too, did he not? That like at some point in my career, I want to play with Quinn. So, the easiest way to do it now that Luke literally just signed is Quinn, go to New Jersey. And I know we talked maybe Yes, for Brat goes the other way in a deal. Interesting. Who knows? Who knows? Very underrated player. Play gets to play with Patterson. Very underrated player. Let’s move on to our next team. We’ve we’ve had absolutely no objections to anyone’s uh to anyone’s take here. And at the end, as a reminder, we can kind of move um teams up and down. And we can also kind of overrule each other if two people disagree about where we put one. Yeah. Um Pac, let’s go with you and let’s go with the Nashville Predators. Oh boy. the winners of the off season, the champions. Hey, you know what? Did they hang a banner? Not this one. Not not to pat myself on the back, but I was very like, guys, let’s not y be quick to say that they’re with two, three signings going to turn their team around. I actually made a very in-depth video this summer about winning free agency and how that doesn’t really translate. And if you look at last year, like Nashville, Boston, they all spent big in free agency and they all missed the playoffs. They all had a big point drop off. I think they’re in the void. They’re just And it’s also like what do you do because you got all these players over 30 years old. Yosi, Stampos, Ryan O’Reilly, Philip Forsber, Maro, like signed to long deals. So at this point, is it like do we just blow it up? Do we trade these guys? Do we try to recoup something off of this massive free agency investment? Cuz otherwise they’re just going to sit on your like I don’t think they’re at the point where you’re going to make the playoffs. You don’t have a great prospect pool. It’s honestly not to be too grim. It’s one of the more sad situations in the NHL right now. It’s like the void of the void. I think you give them until about American Thanksgiving to see, hey, was last year a fluke? Can we actually compete this season? And if you’re not there by by then, maybe even Christmas, I think you really have to say, okay, you know what? Let’s go get Gavin. Maybe we even come even lower. Let’s commit to to a rebuild. Let’s trade Stam Coast. Let’s trade. But again, some of these guys have term, so it’s going to be hard to to trade them with the the money that they’re owed. So, yeah, we’ll see. It’s it’s they’re the void for me. Matthew Wood hopefully uh gives Pred’s fans something to Tanner Mullandike is another guy. Yeah, he’s a good player. Jesse, you are up now with let’s go with the New York Islanders. For the first time, maybe ever. I feel excited about the Islanders. Like, it’s fair. I I love Matthew Schaefer. I know we all do. Great. great kid. He’s gonna be a star in the league. Uh but also that trade they made for Richie was like a really good trade. They’ve got some good prospects. I I thought their whole first round class this year was amazing uh with Eklund and Asia Cash who’s going to be loved by those fans. And then you look at they they also have a guy like Cole Eisermanman who could rip the pill. I think that this is a rebuild going right, which is kind of interesting because I don’t think that New York is necessarily like like they’re still good enough. Like I thought last year obviously was a bit of a fluke the way that they got first overall pick. I think they’re still good enough that they’re going to kind of be hanging around that wild card spot. They’re not going to get it, but they’re not that bad. They have pieces there to like at least be competitive, but they’re really starting to turn a page and and and I like what they’re doing. So I yeah I I fans for the first time I think ever doing these rankings I’m like I actually am excited for you. No coincidence that the first year Lou is gone and Matthew Dar comes in is the year we feel I think the best about the Islanders and they’ve got Anders Lee and Pasio coming off the books next year too. So some money to spend in free agency. Maybe you get some assets for them at the deadline like they did Brock Nelson last year. Who knows? I think we’ve all been really impressed with Schaffer so far preseason. back checks, man. The back checks, the chase down, like he is he is going to be so good for them. Amazing skater. Big boy, too. All right, I am up next with I’m going to I’m going to go with the New Jersey Devils here. We talked about Jack Hughes before. We talked about Luke Hughes before. I think we may have may have forgotten about this team a little bit just because of how their season ended with Jack being hurt. No one really gave him a chance in that first round against the Hurricanes. And rightly so. I think it was it was an overmatched series just because they were missing their best player. Um, but I I really do feel like this is one of the better teams in the East. I think I’m going to stick them in in cream of the crop. Truthfully, I think Sheldon Ke’s first year there went as well as it could have considering your best player got hurt. Your goalending everything you wanted Marstrom to be, he was. He was really, really good. talked about Yesper Brat, one of the more underrated players in this league. Nico Hehishir is really good. They’re deep up front. If that Decourt can stay healthy, like Douggee Hamilton also got hurt last year, but between him, between Hughes, Seganthal, or Peshy, maybe you get something out of Neich this year, I have no idea. That that’s a a truly frustrating um case for them. But outside of that, this is a a pretty darn good team and I think they’re going to give Carolina a run this year for first in the Metro. Um, provided they can stay healthy. That that’s really my main question about them. But I think we’re all pretty excited about what they can look like with Jack Hughes coming back being healthy potential top 10 player in this league when he is and he’s only going to get better and better. That’s an interesting one. I You think they’re more playoffs than cup contenders? see the ceiling. And I do think I talked about when I was talking about Washington, like I feel like they might dial it back a little bit, which it leaves us room for one team in the Metro to really take off. Maybe the Rangers are somewhat back this year. I don’t know. That’s an interesting. So, I’ll I’ll buy it. I don’t think it’s like they’re a shoein to be a cup contender. It’s like one of those things I could see it happening. I’d agree with that. We’ll maybe we’ll revisit that one at the end. What other what other teams we have in the contenders. Uh, this team probably won’t be a contender. The Chicago Blackhawks pock, where are we going with the the Blackhawks this season? Yeah. Um, just need to see more. Just need to see some optimism. I I honestly That’s an understatement. I think I answer that like I was like an NHL guy coming off. Sounded like a head coach. A game six heartbreak lost. Just need to see more. Need to see more from the guys. Do need to see more from the Blackhawks. I think you need to see a lot more than more. I think we’ve all gotten too harsh on all of her more. Can I say that about Baddard? Is that fair? We’ve all gotten too harsh on this guy. Like I think we all expected him to like instantly come in and score 100 points. Like it takes time. He’s 20 years old. Most guys his age aren’t even in the NHL yet. And I know he’s like he was supposed to be this generation prospect. I think that’s why I think that’s why we’re talking about him like this though, especially seeing how Celabbrini came in the league. Celbrini and Bernard’s rookie season. Okay. Celebrers blew him away. I just think that the expectation celebrity was more of a surprise. So we’re like, “Oh, Badard, you’re falling behind. You’re not doing great. He’s not playing with great options.” He needs better players around him. Like Chicago needs to go loan in free agency next year and they need to actually spend all the cash they have like enough like complete dog poo roster and Frank that Frank Ner contract. I actually like it but wow what a contract and they need to go get Gavin and that’s where I’m putting them because they just they’re going to be bad. How