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Tuesday, September 26, 2023
NHL Future Power Rankings: Prospect, cap, roster predictions
By NHL Insiders
In the NHL, there's an emphasis on and obsession over the "window to win."
It's something Kyle Dubas was inherently aware of when taking over the Pittsburgh Penguins as president and general manager.
"I heard a lot of people that were highly skeptical of the team's ability to contend here," he said. "The way I view it: If people want to bet against Mike Sullivan, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and others, they can go ahead and do so. But I'm going to bet on them. I do think that it's a group capable of contending to win a championship."
The Penguins aren't the only team trying to prop their window open. But what happens when that window slams shut?
That's where the Future Power Rankings come in.
These rankings consider how teams are set up for success this season as well as the next three seasons. We had a panel of writers and editors rate each team in four categories -- roster (with an emphasis on players 26 and under); prospects; cap situation and contracts; and front office, ownership and coaching -- using this scale:
100: A+ (elite)
90: A (great)
80: B (very good)
70: C (average)
60: D (very bad)
50: F (disastrous)
After averaging the results from the panelists, each of the four categories was weighted to create the overall score: roster (35%), prospects (25%), cap/contracts (20%) and owner/GM/coach (20%). The result is a comprehensive ranking based on how well each team is positioned for the future, plus insights on every team from Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski.
Read through the entire file from No. 1 to No. 32, or jump ahead to your team by using the quick links below:
Jump to a team:
ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF
CGY | CAR | CHI | COL
CBJ | DAL | DET | EDM
FLA | LA | MIN | MTL
NSH | NJ | NYI | NYR
OTT | PHI | PIT | SJ
SEA | STL | TB | TOR
VAN | VGK | WSH | WPG
How to watch the 2023-24 NHL season on ESPN networks -- including 100 exclusive games and the out-of-market package (over 1,050 games).
1. New Jersey Devils
Overall score: 89.0
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 90.6 3
Prospects 92.6 2
Cap/contracts 84.6 5
Owner/GM/coach 86.0 8
Why they're here: The Devils' return to the playoffs last season officially opened their window to win another Stanley Cup. But when you look at how New Jersey is set up for the future, it's less a window than a barn door. The current roster ranked No. 3 overall. The reinforcements in the prospect pool -- which include 2022 No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec on defense -- ranked second in that category. The Devils have secured vital parts of their core on good contracts -- that $8 million AAV for Jack Hughes is the new "Nathan MacKinnon's bargain contract helps the Avalanche contend" -- to finish fifth in the that ranking. GM Tom Fitzgerald, coach Lindy Ruff and the Devils' ownership were eighth overall. New Jersey was a dynastic team from 1995 through 2003. Our panel clearly feels it's the dawn of a new era for the Devils. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Homegrown talents such as Dawson Mercer and Akira Schmid will need new deals, as will the recently acquired Tyler Toffoli. But other than that? The Devils appear to be in a situation several teams would want. They have the majority of their core signed to long-term deals while the rest of their roster is on cap-friendly deals that provide relief both in length and money. Re-signing players such as Mercer, Schmid and Toffoli will eventually impact their cap situation. It could be a similar situation when Luke Hughes' ELC ends in two seasons. But for now, it appears that the Devils have found a way to strike a balance between being a playoff team that also has a strong financial standing while in addition to possessing an extremely strong farm system. -- Clark
Reason for hope: New Jersey couldn't be in a much better spot for present and future success. The Devils defied expectations last season in a big way and GM Tim Fitzgerald made intelligent decisions this offseason -- like trading for Toffoli and securing Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt on long-term extensions -- to improve New Jersey's prospects even further. The Devils have terrific offensive depth as is, with Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier coming off career-best campaigns, and the blue line should be stronger with Jonas Siegenthaler taking another step forward. And we haven't even touched on the Devils' pipeline where there's even more potential waiting to join an already-existing roster destined for (more) great things. -- Shilton
2. Carolina Hurricanes
Overall score: 86.2
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 92.4 2
Prospects 78.4 14
Cap/contracts 80.0 9
Owner/GM/coach 91.4 3
Why they're here: The Hurricanes are an annual Stanley Cup contender thanks to talented and cohesive roster that was second overall in our rankings. The management that put that roster together -- and a great coach in Rod Brind'Amour to guide them -- landed Carolina third overall in that category. Smart contracts and cap flexibility landed them ninth overall, but their prospect pool was the weakest category, earning a ranking of 14th overall. Given the age of their core, these Hurricanes should contend for a bit. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Managing the cap while developing homegrown talent is why the Hurricanes are in a championship window. It's also something of a theme when it comes to predicting the Canes' future. Cap flexibility does not appear to be an issue given the Canes are set to have 10 pending UFAs. But that also comes with the caveat that homegrown talents such as Jack Drury, Seth Jarvis and Martin Necas will be pending RFAs at the end of the season. Those particular contracts are expected to shape the Canes' cap, which could then play a role in what happens with a pending UFA class that features Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei and Teuvo Teravainen. -- Clark
Reason for hope: From top to bottom it's hard to find a team more prepared for immediate success. The Hurricanes are coming off an Eastern Conference finals appearance, and they've leveled up even further the past few months by adding Dmitry Orlov, Michael Bunting and more to the mix. Rod Brind'Amour has (repeatedly) proved himself to be an elite coach and the way GM Don Waddell avoided complacency and kept busy in the offseason shows that the Hurricanes are prepared to be strong in the Metropolitan Division once again. And they'll be really, really fun to watch. -- Shilton
3. Buffalo Sabres
Overall score: 84.4
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 78.8 18
Prospects 92.4 3
Cap/contracts 88.0 1
Owner/GM/coach 80.8 14
