Way-too-early NHL Power Rankings
The Carolina Hurricanes are 2026 Stanley Cup champions!While the team and its fans continue the celebration, it’s time to look ahead to the fall with our way-too-early edition of the NHL Power Rankings.In addition to the rankings, we’ve identified the key early-offseason storyline for each club, with the NHL draft on June 26-27 and free agency opening on July 1.How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on their predictions for the 2026-27 season.Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the final regular-season edition, published on April 10. Salary cap information is via PuckPedia.Previous ranking: 2The Canes are well positioned for more success in the coming years, but they do have a couple of interesting players hitting free agency this summer. Goaltender Frederik Andersen is an unrestricted free agent, while defenseman Alexander Nikishin is restricted. If upgrades are desired, the team has close to $12 million in cap space to make them.Previous ranking: 1GM Chris MacFarland departed to take over the Predators, with Joe Sakic retaking the reins for Colorado. His forward corps is in good shape, with most of his key players locked in for the next few years. On defense, the situation is quite a bit more in flux. Cale Makar will be eligible to sign a contract extension this summer — likely with a significant raise over his current $9 million average annual value — and he is one of just four blueliners under contract from the 2026 playoff roster.Previous ranking: 3All eyes are on the negotiations with Jason Robertson, a restricted free agent whose prior deal paid him $7.75 million through the end of this season. The 26-year-old had 45 goals and 96 points in 2025-26, giving him 155 goals and 365 points in his past four.Previous ranking: 7The Habs have now learned which players are critical to their continued ascent after a somewhat surprising appearance in the Eastern Conference finals this spring. Montreal will need new deals for RFA forwards Joseph Veleno, Kirby Dach and Zack Bolduc, along with defenseman Arber Xhekaj. But after that it will look for some other veteran help to fill in around the edges.Previous ranking: 4From the longest playoff drought in pro sports to the cusp of the Eastern Conference finals — and a legendary merch item — the 2025-26 season was a memorable one for the Sabres. The big offseason question for Buffalo is whether they can reach a deal with free agent Alex Tuch, who is one of the top players on the free agent market this summer. The Sabres will also need new deals for RFAs Peyton Krebs, Zach Benson and Michael Kesselring, with around $12 million in cap space within which to fit it all.Previous ranking: 15Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Golden Knights will be in a bit of a cap crunch this summer, with $4.625 million in space. Their most vital UFA is defenseman Rasmus Andersson, while Pavel Dorofeyev and Akira Schmid are RFAs. This offseason might also bring about some clarity on Alex Pietrangelo, who took the 2025-26 season off while recovering from an injury but has indicated that he is attempting to make a comeback.Previous ranking: 5The biggest question for the Lightning heading into free agency is whether they’ll re-up with defenseman Darren Raddysh, who exploded for 22 goals and 70 points while turning 30 years old in 2025-26. (He had 70 points the two prior seasons combined.) The Lightning can also remove one of the top potential 2027 free agents off the table by re-signing Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov, who is entering the final season of a contract with a $9.5 million annual cap hit.Previous ranking: 6The Wild fought valiantly, but ultimately were defeated in the second round by the Avalanche. How do they push farther next season? A slew of veterans are hitting UFA status, including Nick Foligno, Marcus Johansson (who has signed to play next season for a Swedish team), Vladimir Tarasenko, Mats Zuccarello, Robby Fabbri, Zach Bogosian and Jeff Petry. Meanwhile, RFAs Bobby Brink and Daemon Hunt need new deals. Beyond that, will GM Billy Guerin continue his penchant for big trades this summer after the Quinn Hughes blockbuster this past December?Previous ranking: 26The Panthers’ biggest addition this summer will be Aleksander Barkov, the captain who missed the entirety of the 2025-26 season after a lower-body injury suffered last preseason. GM Bill Zito has over $15 million in cap space to deploy in the coming weeks and will need to use some of it on goaltending, as both Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov are UFAs. Beyond that, will there be another blockbuster trade or signing?Previous ranking: 9A decision will be made in the coming weeks on veteran forward Viktor Arvidsson, who was a key part of the Bruins’ forward group this season. The 33-year-old is a UFA and has been linked to many other NHL teams in free agency as a solution to their top-six woes. The Bruins have $15.4 million to use on their offseason wish list, which could include another veteran center as incoming rookie James Hagens develops his game at the NHL level.Previous ranking: 8Heading into 2025-26, some believed the Penguins would begin a teardown — with Sidney Crosby (and others) finishing the