sick would that be if Get Gavin McKenna. Get They’re They’re going to be the one of the worst teams in in the West. We are going to talk next about the Ottawa Senators, Jess. And you are up with Ottawa. You know what, fellas? Honestly, I thought long and hard about this one. Oo, what’s about to happen? I’m excited be because I really on one hand, I look at the Senators and I’m like, it’s so often just the same thing with this team year after year. They just have all these amazing pieces, but they’re not good enough. So that that would but like they did take a step forward by getting in the playoffs last year which was a huge step. But another part of me is just like man this team has all the pieces to win a Stanley Cup. Okay. I thought you were I thought you were going to go complete opposite direction. I was going to be like dude that’s ridiculous. No, no, no. Like I I actually look at this team and I’m like this is one of the deepest teams offensively in the East. They’ve got a really really good blue line. Like they have that formula. They’ve got they have Stuts at center, right? Yep. They’ve got Sanderson at D and they’ve got Omar and I look at them matched up with the Devils and like I don’t think their roster is worse than than the Devils. Like I think that they’re very even teams. I think it probably is better up front. And that’s why even though I know they’re going to lose in the first round of the playoffs la next year, I’m going to stick the centers and contenders cuz I just think they’re one of they’re one of those teams that like if they could just figure it out and find a way to go on a run, I could just see them. They’re just ready to kind of take the next step. I really like what they’re doing there. I’m not going to push back too much right now, but I think by the time this video is done and you guys say who do you want to move, I’m going to say move Nashville and Ottawa down. Probably one of the deepest teams down the middle too with Stutzel Cousins, Shane Pinto, and Lars Eller. I mean, say you’ll take him 100%. Remember when he put four by the Jets in the Bell Center? Yeah. You remember that? Say love. Let’s uh let’s move on to I’ll pick a West team here. I’ll go with the Seattle Kraken because this team is just an absolute disaster in in so many ways. My biggest question that I want to know with them is are Shane Wright and Beneers like actually worth building around. Yeah, I I have no idea. I think Shane Wright can get there offensively. I think Baneers is a solid two-way player, but are any of them as good as their draft status is going to be? I have no clue. The forward group is a disaster outside of that. It’s aging. There’s not much there. The decor is kind of locked in and it’s not very good. Not a lot of talent. no difference makers as far as like top pair. I think Vince Dunn is really good, but I don’t think he’s like a top pair defenseman. I think he’s like a complimentary, second pair, or maybe second best defenseman on a on a pretty good team. I really do think that you could see this team going to get Gavin potentially if all things break wrong. Yeah, I agree. But I’ll put them in the void for now. I I I actually like the go for Gavin comment because like I agree like I couple things I I I think I think Shane Wright actually took a step in the right direction last year. I do too. I think I was really encouraged by what I saw from him. The more puzzling thing to me is this Matty Mir stuff. Like he just hasn’t been as good as he was since he was a rookie. And I think the one silver lining for Seattle right now is that they have a really interesting prospect pool. And and I think it’s just time that this team literally sells everyone. They have to accept except that you’re not the Vegas Golden Knights. You’re not going to be good right away. You have to just sell it all. Rebuild. Shane writes staring down a rebuild. You know, staring down a staring down a rebuild. Hopefully being the star of it. I mean, I think he actually was like, jokes aside, he looked good last year. I think he looked good. The coin production was there. Like I think the beneers one is definitely the more puzzling and like if he careers out at like Patrice Ver Berseron light like a really good second line center that can chip in offensively 50 points a year but is really really good in his own end of the ice. I think you’ll take that but not where you drafted him. You were expecting a little more than that especially after how good he was as a rookie. 100%. Still a ton of talent there but you got to show it. Pac, you’re up next. And we are gonna go with I don’t want to I don’t want to give you your favorite team yet, so we’re gonna go with uh the Edmonton Oilers. Let’s get our first heavy hitter on the on the on the list here. My second favorite team. I was going to say I’ve been saying they’re going to win the cup every single year. Now that does it continue. We can only have one cup champ. Listen, I could see them winning the cup in the same breath. We say that every year. Are you even sure this roster is that good? But I think the big guns will will their way to maybe another like they’re going to be in it. Goending is a huge question mark, right? They just signed Conor Ingram. Low key. Just traded for him. Lowkey. Oh yeah, this just traded for him. Sorry. Lowkey and they’re going for nothing. He was on a $ 1.95 million deal. I’m pretty sure I think this is like a really really safe bet for the Oilers and a guy who could ultimately I mean he hasn’t played too much in the last couple years but like this is a guy who could could start a lot of games for them for sure on the track record of of the Oilers second goalie over the past two seasons like Calvin Picker played more games than anyone imagine their their track record of just like going into a playoff series then like two games in the playoff series switching their goalie and then switching their goalie again. Like at least it gives them another option. It’s not like we’re saying they’re bringing in a Vzna winner over here. We’ve wanted them to bring in somebody and and it could be someone better. It’s someone that at his highest has played better than I think anyone in their crease right now. I think that’s a fair statement. So, it’s exciting. Um liked some of the moves that they’ve done, but then also they tend to just hand out these weird contracts. I don’t know. Like everything that we can say about Edmonton has been said already. There’s so much pressure on this team to win the Stanley Cup. Of course, the McDavid contract situation just one of the weirdest off seasons. everyone kind of felt like he would sign by now. He’s been selective with his wording in a lot of his press that he’s done about discussing that he’s only focused on next year. Is it starting to feel like Mariner a little bit? I don’t know. Like you you start to think like where else would you like that? It feels like where you go there like you’re playing with Leon Dryle. How rare is it to play with the second the third best player in in the NHL? Mitch Marner was playing with Austin Matthews. But there wasn’t working like at all. here. They’re like games away from winning the Stanley Cup and you’re going up against super team Florida. This year Florida’s going to look a little different. Like just stay there. If they fall short of not even making the cup and like anything other than a cup win is a failure, of course. And and I I kind of respect like it’s his decision at the end if you want to like oh let’s see how this season goes. I think that’s totally it’s within his right of course. So it’s fine. It’s just you’re starting to get a little weird vibes and I’m kind of starting to think like I don’t know where else are you really going to go? Hey, listen. Those two have proven they can carry literally us to a Stanley Cup final and they’ll make it work. I think the difference this year is like you’ve got maybe some young guys that could potentially be playing pretty big roles like Isaac Coward, Matthew Seavoy, two guys that have a ton of talent and I think we’ve seen it so far in the preseason from Howard specifically playing on the second line. Like that could