Why they're here: It's been a while since Buffalo had a winner, but the Sabres finished atop the salary cap and contracts ranking. GM Kevyn Adams locked up players like Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens on long-term deals and has a lot of cap flexibility after this season. It would be interesting to revisit this ranking after he hands out new deals to pending RFAs Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. The Sabres have been rebuilding for a bit, leading to them having the third-ranked prospect pool. The current roster (18th) and the hockey operations ranking (14th) seem about right. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Fewer organizations appear to be in a better position for the future than the Sabres. Members of their young core such as Dylan Cozens, Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson, who's Paul Bunyan on skates, have signed long-term deals. They have what is considered to be one of the NHL's best farm systems and have since seen the sort of early returns that reinforce why there is a sense of optimism. They went from constantly hearing the chatter around the Jeff Skinner contract to not hearing much at all with Skinner scoring 30 goals in consecutive seasons. If there is a concern, it's that the Sabres do have quite a few pending RFAs in need of new deals, which is headlined by Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin at a time in which young defensemen are getting paid. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Do we have to pick just one? If the Sabres can stay healthy there is no reason they won't snap that historic 12-year playoff drought this season. Buffalo's been patiently cresting toward this moment by drafting well, developing its own talent and (finally) sticking to a singular vision that's (ideally) put it on track to long-term, sustained winning. Just look at the talent on Buffalo's roster: Thompson. Dahlin. Power. Cozens. Skinner. Tuch. Samuelsson. Each skater's ability to drive the Sabres forward is reason enough to get excited about where Buffalo's heading this year. -- Shilton
4. Detroit Red Wings
Overall score: 83.0
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 78.8 18
Prospects 88.2 6
Cap/contracts 85.6 3
Owner/GM/coach 81.4 12
Why they're here: The Yzer-plan has produced a bounty of prospects -- although not a franchise pillar -- which earned the Red Wings sixth in that category. But it's GM Steve Yzerman's cap management that impressed the panel even more, ranking third overall after signing Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat in the past few months. Yzerman, coach Derek Lalonde and the Ilitch family earned 12th overall, while the current Detroit roster came in 18th. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Even with an aggressive offseason, the Red Wings still made the sort of moves that do not appear to jeopardize their future. CapFriendly projects they will have more than $30 million in available space next offseason, which is also the same summer in which Jonatan Berggren, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are pending RFAs. Blending that level of cap management with a farm system that's considered to be among the best in the NHL only adds to the expectations that the Red Wings could have everything needed to be a long-term presence in the Eastern Conference playoff landscape. But making those financial calls could get tricky if every prospect and young player hits. -- Clark
Reason for hope: The Red Wings have been brimming with potential for a while; now they have the personnel to regain their previous playoff experience. Yzerman added scoring threat Alex DeBrincat to make Detroit more dangerous up front, Shayne Gostisbehere should be a strong addition to the top power-play unit and those exciting young players -- namely Raymond and Seider -- project to bounce back from slumping sophomore seasons and keep blossoming into NHL stalwarts. Detroit has been patient in the rebuilding process and this is when it can be rewarded. -- Shilton
5. Seattle Kraken
Overall score: 83.0
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 85.0 13
Prospects 82.4 11
Cap/contracts 78.0 10
Owner/GM/coach 85.2 10
Why they're here: What a difference a playoff win makes. The Kraken's roster was ranked 27th after their lackluster inaugural season. After dispatching the Avalanche in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs last season, Seattle's current group shot all the way up to 13th overall. But the Kraken are fifth in our rankings because the outlook is pretty good in every category: Cap management (10th), hockey operations/ownership (10th) and prospect pool (11th). Like Seattle in real life, they're pretty good at everything in the rankings. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Armed with cap space and a surging farm system, the Kraken are about to reach something of a convergence point that has a chance to shape their franchise for years. What is this event? It's called Matty Beniers' next contract, and they have to nail it. The reigning Calder Trophy winner is that homegrown top-six center who the Kraken, like all teams, know will cost to keep in the event of a long-term contract. He also represents the promise of a farm system that could eventually see prospects such as Ryker Evans, Tye Kartye, Eduard Sale and Shane Wright, among others, claim spots on the Kraken's roster over the next few years. The Kraken have had a number of firsts and are now about to embark on another: securing their current and future face of the franchise to a new contract all while remaining fiscally responsible enough to perennially challenge for a playoff spot. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Seattle needed just two seasons to establish its potential as a perennial contender. GM Ron Francis stocked the cupboards early so the Kraken have a piping-hot pipeline of prospects and a legitimately good roster for now. Getting a deal finalized with Vince Dunn adds security to Seattle's blue line, Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann are veteran forwards the Kraken will continue relying on and there's no telling how good Beniers will be well into the future. And hey, if Philipp Grubauer can display the sort of excellence he showed back in Colorado then Seattle really might be unstoppable. -- Shilton
6. Dallas Stars
Overall score: 81.5
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 90.2 7
Prospects 78.0 15
Cap/contracts 61.6 24
Owner/GM/coach 90.6 5
Why they're here: Our panel had a lot of love for GM Jim Nill, coach Peter DeBoer and owner Tom Gaglardi, ranking them fifth overall in that category. The Western Conference runner-up ranked seventh overall in current roster and middle of the pack in prospects (15th). But the Stars placed 24th in contract management. On a related note, Jamie Benn has just two more years left on his deal. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Part of what makes the Stars a salary cap complexity are the performances of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. Both earn more than $9.5 million annually and have been subject to criticism. Benn found ways to silence some of those conversations by breaking out for his first 30-goal campaign since the 2017-18 season. Seguin, on the other hand, has had consecutive 20-goal seasons but has yet to once again reach the 80-point plateau -- a mark he achieved in 2018-19 before he battled through a series of injuries. -- Clark
Reason for hope: The Stars have genuine stars. There's 46-goal scorer Jason Robertson, who's hungrier than ever for a championship. There's Jake Oettinger -- a surefire future Vezina Trophy finalist -- between the pipes. There's Miro Heiskanen leading a solid blue line. And those names only begin to scratch the surface of great players Dallas has to help it succeed this season and several more. That's the power of a veteran GM like Jim Nil, an exec who not only tapped the right coach in Peter DeBoer but who has built this team to be competitive well into a bright future. -- Shilton
7. Minnesota Wild
Overall score: 79.9
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 80.6 14
Prospects 86.6 7
Cap/contracts 71.4 14
Owner/GM/coach 78.8 17
