NHL July Power Rankings: Metropolitan Division Rising
NHL Pretenders: #30 to #25
Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
#30: Arizona Coyotes
ADDITIONS:
- Antoine Vermette
- Brad Richardson
- Zbynek Michalek
- Steve Downie
- Anders Lindback
- John Scott
- Dylan Strome
LOSSES:
TRENDING: Downwards, but upwards in a roundabout way
The Arizona Coyotes are going to be one of the worst teams in the NHL. They are clearly going to go after local product Auston Matthews, the expected first overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft after just losing out on Connor McDavid this year. Dylan Strome is a mighty fine consolation prize for them though.
Except for Strome, they haven’t picked up anyone who’s going to give them too much value. Scott should at least made games more interesting. Lindback is an interest goaltender to take a shot on. Richardson might be the kind of guy who the Coyotes look to move for picks at the NHL trade deadline.
#29: Toronto Maple Leafs
ADDITIONS:
- Zach Hyman
- Martin Marincin
- Mark Arcobello
- Matt Hunwick
- P.A. Parenteau
- Daniel Winnik
- Scott Harrington
- Nick Spaling
- Shawn Matthias
- Taylor Beck
LOSSES:
TRENDING: Upwards
The Maple Leafs have been very busy this off-season. They are the most committed team in the NHL in terms of stock piling draft picks to speed up their scorched earth rebuild. Most of their moves reflect that. A majority of their signings are one year deals. They will flip them at the deadline for, yup you guessed it, draft picks. That’s an efficient way to rebuild in the NHL. It might not seem like it, but there’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel for Leafs fans.*
*That might or might not be a train speeding towards them.
#28: New Jersey Devils
ADDITIONS:
- John Moore
- Kyle Palmieri
LOSSES:
TRENDING: Upwards
The Devils… I don’t really know what to think about them. I really like the Palmieri trade for them. Moore certainly has potential, but three years for him when he hasn’t yet shown he’s more than a third pairing defenseman? The Devils could be the worst team in the NHL this year. Very plausible. That said, I like what they’re doing… I think. They’re finally letting their young players play. That could end well for them or it could end badly. Regardless, it’s better than letting the old veterans play at this point. This season will be largely about the Devils finding out what they have and what they need.
#27: Carolina Hurricanes
ADDITIONS:
- Eddie Lack
- James Wisniewski
- Noah Hanifin
LOSSES:
- Anton Khudobin
- Ben Holmstrom
- Alex Semin
TRENDING: Upwards
The Carolina Hurricanes finished last season quite strong. They were actually one of the better teams in the NHL post-January 1st. That said, the Canes are still in a bit of trouble. If their guys can stay healthy, they could be a dark horse candidate to make some noise. That’s not likely to happen though.
#26: Buffalo Sabres
ADDITIONS:
LOSSES:
- Cody Hodgson
- Matt Hackett
- Anders Lindback
- Tyson Strachan
TRENDING: Upwards
The Buffalo Sabres are quickly on the rise. I must admit, I’m impressed how quickly they went from arguably the worst roster in the NHL to this. I love their forward group. However, their blue line still needs help. They desperately need a top pairing defenseman. If they can go get a guy like Cody Franson after losing out on Johnny Oduya, this team could be really good.
Next: Number #25 to #21