be a difference maker right there that they haven’t had in the past. Completely fumbled the way and Broberg deals. Like just imagine if they still had those guys, man. And like some of the deals they’ve given out. It’s just like imagine Dylan Holloway 60 point guy last year. Like it really does feel like they’re kind of taking the McDavid dryidal combination for granted in that sense of like we can literally put anyone around them. That doesn’t mean you have to just literally put anyone around them. Have a plan of attack of giving good contracts out. Yeah. Get Jeff Skinner back in this team. Sharks now. I know. like one playoff game. We’re saying contenders. I’m putting them in contenders. Okay. Not cup champs, though. No. Okay. But I do I’ll pick them to win if it’s my season prediction, but I don’t think they’re the best team in the NHL. Okay. That Well, that’s a big distinction here on our tier list because we can only have one. Yeah. Jesse, you are up now with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Interesting team here. Yeah. And you know what? I’m just going to be quick to the point here. I’m going to put them in playoffs. I think they’re absolutely going to be contending for a playoff spot. They were last year. I really like what Columbus is doing. I think Adam Fantelli is on the verge of becoming one of the best players in the league. Like he’s really going to make his way into like that top 50 conversation at least. And I love Zacharansky. You know, he’s a complete stud. Um that guy deserves to be playing in the playoffs, man. Yeah, 100%, man. I think Columbus, they’ve got some really, really good prospects, too. They I really like Ken Johnson, too. really good bounceback year from him. Makes you feel a lot better about how that top six looks. Yeah, 100%. And I think they’ve got some really good prospects to be excited about. Like Kay Lynch is going to be is going to be wicked. And Luga Deloo Matte Chuck will start with the team as well. Yep. He’s going to be great. You know, it’s a funny move that Nashville, I don’t know why they made, but but dropping Dante Fabro basically for nothing. And now he has turned his entire career around. He’s playing on the top pair with Rinsky and Columbus and looks like a completely different player. Great bit of business for them. And then Jet Greavves in NET is really interesting. He gives them a different element that I mean obviously they’ve been rocking with MS Leakans for a while, but Greavves played some games last year looked really really good. Um if they can find a little more consistency in net, hopefully we see them in the playoffs this year. Uh I’m going to go with another probably playoff team, the LA Kings. I I don’t want to spend a ton of time on this team because like they they just feel like they are destined for a fifth straight first round exit and another one at the hands of the Oilers. Even with Cory Perry now, even with Cory Perry and Cody Cece and Brian Dumalan, the big offseason acquisitions right there. And Cory Perry is hurt right now as well. So that’s great. This is Adrien Kemp’s last year. He’s UFA next year. This is also on Kopitar’s last year. He is retiring at the end. So, you really need Quinton Biffield and Brandt Clark to be like massive difference makers, star level players, if not this year, like next year as soon as possible because that is the only difference I see in the rosters that we’ve seen in the past to now. I also don’t know if you get a better year from Darcy Keer. Like, he was amazing last year. If he’s 20% less of that, this team is maybe fighting for a wild card spot instead, which is an even worse spot to be in. So, um, I think I’m pretty confident in them making the playoffs, but I just don’t know how I feel about them being an actual contending team. Pac, let’s move on back to you and let’s go with the St. Louis Blues. Oo, this is a fun one. I mean, they’re they’re a feisty team. They’ve got, I think, a decently high ceiling and I think in a lot of cases, they’re maybe overlooked. Do they necessarily have the top end talent as some of the best teams in the NHL? No. But considering maybe two years ago when they were like shipping off Ryan O’Reilly at the deadline, I feel like they’ve done very well to kind of reorganize themselves to still be competitive. And I think Jordan Bennington was very solid last year. Robert Thomas, since he didn’t make the Four Nations team, was one of the best players in the NHL. So, there’s definitely reasons to be excited. Again, questions about like how far can they go? I definitely have some reservations, but I like I think they’ll be in the playoffs. like I I want to put them in in in in that playoff uh category. Also, just a small note, not that this really matters, but their new uniforms are just some of the best in the NHL. Feel like I have to shout them out for that, but yeah, I’m I I think I’m going to throw them in the playoffs. 100%. And hot take. Like it sounds so bizarre, but even though the Jets lost to the Stars, actually thought the Blues were a tougher opponent for the Jets in the playoffs. Jake Neighbors is another good player. Jimmy Snugarude Snugarude is is going to be playing the top line. Blues team to watch for sure. Jess, let’s move on to you and let’s go with the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs, the Florida Panthers. They’re looking a little different this year going into it, though. Obviously with the Barov injury, that’s going to be that’s going to be massive. They are. I mean, what an interesting time for the Florida Panthers. There are so many things to take into account. Obviously, first of all, the Barov injury, brutal news, just sucks. You Matthew Kachchuck, who’s going to be out until December. And then you have, you know, you have to take into account that this is a team that has gone to three straight Stanley Cup finals. They played a lot of hockey. And I know I was talking about it at my other beer league team the other day. It’s like and I know I know the barov thing was a freak accident, but you think them playing so much hockey could have contributed to who knows like are guys going to be more prone to potentially getting injured because they’ve been playing so much hockey? I don’t know. I’m not a doctor. Uh clearly um but but but you know what I will say. Give it away. The shark my 10. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. It’s probably the Eric Carbon ad. But but if there is one team that can kind of survive everything that’s been happening, it’s the Panthers because they were able to sign all these players in the offseason because they don’t have to worry about state income tax as Brad Marawn so eloquently said. What a beauty that guy just says it how it is. Like thanks for the honesty, Brad, honestly. So you know what, guys? Honestly, you can call me crazy, but when everything’s back to normal for the Panthers and Barov’s back in the playoffs, think he’s going to be back for the playoffs. makes a miraculous comeback in the playoffs because he’s a freak of nature and Matthew Kachchuck is back and all this stuff goes their way. I am telling you right now that the Florida Panthers are my Stanley Cup. Uh wow. I don’t care what anyone says. I don’t care what anyone says. They they just need to make the playoffs first. Interesting. I mean, think about the conversation we were kind of having with them towards the end of last season, though, like when the Leafs beat them, I think, in in a couple of those games late in the season to take home ice from them or like they finished what, third in the in the division. Yeah, cuz they beat Tampa the first two games. They beat Tampa the first two games on the road. But how we talked about them at the end of last season was kind of like I don’t know if they’ve got it. Like I It was the whole like they’ve played too much hockey. They played too much hockey. But now we’re right back there. Like you said, just make the playoffs. This team is more than battle tested. They know what it takes to win, what it’s all about. Like, I know those sound like cliche things, but I think it really does help in situations like this where you’re going to