NHL Power Rankings: Capitals, Lightning, Ducks Favorites

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It’s been a long but exciting offseason for the NHL. Teams have improved and teams have slipped. How do the 30 NHL teams stack up on the eve of Opening Night?

Congratulations hockey fans. It’s been a rough summer for all of us, but we’ve made it. We’ve arrived to October. It’s hockey season! How does each team stack up as the regular season is about to begin? Everyone seems to have their own opinion about how their team will do.

NHL Power Rankings: #30 – Arizona Coyotes

There is no easy way to say this. The Arizona Coyotes are going to be TERRIBLE this season. That doesn’t mean that they won’t be fun to watch. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a legitimate Norris Trophy Candidate. The Coyotes lack top four defensive depth. That requires them to rely on Larsson to play during pretty much all situations. Larsson flourishes despite facing tough situations and opponents.

STRENGTHS: I’ve already mentioned Larsson. He’s the kind of guy that you can build a franchise around. Shane Doan is retiring eventually. Doan has personified the Coyotes for so long. Larsson is ready to step in when Doan retires. I can’t stress how important he is to the Coyotes. They’re in good hands.

The Coyotes have some other exciting young players. Max Domi has the potential to be the next Milan Lucic. He’s the rare type of player who can score on you AND kick your butt. Players like Tom Wilson have proven that it’s tough to balance the scoring and the butt kicking. Domi’s a special talent and it should be fun seeing him grow. They also have Anthony Duclair. They got him in the Keith Yandle trade. Duclair is a very skilled forward who will likely play with Domi. Arizona is handing the kids the keys to the franchise.

RELATED: Previewing The Coyotes

WEAKNESSES: They lack elite talent in the NHL. They have some very impressive prospects, but they’re not NHL ready. Martin Hanzal is a good forward who the Coyotes ask to do too much. He’d be much better off in a role with less responsibility. They also have a mediocre expensive goaltender in Mike Smith. Their goaltending, in particular, doesn’t jump out at you. Backup Anders Lindback is certainly intriguing, though.

OUTLOOK: The best case scenario involves local product Auston Matthews being drafted first overall by the Coyotes in June. The worst case scenario involves them not getting a top five pick. This season is about development. It’s not about winning. The Coyotes seem to know what they’re doing. They’ll be better for it in the long run.

Next: #29

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NHL Power Rankings: #29 – Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs, once a proud franchise, have been the laughing stock of the NHL for a good part of the last two seasons. New head coach Mike Babcock and a front office that’s a “Who’s Who” of front office personnel hope to change that. Did I mention that their owners have a ton of money and they’re creative enough to know how to use it to better the team?

STRENGTHS: Mike Babcock is arguably the best head coach in the league. He’s famous for having success no matter what. He has some solid building blocks in Toronto. Morgan Reilly and Jake Gardiner are two excellent defensemen that should help the Leafs form a strong blue line in the future. Dion Phaneuf isn’t a first pairing defenseman, but that doesn’t mean he’s horrible.

Babcock is used to working with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg as his centers. While nobody’s going to confuse Nazem Kadri or Peter Holland for either of the two, he could do a lot worse. Kadri has had success as a second line center. He has the potential to be a number one center. James Van Riemsdyk is a fine complementary player.

Their biggest strengths are their prospect system and their owner’s wallets. They sign guys to one-year deals knowing that they’ll flip them for draft picks. Pretty interesting way to buy draft picks. I like it. They also have gorgeous jerseys. Toronto’s a pretty awesome city.

WEAKNESSES: They have some horrible contracts to get rid of. Tyler Bozak, Joffrey Lupul, JVR, and Phaneuf could all find themselves on the way out of Toronto. I’ll make this really short. Pretty much everything is a weakness for them (or will be in the near future).

OUTLOOK: Babcock has his toughest job yet. He might need to be committed to the nuthouse by the end of the year. For the first time in a while, I can say that the Leafs know what they’re doing. That’s a step in the right direction for the once proud franchise.

Next: #28

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NHL Power Rankings: #28 – New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils have long needed a rebuild. That wasn’t going to happen under the old management. The new management, led by General Manager Ray Shero, has embraced the rebuild. That’s going to help the Devils in the long run.

STRENGTHS: Cory Schneider is an elite goaltender no matter how you slice it. How great is Schneider? One could argue he kept them from potentially getting Connor McDavid. The Devils have a better blue line than people think. Adam Larsson and Andy Greene should form a strong first pairing. Adam Henrique is a very solid forward and so is Mike Cammalleri. Pavel Zacha is going to be an extremely good player one day. That day might even be this season.