campaign elsewhere. Instead, Crosby & Co. battled their way back into the playoffs. With Evgeni Malkin already re-signed this spring, GM Kyle Dubas will now look for some upgrades, making use of nearly $38 million in cap space along with a king’s ransom of future draft capital that can be used in trades.Previous ranking: 10The Senators’ short term will be defined by decisions on UFAs such as Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins and Nick Jensen. Thereafter, the goaltending beyond Linus Ullmark will be the next task. And is this the summer that the Sens make a blockbuster trade to get an edge on their rivals atop the Atlantic Division?Previous ranking: 12Before the Cup Final had ended, defenseman Darnell Nurse had requested a trade, and figuring out a worthwhile return for the veteran will be critical as the Oilers enter — potentially — the penultimate season with Connor McDavid on the roster. The Oilers might also need to find a different person to take over as head coach, as their initial choice of Mike Babcock is now in a holding pattern while the NHL and NHLPA investigate Babcock’s brief time with the Blue Jackets in 2023.Previous ranking: 11This offseason will revolve around two former Ducks that took flight in Philly: Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, both first-round picks in Anaheim who are restricted free agents. Those new pacts will eat into the Flyers’ $37.5 million in cap space, and the team will be looking to add more “Rick Tocchet style” players to the roster as well. And could this be the summer they trade Matvei Michkov, who did not seem like a good fit with his new coach?Previous ranking: 16Speaking of the Ducks, they too have some high-performing RFAs to re-sign; their list includes top-six forwards Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, along with defensemen Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov. The team has $38.8 million to get those deals done, along with adding to a roster that leveled up significantly and beat the mighty Oilers in the playoffs. Defense might be the focus, as Radko Gudas, John Carlson and Jacob Trouba are all UFAs.Previous ranking: 13A playoff team in just its second season of existence, the Mammoth are poised to take another step forward in 2026-27. Assistant captain Alexander Kerfoot (UFA) and Barrett Hayton (RFA) need new deals, but then GM Bill Armstrong will be looking to add to a roster with no major holes in it. And will next season mark the debut of last year’s No. 4 overall pick Caleb Desnoyers?Previous ranking: 19This offseason will revolve around Alex Ovechkin and his decision to continue his NHL career (or not) until that call is made. Thereafter, it’ll be on GM Chris Patrick to make sure the team is the best it can be for another run at the Stanley Cup with the Great Eight on the roster — or turning the page to the post-Ovi era.Previous ranking: 18Dylan Larkin’s trade request was the first big shock of 2026 transaction season, and nailing the return on that deal will set the stage for the remainder of the summer for GM Steve Yzerman. It could also influence the near future for veteran UFAs such as Patrick Kane, David Perron and James van Riemsdyk.Previous ranking: 17Peter DeBoer was brought in for the closing games of the 2026-27 season and might want to reshape the Isles’ roster heading into his first full campaign. That will begin with a decision on captain Anders Lee, who is a UFA, and Mathew Barzal, whose name has continually been floated as a trade candidate this spring.Previous ranking: 14The Blue Jackets have a slew of key players hitting free agency, including UFAs Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, Danton Heinen and Erik Gudbranson, along with RFAs Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, Jet Greaves and Yegor Zamula. Fortunately, they also have $32.4 million in cap space to get that done, along with dipping into free agency to add around a core group that has been right on the playoff cusp the past two seasons.Previous ranking: 21There’s an Anze Kopitar-sized hole on the Kings’ roster following the future Hall of Famer’s retirement. Does Quinton Byfield ascend to Kopitar’s role as the top-line center or does L.A. make an addition from outside? The Kings have been linked to every potential trade target this summer, and those rumors will persist until a deal is made (or the season begins). Beyond that, the club will have to make a call on RFA defenseman Brandt Clarke — who has been mentioned as a potential trade chip in some of those rumors.Previous ranking: 24Newly hired GM Sunny Mehta inherits a team that only two seasons ago made the second round of the playoffs. He and the front office will need to make calls on RFAs Arseny Gritsyuk, Paul Cotter and Simon Nemec — the latter of whom has also been the subject of trade rumors — while captain Nico Hischier is entering the final year of his current deal, and thus eligible to sign a new one.Previous ranking: 22For a long stretch of the 2025-26 season, it looked like the Sharks were going to qualify for the playoffs. They didn’t quite get there, but GM Mike Grier will use the coming weeks to give them every chance to do so in 2026-27. It helps that breakout superstar Macklin Celebrini makes just $975,000 next season (he’ll be an RFA next summer), while Will Smith ($950,000), Michael Misa ($986,250) and Sam Dickinson ($953,750) also remain on their entry-level contracts. How much of the Sharks’ $40.6 million will go toward adding some veteran help for their young hotshots?Previous ranking: 28The Maple Leafs have a new GM in John Chayka and a new incoming head coach yet to be named, but those aren’t even top-two headlines for the Leafs this summer. They landed the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery — and appear poised to select Gavin McKenna — while franchise center Auston Matthews has been the subject of ongoing trade rumors.Previous ranking: 23On the plus side, the Jets have much of their core of key players inked to long-term deals, including Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Gabriel Vilardi, Adam Lowry, Neal Pionk and Connor Hellebuyck. On the downside, Hellebuyck’s comments after the regular season have led to speculation that he wants a trade. A deal for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner would have to wow GM Kevin Cheveldayoff — and be approved by Hellebuyck, who has a no-movement clause — but would obviously be a franchise-altering one.Previous ranking: 20After building a perennial contender with the Avalanche, incoming GM Chris MacFarland will now attempt to pull off the same feat with the Preds. He’ll have to make calls on UFAs Erik Haula, Tyson Jost and Kevin Gravel, but his predecessor Barry Trotz has left him with an impressive collection of young NHLers and prospects, in addition to seasoned veterans such as Steven Stamkos, Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi and Juuse Saros. How much change will MacFarland bring about in his first season?Previous ranking: 25Leading up to the 2025-26 trade deadline, Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas and Colton Parayko were all mentioned as trade candidates — with Parayko having to invoke his no-trade clause to void a deal to the Sabres. As the offseason begins, all three are once again being floated as possibilities for swaps (though one wonders how likely those deals are given all three players have NTCs). Meanwhile, goaltender Jordan Binnington — entering the final year of his current deal with a partial no-trade clause — has also been rumored in trade, with a handful of top contenders in need of help at the position.Previous ranking: 27This is the first offseason for GM Jason Botterill after Ron Francis moved on from the role. Botterill will have calls to make on UFAs Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen, Bobby McMann and Jamie Oleksiak, and over $28 million in cap space to give the team what it needs to make a more serious push for the postseason in 2027. The Kraken also have extra first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 that could be used for more immediate help.Previous ranking: 29Were the Rangers’ failures this past season an issue with roster construction or execution? Next season will be the second for Mike Sullivan behind the bench, with expectations ramped up given his success with Team USA at the Olympics — and that of the Knicks, with whom the Rangers share Madison Square Garden. GM Chris Drury and his predecessors in the role haven’t been afraid to shake things up with a blockbuster trade, and half of the league has been linked to New York in the rumor mill. Will any of those come to fruition?Previous ranking: 30The Flames have become the poster child for leaning into a rebuild, after trading a handful of key veterans during the past few seasons, building up their prospect pipeline to be among the NHL’s best and accruing an absurd amount of high draft picks. How absurd? They have two first-rounders in each of the next three drafts, and eight total picks in the first three rounds in this year’s draft. Will GM Craig Conroy use all of those picks, or will he cash them in to add some veteran help around the impressive young roster?Previous ranking: 31Prior to significant injuries for Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, the Blackhawks looked like 2025-26 was the season they would make a real run at a playoff spot. Will they get over the hump in 2026-27? The first item of business for GM Kyle Davidson is a new contract for RFA Bedard. Then, he’ll need to use the remainder of the $40.2 million in cap space to surround his young stars with the right veterans. Chicago has three first-round picks in the 2027 draft; could one of those be used to land a significant addition via trade?Previous ranking: 32Make no mistake, the Canucks leaned all the way in on a rebuild during this past season, dealing away Quinn Hughes, Kiefer Sherwood and Tyler Myers (among others), and clinched last place in the standings with weeks remaining in the season. Now comes the hard part. The primary task as the offseason begins is deciding whether to trade Elias Pettersson, once a 100-point player who has slipped significantly in recent campaigns. The Canucks added some excellent young players in the Hughes swap — Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium and Liam Ohgren, along with Minnesota’s 2026 first-rounder — and will hope to land some more in any potential deal involving Pettersson.
Diterbitkan : 2026-06-15 05:39:00
sumber : www.espn.com