be missing your two best players. Just like get to the dance. Just like it doesn’t matter who we just need to be there and we’re going to be okay. I’m I’d push back against Cup Champ. I don’t know about you. I I I I understand. I understand. I I I totally get it. A lot of things have to go their way. I think Sam Bennett’s words are sticking with me right now when they just won the cup and he was talking about Brad Marshon and he was like that guy is the most impressive guy I’ve ever seen. How he’s a leader, how he can just lock in and how he’s a gamer and he just steps up and they just have that again cliche championship DNA. But if they win a three repeat, for one, how rare that is, two, the circumstances that they’re facing, their best player, finals in a row, their best player tearing their his ACL before the season starts, their second best player probably being out to December. If you win a three repeat like that, I think that’s the greatest achievement in the modern NHL in the last century at least, 100%. Maybe even in all North American sports. It’s just so unprecedented to win three in a row. So hard. I can’t I can’t do it with Bararkov being I can’t either. I can’t either. We’re voting you down. That’s okay. Okay. Presuming contenders then. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Like I’m not doubting and I’m still not even doubting like if those two guys are healthy come playoff time. Like they’re probably a favorite to win the cup. I’m going to move to a team that is not even close to this conversation. The Buffalo Sabres. It’s a It’s a tough one, but I actually finally feel like maybe this is Rebuild going right. I’m I’m not placing expectations on this team. It’s not that I don’t know what they are. I feel like I know what they are going into this season. It’s not a team that’s going to sniff the playoffs, but it is a team that is just trying to figure out what they have in a lot of their young guys and hopefully they can figure that out. Some of their pieces excite me. Zack Benson excites me. Josh Norris excites me. Alex Tucks going into his last year, which is really interesting. And I’m like, if he’ll be a Panther, oh, if you’re out of a playoff, every playoff team should be calling the Sabres about Alex Tuck. I I really do just need to see a lot from these young guys, and I think everyone does, but I’m not I’m not falling for the for the uh the mystery box of like all these young guys are going to have amazing seasons and they’re going to make the playoffs. I feel like that’s what we’ve fallen into the past couple years cuz we want to project the best out of these guys. It’s it’s probably not going to happen. But if two of them hit of like Benson, Jack Quinn, Koulique, Don, Byum Power, pick two of those six guys to hit and have like really promising seasons. I’m happy. But is that rebuild going right? Like at a certain point, we’ve been hearing about all these young players for years and they’re still and and you said you’re like, I don’t think they’re going to sniff the playoffs. It’s like, well, what are we doing then? It’s like it turns man’s land though because like what at least you have six young guys to be excited about being like we’re going to keep throwing darts. Give them the ice time. Hopefully two of them hit. What about Isaac Rosen? They also have um uh they they have like a couple other first rounders like I just want to see these guys get in the lineup and start playing. I I do think that there is promise here. Not promised to make the playoffs, but I just feel like the void is harsh for them. It is just because they have young they have a young team still. But I don’t The Atlantic looks so tough. The Atlantic is a is a battle. Still not feeling great about the kind of direction they’re heading in, but who knows? I’ve been surprised. I’ve been surprised before. We We can keep them there. Let’s stick with the Atlantic then and go with the Boston Bruins. Talk about a team that directionwise is uh is lacking some. So, last year I was I was banging the table for uh I will put them in playoffs until they prove me otherwise because we’ve been calling for the the demise of this team for years. They proved us otherwise and they did. They finally did. It finally happened. They were last place albeit. Makavoy missed a ton of time. Jeremy Swayman just had this super uncharacteristic season. And maybe you can chalk that up to finally having a big workload. Maybe you can chalk that up to the fact that he had this big contract dilemma that almost bled into the season, but everything that you could have thought of to go wrong for Boston last year went poorly. New head coach now, Marco Sturm coming in. That was a shock to part ways with with Jim Montgomery after all the good things he did over there. Like it’s weird because part of me sees like when you have Passernack, you have Makavoy, you have Swayman, that’s kind of like three key pillars where you should be competing for the playoffs. So are they in that playoff bracket or are they in the void where it’s like or are they just I don’t know. Yeah. You you don’t necessarily have these good young prospects that are kind of injecting some youth and some life into this team. And also some of the contract that they’ve handed out like Zidorov and Lenholm just did not work out last year. So was a nice pick though. He was he was a nice pick. Nice pick. Yeah. I think I’m going to put them in I don’t know. I I kind of started this off saying like they’re going to be in the void. But because they have some high high-end talent. Yeah. I think that they can at the very least competitive be competitive. Swayman, Makavoy, Pasta, like you said before, if you’ve got a star forward, a star defenseman, a star goalie, like they’re in their prime. You’re probably going to be a pretty solid team, like the the floor is higher because of those three and and and their core like isn’t even old, right? Like you can still you can like Boston could go to free agency next summer. Yeah. And like easily become a contender quickly. They could sign Zador off and Lynholm again come last in the Atlantic. Let’s go to Minnesota for you, Jess. The Wild, who just signed Carrill Capri off to a $17 million a year contract. So, one thing I’m just going to say about this first, let’s address that. Good for Carill for getting his bag and good for Minnesota for not losing their star player. Did they give up a ton of cash for him? Yes. But like people need to understand in these kind of colder markets, bless you, where there’s no state where there is state income tax, it’s harder to retain really really good superstars sometimes. So good on them. Um, you know what? I I’m actually going to say, oddly enough, even though they made the playoffs last year, I’m not going to say that Minnesota’s rebuilding, but I think that they are building a good team. And it’s easy to to label this team as, oh, they’re the Maple Leafs of the West. They can’t win playoffs. They can’t win playoffs. They actually put up a pretty good fight against Vegas last year. And I know that doesn’t sound like enough, but like this team has some really, really good prospects, right? They have uh Zeve Boyam, they have Yasper Walstad, uh they have uh Liam Ogrren, they have all three guys like should be making big impacts on this team this year as soon as this year. Baldi and Rossi are still young. So they they managed to sign Rossi, yo, Eric, Eric. Yeah. So I actually Brock Faber Urchic in in a weird way. I don’t know. They’re not rebuilding, but they are building something special while already having a good good court. Yeah, that means they’re playoffs. There’s I’ll say I’ll say I’ll say playoffs, but I but I I do I I think Z boy is going to be an absolute star. Like I think it’s just a matter of time. Defenseman usually take a little while. Like they they take a little longer, but in a few years we’re going to be talking about Z Boy being like a really steady good defenseman for the Wild and they’ve got favor. Yeah, I mean I I’ll stick them in I’ll they’ll be in the playoff hunt. kind of like I’m tempted to they kind of fit in like the the Ottawa Devils. Um you you see a ceiling that