WEAKNESSES: The Devils are going to struggle mightily to score goals. Once you get past Cammalleri, Henrique, and Kyle Palmieri, they don’t have any other guys that they can rely on for scoring. Their prospect system is all but barren. The rebuild has just begun.

OUTLOOK: You know what would significantly speed up their rebuild? Auston Matthews or any other elite forward prospect. A bad finish should give them a great chance at getting one.

Next: #27

Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #27 – Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes are quietly building a core of players. Unfortunately, they are in the brutal Metropolitan Division. No NHL team should take this team lightly though. They’ll outwork anyone who doesn’t take them seriously.

STRENGTHS: The Hurricanes have a strong top forward line if they can stay healthy. Jordan Staal, Eric Staal, and Jeff Skinner could form a very good first line. All three players have struggled to stay healthy in their last three NHL seasons, though. Riley Nash and Elias Lindholm look like they’re going to be very good players. They’re ready to take the next step forward this season.

The Canes main strength will be their blue line. Justin Faulk is an elite defenseman. They’re adding another potential elite defensemen to their roster in Noah Hanifin. Eddie Lack should be a huge upgrade over Cam Ward. Their prospect system has quietly gone from really bad to really good in a short period of time. Drafting wisely tends to do that to you.

WEAKNESSES: They don’t have nearly enough scoring depth to compete in the Metropolitan Division. They’ll struggle to score even more should the Staals or Skinner fail to stay healthy. Nash and Lindholm aren’t ready to be relied on to be their best scorers.

OUTLOOK: The Hurricanes will be really good in a few years. This season is not their time.

Next: #26

Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #26 – Colorado Avalanche

I had the Colorado Avalanche as a fringe playoff team during my previous power rankings. After seeing them struggle mightily on offense in the preseason, I’m growing much less confident in them. This could be a telling year for head coach Patrick Roy. If he can’t put this team in the playoffs, he might be on the hot seat.

STRENGTHS: They have a strong core of forwards that can move up the ice very quickly. Matt Duchene, Nathan MacKinnon, Jarome Iginla, Alex Tanguay, and Gabriel Landeskog give them five very solid forwards. Semyon Varlamov is an elite goaltender capable of carrying his team when he’s healthy. Keeping Erik Johnson is HUGE for Colorado.

WEAKNESSES: I’m not a fan of their blue line outside of Johnson and Tyson Barrie. Francois Beauchemin is on the wrong side of 30 years old. He’s already declining. His future does not look bright. I think they overpaid a bit for Blake Comeau. He did well with the Penguins. Keep in mind though that a majority of his success came with Evgeni Malkin. Malkin isn’t coming with him to Colorado.

OUTLOOK: I can’t deny that Varlamov is capable of single-handedly carrying his team in the playoffs. He basically did that in 2013-2014. However, their lack of scoring and awful possession stats are really concerning. Those two things absolutely have to change.

Next: #25

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NHL Power Rankings: #25 – Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks had a troubling offseason. They are a team that is growing older. Despite that, they aren’t rebuilding and they aren’t going all-in. They’re just making terrible moves.

STRENGTHS: Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin give the Canucks the chance to have a great team. They both had a career revival last season, bouncing back after both of them had down years in 2013-2014. Alexander Edler is a very solid defenseman. Radim Vrbata might be separated from the Sedins despite having a career season with them. However, he’s the kind of player who should have success no matter where he plays. Bo Horvat, Jared McCann, and Jake Virtanen are all exciting young players.

WEAKNESSES: They’re getting old and their young players aren’t taking steps up like they should. They traded for Brandon Sutter. He hasn’t hit 40 points in the NHL since roughly five years ago. He’s not the kind of guy who should be playing alongside the Sedins. Yet that’s something that might actually be happening. Brandon Prust gives them a bit of grit, but he certainly doesn’t give them scoring. Ryan Miller is definitely trending downward. Which reminds me, why did they trade Eddie Lack?

OUTLOOK: The Canucks aren’t looking like they’re going to contend. Of course, they have the Sedins, so they can’t be completely counted out. However, it’s not looking good for them.

Next: #24

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NHL Power Rankings: #24 – Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers aren’t quite ready to make the playoffs yet. Rome wasn’t built in a day. However, the Oilers finally have their franchise cornerstone and their building blocks in place. Now it’s up to their front office to continue to bring in building blocks and role players. It’s also up to their players to continue to develop.