Why they're here: The Wild have a bright future with players like defenseman Brock Faber, center Marco Rossi and goalie Jesper Wallstedt yet to make their marks in the NHL. Their impressive prospect pool was seventh overall in the rankings. The present is more middling: Minnesota's current roster and its cap situation both ranked 14th -- the latter score being perhaps a bit generous when one considers the abundance of dead cap space. The team's hockey operations and ownership was its lowest ranking, at 17th. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: The Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts will cost $14.743 million this season and next season -- it's one of the reasons why the Wild were limited in free agency. But, CapFriendly projects they will have more than $23 million in cap space next summer. It's the type of flexibility that could allow them to address roster concerns. Maximizing cap space could be made easier if they can continue to find success with a farm system that is viewed as one of the NHL's strongest. It's possible prospects such as Brock Faber and Marco Rossi could be the next pair of homegrown talents who could serve in key roles for the Wild in their attempt to return to the playoffs. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Minnesota has a strong core. Say what you will about how GM Bill Guerin's past decisions have hindered the Wild's cap situation, Guerin has also put his team in a good position to do well now and the near future. Matt Boldy is a 22-year-old star in the making. He'll be learning from and leaning on teammates like Kirill Kaprizov -- one of the NHL's most dynamic forwards -- and Joel Eriksson Ek. Filip Gustavsson just signed a three-year deal to stabilize the goaltending. And there's also homegrown talents like Brock Faber and Sammy Walker in the pipeline to headline a solid class of prospects Minnesota will be tapping into as foundational pieces. -- Shilton
8. Vegas Golden Knights
Overall score: 79.9
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 94.4 1
Prospects 65.2 25
Cap/contracts 59.6 30
Owner/GM/coach 93.0 2
Why they're here: The Stanley Cup champions sit upon the throne of the league's best roster, finishing first overall after placing 13th in last year's rankings. Coach Bruce Cassidy, the team's front office and especially maverick owner Bill Foley, helped Vegas to No. 2 in that leadership category. Like many winning teams, its prospect pool isn't that voluminous (25th) and it had to make tough salary cap calls on players, which no doubt contributed to placing 30th in contract management. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Winning at all costs has been the mentality of a franchise that won a Stanley Cup in its sixth year of existence. It's just that the argument could be made that the cost of that winning is starting to be felt and it might not stop. It started this offseason when keeping Ivan Barbashev meant parting with Reilly Smith. Then there's what lies ahead when Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault and NHL All-Star Chandler Stephenson will both be UFAs in a market that could see both attract the sort of offers that could prove too costly for the Golden Knights to match. After the 2024-25 season, they'll have more tough decisions, considering that Adin Hill, Brett Howden, Keegan Kolesar, Robin Lehner, Brayden McNabb, Shea Theodore and Logan Thompson are all set to be UFAs. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Vegas just won a Stanley Cup. And it's in an excellent position to do it again. Why? Well, most of the club's key skaters remain in the fold for several seasons, including Mark Stone, William Karlsson, Jack Eichel, Alex Pietrangelo and Ivan Barbashev. Logan Thompson and Adin Hill are in for another two years to give the Golden Knights a superb goaltending duo and Vegas' back-end depth is strong. Basically, Vegas is built to run in back this season and set up well to be a contender going forward. Are there tough decisions looming due to cap constraints? Sure. But the Golden Knights have also shown they're willing to be creative when it comes to staying in contention (and cap compliance). Somehow, GM Kelly McCrimmon & Co. always come up with pocket aces. -- Shilton
9. Columbus Blue Jackets
Overall score: 79.4
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 72.2 25
Prospects 90.2 5
Cap/contracts 81.4 8
Owner/GM/coach 76.4 22
Why they're here: When we canvassed our panel for the Future Power Rankings, we didn't anticipate the Blue Jackets changing coaches before training camp. Columbus ranked 22nd overall in the hockey operations category with Mike Babcock in the plans, so take that as you will. As calamitous as the present is -- its current roster ranked 25th overall -- the future is quite bright. Led by No. 3 overall pick Adam Fantilli, Columbus has the fifth-best prospect pool. Its rebuild also helped earn the eighth-best contract management spot. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Everything regarding Babcock's resignation following an investigation into the claims he violated players' privacy when he asked to see photos on their cellphones led to questions about GM Jarmo Kekalainen's future. Kekalainen, who is the third-longest tenured GM in the NHL, admitted "they got it wrong" in hiring Babcock. Blue Jackets ownership issued a statement before Kekalainen's admission saying there would be no further changes to their hockey leadership team. It's just that the investigation, coupled with the fact the Jackets have won a single playoff series in Kekalainen's tenure, among other items, has led to questions about his future. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Columbus can't possibly encounter worse injury luck than it did in 2022-23. Having such game-changing talents as Patrik Laine, Johnny Gaudreau, Zach Werenski and Boone Jenner healthy and contributing is how the Blue Jackets will return to form. And then there's the next wave of skaters. Adam Fantilli has potential to step directly into Columbus' lineup and 2023 second-round pick Gavin Brindley might not be far from the NHL, either. Yegor Chinakhov, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger and other rising stars within the organization have already cracked the lineup and will continue improving. That mix of veteran skaters with the up-and-comers is exactly what Columbus needs to set the table for ongoing success in seasons ahead. -- Shilton
10. Los Angeles Kings
Overall score: 78.7
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 87.4 8
Prospects 70.8 20
Cap/contracts 69.0 16
Owner/GM/coach 83.2 11
Why they're here: Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty are still chasing their third Stanley Cup with a team that's just gotten deeper over the past few years, as Pierre-Luc Dubois joins the kingdom this season. The Kings were eighth overall in current roster, which was their highest ranking. Second-highest was hockey operations/owner, as GM Rob Blake has made aggressive moves to craft this roster. The panel was less impressed with the team's cap management (18th), thanks to big contracts to veteran players, as well as a prospect pool that ranked 20th overall. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Going after high-end talent and their cap hits was something the Kings could handle because they had the flexibility. And they still could. But there's also the possibility this season could be the last year of that dynamic. Homegrown players such as Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev are part of a five-player RFA class in need of new deals. There's a chance they could receive the sort of pay bumps that force the Kings into making difficult decisions. That could make it more difficult to navigate an offseason that has five pending UFAs, led by Viktor Arvidsson and both goaltenders. CapFriendly projects the Kings will have more than $23 million in cap space with the idea they gained an extra $3 million with Anze Kopitar reducing his salary from $10 million to $7 million over the next two years with his latest extension. -- Clark
Reason for hope: The Kings were aggressive in their pursuit of a top-line center and they landed just that in a blockbuster trade for Pierre-Luc Dubois last June. We likely have yet to see the best from Dubois -- who was unhappy in both Columbus and Winnipeg -- but now the No. 3 overall pick from 2016 should be more than satisfied with his situation and the talent with whom Los Angeles can surround him. Kevin Fiala, Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe and Trevor Moore are all locked in long term up front and that should be more than enough firepower to make the Kings a Pacific Division powerhouse any opponent would fear on the schedule. -- Shilton
