NHL power rankings: Hurricanes, Avalanche, Lightning top starting list of Stanley Cup favorites
With Scott Maxwell
We’re so back.
The start of the 2026-27 NHL regular season is upon us. After a much shorter preseason than usual (and thank goodness for that), the games will finally begin to count in the standings on Tuesday, with 10 teams hitting the ice to kick off the new campaign. Who doesn’t love September hockey?
If the abbreviated slate of exhibition games has you feeling even slightly confused or curious about where your favorite team stands heading into the regular season, don’t fret. We here at Daily Faceoff have you covered with the first installment in our season-long NHL power rankings, in which we attempt to rank the league’s 32 teams from top to bottom each week.
My name is Mike Gould, and I’ll be joined by my long-time colleague Scott Maxwell throughout the season in an effort to handicap exactly where each team stands on a week-by-week basis. To start, we sorted the 32 teams into a series of five relatively self-explanatory tiers (‘Cup Contenders,’ ‘Playoff Contenders,’ ‘On the Bubble,’ ‘Long Shots’ and ‘Lottery Contenders’), and for the teams we didn’t agree on, we split the difference and filled the gaps with four more sub-categories (‘Cup Hopefuls,’ ‘Playoff Hopefuls,’ ‘Fringe Playoff Teams’ and Too Bad to be Good, Too Good to be Bad’). Trust us, it’ll all make sense as you read it, and once the games start, we’ll ditch the tiers and start properly ranking the teams from 1 to 32.
As a general rule, Scott tends to be more deferential to each team’s underlying numbers when making his evaluations, although we both take them into account (along with a handful of other factors). For me? It’s pretty much all about the vibes. Let’s begin with the biggest vibes-maxxers of them all: the true Cup Contenders.
Cup Contenders
Carolina Hurricanes
Scott: It’s never a surprise to see the reigning Stanley Cup champions considered a top contender again the following season. It should especially be the case with the Canes, because they are bringing back an almost identical roster, save for Frederik Andersen, an unsigned Alexander Nikishin who wants out and an injured Seth Jarvis. There are some obvious concerns about how worn down this group is from a short summer (especially considering the aggressive style they play), and that we still haven’t seen them up against the Panthers. But it’s still hard to not like their chances of repeating.
Mike: I’ve long been skeptical that the Hurricanes had enough firepower to make it all the way, but they proved me wrong last year. It was awesome to see such a well-rounded team barrel through its competition. Going 16-3 in the playoffs is no joke, and I’m looking forward to seeing what this Canes group can do as defending champs.
Colorado Avalanche
Mike: I’m not necessarily convinced that Jaden Schwartz is going to be a suitable replacement for Valeri Nichushkin, but the Avs still have as much star power as anyone in the league, and I consider them the odds-on favorites to come out of the Central Division. I’m particularly intrigued by the emergence of University of Michigan alum T.J. Hughes, who cracked the roster out of training camp. I got to watch Hughes up close with the Brooks Bandits a few years ago, and while not many 24-year-old college free agents amount to much at the NHL level, I think he could be an exception.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Scott: With four consecutive first-round exits, we’re getting close to the point where the Lightning are here based on reputation than merit. But it’s hard to not love their roster. The elite talents like Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy, the secondary pieces like Brandon Hagel and J.J. Moser, and even depth pieces like Dominic James and Charle-Edouard D’Astous all create a really deep roster that, on paper, should contend for a Cup. I also like the additions of John Carlson to replace Darren Raddysh and Dennis Hildeby to lighten Vasilevskiy’s load and possibly help him not suck in the playoffs.
I also wonder how they’ll approach this season with Kucherov’s looming extension. Will they go all in for one last run before they gut some of the team to fit his extension, or will it be because it’s Kuch’s last year with the team…
Cup Hopefuls
Dallas Stars
Scott: Dallas intrigues me this season. They’ve had their deficiencies the past couple seasons, and they aren’t as deep as they used to be, but they have a strong top-six forward group, they’ve finally figured out their top-four defense corps, and Jake Oettinger is one of the best goalies in the league when he’s on his game. The back-to-back-to-back Conference Final runs clearly wore them down last year, so it’ll be interesting to see how they look with a little more rest. Also, how aggressive will Jim Nill be if it’s beginning to look like this is Jason Robertson’s last year in Dallas?
