Stars
(3) The Stars had the roster of a Stanley Cup contender coming into the season, and so they solely added extra firepower because the season progressed. Not solely did Dallas usher in Chris Tanev to bolster its protection, but it surely additionally referred to as up rookie Logan Stankoven, who instantly grew to become an issue for opponents. The Stars are insanely deep, and no group is enjoying higher hockey than them proper now. 1 52-21-9
2

Hurricanes
(2) Nailed it. Coming into the 2023-24 season, I assumed this 12 months could be totally different for the Hurricanes. The best way issues have performed out has solely strengthened that perception. The Canes obtained off to a poor begin, due largely to subpar goaltending, however that has since corrected itself. On prime of that, Jake Guentzel has been super since coming to Carolina on the commerce deadline. He could be what helps this Carolina group recover from the Stanley Cup hump. 1 52-23-7
3

Rangers
(9) As soon as once more, the Rangers have managed to trip elite particular groups and powerful goaltending to the highest of the NHL standings. I am accomplished knocking the blueshirts for his or her middling five-on-five numbers as a result of they’ve the high-end talent to beat that, as they’ve confirmed once more this season. It additionally helps that Artemi Panarin had a resurgent season with a profession excessive 49 objectives and 120 factors. That will be ok to win the Hart Trophy in some years. 2 55-23-4
4

Jets
(21) The Jets are my first huge whiff from the preseason rankings, and we’re solely 4 groups into this train. Contemplating how Winnipeg ended final season and the modifications made within the offseason, I did not see this group enhancing. But, the Jets remained close to the highest of the Central Division all 12 months. Connor Hellebuyck is the Vezina Trophy favourite, and the Pierre-Luc Dubois deal now appears to be like like a stroke of genius. The Jets have a balanced roster and can seemingly have home-ice benefit within the first spherical of the postseason. 6 51-24-6
5

Oilers
(1) If not for a horribly disastrous begin to the season, the Oilers may need ended this season at No. 1. Edmonton actually performed like the very best group within the league for stretches this 12 months. Connor McDavid hit 100 assists on Monday evening, Leon Draisaitl hit 40 objectives once more this season, and the group’s protection took a step ahead after Kris Knoblauch took over behind the bench. So long as the goaltending holds up within the playoffs, the Oilers are one of many scarier groups within the West. 2 49-26-6
6

Panthers
(11) The Panthers weathered some harm points to start the season, and so they wound up wanting like the very best group within the NHL for a number of months. Sadly for Florida, the group has regarded slightly extra weak these days. These struggles can most likely be attributed to an ice chilly energy play and an harm to Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers have all of the makings of a Stanley Cup winner, however they’ve sort of stumbled to the end line of the common season. 3 52-24-6
7

Bruins
(8) Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired. Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitri Orlov departed within the offseason. These losses could be devastating for different groups, however they did not have an effect on the Bruins an excessive amount of. That is what occurs if you nonetheless have elite protection, super goaltending and a really elite expertise at ahead. Now Boston simply must redeem itself following final season’s first-round playoff exit. 3 47-20-15
8

Maple Leafs
(6) I figured the Maple Leafs could be on this vary when the season ended, and so they did it in typical Toronto style. The highest gamers did a overwhelming majority of the heavy lifting, and that’s particularly the case with Auston Matthews. Going into Tuesday evening’s recreation in opposition to the Panthers, Matthews has 69 objectives and is hoping to change into the primary participant to hit 70 in many years. The Leafs’ top-heavy strategy has made them a lot formidable within the common season, however will that formulation ship a deep postseason run? — 46-26-10
9

Canucks
(20) One other swing and a miss from yours actually. It looks as if the Canucks have gotten slightly playoff hype in every of the previous few offseasons, and it by no means got here to fruition till now. Clearly, I wasn’t shopping for this group heading into the 2023-24 marketing campaign, however Vancouver proved me unsuitable in a significant manner. Quinn Hughes is headed for a Norris Trophy win, J.T. Miller has one other 100-point season, Brock Boeser has fulfilled goal-scoring potential and Elias Pettersson stays superior. All the pieces has lastly come collectively for the Canucks. 3 50-22-9
10

Golden Knights
(7) It wasn’t all the time simple for the defending Cup champs this season, however they’ve began to discover a groove once more these days. In a stunning flip of occasions, Mark Stone could be again simply in time for Recreation 1 of the playoffs, and he’ll be part of a lineup that added Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl in his absence. This Vegas group by no means cared about ending first within the common season. Going back-to-back was all the time the main target, and the Golden Knights have positioned themselves to do exactly that. 1 45-28-8
11