11. Colorado Avalanche
Overall score: 77.8
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 90.6 3
Prospects 62.6 27
Cap/contracts 60.6 27
Owner/GM/coach 91.4 3
Why they're here: The Avalanche are one season removed from a Stanley Cup championship and enter this season as a favorite to win another. Hence, they have the third-ranked current roster and the third-ranked hockey operations and ownership -- thanks in no small part to coach Jared Bednar and an analytics-driven front office. But success comes at a price: The Avalanche have the 27th-ranked prospect pool and contract management. Did our panel even see the Cale Makar contract? -- Wyshynski
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Points of concern: Having nearly half of their roster under contract for more than two years is how the Avalanche plan to remain in a championship window. But that does not mean there are no concerns. Devon Toews is in the last year of his contract before he becomes a UFA, while Ryan Johansen and Mikko Rantanen will be UFAs after the 2024-25 season. The Avs also have questions they must get answered about Gabriel Landeskog's long-term status, and what his $7 million cap hit over the next five seasons could mean for them. What could help in easing some of that burden is drafting prospects who eventually turn into contributors on team-friendly deals. But that's also been a challenge for the Avs, given that three of their seven first-round picks since 2018 are playing elsewhere, and the last non-first-round draft picks to play more than 100 games for them were Tyson Barrie and Ryan O'Reilly (both selected in 2009). -- Clark
Reason for hope: Colorado boasts one of the strongest rosters in hockey (even if Landeskog remains sidelined by injury through 2023-24). Nathan MacKinnon is a perennial MVP candidate, Cale Makar is a wise-beyond-his-years Norris Trophy winner and the Avalanche have nothing to worry about when it comes to coach Jared Bednar and GM Chris MacFarland pushing the right buttons. Colorado is only a year removed from its Stanley Cup victory and the team is built to reach that precipice right now. What does that mean for the future? Plenty. Everyone loves a winning team; it breeds confidence in the organization that lasts well beyond any single season. The Avalanche should feel good about where they are -- for now, and for what's next. -- Shilton
12. Florida Panthers
Overall score: 77.7
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 86.2 10
Prospects 68.8 22
Cap/contracts 64.6 18
Owner/GM/coach 87.2 7
Why they're here: The Panthers received solid marks for hockey operations and ownership (seventh), thanks to GM Bill Zito's big swings and coach Paul Maurice having guided them to the Stanley Cup Final last season. Florida's current roster ranked 10th overall, while its salary cap outlook ranked 18th. What, no love for that Matthew Tkachuk contract? The lowest finish for the Panthers was in their prospect pool, which ranked 22nd. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Having nearly $30 million invested in three players is something the Panthers must continue to work around until the end of the 2025-26 season when Sergei Bobrovsky and his $10 million cap hit comes off the books. Still, the Panthers have made it work by creating the sort of team that can be revamped in certain areas. Next offseason is an example given that the Panthers have 11 pending UFAs, led by Brandon Montour and Sam Reinhart. Yet like a number of contenders, there is a need to find homegrown talents on cheap contracts. They've seen it work with Spencer Knight and Anton Lundell. It appears they could need that again, but it comes with the caveat that Knight and Lundell are also the last players drafted by the Panthers to play in more than 50 games for the club since 2018. And even that is complicated by the fact the Panthers have traded their first-round picks in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Florida's surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final last season highlighted serious talents who will keep leading the Panthers toward the promised land. Matthew Tkachuk blossomed into a Hart Trophy finalist, Brandon Montour emerged as Florida's top defender (along with Aaron Ekblad, of course) and Sergei Bobrovsky proved in the postseason he's back, baby. Sure, GM Bill Zito has work to do when it comes to managing the Panthers' cap situation in contract conversations ahead, but why worry? Zito believed in Florida's potential when everyone else left it for dead last March. His belief was rewarded 10-fold in how the Panthers thrived from there. It's only the beginning of what Florida can do in the future. -- Shilton
13. Nashville Predators
Overall score: 77.7
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 76.2 21
Prospects 76.8 16
Cap/contracts 82.0 7
Owner/GM/coach 77.0 21
Why they're here: The Predators cleared Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene off of their salary cap this offseason. That was reflected in being ranked seventh overall in contract management, which was their best finish. While other teams were dinged for having a new coach and general manager, Andrew Brunette and Barry Trotz finished a respectable 21st overall in hockey operations/ownership. The current roster also finished 21st while their prospect pool, led by goalie of the future Yaroslav Askarov, was 16th. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Given their future contract constraints (or lack thereof), the future is wide open -- for better or worse. Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi and Ryan O'Reilly are the only players whose contracts are more than four years long. Next offseason affords them the chance to clear an extra $20 million in space, which gives them funds to find new contracts for pending RFAs Dante Fabbro, Juuso Parsinen and Philip Tomasino. It also leaves them what appears to be more than enough space to re-sign Juuse Saros, who becomes a UFA after the 2024-25 season. They can do all this all while having $8.8 million tied up in retained salary and buyouts this season only to see that figure rise to $11.8 million the following season. And with a farm system that's considered to be in the middle, they have 11 picks in the 2024 draft to help bolster a system that's already responsible for 10 players on the active roster. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Nashville isn't afraid to evolve. The Predators proved that by bringing in Barry Trotz to learn from outgoing GM David Poile before officially taking over the role himself. Poile was the best teacher Trotz could hope for in how best to get Nashville back on track. And that's where the Predators appear to be headed. Trotz targeted veteran help in free agent signees Ryan O'Reilly and Luke Schenn to ideally move Nashville back into the postseason picture this season while Trotz figures out where to go next. The Predators have the ability to go wherever they choose with contracts and cap space in seasons to come, which is the type of flexibility any team would kill for. Nashville has the ability to shape its own future from here. -- Shilton
14. Winnipeg Jets
Overall score: 77.4
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 78.4 20
Prospects 75.0 17
Cap/contracts 77.6 11
Owner/GM/coach 78.2 19