Florida Panthers
Scott: There are some obvious goaltending concerns in Florida, but I don’t think that will be as much of an issue as everyone thinks it will be. They have an extremely deep three lines when healthy, their top four defensemen are a rock-solid group, and for the first time in a while, they’re not tired. The addition of Brady Tkachuk also adds some intrigue to this team, although between him, his brother Matthew, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, Radko Gudas, Garnett Hathaway, etc., maybe there are too many cooks in the kitchen as far as toughness goes.
Mike: I cannot believe Florida chose to hitch its wagon to Jacob Markstrom in net. After what we saw from him in 2022, we know the Panthers will be in trouble if they match up against Edmonton again …
Vegas Golden Knights
Mike: Scott didn’t have Vegas in the Cup Contenders category, and I’m a little surprised by it. I get that they might not have the same overwhelming star power and underlying numbers as some of their counterparts, but their track record is just crazy. They’re coming off yet another Stanley Cup Final run, and while I’m not sure I’d have invested as many assets into reuniting the Noah Hanifin-Rasmus Andersson pairing as they did, they’ve still managed to avoid completely depleting their futures base. If Trevor Connelly can turn into another Ivan Barbashev type for them, they’ll be in really good shape going forward.
Scott: I realize this is a tad hypocritical of me to include them here when I had Florida as a Cup contender myself, but I just don’t like Vegas’ goaltending at all. Both are only capable of flashes of good play, and as we saw last season, those flashes can’t last long enough for a full round. I also think they got worse defensively (losing Kaedan Korczak to retain Andersson is an underrated bad move), and I do wonder how they’ll fill the void of Pavel Dorofeyev. I still think this is a great team, especially while Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Mitch Marner and Shea Theodore are around, but I think those blemishes knock them down a rung below true Cup contention.
Playoff Contenders
Buffalo Sabres
Mike: Long-time DFO readers know that I’ve been on the Sabres bandwagon for quite some time, and I look forward to seeing them back near the top of the Atlantic once again this year. Losing Alex Tuch hurts, no doubt about it, but I also think Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius, and Jiri Kulich have so much more to give. The only area that concerns me is their goaltending, but I hear the Winnipeg Jets have a pretty good one available …
Minnesota Wild
Mike: I think Minnesota is a sneaky-good Cup Final pick this year. The West is wide open, and they’ll be extra motivated to make something out of what could be their only full season with Quinn Hughes. I wasn’t planning to compare them with the 2019 Raptors, but … maybe I will? If Bill Guerin can pull off a deadline deal for a top-six center, I like their chances.
Washington Capitals
Scott: I’m not entirely sure what to make of the Capitals. On one hand, they have incredible depth up front, a solid blueline and one of the best goaltenders in the league in Logan Thompson. That combination has the makings of an overwhelming team. But as they always say, “there’s only one puck.” They have 12 great forwards, but some will be underutilized and potentially create some unhappiness. They also have a couple holes on the blueline, at least until Rasmus Sandin returns. It’s a great team on paper, but I’m not going to declare them as Cup contenders until I see them in action.
Mike: This is one of the deepest teams I can ever remember, but it’s hard to go all the way without true star power — hard, but not impossible, as Carolina demonstrated this past spring.
Playoff Hopefuls
Edmonton Oilers
Mike: God, what a mess. As much as their stars insist that they desperately want to be “coached” — whatever that means — I think the Oilers are in for a world of hurt this year. Crazy to me that McDavid and Draisaitl have been throwing strays at the guy who helped them reach back-to-back Cup Finals, but hey, whatever floats your boat. I don’t think the Oilers will be bad, per se, but I expect their window of true championship contention has come and gone.
Scott: Yeah, to compare them to another disappointing Canadian team with elite talent, this feels like the Brad Treliving/Craig Berube era of the Leafs. That doesn’t bode well for Edmonton.
Montreal Canadiens
Scott: Yes, it feels a bit pessimistic to call a Conference finalist a Playoff Hopeful, but there was plenty to be concerned about with this Habs squad. Don’t get me wrong, the core is fantastic and is capable of powering the rest of the team well beyond what they should be capable of. But they were the third-worst in 5v5 expected goals against per 60 minutes among playoff teams, and 10th-worst overall. That’s largely because of the rest of the roster beyond Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky: all of which were kept for next season. I think they still make the playoffs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t either, and I definitely wouldn’t be surprised to see them take steps back.
Mike: Just so our dear Québécois readers know exactly where we both stand … I have the Canadiens winning the Cup this year. Direct all your hate mail to ScottMaxwell at complaints dot gov.