Lightning
(16) When the puck dropped on opening evening, I assumed the Lightning would possibly lastly be coming down from their absolute peak. For a lot of the season, I assumed I may need been proper. Then, the Lightning flipped a change down the stretch. Since March 1, the Bolts are 12-5-2, and their energy play stays among the many most deadly within the NHL. Nikita Kucherov is enjoying at a Hart Trophy stage, and Andrei Vasilevskiy continues to be able to stealing a collection or two. Tampa won’t be going anyplace in spite of everything. 2 45-29-8
12

Avalanche
(5) On paper, the Avalanche have the substances to be a juggernaut and seize their second Stanley Cup in three years. They’ve actually regarded the half at instances all through the season, however the Avs have gained simply three of their final 10 video games and goaltending stays a priority. Alexandar Georgiev has struggled all 12 months, and Justus Annunen has simply 17 video games of NHL expertise beneath his belt. The excellent news for Colorado is that Nathan MacKinnon is totally able to keen his group to victory on his personal. 7 49-25-7
13

Predators
(23) After making vital modifications within the offseason, the Predators have been all the time going to be extra attention-grabbing, however I did not assume that will translate to extra wins proper out of the gate. As an alternative, Nashville is again within the playoffs with a 99-point season, and head coach Andrew Brunette is within the Jack Adams dialog. Roman Josi is enjoying elite hockey, and veterans like Ryan O’Reilly and Gus Nyquist have been the right match alongside Filip Forsberg. The Preds have exceeded expectations and shall be a troublesome out within the postseason. 1 47-30-5
14

Islanders
(18) The Islanders and their followers have been on a rollercoaster that rivals House Mountain. The Isles’ season has consisted completely of peaks and valleys, together with the firing of Lane Lambert and the hiring of Patrick Roy. As not too long ago as March 26, the Islanders have been six factors out of a playoff spot, however they’ve gotten crimson sizzling down the stretch. Workforce protection and wonderful goaltending have helped them earn an unbelievable playoff berth, and now the query is whether or not the Islanders could have sufficient steam left to offer the Hurricanes a great struggle. 1 39-27-16
15

Kings
(10) The Kings have already punched their playoff ticket, however I sort of anticipated extra from this group heading into the 2023-24 season. After including Pierre-Luc Dubois, Los Angeles regarded like an actual contender within the West, however that hasn’t materialized. Do not get me unsuitable. It is a good group. It is simply Dubois hasn’t lived as much as expectations in any respect, and the goaltending scenario is on shaky floor. After all, the Kings could have the chance to vary each of these narratives within the playoffs. 1 43-27-11
16

Crimson Wings
(22) Detroit has, for higher or worse, been probably the most electrifying group within the closing weeks of the 2023-24 NHL season. Lucas Raymond has been working magic, Dylan Larkin has been the guts and soul of the squad, and it looks as if each Crimson Wings recreation comes all the way down to the wire. Detroit in the end fell in need of the playoffs, but it surely has nonetheless been probably the most entertaining season in Hockeytown in a really very long time. 2 41-32-9
17

Penguins
(12) I buried the Pens roughly six weeks in the past, and Sidney Crosby has accomplished all the pieces he can to dig out of that grave and make me look silly. Since March 17, Crosby has notched 10 objectives and 16 assists in 15 video games. In that span, Pittsburgh has gone 9-3-3 to vault itself into the thick of the playoff race. Crosby’s efforts weren’t sufficient, and the Penguins missed the playoffs for the second straight 12 months after making a giant splash final offseason. 2 38-32-12
18

Blues
(26) In a manner, the Blues did sort of show me unsuitable. I anticipated them to be one of many worst groups within the NHL, however they’re going to end simply exterior the Western Convention playoffs. The one causes this St. Louis group was anyplace close to a postseason berth have been a profession 12 months for Robert Thomas and goaltender Jordan Binnington standing on his head all 12 months. When it comes to five-on-five play, few groups have been as poor because the Blues, and there have to be some modifications to the blue line within the offseason. 2 43-33-6
19

Capitals
(24) The Capitals defeated the Flyers on Tuesday evening, and they’re within the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, in opposition to all odds. This group has been dwelling on a razor’s edge all season, and the minus-37 objective differential makes that very clear. That’s the worst mark of any playoff group in NHL historical past. Washington deserves a whole lot of credit score for locating a option to get in, however the Rangers must be licking their chops. Washington can solely hope Charlie Lindgren has some extra magic hidden between the pipes. 2 40-31-11
20

Wild
(14) The Wild have been all the time going to have an uphill battle this season because of the upwards of $14 million in useless cap hits on the books. That prevented them from making any vital upgrades, however Minnesota nonetheless had the potential to be a playoff group. Essentially the most stunning a part of this season for the Wild is that the goaltending utterly collapsed. Filip Gustavsson got here all the way down to Earth following an distinctive 2022-23 marketing campaign, and Marc-Andre Fleury was underwhelming too. — 39-32-10
21

