The frenzy of the NHL offseason has all but come to a standstill. After the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup on June 24, all 32 teams convened in Las Vegas for the NHL Draft (June 27 and 28), which ended hours before Free Agency started on July 1.
In addition to some eye-popping signings, blockbuster trades also dotted the NHL landscape. Some teams picked up ground, some lost traction, and others remained where they were when the season ended.
Let’s check out our offseason NHL power rankings.
Related: 10 Worst Moves Of 2024 NHL Offseason, Including Jake DeBrusk Contract
32. Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks made some changes in the offseason, mainly regarding their threads, as they introduced a new logo and color scheme. On the ice, they made two moves outside of re-signing their own players, and Trevor Zegras remains a big name in the rumor mill. They’re still not very good.
31. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets hired a new general manager and head coach. At least management has been upgraded. But they appear to be too similar on the ice to the group that finished last in the Metropolitan Division last season. Now that Patrik Laine is out of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, GM Don Waddell can move ahead and negotiate a trade that will hopefully improve this club.
30. Chicago Blackhawks
It’s all about building up around Connor Bedard, and the Chicago Blackhawks have a long way to go there despite bringing in Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Alec Martinez, and Laurent Brossoit this offseason.
29. San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are still rebuilding and won’t find a ton of success in 2024-25, but like Chicago, they signed a handful of veterans to help first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini adjust to life in the NHL. It’ll be fun to watch stud youngsters Will Smith and Celebrini do their thing in the NHL this season.
28. Calgary Flames
Even though the Calgary Flames still employ Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri, the 2024-25 season will be the first year of a painful rebuild that should run through the arrival of their new arena in 2027. Maybe the kids in the lineup will be stars by then, or if not, the next decade of Flames hockey will be challenging to watch.
27. Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are sticking to their plan to allow the kids to grow and turn this once-mighty team back into a Stanley Cup contender. At least the young core is securing long-term deals, which will put fans at ease about the future.
26. New York Islanders
The New York Islanders haven’t won a playoff series since 2021, and besides handing out long-term extensions to veterans over the past few summers, the team has yet to make a splash in free agency. At least Patrick Roy will have an entire season to work his magic as a coach, but with the same lineup that doesn’t score many goals, it will be another stressful season trying to make the postseason.
25. Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres’ most significant move this offseason was bringing back former head coach Lindy Ruff for another tour of duty. As one of the younger lineups in the League, it’s time for these former top prospects to turn a corner in their careers and help Buffalo end the longest playoff drought in the NHL, which is now at 13 seasons.
24. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins were the oldest team in the League last season and are again in the running for the title. Even though they added Kevin Hayes to highlight their offseason, none of their additions are impact players. If Sidney Crosby wants one more shot at a Stanley Cup, he better hope they capture lightning in a bottle or expect another early spring.
23. Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken hired their second head coach, Dan Bylsma, and hope to find their way back into the playoffs. They lost some depth players and brought in forward Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Brandon Montour to upgrade now but with contracts that will not age well. Considering how deep the Western Conference is, the Kraken will be in a fight to be a wild card team.
22. Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are bringing back future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury for a farewell tour but have done almost nothing to improve his supporting cast to get him a chance for another shot at the playoffs. Like many teams in this part of the rankings, the Wild lineup does not instill fear in opponents.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers made headlines recently by giving Travis Konecy a massive eight-year extension that will throw the upcoming free-agent market out of whack. There’s also plenty of intrigue around the North American arrival of Matvei Michkov, the 19-year-old forward who was released from his KHL contract after being the Flyers first-round pick in 2023. “Michkov Mania” is running wild because this kid should be a stud. But let’s see if Philly can avoid another brutal late offseason collapse and actually make the playoffs this coming season.
20. Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators’ most significant move this offseason was acquiring Linus Ullmark, which should boost their goaltending. However, there’s still plenty of reliance on a young core that hasn’t been able to crack the playoff code yet. Regarding their leadership core, hopefully, Brady Tkachuk will get the chance to win the Stanley Cup one day after watching his brother Matthew do so this past season.
19. St. Louis Blues
It’s only been five years since the St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup, but they appear to be a shell of their former selves. Without sounding like a broken record, the Blues did little to nothing this offseason and plan on running it back with an underperforming team. Unfortunately, one of their top defensemen, Torey Krug, got hurt training and could miss the entire campaign.
18. Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have all the pieces to contend, but something about their play together doesn’t get the job done. Acquiring Darcy Kuemper will not solve their goalie issues, but keeping Quinton Byfield in the fold for the next half-decade will allow him to take up the mantle when veterans like Anze Kopitar move on one day.
17. Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights went all in to win the Stanley Cup in 2023, loading up their roster with players who came together for one goal. Now, years of expensive contracts have led to a significant roster shuffling. Even though everything still runs through Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, this year’s version of the Golden Knights will be quite different than years prior.
16. Winnipeg Jets
Now that Connor Hellebuyck is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, the Winnipeg Jets need to do more to get him a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Another team that remains stagnant regarding offseason moves appears ready to run it back with the same lineup that finished second in the division and was bounced unceremoniously in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.
15. Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals continue to have one of the older lineups in the league. Still, while Alex Ovechkin chases down the all-time goals record, he’s got support this season with Pierre-Luc Dubois, Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy, and Logan Thompson moving to D.C. After getting swept in the first round, the Capitals have a chance to be a better team in 2024-25.
14. Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings almost made the playoffs in 2023-24 and only got half a season from Patrick Kane. Now, he’s returning for a full slate of games, fully healthy following hip surgery last summer, and could be the difference in clinching a postseason berth. General manager Steve Yzerman also brought in two-time Stanley Cup champion Vladimir Tarasenko, another veteran in a lineup still maturing.
13. Colorado Avalanche
Outside of extending Casey Mittelstadt and Jonathan Drouin, the Colorado Avalanche have done nothing to improve their lineup for next season. Now, they are waiting for updates on the availability of Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin, two impact players who could make or break the club’s championship aspirations.
12. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes lost several key players but tried to plug the holes while extending coach Rod Brind’Amour. They just signed Martin Necas on a two-year contract. Let’s see if that stops him from still asking for a trade. This team doesn’t look as good as last season but remains formidable.
11. Utah Hockey Club
Utah’s first NHL season is shaping up to be pretty special. The young core of Logan Cooley and Clayton Keller is a good start, and the additions of defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino make the former Arizona Coyotes a more challenging team to play against this season.
10. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to employ a lethal offensive attack led by Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, and William Nylander. However, there are still questions in the lineup, which general manager Brad Treliving hopes he answered by adding defensemen Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. How big of a difference will the new coach, Craig Berube, make?
9. Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks biggest acquisition was Jake DeBrusk, but re-signing playoff hero Arturs Silvos is one of the best moves they made this offseason, assuring they have one of the League’s top goalie tandems heading into 2024-25, pairing Silvos with Thatcher Demko. Given the talent already in the lineup, there was no need for an overhaul now that many core players are locked in long-term.
8. New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils had a busy summer, hiring Sheldon Keefe, trading for Jacob Markstrom, and then bringing in reinforcements on defense to prevent a repeat of last season’s collapse. Considering the young talent in the forward group, the Devils, who almost won a division title two seasons ago, are right back in the mix as a top team in the East.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning made a gutsy call by letting their captain, Steven Stamkos, walk away in free agency, pivoting to sign the younger Jake Guentzel to offset the loss in production. Considering they still employ the League’s leading scorer in Nikita Kucherov and have a solid lineup from top to bottom, the Lightning’s championship window isn’t closed yet.
6. Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins may have let former Vezina Trophy winner Ullmark depart. However, they still have Jeremy Swayman in goal and believe they landed a top center in Elias Lindholm and game-wrecking defenseman Nikita Zadorov to remain one of the toughest opponents to play in the Eastern Conference.
5. Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers remain a top team in the NHL despite now owning the title as the League’s oldest lineup. After re-signing players who helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final and making the savvy move of inking Viktor Arvidsson, they made headlines by hiring Stan Bowman as their new general manager, which has divided the fanbase.
4. Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars were a top team in the Western Conference, and their core remains essentially unchanged, especially with Matt Duchene agreeing to a new deal. Even though they lost Tanev, adding Matt Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin will more than solidify the back end.
3. New York Rangers
The reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners have had a quiet summer. If it’s not broken, why try to fix it, right? Outside of acquiring Reilly Smith, the only thing looming over the New York Rangers now is Igor Shesterkin’s contract extension since he faces unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2024-25 season.
2. Florida Panthers
The Stanley Cup champions are still the team to beat in the NHL. In June, the Florida Panthers toasted their first title win. Then they spent most of July reconstructing their bottom six and filling out their defensive corps after losing several players in free agency. Their headline move of the summer was bringing back 50-goal scorer Sam Reinhart.
1. Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators stole the show on the first day of free agency. Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei were signed in a massive haul. Unbeknownst to everyone, Music City is now a preferred destination for players who want to win, especially with netminder Juuse Saros locked in for the long term.