Scott: Mike says that, but when we put our tiers together, he only had them as a playoff contender, not a Cup contender. At least stand behind your words!
Mike: I don’t think they’ll be the best of the best across the entire season, but I do think they’ve proven themselves capable of heating up at the right moments. And once they get hot, they’re awfully difficult to stop. In my heart, I believe they’re gonna be the ones who end the Canadian Cup curse.
New Jersey Devils
Mike: Much respect to Sunny Mehta, who seems to have the right mentality about how to run an NHL team in the modern age, but I just don’t think the Devils’ top end is good enough. Jack Hughes is a very good player, but he’s always hurt, and the Devils haven’t drafted a single impact player in the first round since they got him first overall in 2019. That includes Luke Hughes, who generally grades out as just OK at best, and Simon Nemec, who is now a Calgary Flame. Mehta did reasonably well this summer in adding Luke Evangelista, Anthony Mantha, and Evan Rodrigues, but I still have a hard time seeing the Devils as anything more than average.
Ottawa Senators
Scott: I’m more optimistic than most that the Senators can do well without Brady Tkachuk, and I really enjoy what William Eklund brings to the table as a player for them. That, combined with a talented group, a strong defensive structure and an excellent starting goaltender in Linus Ullmark, could easily keep them in the postseason this year. But it’s a tough Atlantic Division, and if Ullmark gets hurt, the Sens have arguably the two worst goalies in the league behind him in Samuel Ersson and Jonas Johansson. It could get ugly quick there.
Mike: If I were a Sens fan, I’d just be glad that they finally ripped off the Tkachuk band-aid. I’m fascinated by their two 2026 first-round picks: Jonas Lagerberg Hoen and Jaxon Cover are both such intriguing bets on untapped potential.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Scott: I think the Leafs have done enough this summer to at least be in contention for a playoff spot. Again, it’s a tough Atlantic Division, so it’s not going to be easy to get in, but the floor is certainly there, especially if Gavin McKenna makes an immediate impact. Sergei Bobrovsky will be the biggest x-factor, though. Was last season a result of playing on an injury-depleted Panthers team? Or was it a sign of his decline due to age? This season will likely give us that answer.
Mike: I think the Leafs can get back into the playoffs, but they really need to upgrade their blueline. They can’t rely on Chris Tanev to be one of their best options back there anymore.
Scott: I think the Leafs have a good enough blueline to make the playoffs. They’ve always lacked the starpower on the back end, but I also don’t think they have any true weaknesses so long as Morgan Rielly’s downfall from the past two seasons proves to be a symptom of Berube. They also have competent defenders on the bottom pair again instead of Simon Benoit and Philippe Myers.
Utah Mammoth
Mike: The Mammoth give me a lot of the same vibes as the Devils. They’ve got a fair bit of offensive talent, and their top players are even younger than New Jersey’s, but I don’t necessarily see any truly elite players on their roster. Logan Cooley still has a fair bit of work to do to prove to me that he can be even a Hughes-level center, and I’m not sold on a defensive group headlined by Mikhail Sergachev and MacKenzie Weegar. I think Utah has the inside track at locking down a Wildcard spot, but I don’t see them as the darkhorse Stanley Cup pick that others do.
On the Bubble
Anaheim Ducks
Scott: I’m more intrigued by the Ducks than I thought I’d be. Their lineup took a hit after the Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov and Cutter Gauthier contracts created a cap crunch, but I also wonder if it’s that bad to move on from veteran defensemen in their final years and replace them with younger options, even if they are inexperienced. Otherwise, this is a solid team in a weak division. It’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility that they return to the playoffs this year.
Mike: Pat Verbeek did a decent job of cleaning up the mess he created, and in the end, this Ducks team will continue to be defined by its stars, and they’re all still here. I think they’ll probably be just fine.
Los Angeles Kings
Mike: Even with Artemi Panarin now in the fold, I find it incredibly difficult to spend any time thinking about these Kings. It’s hard to fathom that they managed to make the playoffs last year by winning just 35 out of 82 games. They might make it again this year, but make no mistake: they’re in purgatory. How many 30-somethings does it take to finish ninth in the West?
