NHL Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands Heading Into 2024 Training Camp

Just over 12 weeks have passed since the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24 and triggered a summer's worth of hockey revelry in the Sunshine State.

And here we are again as rookies and veterans report for physicals and each of the NHL's 31 other teams kick-start optimism across their fanbases that maybe this is their year.

It's closer to reality in some places than others, of course, and the B/R hockey team got together again to rank where every team stands heading into training camp.

Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought of your own in the comments.

Previous Ranking: 32

It's far more about healing than hockey these days in middle Ohio, where the organization and its fans are reeling from the death of Johnny Gaudreau on August 29.

When the focus does return to the ice, trying to lift a hurting group will be a daunting task for new head coach Dean Evason.

Previous Ranking: 31

Another NHL city. Another new coach. First-timer Ryan Warsofsky steps behind the bench for a Sharks team that's swimming in young, albeit unproven talent.

Top overall pick Macklin Celebrini leads the new-kid parade and will aim to make the same sort of impact Connor Bedard did last year in Chicago.

Previous Ranking: 30

It's been six seasons without a playoff berth for the Ducks, and the odds are slim that it won't get to seven.

However, Anaheim fans can watch their own crew of youngsters who'll be rocking the NHL's newest old-school jerseys.

First-rounders Beckett Sennecke and Stian Solberg may not see the postseason, but they may turn some heads if they reach the opening-night roster.

Previous Ranking: 29

Will they get out of the league's lower echelon? Probably not. But it's bound to be at least a little better in Chicago, where the Blackhawks continued to build a roster of playmates for Connor Bedard.

It's "welcome to the Windy City" time for Teuvo Teräväinen and Tyler Bertuzzi, who scored a combined 46 goals last season for the Hurricanes and the Maple Leafs, respectively.

Previous Ranking: 23

A five-spot rankings drop since early July doesn't reflect a lot of confidence in the Flames, which sent veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom to New Jersey in June and will hope for a rebound season from Jonathan Huberdeau.

The former Panther has 107 points in two seasons in Calgary after producing 115 in his final year in Florida.

Previous Ranking: 28

Can Patrik Laine be the player in Montreal he was never able to be in Columbus?

That's the burning question surrounding the Canadiens after the August trade that brought the 26-year-old over from the Blue Jackets and instantly upgraded the top six for coach Martin St. Louis, whose system thrives on speed and skill.

Previous Ranking: 21

John Tortorella has made a career out of righting foundering NHL ships, and he did that for the first three-quarters of last season with the Flyers before a stumble down the stretch saw them miss the playoffs with 87 points.

Problem is, the upticks expected in New Jersey and Ottawa may relegate Philly to similar status again unless Matvei Michkov lights things up.

Previous Ranking: 25

Exactly what Year 4 of the Kraken experience in Seattle will look like remains to be seen, but the organization has made a commitment to its first-ever draft pick, Matty Beniers, in the form of a seven-year, $49.98 million contract.

The 21-year-old isn't a bad horse to hitch the wagon to, though he did plummet from 57 points in his rookie season to 37 in 2023-24.

Previous Ranking: 24

The Wild will begin training camp with center Ryan Hartman playing on the top line with sniper Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello.

Marco Rossi, who produced 21 goals and 40 points in his first full NHL season in 2023-24, will also get his turns.

Hartman, who is beginning his ninth NHL season, had 21 goals and 45 points last year.

Previous Ranking: 20

It's like settling into an old comfortable couch for Lindy Ruff, who returns for a second stint behind the bench in Buffalo.

The 64-year-old coached the Sabres from 1997 to 2012 and reached the playoffs eight times before he was fired. The team did not reach the postseason with any of the six coaches who followed him.

Previous Ranking: 27

There's a new location, new outfits and a new sense of optimism for the artists formerly known as the Jets and Coyotes, who head to Salt Lake City under the stewardship of new owner Ryan Smith.

Veterans Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino have been brought in via trades with Tampa Bay and New Jersey, respectively, and should strengthen the blue line.

Previous Ranking: 26

If you're among those who believed the Senators were just a steady goaltender away from contending for a bottom-half playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, this will be your prove-it season.

Linus Ullmark figures to get the bulk of work for a team that gave up the fifth-most goals (281) in the league in 2023-24.

Previous Ranking: 15

The Capitals are clearly not content to run the same old roster out alongside Alex Ovechkin as he continues to pursue Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record.

Pierre-Luc Dubois comes off the books in Los Angeles with a chance at career resurrection in Washington, and he's joined by defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy and goalie Logan Thompson.

Previous Ranking: 16

A pretty mundane summer for the Islanders was interrupted a few days ago when coach Patrick Roy let slip during a media session that Ilya Sorokin had offseason back surgery.

The 29-year-old netminder, whose eight-year, $66 million extension kicks in this season, skidded from a 2.34 goals-against average in 2022-23 to 3.01 in 2023-24.

Previous Ranking: 18

General manager Doug Armstrong worked through the free-agency frenzy with more of a whimper than a bang, but he revved the controversy engines with a shrewd offer-sheet maneuver that brought both Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from Edmonton.

Now, he'll count on the duo to warrant the combined $7.48 million they'll make this season.

Previous Ranking: 22

Will the final three seasons of Sidney Crosby's NHL career be spent in contention or irrelevance? It depends on who you ask these days in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons.