STRENGTHS: It took the Oilers a bunch of first overall picks, but they have finally built a very strong core of young forwards. Jordan Eberle is quietly one of the best forwards in the NHL. Taylor Hall should get a lot more attention than he gets. You could make the argument that he is better than Tyler Seguin. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is an excellent center. Nail Yakupov isn’t a bust yet. He’s extremely talented and he finished strong last season.

Cam Talbot could be the answer for the Oilers eternal goaltending issues. He has limited playing experience due to being stuck behind Henrik Lundqvist. However, when he has gotten playing time, he has been impressive.

WEAKNESSES: The Oilers blue line is still a work in progress. Andrej Sekera is a solid veteran. Oscar Klefbom could be a star in the making. Justin Schultz has the potential to be a solid offensive defenseman. However, other than that, their talent is a bit lacking. Griffin Reinhart hasn’t lived up to his potential yet (though Edmonton has the patience to let him grow). Eric Gryba and Andrew Ferrence are not impressive.

OUTLOOK: The Oilers could be like the Stars last year. They will most likely score a ton of goals. The issue is that they might allow a lot as well because their defense is poor. The difference? The Stars had a better offense than the Oilers do this year.

Next: #23

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NHL Power Rankings: #23 – Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres went from being the worst team in hockey to being a borderline playoff contender. They still have some issues that they have to iron out. However, they are no longer the doormat of the league.

STRENGTHS: The Sabres barely lost the draft lottery. They couldn’t draft Connor McDavid. They got the next best thing in Jack Eichel. Eichel is an elite talent who should transform the Sabres and lead them for years to come. They weren’t satisfied with just Eichel. They traded for Colorado Avalanche center Ryan O’Reilly. Eichel and O’Reilly give the Sabres a one-two punch at center that most teams envy.

Evander Kane is an extremely talented forward. He has yet to live up to his potential. He didn’t work out in Winnipeg. The Sabres decided to trade for him. He gives the Sabres a very talented scorer. They also have Matt Moulson, one of the better goal scorers in the league.

WEAKNESSES: Buffalo is very similar to Edmonton. They have a poor blue line. I like the Cody Franson. However, he’s not a guy who should be arguably your best defenseman. Robin Lehner is not a proven goaltender and they don’t have a real backup.

OUTLOOK: With Dan Bylsma behind the bench, the Sabres could make a playoff run if they can solve their blue line issues.

Next: #22

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #22 – Boston Bruins

I have the Boston Bruins ranked low here because their blue line is sketchy. Without Dennis Seidenberg and Zdeno Chara, the Bruins have nobody who has proven that they can be a first pairing defenseman. Torey Krug will have to step up and be one.

STRENGTHS: The Bruins have some elite talent. Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand form the best shutdown line in the league. Tuukka Rask is arguably the best goaltender in the league. David Pastrnak and Ryan Spooner give the Bruins two excellent young forwards to build around. Loui Eriksson is one of the most underrated players in the league.

WEAKNESSES: The Bruins don’t have proven blue line depth. Matt Irwin is a solid defenseman. Adam MacQuaid is a decent defenseman. Those two guys are absolutely going to have to step it up for the Bruins if they want to do anything sans Seidenberg and Chara. Zac Rinaldo shouldn’t be on an NHL team. Period.

OUTLOOK: Don’t count the Bruins out. They have too much talent to be a bottom feeder. They need Chara to come back healthy in order to be contenders. I honestly don’t know if that will happen.

Next: #21

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NHL Power Rankings: #21 – Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers had about as good of an offseason as a team with a ton of albatross contracts and salary cap issues. They still have issues that they need to address. A playoff run is not out of the question if they get a bit lucky.

STRENGTHS: The Flyers have two elite forwards in Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. The Flyers live and die by that duo. Wayne Simmonds is one of the best power play specialists in the league. He’s also a very underrated forward. Simmonds is the heart and soul of the Flyers. Sean Couturier is a talented center who should help the Flyers replace the void left by Mike Richards several years ago.

They also have an extremely talented goalie in Steve Mason. Mason has had trouble staying healthy. He has shown the ability to carry the Flyers for an extended period of time. Michal Neuvirth is a very competent backup who could also have that ability to carry the Flyers.