high, eh? I do see a ceiling that high, but everything has to hit right. They got to win one playoff series first. It’s been so for sure. 100%. But it’s more just like if they get the best versions out of all these young guys right away, this team could be like a central division winner potentially. Yeah, they’re they could be that good and if Capri off stays healthy. But obviously that’s a lot of whatifs. But I I do feel like the ceiling of them is probably higher than Ottawa and New Jersey. There’s a lot of reason to be excited in Minnesota. I will do You know what? I think it’s time. Let’s do Toronto Maple Leafs. Wow. Let’s do it. Let’s do the Toronto Maple Leafs. I feel like we pencil them in as cream of the crop every year because they’ve had this run with the core four that um they are they are not talking about anymore. They are happy not to talk about the core four. I’m going to stick them in playoffs. I I think there’s no way in this world that anyone can convince me that they are a better team now heading into the season than they were last year at this time without Marner. Um I need to see it to believe it if someone is going to try and convince me of that. I think next year we’ll probably see what they do with that money specifically. And I know the McDavid rumors are whatever, but McDavid aside, got a lot more cap space next summer. Let’s see what they actually do with it. I think this year it’s just playoffs and whatever else you get out of it. Like I I don’t think the expectations are are high for this team truthfully. I maybe I’m wrong about that, but like Max Doi playing on line one is not exciting. Like Machelli is not starting there. I feel like Leaf fans have penciled him in as like this is our Marner replacement. Like two years ago he was amazing and like he’s such a good passer. Like yeah that’s that’s all good and well but it takes a lot to play with Austin Matthews. I’m sure that line is going to have many different iterations. But um that’s kind of why I feel like this is just this is a playoff team. I feel pretty confident about that. But anything more than like one series win, I think you’d probably be pretty happy if you’re a Leafs fan based on how they look on paper right now. I think there’s a lot of curiosity. It’s one of those things that’s like is the loss of Marner that forced them to kind of have a different look in the way their roster is put together. Is that going to help them or is it just going to be like by November it’s like hey we’re not scoring anymore. We’re not creating as much. We’re missing Mitch Martin. Is that going to be a thing? I’m I’m going to share a hot take. I I absolutely would put them in in creme de lacrop. Really? Yeah. Absolutely. And and I’ll tell you why. I feel like this year specifically, and not that the regular season matters at all, but I’m talking about into playoffs, too. Especially if there’s no Barov, and I know I I gave my spiel about the Panthers, but man, it it’s wide open. Like, I I I think even without Mner, I think the Leafs are capable of beating the Lightning. I think I think the Leafs can beat really anyone in the in the East. I just I think that even still without Mner, they’re still a really good team. Like, they’re a team that should be able to compete. I’m not saying they’re going to win the cup, but like they got so close last year. They almost beat Florida. They’re so close. We got two votes to move them up, so I’ll move them up to contenders for now. And maybe Ottawa and New Jersey don’t belong there. We’ll see once this list is kind of complete. Pock Anaheim Ducks. Oh man, the Ducks again, similar to I’m not going to quite put them in like the Sabres realm, but for a while now, the Ducks have been kind of refreshing their roster, acquiring a lot of young talent, and they’ve had some good moments at times, but overwhelmingly we have not seen them take a massive leap. Do I think that this is the year it’s going to happen? I don’t think so. But I would probably say that because of how many young players they have there and they still have some players that are even yet to join their team. I’ll put them in rebuild going well. Even though at times there have been moments where it’s like, man, is this is this really going to work? Like the whole Trevor Zagris situation ends up with them trading him for pennies on the dollar. Mason McTavish kind of a weird saga with the contract. I know. I know it ended up working, but even him it’s like Well, you feel like maybe by this point he would have been better. Yeah, he did. Yeah, he signed better by now. How How long was it? Like last week. Uh 6 by7. Six by seven. 67. That’s a That is a great think he did it for the meme. Yeah, he did do it for me. That’s a great contract for the Ducks. You know what, P? I’m going to share another hot take here. I I actually am putting Anaheim in playoffs. Playoffs. Yeah. Because man, they also they also What do you think that this year’s Montreal dude? I I think I think I think having Quenville as a coach is is going to do wonders for that team. I’m just saying, you know, obviously a controversial hire by the Ducks, but I think there’s no denying that he’s a really good coach, very accomplished, and I think he’s actually exactly what that team needs to kind of take it to the next level. They have a lot of players with so much potential, and I think the guy to unlock that potential is going to be Quenville. And like and I and and I think like all the pieces are there to at least compete for a playoff spot. They were kind of competitive last year. They were, but at the same total dog They didn’t even have a guy clip 60 points on the season. Like it’s just at a certain point you need to see a little bit more of like this is you knew like Tage like you’ve got at least guys that are putting up that kind of production. I think Cronin I would be more willing to buy into the Ducks making the playoffs than I would be the Savers even after because I think I think the Ducks have goending I think they have goalending with with Dostal I think he’s like very good going to be a really really good player and then like between McTavish Carlson like Troy Terry’s still there like you kind of have what their defense like Mikov there’s so many Mabe or um sorry Lome is also so good. I I think they’re very like they are mirror images of each other for sure of like but for whatever reason I find myself more confident in the Ducks. I would put them in rebuild going well. I see like a for example, nobody thought last year Montreal was going to make the playoffs. It felt like they got ahead of schedule in their rebuild. Could I see that happening in Anaheim? I guess. But I have a heart. To me, it’s like I need to see it before I believe it. Jess, Utah for you. You know what, fellas, I gotta say, as a Jets fan in the Central, the Utah Mammoth scare the hell out of me. Oh, yeah, they do. I I think they’re building I’m kind of all in on them. Yeah. I I think they are building such a good team. It is so amazing to see what a good owner can do for a franchise. Ryan Smith bought that team, put his stamp on it, said, “I’m going to go out and I’m going to make some moves to make this team the best that I possibly can.” Like, he’s he’s invested. He’s so invested into making this team good. And you look at that at that top six with Purka. Now, what is it? We got you got Keller, uh, Culie, Hayden, um, Gunther Gunther, who’s amazing. Gunther, Small Purka. That’s one of the best top sixes in the league. And, and they still, and they’re still deep further down the lineup, too. I know they have like Krauss on the third line as well. McBain. McBain. That’s right. I like and then you look at the back end. They’ve got some solid defenseman, too. They’ve got great prospects coming out. Caleb Denier is is going to be amazing for that team. This kid’s just a leader. He’s so good. And they also have TJ Ginla. Like, this team is going to be a threat. I think right now, I’m going to say playoffs. I think this is actually a year that they can make the playoffs. Like, I I I actually feel kind of confident that they’re going to grab a playoff spot this year. I’m not going to