Why they're here: The Jets have cap flexibility coming their way in the next two seasons and aren't tied to any long-term contracts outside of Josh Morrissey, who's signed through 2027-28. That's why their cap management rated out as their best attribute (11th overall). Winnipeg has some decent prospects (17th), led by Cole Perfetti, and its front office/ownership received middling support from our panel (19th). One wonders what that current roster rating (20th) would look like if the exodus from Winnipeg had been as massive as expected during the offseason. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Anything and everything involving Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele for the next several months. The Jets are at a critical stage when it comes to assessing their future. It's reached a point in which they could watch two of their franchise cornerstones remain with the club, leave while receiving the sort of return that helps them now and in the future -- or leave without receiving any return at all. And this is also all happening at a time in which the Jets have shown they are good enough to reach the playoffs, only to make it out of the opening round once since advancing to the Western Conference finals back in 2017-18. -- Clark
Reason for hope: When a team has elite skaters like Kyle Connor and Nik Ehlers available is automatically exciting. And Winnipeg's forward depth goes well beyond them. Gabriel Vilardi and Alex Iafallo join the Jets via that Pierre-Luc Dubois trade with Los Angeles to bolster the club up front, and Cole Perfetti, coming off an injury, should do the same (this season, and many more). Winnipeg's greatest long-term asset might be Josh Morrissey on the blue line. He earned Norris Trophy buzz last season and there's every reason for Morrissey to put himself in the conversation year after year. The Jets might have looming personnel questions eventually, but right now there's more than enough reasons to feel good about what Winnipeg might imminently be able to accomplish. -- Shilton
15. Ottawa Senators
Overall score: 77.2
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 79.4 16
Prospects 83.0 10
Cap/contracts 70.4 15
Owner/GM/coach 72.8 26
Why they're here: Where the Senators' ranking took a hit was in the hockey operations/ownership category, where they were 26th. That's understandable, given that the team's sale to Michael Andlauer closed only last week, and the combination of DJ Smith behind the bench and Pierre Dorion in the GM's chair hasn't produced considerable on-ice results. Otherwise, the Senators were a solid 10th in prospects, 15th in cap management and 16th in the quality of their current roster. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: At some point, all the promise and potential of a building team like the Sens must become a reality -- or else changes must be made to management. They've done the work to draft and develop the sort of cornerstones they now have signed to long-term contracts to create continuity. They've not been shy about making the sort of aggressive trades they feel can benefit them now and in the future. They've also used free agency to show they're willing to spend the necessary cash. Is this the year the Senators snap their six-season playoff drought while also turning the corner into being a perennial playoff team? -- Clark
Reason for hope: If not now, when? There is literally nothing holding Ottawa back from opening a multiple-season stretch of playoff contention. Josh Norris, Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Thomas Chabot and Artem Zub are critical players signed to long-term deals. GM Pierre Dorion grabbed Joonas Korpisalo on a five-year pact to give Ottawa the true No. 1 netminder it's been looking for (and often lacking). The Senators have been hit by one injury plague after another in recent years and that's held them back maybe more than anything else. But that's all in the past. Ottawa should be looking toward the horizon, where there's real potential it takes over as a top contender in the Atlantic. -- Shilton
16. Anaheim Ducks
Overall score: 77.0
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 65.0 28
Prospects 92.4 3
Cap/contracts 84.6 5
Owner/GM/coach 71.0 30
Why they're here: The Ducks' future is as bright as the SoCal sunshine. Anaheim ranked third overall in quality of prospects, having selected in the draft's top 10 in each of the past five years. Because they're so young, the Ducks' cap situation is in great shape, ranking them fifth overall. Again, the future is bright. The present? Not so much. Anaheim ranked 28th in current roster. But what really balanced their score was their off-the-ice ranking: The Ducks' ownership, GM Pat Verbeek and coach Greg Cronin, were 30th overall. Perhaps that's symptomatic of a second-season GM and a first-year coach. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Other than signing Trevor Zegras to a new contract before the season? The Ducks have constructed one of the strongest farm systems in the NHL and have also built a team that has a fluid enough contract dynamic. They could hypothetically clear a little more than $11 million in cap space this year alone with Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg being in the final season of their contracts. CapFriendly's long-term projects have the Ducks starting with more than $40 million in available space in the 2024-25 season, only to see that figure rise every season. They have veterans such as John Gibson, Alex Killorn and Ryan Strome under contract for more than three years. They also have members of their young core, such as Troy Terry, under contract while setting aside the cap space for what they feel can be a promising future. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Anaheim's well on its way to building a solid foundation. The Ducks' made exciting picks in the 2023 draft -- including Leo Carlsson, Nico Myatovic and Carey Terrance -- and that haul of prospects (particularly throughout the blue line) has added to an overall sense of renewal permeating through the organization. Anaheim has rising stars on the ice -- a group headlined by Zegras and Troy Terry and Mason McTavish -- and there should be plenty of optimism around the Ducks' ability to take another step forward this season. -- Shilton
17. New York Rangers
Overall score: 76.9
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 85.4 12
Prospects 74.4 18
Cap/contracts 63.0 20
Owner/GM/coach 79.2 16
Why they're here: Despite a strong roster filled with established veterans and solid young players (12th overall), the Rangers are in the bottom half of the future power rankings. Our panel rated their prospect pool No. 18 overall and wasn't a fan of their contract management, which ranked 20th. One interesting rating: The Rangers were 16th in coach/GM/owner, and we'd love to see that breakdown between new coach Peter Laviolette, their hockey operations department and owner James Dolan. -- Wyshynski
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Points of concern: It wasn't that long ago when the Rangers were a franchise that could afford to be a little aggressive with how it spent cap dollars because they could balance those larger salaries with young players on team-friendly deals. The Rangers are now at that stage in which those young players such as Filip Chytil, Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren and K'Andre Miller all are making more than $3 million annually. And with Kaapo Kakko, Braden Schneider and Lindgren in need of new deals next season, it further heightens how the Rangers manage the cap now that they are in a championship window. -- Clark
Reason for hope: New York is on the cusp of reinvention -- and that's a good thing. Gone is former coach Gerard Gallant, who just couldn't quite get the Rangers to reach their potential, and in came Peter Laviolette to do exactly that. New York's talent can hardly be called into question -- just look at the team's core. Whether it's Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Fox, Igor Shesterkin, or any of the other half-dozen top-end skaters, there's more than enough good players to step up. The Rangers have proved that in the past. With the right coach in place, New York can harness the power of its collective strengths to be driven in the right direction again. -- Shilton