New York Islanders
Mike: I like most of what Mathieu Darche has done since taking over the Islanders, and I think they have a relatively clear path they can follow to become a pretty good team. Matthew Schaefer is obviously a transcendent talent on their blueline, but even beyond him, I’m intrigued by what their secondary nucleus of Victor Eklund, Kashawn Aitcheson, Cole Eiserman, Malte Gustafsson, Cal Ritchie, and Daniil Prokhorov can become at the NHL level. I have the Isles as a bubble team for now and a top Metro Division contender in the future.
Scott: My only concern with the Islanders is if Darche jumped the gun last season by trying to buy. Brayden Schenn just doesn’t feel like a fit for this team, and they gave up a fair amount to get him. Hopefully that was just a blip, because that feels like a Lou Lamoreillo move.
Mike: I don’t disagree, although I understand why they wanted to add a bit of veteran savvy. They flipped the extra first-rounder they got in the Brock Nelson trade for Schenn, and of course, they also still have Ritchie to show for that deal. We’ll see how it all shakes out, but if Schenn can give the Islanders a couple years of top-six caliber play, it’ll be fine.
Philadelphia Flyers
Mike: Porter Martone’s emergence as a bona fide NHL difference-maker straight out of Michigan State changes the Flyers’ projection considerably. Philly has burned a couple of high first-rounders on centers with questionable upside in Jack Nesbitt and Jett Luchanko, but Martone is the real deal. They’ve still got a few too many mediocre veterans for my liking, but the Flyers aren’t in limbo like they were a few years ago.
San Jose Sharks
Scott: Everyone’s high on the Sharks after they got another top pick and beefed up their blueline with Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba, but I’m not sold. I’m not the biggest fan of John Klingberg and Mario Ferraro, but are Nurse and Trouba really upgrades? I don’t think they’ll be the difference here if the Sharks make the playoffs. If they do, it’ll be because all of the young guys take steps forward, and not just Macklin Celebrini.
Mike: I think Nurse will probably be OK in a new environment, but I agree that the Sharks could still use more help on the blueline. Keaton Verhoeff is still a ways away.
Fringe Playoff Teams
Columbus Blue Jackets
Mike: I picked the Blue Jackets to finish eighth in the Metro, but that was really only because someone has to. As long as they still have Zach Werenski, Columbus is still going to find some modicum of success, and it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that they sneak into the playoffs. Don Waddell did well extending Adam Fantilli for six more years, but he still needs to figure out exactly what to do with Kirill Marchenko, who already seems to have made up his mind about his future.
Scott: The stakes might be higher in Columbus than with any other team save for the Oilers. Make the playoffs, and everything is probably fine. Miss, and that may be the end of a few notable players’ tenures, particularly Werenski’s.
Nashville Predators
Mike: The Preds have been all over the place this summer, adding a whole host of new middle-six forwards after poaching GM Chris MacFarland from the Avs. I was a little surprised to see them move Evangelista to New Jersey after his 56-point season, but I can also understand the desire to potentially sell high on a player in whom the team might not have been entirely confident. I’m curious to see what Vitali Pinchuk can become in the NHL after scoring 66 points in 61 games with Dinamo Minsk last year. All told, though, these Preds remind me of the Calgary Flames of three years ago … old, slow, and mid.
Scott: I like Nashville’s offseason enough that I could see them sneaking into a playoff spot, but make no mistake, I don’t view their long term future any better than I did before, save for adding Mavrik Bourque.
New York Rangers
Scott: I’m torn on the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox are excellent pillars in goal and on defense. Their blueline is probably the best it’s looked in 10 years, maybe more. Mike Sullivan is a great coach who can give this group the structure they need. Their forward depth is also pretty solid. But their forward core is what still troubles me. I like Pavel Dorofeyev, and Alexis Lafreniere and Gabriel Perreault have plenty of upside, but a center core of Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller wouldn’t have inspired me in 2021, never mind 2026. If they play their best hockey in a while, I could see the Rangers making the playoffs, but there is a fair amount of weight on their shoulders.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike: I’m hoping for all the best for Andrei Kuzmenko, who was dealt some of the worst possible news last week when it emerged that his father was killed by a bear in Siberia. ‘Kuzy’ was one of many offseason additions by Penguins GM Kyle Dubas, who has done everything he can to maximize what’s left of the Crosby/Malkin/Letang era without jeopardizing the team’s future. Pittsburgh has a ton of guys competing for plum ice time this year, from veterans (Kuzmenko, Justin Brazeau) to kids (Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes) and everywhere in between (Henrix Lapierre, David Gustafsson, Nick Robertson, etc). The most fascinating name to watch might be Ville Koivunen, who got an eight-year deal this summer on the strength of two career NHL goals.