call them a contender yet, but I think they are well on track to becoming a contender if things continue to go right for them. And man, like that this this this team is doing a lot of really good things. And I think Ryan Smith deserves a lot of credit. Uh Carolina Hurricanes for me, we don’t have to spend a lot of time on this team. I I don’t think um cup contenders feel like we we all are pretty kind of firmly in that. Addingers, I just don’t know how much that raises the ceiling of this team. it’s not a rant in where I was really excited about them having like a a true star. Candre Miller is really nice. Nikeshian on the back end as well maybe gives them a little different element than Brent Burns in years past has. But um I think it’s kind of a rinse and repeat with this team. It really is just going to be about the star power and if they can find another another guy like I I think Aaho is underrated. He’s been really good for them especially in the playoffs. Slavven we’ve we all talk about it like he’s he’s really underrated as well. just it still doesn’t feel like they have that game breaker and maybe that’s what it’s going to take. Or maybe in a year like this year in the East where you don’t really know, every team has question marks with the Leafs losing Marner and the Panthers losing Bararkov and the Lightning getting a little older, maybe it is more wide open and this is the year that just a deep group of forwards is going to get it done and get them to the cup final. But uh I’m not ready to give them a cup champ stamp of approval at all yet. But they’re they’re going to be really good again. Yep. No complaints there. I think we we know what they are. We know what they don’t know what the Flyers are. What are the Flyers, P? Tell me Tell me what the Flyers are because I have no idea what this team is. I I really don’t know. Bringing in Rick Tocket gives them this new element of like, okay, I’m starting to maybe buy it a little bit. Interesting. They’re interesting though because you got some not not like they’re old players, but guys who maybe don’t suit their timeline like Couturier and Kknney. It’s like at a certain point, do you fully commit to a rebuild and maybe move off these guys? But that kind of seems irrational. Then you look at some of their prospects. Maybe not connect. Maybe not connect. Connect feels like he’s going to be the captain there. Yeah. Like as soon as Couttori leaves and you got to think Couttori is is leaving soon. Exactly. You would think so. Yeah. So it’s just the prospect pool isn’t the greatest. I honestly feel like Philly the last couple years, especially the first year with torts when they were in the playoffs till the very end and then they missed it on like an empty net goal and brutal so much. They kind of overachieved and they’ve kind of ignored the inevitable for a while of like you were going to need to endure some painful days if you want to be one of the best teams in the NHL. And I I like the Zegris move. Yeah, great move. But they still don’t have a goalie. They still like it’s just they don’t have a number one defenseman. It’s kind of like I don’t really know. I think they’re perfect for the category of like I don’t know. We’ll see what they have. It’s a first year of a new coach. Zegris. Hopefully he has this career renaissance in Philly. It’s a new place to play. I don’t know if you guys saw him talking about like kind of went into detail. He wants to be a hockey player. He doesn’t want to just be like good at hockey or known to be like, “Oh, he’s really skilled.” He wants to be a hockey player. And I think this should help him. Yeah. Load up that top line all year with Tippet Mechov and Ziggress and just let them let them play the entire year together and hope that that is like what you want out of that. Uh Jess, let’s go San Jose Sharks. I think I’m going to be pretty quick to say here that like the rebuild is going well. Yeah. And I’m almost at a stage like I don’t I’m not going to I think playoffs is too big of a a leap, but I do think that this team is going to take even another step further. Min Celibbrini is the real deal. Will Smith also the re real deal. And then you look at other players. They got Misa coming through the system. Uh who looks like he’s gonna play this year. Yep. Uh awesome. I love that. It’s Yeah, it’s amazing. They also have uh Sam Dickinson. They also have What am I doing? Muka. Sorry. Uh they have um a uh Escarov who’s going to be playing in that for them. So there’s a lot of starting to see it. Yeah. They have they got Carrie Price. Price was a big move. Massive move. Put stick that stick his number in the banners in the Raptors. Is he the best Sharks goalie of all time? No. Nakov was amazing. Price. I I get Nakov’s hockey card. The rebuild’s going well. It would not hurt though if they are really bad this year and they just somehow got Kevin. That would be amazing. I I think that’s best case scenario where like the rebuild can be going well and you’re still losing games because you’re seeing the progression of all these guys and that’s the that’s what you’re playing for right now. Yeah. Troy Red Wings I I I have no clue. I’m going to put them in the void because Oh, the eyes are planned. Again, the eyes are planned. The off season was was not good. Like John Gibson, yeah, fine. Like take take a bet on another goalie this year. Is he gonna be the answer? I’m going to bet that nine times out of 10 he probably won’t be, especially at this point in his career. I love Edmonson. I think Cider is really, really, really good. I think Lucas Raymond could be like a top 25 player sneaky by the end of the year. Axel Pelinka as well. Axel Pelinka. But Marco Casper I like there are some young guys to build around for sure, but I look at the Atlantic and I’m like, you’re not better than Ottawa. You’re not better than New Jersey. You’re not better than Toronto. You’re not better than Montreal. You’re not making the playoffs. you’re not making the playoffs. If you’re not, you’re not better than Florida. If you’re not better than those teams, you’re not making the playoffs. And if you’re not making the playoffs, then like what are you doing? There are too many veterans on this team that have been given large roles, bad contracts, and the combination of all that I think has set Detroit back more years than they’d probably like to admit because I think a proper rebuild is in order. And it’s been kind of this void for a while. And I think the the playoff streak of missing out continues here. I I said it with Washington. I wish Obie was four years younger with Detroit. They have a lot of fun and exciting prospects. You need them to all be like four or five years older for this to work because I wish Datsuk was like 15 years old. I wish Datsuk Zederberg Lidstrom. I wish Carrie Price was 25 and be nice for Montreal. Speaking of the Habs, Habs next. Wow. Where are we going with this Montreal team? That is so very interesting. I’ve been waiting for this one. There’s a lot of hype with the Canadians this year. Pressure is a privilege. You want to be in situations where I know, but I just hate it. Expected to do well and I think it’s expectations are tough, man. It’s fun. It was a long couple years where they went to the cup final and then they were instantly just the worst team in hockey. And it’s it’s great to be excited about this team again. And it’s great to feel like, hey, we have a chance. Watching five playoff games last year, even though we were, you know, easily the second best team in that series, it was fun. I know the expectations are going to be very high this year. I love the offseason moves that Montreal made. All their young players should be getting even better. I almost want to say like pump the brakes a little bit. I don’t think it’s a slam dunk guarantee that they’re in the playoffs just because of how competitive it is. I will put them in the playoff category. I’m very excited to see Demidov Lane Hudson in year two. I think Slavowski if he can finally put together a full 82 games he’ll be a 70 plus point guy. It’s exciting man. The one big question, and I think this is ultimately going to determine how far