18. Chicago Blackhawks
Overall score: 76.2
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 60.0 31
Prospects 93.6 1
Cap/contracts 86.8 2
Owner/GM/coach 72.4 27
Why they're here: Connor Bedard didn't just fill the Blackhawks' vault with season- ticket money. The No. 1 overall pick last summer also rocketed his franchise to first place in our prospect-pool ranking. The Blackhawks' gut renovation of their roster -- to improve their lottery odds -- caused two diametrically opposed results. They were second overall in contract management ... and 31st overall in current roster. Chicago also ranked 27th overall in hockey operations and ownership. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: The Blackhawks have found answers for every question regarding how their rebuild could work. Yes, they have Bedard. And while he's central to their plans, he's also just the start of a farm system that is considered to be one of the NHL's best. The Blackhawks have used the past few years to not only build their system but be in a position to strengthen their future by owning 28 draft picks over the next three years. The concern here is that sometimes converting all of that potential into on-ice results can be tricky -- and given how this roster has been stripped down in recent seasons, that is a significant concern. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Um, Connor Bedard? Need we say more? OK, how about ... Frank Nazar. And Ryan Greene. And Kevin Korchinski. And all the other terrific prospects waiting in the wings to eventually play major roles in Chicago's future. But let's go back to Bedard. The Blackhawks' first overall pick isn't just an exciting player to watch this season (and beyond), he was also the most referenced skater by his peers at September's player tour as the guy they are looking forward to watching. Chicago couldn't have hoped for better than Bedard in that No. 1 slot and there's little doubt the teen phenom will deliver in a big way as the Blackhawks move toward reestablishing their championship pedigree. -- Shilton
19. Toronto Maple Leafs
Overall score: 76.1
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 90.4 6
Prospects 64.0 26
Cap/contracts 62.0 22
Owner/GM/coach 80.2 15
Why they're here: The change in management resulted in the Leafs dropping from eighth under Kyle Dubas to 15th under Brad Treliving in the hockey operations/ownership category. The best thing about Toronto is the current roster, which did the seemingly impossible and won a playoff round last season. Our panel was less impressed with its cap management (22nd), and it would be interesting to see how the Auston Matthews contract factored into that. Despite the arrival of top prospect Matthew Knies, Toronto placed only 26nd in prospect pool. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Exactly what is going to happen with William Nylander now that he is entering the final year of his contract? Will he remain with the Leafs next year? And if so, how much is that going to impact a cap situation that has already required quite a bit of massaging over the years? Or will Nylander ultimately leave next season? The Leafs have a number of questions they must answer between now and next offseason. One of them is deciding what they do about Nylander, who was moved to center to start training camp and posted consecutive 80-point seasons, which will influence everything else they do. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Toronto boasts one of the league's top talents in Auston Matthews and he just agreed to a four-year extension. It's the best thing to happen for the Leafs since they finally won a playoff round last spring. Now where can Toronto go from here? Matthews, Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok have years on their deals and talent to spare in helping Toronto reach its potential. Ilya Samsonov was a surprise hit in net last season and will be back. And Matthew Knies -- who debuted with the club last season -- is just one of several up-and-comers the Leafs have to look forward to welcoming. For now, and for the future, Toronto has reason to believe. -- Shilton
20. Edmonton Oilers
Overall score: 75.0
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 90.6 3
Prospects 58.8 29
Cap/contracts 64.0 19
Owner/GM/coach 78.8 17
Why they're here: Stop us if you've heard this one before. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl get massive amounts of respect and adulation -- while everything else about the Oilers is seen as mid. Hence, Edmonton's current roster ranked third overall while its management/ownership (17th), salary cap outlook (19th) and prospect pool (29th) ... did not. Maybe Connor should consider being player/coach, Reg Dunlop style, and bring up the average? -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: The Oilers have 10 players who have more than three years left on their current contracts, which accounts for nearly $59 million in cap space. It's the sort of financial commitment that shows their intent to win a Stanley Cup while also reinforcing their need to find players who can perform at a high level on team-friendly deals. That makes their farm system crucial. Recent homegrown talents such as Evan Bouchard, Vincent Desharnais, Ryan McLeod and Stuart Skinner are examples of how the Oilers have seen positive results with their prospects; they have also seen mixed results from former Oilers such as Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto, so this is no certainty. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Connor McDavid. Doing his Connor McDavid things. That only Connor McDavid can do. And Leon Draisaitl. A forward so good he can play anywhere, through (seemingly) any injury and remain jaw-droppingly elite in every facet of the game. That's the one-two punch Edmonton knows will deliver for it year in, year out for the foreseeable future. The Oilers also have a rising star in Stuart Skinner to man the crease and Darnell Nurse as a blue-line talent any team would covet for its lineup. Basically, Edmonton is well-built for the present, and with the right moves by GM Ken Holland, those players in their prime will be properly supported in their quest to keep winning into the future. -- Shilton
21. Tampa Bay Lightning
Overall score: 74.5
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 87.4 8
Prospects 52.0 32
Cap/contracts 59.0 31
Owner/GM/coach 95.4 1
Why they're here: As their supporting cast thins out and their superstar core gets older, the Lightning can rely on a holy trinity at the top of the organization. Owner Jeff Vinik, general manager Julien BriseBois and coach Jon Cooper combined for a first-place finish -- the second year in a row they've won that category. The Bolts' current roster also rated highly (eighth) despite losing even more role players from their Stanley Cup runs. That's the good news. The bad news is that Tampa Bay's success has come at the cost of its prospect pool (32nd, worst in the rankings) and cap management (31), which is one reason BriseBois is taking a hard line on contract talks. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: There could be a few items here, but perhaps the most notable one is the current situation regarding Steven Stamkos' contract. The Lightning captain said he was "disappointed" he had not yet held meaningful contract extension talks with the club. BriseBois said it would be nice if Stamkos finished his career in Tampa Bay but added the club also has to be mindful of how it must spend its cap dollars should it want to continue challenging for titles. One of the ways the Lightning or any Cup contender can manage the cap is by tapping into its farm system to take advantage of players on team-friendly deals. That's been an issue for the Lightning given their recent history. It's a farm system that's viewed to be the least promising in the NHL -- further amplified by the fact that since 2018, they've had only four draft picks make the NHL, playing a combined 48 games. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Doesn't Tampa Bay always find a way? The Lightning have remained competitive year after year despite wafer-thin cap space at their disposal. Much of the credit for that should fall on the NHL's longest-tenured head coach, Jon Cooper. Whoever has ended up on Tampa Bay's bench, Cooper has found a way to maximize his contributions. Of course the Lightning have enviable top talents such as Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman (among others) making the greatest impact. But the Lightning have also been a consistently deep team, and that's what has carried them. We might not know now who those all-important depth skaters are, but there's little doubt Cooper will fit them seamlessly into the Lightning's lineup. -- Shilton