St. Louis Blues
Scott: It feels like the Blues are perpetually in the range of fringe playoff teams, but after playing mediocre hockey last season, I look at the changes they made over the summer and feel underwhelmed. Connor McMichael is a downgrade on Jordan Kyrou, and while Mason McTavish still has some upside in him, it’s an expensive gamble for St. Louis. They have some great young pieces, and if they actually commit to Joel Hofer as the starter, I like their chances a bit more. But I just like other teams even more than them.
Playoff Long Shots
Boston Bruins
Mike: David Pastrnak is a worthy choice as the Bruins’ new captain, although I’m not convinced he’ll actually be able to lead them anywhere. Yes, they won 45 games and made the playoffs last year, but I just find it really difficult to get excited about a group as thin as these Bruins. I simply cannot believe Don Sweeney gave up two first-round picks for JJ Peterka after Utah benched him in the playoffs. I also don’t know if I believe Fraser Minten is worth $7.2 million through 2034, but I’ll allow it on the grounds of it being funny that the Leafs traded him for Brandon Carlo.
Scott: This is the new NHL, where a draft can be weak enough to justify two-firsts going for a winger of Peterka’s caliber (although I think he’ll be deployed better in Boston as well), and middle-six centers are worth $7+ million.
The Bruins’ season all comes down to how good Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman are. Both will be great, but they were at MVP levels to make the playoffs last year and would need the same this year.
Winnipeg Jets
Scott: The Jets are going to be in for a rude awakening without Connor Hellebuyck. His value to the team has been obvious for years, and they got a sneak preview of life without him last season when he was hurt (which didn’t go well). Him gone from the team, no matter who they replace him with, won’t make up for a team that struggles defensively consistently. His impending departure feels like the beginning of the end for this core.
Too Bad to be Good, Too Good to be Bad
Detroit Red Wings
Scott: If Dylan Larkin stays, I like the Red Wings chances a little bit more. But even then, they still were on the outside looking in in a division which will be tougher this year. But Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are also too good for this team to tank. It feels like they’ll have to briefly retool (during a rebuild, mind you) before swinging back to playoff contention if they move on from Larkin.
Mike: Losing Patrick Kane is addition by subtraction, but there’s still not much to like here. Red Wings fans are understandably furious about everything that’s going on. They deserve better.
Seattle Kraken
Mike: It’s too bad that Mackie Samoskevich is injured, but Kraken fans need not worry — they have a thousand other middle-six forwards who can take his place while he recovers. The day a true star forward wears a Kraken jersey is the day I sprout wings.
Scott: At least Seattle has been trying to acquire star talent recently, but the stars just don’t want to go there.
Lottery Contenders
Calgary Flames
Mike: For the first time in recent memory, the Flames are bad by design. That forward group is awwwwwwful. Consider this: Jonathan Huberdeau, as overpaid and disappointing as he is, will instantly become one of this team’s most talented players once he returns from his hip injury. The real X-factor for this year’s Flames is Zayne Parekh, who has looked significantly improved in the preseason. Take a late flier on him in your fantasy draft — he has legit 50-point upside as soon as this year.
Chicago Blackhawks
Scott: I recognize the Blackhawks tried to get better this summer by adding Patrick Kane and Bowen Byram, I just don’t think it will actually make them any better. Barring massive steps from the young guns, it feels like Chicago is poised for another year in the basement, and it’ll probably cost Kyle Davidson his job.
Mike: Byram is a good player. Is he a $12.5 million-per-year player? Maybe once the salary cap gets to $150 million, but certainly not now.
Vancouver Canucks
Scott: There’s always one team that deviates from the consensus and is worse than the expected worst team, but it’s just hard to see another team being as bad as the Canucks this year. They were a mile off the competition last season, and they potentially got even worse. If they sell off Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser or Filip Hronek, it will likely get uglier. A productive season from them won’t be on the ice: it will be getting another top draft pick.
Mike: Out of curiosity, I went back and had a look at what I wrote about the Canucks in our final 2025 pre-season power rankings. Here are the first two sentences of my blurb, verbatim: “I think the Canucks are a playoff team in 2026 for sure. It’s early, but Elias Pettersson looked reborn from what I saw of him in the preseason, and if he gets back to even 85 percent of his previous form, he’ll be one of the best centers in the Pacific.” Ouch. Safe to say I went 0-for-2 on that one.
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