Montreal can go, is that second line center. Right now, it’s going to be Kirby Doc. This guy was a third overall pick. He’s big. He’s fast. He’s got underrated skills with the puck. Like, he he has all the tools to be a dominant dominant NHL player. He’s gotten very unlucky. And he hasn’t really been able to put together a string where he can build any sort of confidence in his game. He’s finally healthy going into the year. he’s going to have the first shot of being the second line center, but I mean the the Crosby thing has been talked about. It’s like that’s the hole where Montreal kind of needs to upgrade their team. I don’t not saying, “Oh, they’re going to go and get Crosby.” Don’t think that’s going to happen. No. But but if you’re looking for an area to improve upon, that’s that’s the weakness right now in the team. Defense is phenomenal. So young, so deep. They’ve even traded young players to get assets. They traded one young defenseman to get Patrick Lane. They traded another one in Logan Mayu to get Zachary Bulduke. So the time is now. Like there’s no longer a rebuild. This is the team. This is the core. Let’s see if they can win with these guys. I’m excited. Let’s put them in playoffs. They’ll be battling for it. Atlantic’s very tough though. Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas is right there for me. Like I like they are in that probably top five contending team for me. But and I love the addition. Like I I I thought they did a great job with Marner. I think $12 million is very reasonable, especially if you take into like percentage of the cap. No income tax. Just saying. But like I I I look at the depth of this team and I notice that it’s getting a little old and I don’t know if the depth is good enough for this team to actually be the Stalling Cup champion. I could They are such a deep team. They’re one of the deepest teams in the league, but is the depth good enough? And that that I don’t I’m not sure. I think we saw this past playoffs that it it just simply was not, you know, I’m for now and we could tinker this. I’m going to put them in contender. I think that that’s an appropriate place to put them, but like I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up going to the cup final. But based off of what we saw in the playoffs last year, I also want to see Marner in the playoffs. I think he’s going to do well in the playoffs this year with Eel. And let’s let’s just kind of see. Let’s let’s see. I’m going to put them in contender for now. I I like that. I like that approach. It’s a very level-headed approach for this team. I’m going to go the ABS next. Um, look, my my temptation is to put them in cup champ because I’m I’ve just got blinders on, but I’m going to just go cup contender for now. I think there are there are still some questions throughout the lineup. Um, depth is is always something for these contending teams that I think is going to be questioned, but having Landisk back is is massive. It’s a massive win. He looked amazing in the postseason last year when he did come back. Brock Nelson, the contract, I don’t think is going to age like fine wine, but it’s an impact player for this window of Avalanche hockey that they’re trying to win a cup. The nature’s question is interesting. I would have hoped that they got a contract done with him. I think this team is hopefully looking for stability up and down their lineup this year with Landiskog back with Natas hopefully here at least for the season. You know what your top six looks like. I really like the Brent Burns edition. like I I think that’s going to be a really valuable addition based on some of the defenseman that we were throwing in the lineup towards the end part of last year with injuries and things like that. There really isn’t a prospect pool though that’s coming for this team. I I wonder what the big move is last year. They made a ton of them, so I wonder how they’re going to look to improve the lineup this year. But they’re a cup contender. I I mean, when you have McKinnon, when you have Macar, you’re a cup contender. We’re getting down to the nitty-gritty here. We’ve got five teams left. Calgary Flames. This is my last team. This is your last team, I think. Man, sad. This was so much fun. All right, Calgary Flames. Another team where honestly, flip a coin, tell me the outcome of the season, and I’ll believe you. I just it’s very hard for me to accurately get a read on this team when you have guys like Kadri, when you have guys like Hubo making a lot of money, also kind of not necessarily past their primes, but getting up there in age and they’re not necessarily meeting the timeline that the organization currently looks like they’re presenting at winning a cup. Calgary probably overachieved last year. Were they unlucky to not make the playoffs? Probably, considering they had more teams than a lot of the teams that were fighting for it in the East. Dustin Wolf, yeah, really carried this team for large chunks of last season and he’s only gonna get better. He was second in Calder voting last year. He looks like it’s great they finally they have someone there that can be a staple. It was great that they locked him up, too. So, there’s some positives in Calgary. I think Zayn Perk, him coming in playing NHL minutes this year is going to be really, really exciting. They have some good young players, but they also kind of feel like Philly to me where it’s like you’re going to kind of need to endure some losing and some struggles to pile up some good prospects and then really really go out in a couple of years. That’s why it’s like what do you do with Hubo? What do you do with Kadri? Are these guys that could Anderson’s a big one where I think everyone like back going to get traded hasn’t happened yet. So Kadri is an interesting one, especially with Probably should have got an invite to Canada. Yeah, he he adds so much to your teams, too. So I’m going to put them in I don’t know. That’s fair. For all the reasons I kind of just detailed where I just have so many questions and and so there’s so much uncertainty. Let’s go with Let’s go with the Lightning for you, Jess. Got four heavy hitters here to end on. One of them’s got to be our cup champ. Or or we can I think there’s one team that we’re going to put back in. That’s that’s we’ll see. Yeah, we’ll wait. We’ll wait. We’ll wait. Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning are just a weird team to me. I I I can’t seem to like figure them out that well over the last couple years. I mean, they these guys who performed so well in the regular season, and then in the playoffs, they’ve just been ghosts. I mean, Coojov had four assists this year in five games. Point had two. Vasi was not good after having a a really like a a VGNA caliber season. He was amazing this year. I’m going to stick the Lightning in Contender. They also made some good additions in Borkstrand and uh they got Gourd back for the third line. I don’t know. I I just feel like I feel like they’re still right there in contenders, man. Like am I going to say like I I don’t I don’t know if the Senators or the Devils are more of a contender than than the Lightning. Don’t worry. I’m throwing the Made out of that window. Yeah, that seeing how this feel fills out. I think I think we’ll be moving a couple teams down, but that’s fair take. I I’m going to leave Tap in contender because I think that they have the pieces to to go on a run. I’m going to go with the New York Rangers here and I have no clue what to do with this team. The only thing that’s making me confident in putting them in playoffs is like Mike Sullivan coming in and I think he’s a really good coach. I think he’s got a proven track record. I think he’s going to be a difference maker this year and and having Shurken um is is massive. Obviously, when you have one of the best goalies in the world, I think that automatically raises your your floor. I think they need a bounce back year from Adam Fox. That that kind of is just a mystery of disappointment of why his play just kind of fell off. Um, but I think he has all the capabilities in the world to to be a top 15 player again, a top four defenseman in this league. I