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
Overall score: 74.3
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 86.0 11
Prospects 60.0 28
Cap/contracts 60.2 28
Owner/GM/coach 85.6 9
Why they're here: The Kyle Dubas effect? Last season, the Penguins had the third-best front office/coach/ownership rating in the Future Power Rankings. That's now dropped to ninth overall after the former Maple Leafs wunderkind took over this summer. The Penguins also saw a drop in current roster (11th, down from ninth) despite the addition of Norris winner Erik Karlsson. Of course, adding that kind of contract to the books meant the Penguins ranked 28th overall in cap management. Pittsburgh has been in win-now mode for the past decade, so it's no surprise its prospect pool rated rather poorly (28th overall). -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: It's the farm system; specifically the lack of high-end talent. But we can also mention that the Penguins have struggled as of late when it comes to turning their draft picks into prospects who become players on the NHL roster. Dominik Simon and Daniel Sprong are the most recent Penguins draft picks to play more than 100 career NHL games, but they were drafted back in 2015 and are no longer with the club. Furthermore, Calen Addison and Filip Gustavsson are the only Penguins draft picks since Simon and Sprong to play more than 10 NHL games. And like Simon and Sprong, they are also not with the Penguins. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Pittsburgh is not going quietly into the night. Dubas made that clear when, amid growing concerns about the Penguins' aging roster, he orchestrated a blockbuster trade for Erik Karlsson and added Ryan Graves to upgrade the blue line and special teams. There's nothing like hitting a reset button to inspire even the most weary veterans -- and we know Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang will be inspired by Karlsson's presence to step up their own games and see just how far they can push the Penguins along over the next few years. It's now or never for Pittsburgh to make another run toward a Cup. -- Shilton
23. Arizona Coyotes
Overall score: 73.4
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 62.2 29
Prospects 80.0 12
Cap/contracts 85.0 4
Owner/GM/coach 73.0 25
Why they're here: As usual, it's hard to determine how much the off-ice issues with the Coyotes contaminate the overall perception of the team. For example, they've got a solid GM in Bill Armstrong and a well-liked coach in André Tourigny. Yet the franchise finished just 25th in that category, potentially because of everything that's happened under owner Alex Meruelo: getting kicked out of Glendale, playing NHL games at Arizona State and losing their Tempe arena bid. The best ranking for the Coyotes was their contract outlook (fourth overall), given their youth movement and cost-effective roster. The worst ranking was their current roster (29th), with their prospect pool (12th) being slightly above average. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Cap space does not appear to be an issue, given they have more than $38 million coming off the books next season. Granted, some of that will be used to re-sign pending RFAs such as Sean Durzi and J.J. Moser. Re-signing Durzi and Moser will allow the Coyotes to get two more members of their young core under contract for years to come. They've already done it with Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Lawson Crouse and Matias Maccelli. They also have a number of players on expiring contracts whom they could possibly move ahead of the trade deadline to attain more draft capital. As for their farm system? It's regarded as being in the upper half of the NHL with the idea it could get stronger considering the Coyotes have 34 draft picks over the next three years. So the main concern -- as it's seemingly been since the day the team moved to the desert -- is the long-term arena plan and how that influences the ability to attract and retain talent. -- Clark
Reason for hope: The Coyotes loading up on both sides of the puck this offseason indicates their commitment to keep getting better. Matt Dumba, Sean Durzi and Travis Dermott will bolster the blue line, while Alex Kerfoot and Jason Zucker give Arizona added depth up front. If Logan Cooley can break through, that's an exciting prospect for the Coyotes to rally around. Arizona has responded well under Tourigny, and the organization's investment in its coach with a three-year pact signals it too believes Tourigny can lead the Coyotes where they want to go. All in all, Arizona has put a commendable number of pieces in place to support its success. -- Shilton
24. Boston Bruins
Overall score: 72.5
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 79.4 16
Prospects 54.0 31
Cap/contracts 66.6 17
Owner/GM/coach 89.2 6
Why they're here: The Bruins had a palpable melancholy after the Panthers shocked them in the first round last season. It wasn't just because they squandered the best regular season in NHL history. It's because Boston had to win within this window before facing a bleak outlook for the future. Boston had the 31st-ranked prospect pool, with the 17th-ranked cap and contract situation. With Patrice Bergeron hanging up his skates and some other veteran departures due to the cap, the current roster ranked No. 16. But Boston is in good hands: It ranked sixth overall for hockey operations and ownership by the Jacobs family. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak are two of the six players the Bruins have signed to deals longer than three years. They have a number of contracts they can get off the books over the next two seasons, which provides them a bit of cap flexibility. Where it all gets complicated is the farm system. It's considered to be among the least plentiful systems, which is further compounded by the Bruins' recent development and drafting challenges. While they saw success with a six-member 2016 draft class that saw five of them reach the NHL, they've had only four drafted players since 2017 reach the NHL. Only two of those four players -- Jeremy Swayman and Jakub Lauko -- remain with the team. In fact, none of the Bruins' draft picks beyond that 2017 class has reached the NHL. And if that is not enough, the Bruins had their first-round pick in only two of the past five drafts and will not have their first-round pick for 2024 either. -- Clark