WEAKNESSES: The Flyers blue line is going to be an issue. Michael Del Zotto is alright. He’s not the kind of guy you want as one of your best defensemen. Mark Streit is the only proven top pairing defenseman on the Flyers. I’m not a fan of their bottom six forwards.

OUTLOOK: Mason, Voracek, and Giroux give them enough elite talent to the point that I can’t count them out. In the end, their blueline is likely going to cost them a playoff birth.

Next: #20

Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #20 – Florida Panthers

Coming in at #20 in our NHL Power Rankings are the Florida Panthers. They’re a young team that keeps on getting better.

STRENGTHS: The Panthers have quietly assembled an impressive core of young players. 2014-15 Calder Trophy winner Aaron Ekblad is going to continue to get better. Jonathan Huberdeau is a young star. Nick Bjugstad and Aleksander Barkov are two of the best young centers in the league. Brandon Pirri has the potential to be an excellent scorer when he’s healthy.

WEAKNESSES: They are going to have trouble scoring this season. They lack anything resembling an elite goal scorer. Roberto Luongo is on the wrong side of 30. The 36-year-old goaltender is still a very good goalie. However, he has begun to noticeably decline.

OUTLOOK: For the first time in a while, things are looking up in Florida. They’re definitely on the right path to contention.

Next: #19

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NHL Power Rankings: #19 – Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators captured the hearts of hockey fans everywhere with their magical Cinderella run into the playoffs. Let me be the one who kills this fairy tale by saying that’s not likely going to happen in 2015.

STRENGTHS: They have two excellent defensemen in Erik Karlsson and Mark Methot. Karlsson has won two Norris Trophies. Methot obviously isn’t at the same level as Karlsson, but he complements him very well. The Senators rely heavily on those two to lead them. They flourish despite facing not so ideal situations.

I’m a huge fan of Craig Anderson. He’s one of the best goalies in the league when he’s healthy. Andrew Hammond is a very capable backup. The Senators are kind of like the Stars. They have two above average goalies. The difference? The Senators aren’t spending a boat load of money on either of them.

WEAKNESSES: The Senators rely way too heavily on Karlsson and Methot. That’s not necessarily an issue because they can handle it. What makes it an issue is they struggle to get production from their other defensemen. It’s one thing to ride two stallions until they can’t take it anymore. It’s quite another to not have any other horses.

They have some talented young forwards in Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Kyle Turris, and Curtis Lazar. They don’t have that much after those guys. Anderson is prone to injuries and Hammond has a very small sample size. That’s not ideal for a goalie tandem.

OUTLOOK: Are they going to contend for the playoffs? Absolutely. I don’t think they’ll make the playoffs because they need too many things to go right for them to do it. I think they also rely too heavily on their top guys. If one of them goes down, things could get ugly.

Next: #18

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #18 – San Jose Sharks

Coming in at #18 are the San Jose Sharks. They had a horrible offseason last year. This year, they’re back on track and should contend for a playoff spot.

STRENGTHS: The Sharks strengthened their blue line this offseason by signing Paul Martin. He’s starting to age, but he’s still a very good defenseman. They already have two excellent defensemen in Brett Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Burns had a breakout season last year and gosh darn it how can you not love him? He’s the human equivalent of a Wookie. Vlasic is one of the best two-way defensemen in the league.

Their forward core will continue to lead the team. They added playoff hero Joel Ward. Ward is a versatile forward who can slot in on pretty much any forward line. He should make the Sharks power play even more deadly. Joe Thornton is a treasure. He is to assists what Alex Ovechkin is to goals. Joe Pavelski is an elite forward. Logan Couture is on the cusp of being elite.

WEAKNESSES: The Sharks rely a bit too much on Pavelski and Thornton. They’re both over the age of 30. Tomas Hertl needs to have a breakout season to ease the pressure off those guys. I’m also not a huge fan of Martin Jones. Props to the Sharks for acquiring the goalie that the Kings refused to trade to them, though.

OUTLOOK: This team will definitely contend for a playoff spot. I question if they can get enough production from their other forwards to get into the playoffs. I’m also not 100% sold on their defense.

Next: #17

Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #17 – Winnipeg Jets

The Winnipeg Jets are coming off a playoff appearance. They should contend for the playoffs once again.

STRENGTHS: The Jets have a pretty balanced team. Andrew Ladd and Blake Wheeler are very underrated forwards. Their boxcar stats aren’t going to wow you. They do an excellent job considering they are often asked to shut down their opponents’ best lines. Mathieu Perreault is prone to injuries, but when he’s healthy, he’s an extremely productive center. Dustin Byfuglien is the leader of their blue line. Tyler Myers seemed to get his act together after being traded to Winnipeg.