just don’t know though. Like I I really don’t know with the rest of the roster. Like Lafrenier is is a guy that I think we all have just he has just made everyone scratch their heads because I think he was poised for like this breakout year last year. JT Miller is hurt right now but like he’s the captain. Zabanagad Paneran Troche. Like it it really is like this team is so topheavy that if we see a bad season from a Zabanagad like we did last year, there goes the scoring and there goes your playoffs. And that’s kind of why I’m toying with like a I don’t know. I don’t know what to make of this team right now because I I love the goalie. I think they’ve got a number one defenseman and I love the head coach, but there’s there’s still so many questions. I’ll I’ll stick him in playoffs for now. Um I think I’m being kind of nice about it, but I think Sullivan is the the determining factor for me. They finally feel like they have a a head coach that I have confidence in. You got to just hope that like the distractions that just overwhelmed this team last year go away and and like all the Trouba stuff last year that was just a that was never going to work. You were never going to be a Stanley Cup contender when you’re like running your captain out of out of the city. I I’m fine with playoffs though and like you said there just there’s so much elite talent where like the upside’s clearly there. They should be on paper making the playoffs. They went to the conference final two years ago. Yeah. because of what happened last year and all the drama and then like they do look a lot different than they did just two years ago. So many of those players are already gone just because of how poorly last year was. That’s why there are some reservations, but like I’d put them in playoffs for sure. They should be competing for that. Two teams left and they just so happened to play each other in last year’s playoffs. We’ll start with the Winnipeg Jets. I’ll end with the Dallas Stars. I wonder if we have found our cup champ in either one of these. Well, I know one of them. We haven’t the Stars. I know. No. Um, yeah. You know what? As much as I’d love to put them in Stanley Cup champs, I’m going to stick the Jets in contender. I think there’s no reason to take them out. I know they lost Eers. I really like Nick Eers. We’re going to miss Eers and hope this doesn’t bite me in the butt. I don’t know if Nikolai Eers is like a guy who who’s going to like make a difference between the Jets winning a cup or not. I think actually if you look at the moves that the Jets did make even though they brought in some older guys. I think Jonathan Taves just from a leadership standpoint alone. I mean we’re talking about one of the best captains in NHL history here is now on the Jets in that locker room. A team that struggled to take that next step in the playoffs. Having a guy like that to lead you and battle and and and help Lowry as he captains the team is so valuable. Hellbuck’s still hella buck. I I I like the Jets defense. their top four this year. I think the question is, is Dylan Dlo like a top pairing guy? I think there’s a lot of arguments about that. Yeah, I I I think up front the Jets are still a great team and and I have no reason to say that they’re not going to be a contender after winning the President’s Trophy. No disagreements here. That leaves the Dallas Stars. I feel like this has been a popular choice of ours as Stanley Cup champions. I’m going to throw them in cup champs because they’re the last team. We’re going to have an argument about who who deserves to be there now. We’ll save that argument for last, but I think when you look at this Dallas team, like they they are the same team as last year. Um Thomas Harley is continuing to emerge. I think he’s he is so so good. Um and we met him in Calgary, he was an exceptional exceptional guy. Like really thoughtful, really smart guy. Von King, him and Hasten. Um Von King, Wyatt Johnston taking another step. Maverick Bour getting a better look now. Um, Robo, this is kind of like the Swan song though for the Sean Ben era a little bit because Ben’s a UFA. He’s hurt right now as well. Um, but Ben’s a UFA Sean after next year. Duchain’s getting older obviously. They are they are loaded up front. They have the best depth probably in the league on both forward group back end and then Jake Andreette. Like this is a really good team. They probably will be in a cup final at some point here if if the law of averages kind of kind of works out. They’ve got that superstar that I think they were looking for in Ransin. That should be that game breaker. So, I have no reason to think that they they can’t win the cup. But, is that who we’re going with? Let’s just get some housekeeping out of the way. I think the list looks pretty good. Do we just want to move Ottawa, New Jersey down to playoffs? It feels like they’re probably in that group more so than contenders. I think so. I think to be a cup contender, you like that’s a big big kind of weight to bear and honor like just feel like th those are probably the two best teams in playoffs, but they just got to prove themselves a little bit more to be cup contenders. So, I think that’s fair. This is where my head’s at with Dallas. I think Dallas is the best team in the NHL on paper. I think they have the best roster. They have the best players um that make up their group. But if they were playing in a sevengame series right now against Oilers, I would take the Oilers. I agree. And that’s why I’m I’m personally sick of Oilers. And I said, I don’t think the Oilers are the best team in the NHL. But I think I think Conor McDavid is going to win the cup eventually. I just it will happen. This is such a perfect setting to do it though, like as he’s about to become a free agent. It would be just leaves. And then he just leaves and comes to Winnipeg. Helps bring the cup to Winnipeg. Goes to the Ducks. Wow. Yeah. Talk about rebuild going right. And next year, maybe we’ll put the Ducks in playoffs. Maybe. I McDavid’s done some incredible things. If he could get that Ducks roster to the playoffs, honestly, you heard it here. Ducks are going to be right in the playoff hunt this year. If he wins the cup, he should just do like a social experiment where it’s just like going to the worst team I can to see if I can. And you know what? He should He should do it every year. McDavid is Mr. Beast, but he needs to start Yeah, he needs to start a YouTube channel like Randy Lander and say, “I join the worst NHL team.” and he should only sign one year deals and he has to do that every year. So when there’s a worse team than the team he’s on, he then has to see how far he can take that team and it’s just a challenge for himself every year. I honestly D1 Wednesday nights playing for the Baron team. The Oilers are now the number one team in our tier list. They are the cup champs. You can see it on the screen right now. This is what we feel like the NHL is going to look like standing wise for the entire season. I’m sure there are going to be people that disagree. Let us know where you disagree. This has been fun. This has been long. I hope you guys have enjoyed it. Let’s just go. Let’s get the season going here. We’re back. We are so back.

We’re back with our annual Tier List ranking every single team ahead of the season! Who’s your Stanley Cup Champion, and who’s picking first overall? Let us know in the comments!

0:00 Intro
1:28 Washington Capitals
3:27 Pittsburgh Penguins
5:13 Vancouver Canucks
9:30 Nashville Predators
11:15 New York Islanders
12:55 New Jersey Devils
15:00 Chicago Blackhawks
16:28 Ottawa Senators
18:20 Seattle Kraken
20:43 Edmonton Oilers
24:28 Columbus Blue Jackets
26:00 Los Angeles Kings
27:08 St Louis Blues
28:30 Florida Panthers
32:28 Buffalo Sabres
34:20 Boston Bruins
36:39 Minnesota Wild
39:12 Toronto Maple Leafs
41:50 Anaheim Ducks
45:00 Utah Mammoth
46:40 Carolina Panthers
47:55 Philadelphia Flyers
49:48 San Jose Sharks
51:04 Detroit Red Wings
52:45 Montreal Canadiens
54:55 Vegas Golden Knights
56:00 Colorado Avalanche
57:27 Calgary Flames
59:20 Tampa Bay Lightning
1:00:30 New York Rangers
1:02:59 Winnipeg Jets
1:04:16 Dallas Stars