Sabres
(17) The Sabres have already fired head coach Don Granato following an 84-point season, and that most likely would not occur in the event that they have been as near the playoffs as I anticipated them to be. Key gamers like Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens all took steps backward this 12 months, and that basically cooked an already middling roster. Buffalo’s playoff drought extends to 13 seasons, and the group shall be beginning over at head coach but once more. 1 39-37-6
22

Flames
(13) For the second season in a row, I used to be fooled by the Flames. This 12 months, I assumed they’d bounce again and attain the playoffs. They’re solely 17 factors away. So shut. Calgary accepted its destiny as a non-contender and acted accordingly. The Flames dealt away anybody with respectable worth on the commerce market, and so they sank like a stone down the Western Convention standings. Evidently, I will not be hitching my wagon to this group in 2024-25. 4 37-39-5
23

Coyotes
(25) The Coyotes as soon as once more completed close to the underside of the NHL standings, so I deserve no credit score for predicting the inevitable. The true story right here is that it appears to be like just like the Yotes shall be enjoying their ultimate recreation in Arizona on Wednesday evening. After years of mismanagement, the Coyotes are reportedly headed to Salt Lake Metropolis this summer season, with Utah Jazz proprietor Ryan Smith shopping for the franchise. It is an unceremonious manner for the Yotes to go away city, and I really feel for hockey followers within the desert. 4 36-41-5
24

Kraken
(19) Coming off their unbelievable 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff run, I wasn’t shopping for the Kraken. Their magical season was the results of unsustainable percentages masking underlying issues. Apparently, I did not promote sufficient inventory as a result of they weren’t even on the playoff bubble within the final couple of weeks. Seattle shall be an attention-grabbing group this summer season as a result of it has some flexibility to make vital strikes on the commerce market and in free company. — 33-35-13
25

Devils
(4) Woof. From prime 5 to No. 25. What a fall from grace for the Devils, a group I got here to like watching final season. Accidents piled up. The goaltending was an unmitigated catastrophe. The protection took a step again. It is arduous to seek out any silver linings in New Jersey. The one solace I can take right here is that I used to be removed from alone. 2 38-39-5
26

Senators
(15) Woof once more. I referred to as my shot with the Senators as a playoff group in 2024-25, and I struck out on three pitches. Ottawa was by no means even near the postseason, regardless of its promising younger lineup. The blue line nonetheless wants a whole lot of work, and Joonas Korpisalo was not the reply between the pipes. We’ll see what number of modifications are made this summer season after one other disappointing end for the Sens. 1 37-41-4
27

Flyers
(31) The Flyers wound up ending about the place I assumed they’d, however they took a wild path to get right here. For a lot of the season, it regarded like Philadelphia could be within the playoffs. John Tortorella was squeezing each little bit of juice out of this roster, however the group fell just a few drops brief. The Flyers went 7-10-4 after the calendar flipped to March, and so they fell all the best way out of playoff place. Nonetheless, this was an encouraging marketing campaign for what regarded like a putrid roster to begin the 12 months. 6 38-33-11
28

Canadiens
(30) The Habs have been nonetheless clearly in rebuilding mode this season, and the main target was extra on growing their younger gamers. They managed to do this, particularly so far as Juraj Slafkovsky is anxious. The 20-year-old former No. 1 total decide hit the 20-goal mark on the ultimate day of the season, and he completed the season with 50 factors. — 30-36-16
29

Blue Jackets
(27) It was one other ugly season in Columbus, however maybe a brand new regime will usher in some optimistic vibes this summer season. The Blue Jackets do have some attention-grabbing younger items, like Adam Fantilli and David Jiricek, so there’s some optimism that the group will take huge steps ahead within the coming years. — 27-43-12
30

Geese
(28) Anaheim stays very unhealthy because the group tries to finish its rebuilding course of. The most important downer for this Geese’ season got here within the type of accidents. Trevor Zegras missed vital time, and there’s hypothesis that he has performed his ultimate season in Anaheim. 1 26-50-5
31

Blackhawks
(29) Connor Bedard is unquestionably good at hockey. That was confirmed. Apart from that, the Blackhawks can burn the 2023-24 season from their recollections. It was one other atrocious season within the Windy Metropolis, however the group is in rivalry to land a second consecutive No. 1 total decide. 1 23-53-5
32

Sharks
(32) Credit score to me for having the foresight to foretell that the worst roster within the NHL would not win many video games. The Sharks have been impressively unhealthy, and they’re within the driver’s seat to pick out Macklin Celebrini on the prime of the 2024 NHL Draft. — 19-53-9