WEAKNESSES: I sort of alluded to this earlier, but the Jets don’t have much as far as elite talent. That’s going to make it hard for them to return to the playoffs. They also have a questionable goalie situation. I’m not sold on Ondrej Pavelec. He was never a good goalie until last season. Michael Hutchinson is unproven.

OUTLOOK: If I was convinced that they could get league average goaltending, I’d be much more confident in the Jets. It’s certainly plausible that they could get it. Certainly not a guarantee.

Next: #16

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #16 – Detroit Red Wings

STRENGTHS: The Red Wings have a unique situation. They have a core of older players and a core of younger players. Pavel Datsyuk is still one of the best centers in the league when he’s healthy. Henrik Zetterberg isn’t as good as he once was. He’s still pretty darn good.

They also have Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist. Both of them are incredible talents that should lead the team once Datsyuk and Zetterberg retire. Mike Green should help them get more offense out of their defensemen. Green should also make Detroit’s power play even more deadly.

WEAKNESSES: They lack depth after their core guys. Should injuries occur, the Red Wings could be in trouble. They also have issues with their goaltending. They must choose between Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek. They also don’t have that much depth on their blue line.

OUTLOOK: Even sans Mike Babcock, the Red Wings should be a playoff team. There are things that could easily go wrong for them that would prevent them from making the playoffs.

Next: #15

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NHL Power Rankings: #15 – Los Angeles Kings

The Kings had a very rough season last year. Almost everything that could have gone wrong for them went wrong. They should rebound and be right back in the mix to win another Stanley Cup.

STRENGTHS: The Kings have a lot of talent. Anze Kopitar is one of the best two-way centers in the league. Marian Gaborik is one of the most underrated scorers in the league. Milan Lucic is going to score and he’s going to wreck people on the forecheck. Drew Doughty is one of the favorites to win the Norris Trophy. Tyler Tofolli should help the Kings replace Justin Williams. Christian Ehrhoff was a solid depth signing and should help their blue line. Alec Martinez and Jake Muzzin should help the Kings overcome the loss of Slava Voynov.

WEAKNESSES: Jonathan Quick isn’t an elite goaltender. He is a goalie who has an extremely good team in front of him. He’s coming off a very rough year and needs to have a bounceback season for the Kings to advance in the playoffs. Dustin Brown has gone from “really good” to “terrible” in a very short period of time. That’s very concerning. The blue line is also largely unproven. They need guys to step it up this year.

OUTLOOK: Don’t bet against the Kings. They’ve done enough to return to the playoffs. If they miss the playoffs again, big changes could be coming.

Next: #14

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NHL Power Rankings: #14 – Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets improved their team quite a bit this offseason and should contend for a playoff spot in the NHL.

STRENGTHS: The Jackets have an extremely impressive scoring line of Nick Foligno, Ryan Johansen, and Brandon Saad. They absolutely tore it up during the preseason. Saad gives Columbus a proven winner who has already won two Stanley Cups. Saad’s success in Chicago came while playing alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. Foligno and Johansen are not as good as them, but they’re still pretty good.

They have nice forward depth. I’m a huge fan of Brandon Dubinsky and Scott Hartnell. They’re the type of players that you absolutely hate playing against, but love if they’re on your team. Sergei Bobrovsky is a borderline elite goaltender who is capable of masking a lot of Columbus’s flaws.

WEAKNESSES: I really don’t like their bottom six forwards. Gregory Campbell and David Clarkson are horrible players. Their third and fourth lines are going to force the Blue Jackets to rely pretty heavily on their top two forward lines. Their blue line is very mediocre. Jack Johnson and David Savard are their only two reliable defensemen. Fedor Tyutin and Ryan Murphy will be relied on to produce when they haven’t shown the ability to produce in the NHL.

OUTLOOK: The Blue Jackets are an NHL team that have issues. They have an excellent scoring line and an elite goaltender. That should be enough to mask those flaws and get to the playoffs.

Next: #13

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NHL Power Rankings: #13 – Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars narrowly missed the playoffs thanks to subpar goaltending and defense. They made some improvements in the offseason to fix those problems.