The 37-year-old remains committed, though, as evidenced by the two-year extension he signed last week to keep him in town through 2026-27.

Previous Ranking: 17

And here's another candidate alongside Buffalo and Ottawa for the "will they or won't they?" list in the Eastern Conference.

The Red Wings haven't reached the playoffs since 2016 or won a series since 2013, but they have held onto Cup-pedigree veteran Patrick Kane for another season and added Vladimir Tarasenko from the Panthers.

Previous Ranking: 13

It's only a two-spot dip for the Kings since the early summer, but it feels like it could be more for a team with a vibe that seems less optimistic.

GM Rob Blake extricated himself from the albatross contract belonging to Pierre-Luc Dubois, but it'll take more than Darcy Kuemper and Warren Foegele to win a playoff series, which Los Angeles hasn't done since 2014.

Previous Ranking: 11

There has been a fair bit of turnover for a solid, albeit not-quite Cup-contending team in Winnipeg, where the Jets welcome Scott Arniel behind the bench after Rick Bowness' retirement.

Also gone are Tyler Toffoli, Sean Monahan and others, while restricted free agent Cole Perfetti—one of the team's prized youngsters at 22—hasn't agreed to a bridge or long-term deal.

Previous Ranking: 12

Just when you think the Lightning will finally slide into the background after a run that has included three trips to the Cup Final and two boat parades, they find a way to stick around.

Games will somehow be played even with Steven Stamkos now employed in Nashville, but that hole is at least partially filled by the arrival of Jake Guentzel.

Previous Ranking: 5

It's a seven-spot plunge for the Bruins in spite of the offseason arrivals of Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov from Vancouver.

Of immediate concern in Boston is the absence of RFA goalie Jeremy Swayman, who hasn't signed a new deal, though he is expected to take over as No. 1 after Ullmark was dealt to Ottawa.

Previous Ranking: 8

They're still a newish NHL team by comparison, but it will be a different era for the Golden Knights without long-term stalwarts Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and Alec Martinez, all of whom bolted in free agency.

Jack Eichel and Mark Stone are still around from the 2023 Cup win, and their health is of utmost importance in 2024-25.

Previous Ranking: 9

Make no mistake, the Hurricanes should still be quite good in the East, but it'll feel different for a while after the blue line was gutted by the exits of veterans Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce.

Jake Guentzel didn't stick around either after Carolina brought him in at the trade deadline for a Cup run that fizzled in a second-round loss to the New York Rangers.

Previous Ranking: 10

Though Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has his own vibe, GM Barry Trotz took the phrase "all in" to mean a buying spree was in order to raise the profile in Nashville.

Cup winners Stamkos and Marchessault lead the new-face parade and are joined by Skjei from Carolina. Most importantly, Jusse Saros will be around for many more years, too.

Previous Ranking: 14

When it comes to our voters, the Maple Leafs are about as polarizing as, oh... never mind.

Anyway, Toronto jumps six spots thanks to two top-eight picks that offset a low-end ballot that had the team outside the top 10.

Regardless, the defense should be sturdier with the additions of Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Previous Ranking: 7

Dakota Joshua's disclosure that he underwent testicular cancer surgery was a pre-camp jolt, but he says he'll be ready to return fairly soon.

The Canucks have also added some pieces to ensure they'll remain relevant after a Pacific Division title. Jake DeBrusk from Boston is the biggest name thanks to a seven-year, $38.5 million contract.

Previous Ranking: 19

There's no place like New Jersey. OK, it doesn't roll off the tongue in Chamber of Commerce style, but it's true when it comes to NHL optimism.

The Devils spiked 13 spots from the post-draft poll, thanks largely to the adds of Markstrom and Pesce. The team had the fifth-worst goals-against average (3.43) in the league last year.

Previous Ranking: 6

Either the Avalanche will remain among the elite and have a chance to add another Cup to the one they raised in 2022, or they'll go the way of a Sports Illustrated headline that labels them the Western Conference's biggest pretenders.

The suggestion focuses on goalie Alexandar Georgiev, whose .897 playoff save percentage was particularly uninspiring.

Previous Ranking: 4

It's another go-round in New York for coach Peter Laviolette, whose Rangers team won a Presidents' Trophy last spring but saw an attempt for a 30th-anniversary Cup repeat fall short in the Eastern Conference Final against the Panthers.

It's two final-four trips in three seasons at Madison Square Garden but still no ticker-tape parade since 1994.

Previous Ranking: 2

Well, there's officially just one thing left for Connor McDavid to accomplish now, eh?

The generational star added a Conn Smythe Trophy in a losing cause for the Oilers after the Cup Final in June, and he's ready for another go now that co-pilot Leon Draisaitl is extended for eight seasons and Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner have arrived to bolster the top six.

Previous Ranking: 1

Oh, speaking of the champs. Yeah, they're still pretty good.

Sam Reinhart agreed to stick around after having one of the league's all-time best-timed contract seasons.

That said, the blue line took a bit of a hit with Ekman-Larsson, Brandon Montour and others leaving, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky will start the season as a 36-year-old. Just saying.

Previous Ranking: 3

You'd think it would be the defending champions or beaten finalists at the top of the heap, but instead it's a Stars team that fell in six games to the Oilers in the Western title round but still struck many as a squad that was equal if not superior to Edmonton.

Their depth is top notch, and Jason Robertson is an elite young talent. If Jake Oettinger returns to form, look out.