STRENGTHS: The Stars going to be fun to watch. Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Patrick Sharp form a scoring line that opposing goalies will see in their nightmares. Benn and Seguin are both threats to win the Art Ross. Sharp should rejuvenate his career playing alongside the dynamic duo.

John Klingberg and free agent signing Johnny Oduya should ensure that the Stars defense this year is better than it was last year. Jason Demers is a very solid defenseman as well. The Stars helped fix their goaltending by signing Antti Niemi. Kari Lehtonen and Niemi should be a very competent goaltending tandem.

WEAKNESSES: The defense still has some holes in it. Their bottom pairing is likely going to be terrible. I think their top two pairings will cancel it out. However, injuries could cause the same problems that happened last year. Their goaltending tandem is a tad bit expensive for my liking. Jason Spezza is starting to show his age. He needs a bounce back year.

OUTLOOK: The Stars will make a return to the playoffs. If they manage to fix their defense along the way, they could contend for a Stanley Cup.

Next: #12

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NHL Power Rankings: #12 – Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames are coming off an unforgettable Cinderella run in the NHL playoffs. They look to jump into contention with an improved team.

STRENGTHS: Their blue line is outrageous. They already had Norris Trophy contender Mark Giordano. Giordano has been robbed of two Norris Trophies due to injuries. They traded for Dougie Hamilton of the Bruins. Hamilton should make their blue line even better. T.J. Brodie and Dennis Wideman should form an excellent second pairing.

They also have a strong core of NHL forwards. Jiri Hudler is their veteran leader. Jonathan Gaudreau and Sean Monahan are two of the best young forwards in the league. Michael Frolik was a very solid FA signing.

WEAKNESSES: Their puck possession was absolutely abysmal last season. That needs to change. The additions of Hamilton and Frolik should change that. However, I’m not sure if it will. They relied quite heavily on Jonas Hiller and Karri Ramo last season. That’s something that must change if they want to contend for a Stanley Cup.

OUTLOOK: They’re definitely making the playoffs. How far they will go depends on if they can avoid having horrible possession numbers.

Next: #11

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NHL Power Rankings: #11 – Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild should once again be one of the best teams in the Western Conference. A Stanley Cup run is not out of the question.

STRENGTHS: The Wild have an impressive core of players. Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon form one of the best first pairings in the NHL. Suter’s scoring dropped, but he could have a bounce-back year. Matthew Dumba is a 21-year-old blue-liner who could be a difference maker for the blue line.

Devan Dubnyk got re-signed by the Wild. He was a huge reason that they were able to make the playoffs. The Wild will be counting on him to continue to give them at worst league average goaltending. He could face some regression, but he should still be a very solid goaltender at worst.

The Wild have also been blessed with forward depth. Zach Parise is one of the best forwards in the NHL. He had a rough personal life last season as his father passed away. Parise showed incredible strength and character by fighting through that tragic loss to lead his team to the second round of the NHL playoffs. Jason Pominville had a bit of a down year but still had a very solid season. I’d expect one of the most underrated forwards in the NHL to have a bounce back year.

WEAKNESSES: The Wild lack elite talent. They have a bunch of very solid players, but every Stanley Cup team needs elite talent. They also don’t really have a Plan B in case Dubnyk’s 2014-15 season was just a fluke.

OUTLOOK: They’ll be a tough team to beat in the playoffs.

Next: #10

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NHL Power Rankings: #10 – New York Islanders

Coming in at #10 in our NHL power rankings are the New York Islanders. They’re coming off a playoff birth.

STRENGTHS: The Islanders have an elite center in John Tavares. They have an impressive core of forwards that should help the Islanders score a lot of goals. Ryan Strome is a breakout candidate. Kyle Okposo is very good when he’s healthy. Frans Nielsen and Anders Lee are both very underrated. Mikhail Grabovski is a talented possession forward, but he needs to have a bounce back year. He also needs to stay healthy.

WEAKNESSES: Their blue line is a little questionable once you get past Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy. Calvin de Haan is a good second pairing defenseman. They don’t really have another good second pairing defenseman. Travis Hamonic, Thomas Hickey, Brian Strait, and Marek Zidlicky will have to prove that they can be legitimate NHL defensemen.

OUTLOOK: They’ll definitely contend. Their blue line issues need to be fixed if they want to win the Stanley Cup.

Next: #9

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NHL Power Rankings: #9 – New York Rangers

Coming in at number nine in our NHL Power Rankings are the New York Rangers. The Rangers are coming off an Eastern Conference Final appearance. They underwent some changes during this offseason. It remains to be seen just how much those changes will affect the team. They should contend for a Stanley Cup regardless.

STRENGTHS: The Rangers have an impressive top six forward group. Rick Nash is one of the best goal scorers in the NHL and is an underrated two-way player. Derek Stepan had a down year in 2014-2015 but came up huge for them in the playoffs. Mats Zuccarello is extremely underrated and should make the first forward line much better.

Derrick Brassard has made a name for himself with his clutch scoring. Chris Kreider is an unpopular player because of his tendency to crash into goalies. However, he is an extremely talented forward who could have a breakout season this year. Jesper Fast could join the second forward line and give them another speedy option opposite Kreider.

Henrik Lundqvist is one of the best goalies in the NHL. Ryan McDonagh leads their blue line and is one of the best defensemen in the league when he’s healthy.

WEAKNESSES: Their defense isn’t as good as people would like to think it is. Dan Girardi is a liability and often holds McDonagh back from being a better player. Marc Staal is a bit pricey, but he’s a fine defenseman. Kevin Klein is overpaid considering what his role is. Dan Boyle and Keith Yandle are both offensively minded defensemen who struggle in their own zone.

It’s very concerning that the Rangers continue to let Tanner Glass play despite making the team much worse. He brings nothing of value to the table.

OUTLOOK: As long as Henrik doesn’t get injured again, the Rangers are a lock to make the playoffs. They don’t have Talbot to save them this season.

Next: #8

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #8 – Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are the reigning Stanley Cup champions. They underwent a bunch of changes over this offseason and are a completely different team than the one that won the Stanley Cup.

STRENGTHS: The Hawks still have their elite core of players. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will lead their first two forward lines. Toews is one of the best two-way centers in the league. Kane is one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league. Marian Hossa is such a good player who is often overlooked. It’s a shame that he’s never won a Selke Trophy. Duncan Keith continues to amaze me and is the best defenseman in the NHL (in my opinion). Corey Crawford isn’t elite, but he’s pretty gosh darn good and he has two Stanley Cups.

Their coaching is top notch. So is their front office. I’m not sure which one of the two makes the other one look better. That tends to be the case in the NHL. Either your coaching makes your FO look good or your FO makes your coach look good. Perhaps they just work together so flawlessly that neither one is the strongest. The Brent Seabrook contract is going to get ugly in a few years, but for now, it’s fine.

WEAKNESSES: The Hawks lost a lot of leadership and talent. I’m confused as to why they decided to keep Seabrook over Brandon Saad. They got a good return for Saad. Marko Dano shouldn’t be in the AHL for long. The guy who they’re going to miss the most? Patrick Sharp.

As excellent of a coach as Coach Q is, his reliance on veterans is a bit concerning. The Hawks are going to have a younger team this year. He has to trust his young players or they aren’t going to have a chance of repeating. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt because he’s so smart.

OUTLOOK: A down year for the Hawks likely means a first or second round exit. Teams wish they could be THAT spoiled.

Next: #7

Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #7 – Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are a team that contended for a Stanley Cup last season thanks to a sensational performance by Carey Price. They’ll need their other players to step up to the plate if they want to bring another Stanley Cup to Montreal.

STRENGTHS: Price is going to determine how far the Canadiens go this season. He has set the bar at an incredibly high level for himself. He’s got to reach it (and likely surpass it) to give Montreal their best chance of winning. Welcome to the world of being an elite player, Mr. Price.

Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk are two incredibly talented forwards. Galchenyuk could be on the verge of a breakout season while Pacioretty is one of the best young goal scorers in the NHL. Alexander Semin should give the Canadiens more scoring depth. That’s something that they lacked last season.

P.K. Subban leads their blue line. Subban could be even more valuable to his team than Price.

WEAKNESSES: The Habs were an awful possession team last season. That forced them to rely way too heavily on Price and caused them to had issues scoring goals. That’s something that must change this season because relying heavily on your goalie is not an efficient way to win games. Teams like the Capitals can get away with it because they can score. Montreal can’t.

OUTLOOK: Barring an injury to Carey Price, Montreal will once again be in the playoffs.

Next: #6

Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Power Rankings: #6 – St. Louis Blues

STRENGTHS: David Backes, Alex Steen, and Paul Stastny should form one of the best shutdown lines in the NHL. Jori Lehtera, Jaden Schwartz, and Vladimir Tarasenko should form one of the best scoring lines in the NHL. Their blue line group is arguably the best in the league.

WEAKNESSES: They’re a great regular season team. No question about that. However, they fall apart in the playoffs. They’ve got to find the answer to why they fall aprt and ensure that it doesn’t happen. The T.J. Oshie trade was horrible for them. All they have to show for it this season is Troy Brouwer.

OUTLOOK: Regular season success isn’t enough for the Blues anymore. If they don’t have postseason success, expect huge changes in St. Louis.

Next: #5

Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

#5 – Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins hope to bring the Stanley Cup back to Pittsburgh for the first time since the 2009 season. Their forward core should give them an excellent chance of doing so.

STRENGTHS: They are not going to have any issues scoring goals. Phil Kessel, Sidney Crosby, Patric Hornqvist, Chris Kunitz, Evgeni Malkin, David Perron, and Pascal Dupuis are going to be able to score goals whenever they want. Nick Bonino is a great addition and should center their third line. Beau Bennett is a solid third or fourth line option. Their power play is going to be unbelievably good.

Kris Letang is arguably the best defenseman in the NHL when he’s healthy. Marc-Andre Fleury is better than people give him credit for. Once they get Eric Fehr back, they might have the best forward group in the league.

WEAKNESSES: They rely too much on Letang. Olli Maata and Benoit Pouliot are unproven. Ian Cole is solid but is much better off in a second pairing role. Should Letang get injured long-term, the Penguins are screwed.

OUTLOOK: It’s quite simple. If Letang’s healthy, they’ll contend. If he’s not, they won’t.

Next: #4

Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

#4 – Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators look to contend for a Stanley Cup after a breakout season last year.

STRENGTHS: Their blue line is outstanding. Shea Weber, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, and Seth Jones give them four extremely talented defensemen. Filip Forsberg, Mike Ribeiro, Craig Smith, Colin Wilson, and James Neal give them five forwards that they can count on for goals. Mike Fisher is getting old, but he’s still a pretty productive player. Pekka Rinne is one of the best goalies in the league.

WEAKNESSES: The Predators are a relatively inexperienced team. They’re going to have to get over their playoff hump. Barrett Jackman should help with that. They also rely a bit too heavily on their top two forward lines for scoring. Their third line needs to score more so that their top two forward lines aren’t carrying all of the weight.

OUTLOOK: The Predators are about as complete of a team as you can find in the league.

Next: #3

Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

#3 – Washington Capitals

The Capitals are coming off an impressive season that saw them nearly beat the New York Rangers in the second round of the playoffs. The Caps improved their team during the offseason and enter the regular season as a popular Stanley Cup pick.

STRENGTHS: That first forward line is going to be nasty no matter who centers it. Nicklas Backstrom is out for at most 10 games. That’s fine because Evgeny Kuznetsov is fully capable of centering Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie. The Caps also have Justin Williams, Andre Burakovsky, Marcus Johansson, and Tom Wilson. All four of them should provide scoring depth.

John Carlson and Matt Niskanen lead an experienced blue line group that led the Capitals to the playoffs last season. Brooks Orpik and Karl Alzner take on tough minutes and help immensely on the penalty kill. Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov form a young but talented third pairing.

To top it all off, they have an elite goaltender in Braden Holtby and an excellent head coach in Barry Trotz.

WEAKNESSES: Their bottom six forwards could use some help. Brooks Laich and Jason Chimera must score more and be better defensively. There’s also the eternal issue of the playoffs. The addition of Williams should help immensely.

OUTLOOK: This is the best team that Barry Trotz has ever coached. It’s time for the Caps to put up or shut up.

Next: #2

Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

#2 – Anaheim Ducks

STRENGTHS: The Ducks improved their already impressive team that made it to the Western Conference Finals. Carl Hagelin was a great pickup at the draft. He should flourish in Anaheim’s system. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are two of the best forwards in the league. Sami Vatanen is primed for a breakout year. So is Jakub Silfverberg.

WEAKNESSES: Their blue line is a bit inexperienced. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but that is something that could wind up hurting them.

OUTLOOK: The Western Conference favorites are the Ducks, at least on paper. But they have to play the games.

Next: #1

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

#1 – Tampa Bay Lightning

STRENGTHS: They have an extremely impressive forward group and defensemen.

WEAKNESSES: Can Ben Bishop take this team to a Stanley Cup?

OUTLOOK: They’re the best team in the NHL on paper.

Next: Top Ten Eastern Conference Centers

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