Reason for hope: Boston isn't backing down from win-now mode. Yes, last season ended in a horrific heartbreak and there have been some key personnel departures since then (Patrice Bergeron, I think they'll miss you most of all), but the Bruins are resilient. And Boston has to be in the near future as well because that's how GM Don Sweeney has set the stage for at least another year or two. Pastrnak, McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Brad Marchand all remain elite contributors, and coach Jim Montgomery truly seems to get the most out of his players. Oh, and that Linus Ullmark guy is pretty good in net, too. The Bruins should still be considered a force for a little longer here; filling in those gaps down the road is a Future Boston problem -- Shilton
25. Philadelphia Flyers
Overall score: 71.7
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 60.6 30
Prospects 83.4 9
Cap/contracts 76.0 13
Owner/GM/coach 72.4 27
Why they're here: The Flyers are in the midst of a significant rebuild, but our panel believes they're making considerable progress. Bolstered by recent first-rounders Matvei Michkov, Oliver Bonk and Cutter Gauthier, Philly's prospect pool was ranked ninth overall. GM Daniel Briere's cost cutting helped the Flyers to 13th in contract management ... which makes it somewhat surprising that the combination of their front office, coach John Tortorella and the team's ownership netted them only 27th overall. Not much is expected from their current roster, as the Flyers ranked 30th in that category. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: They've been a lottery team for the past two seasons and that is expected to continue over the coming years. And while the Flyers are building one of the stronger prospect pools in the NHL, how do they go about adding more draft capital? Many rebuilding teams have followed the formula of moving on from their current players to attain an abundance of draft picks. What will the Flyers do in their bid to gain more draft picks when a number of players on their roster have deals longer than two years, which includes the players who could attract the strongest returns in a possible trade? -- Clark
Reason for hope: It might be years before Philadelphia gets the best out of 2023 No. 7 overall pick Matvei Michkov. But if there's a beacon of hope for these Flyers in the future, it's coming from him like a bat signal. In the meantime, Philadelphia can keep developing its incumbent young stars like Cam York, Morgan Frost and Tyson Forester, so when the club does finally put all the pieces together they'll be ready to make strong contributions. Those skaters have veterans like Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson -- both projected to be healthy after injury-plagued 2022-23 seasons -- to lean on and grow around, too. Rebuilding takes time for a reason. If the Flyers remain committed to the process, they'll come out the other end better for the patience shown. -- Shilton
26. St. Louis Blues
Overall score: 71.4
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 73.6 24
Prospects 72.6 19
Cap/contracts 62.4 21
Owner/GM/coach 75.0 24
Why they're here: What did coach Craig Berube and GM Doug Armstrong do to shake our panel's faith in them? Hockey operations and management were fifth overall in last season's rankings but tumbled all the way down to 24th in the latest edition. After missing the playoffs last season, the Blues' current roster is also ranked 24th, and their contract outlook is just 21st. St. Louis' highest ranking was its prospect pool, although 19th overall isn't all that encouraging. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Investing $23.5 million in annual cap space until the end of the 2025-26 seasons in their top-four defensive group could prove either challenging or rewarding -- especially when all four players have no-trade clauses. Finding defensive consistency was a problem for the Blues last season, which led to Justin Faulk, Torey Krug, Nick Leddy and Colton Parayko and their cap hits receiving an amplified amount of attention. Was their 2022-23 season a preview of what lies ahead, or was it just a temporary setback? Those are among the questions the Blues must try to answer, given Parayko is in the second year of an eight-year deal, Faulk and Krug have three years left after this season, and Leddy will have two after the end of this year as well. -- Clark
Reason for hope: St. Louis has invested in its young core, and that's what will drive it toward long-term success. Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas -- who both signed eight-year contracts -- have barely scratched the surface of their potential, and the Blues are lucky they'll get to see that emerge over time. But it's not just high-flying forwards who will determine St. Louis' future. Jordan Binnington has the ability to carry these Blues in net for years to come. Armstrong has buried ample resources into St. Louis' blue line, and if those units can simply show improved consistency, that would be a key for the Blues. We've seen before what St. Louis can produce when it focuses on hard-hitting, physical play; with the added offensive touch from Kyrou and Thomas, St. Louis could get back to being a heavyweight. -- Shilton
27. Montreal Canadiens
Overall score: 71.2
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 65.2 27
Prospects 84.8 8
Cap/contracts 60.2 28
Owner/GM/coach 75.6 23
Why they're here: That the Canadiens are at No. 27 is a triumph for their prospect pool. Montreal's pipeline was ranked eighth overall, with players like Juraj Slafkovsky, David Reinbacher, Owen Beck and Lane Hutson on the way. That ranking counterbalanced those for hockey operations/owner (23rd), current roster (27th) and cap situation, which was 28th overall. Is that Carey Price-related? -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: Practically everything the Canadiens have done to this point has set them up to have one of the NHL's strongest farm systems, while a number of core players are signed for more than three years. Yet there is the pressing issue of their salary cap situation. GM Kent Hughes told reporters during the offseason that the team wants to avoid repeating the challenges it faced with long-term injury reserve as it relates to Carey Price and his $10.5 million cap hit. The team also has around $5 million tied up in buyouts and retained salary, with that number falling to $2.343 million next season. CapFriendly projects the Canadiens will have a little more than $12 million in space at a time when Justin Barron and Arber Xhekaj will be pending RFAs while Sean Monahan and Tanner Pearson will be pending UFAs. Then there's what's facing the team after the 2024-25 season, when Jake Allen, Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak and David Savard are slated to hit the open market, while Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris and Juraj Slafkovsky will be RFAs in need of new deals. -- Clark
Reason for hope: The Canadiens have a laundry list of names who can offer the franchise hope all by themselves. But combined? It's a pretty staggering group. Captain Nick Suzuki headlines a class of teens and 20-somethings that includes Cole Caufield, Slafkovsky, Guhle, Xhekaj and on (and on) which Montreal has rallied around already as its foundation. Montreal hasn't rushed any part of the rebuilding process, and that's a credit to how Hughes has stuck to his vision in crafting a team that will be well prepared for long-term success. All the pieces are in place -- from coach Martin St. Louis to management to players -- for that to eventually be the Canadiens' fate. -- Shilton
28. Washington Capitals
Overall score: 70.9
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 71.4 26
Prospects 69.4 21
Cap/contracts 61.4 25
Owner/GM/coach 81.2 13
Why they're here: There's an argument to be made that the Capitals are a franchise in stasis until Alex Ovechkin shatters Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record -- assuming that happens. It's a team that might otherwise rebuild to the next phase of the franchise, instead of having a current roster (26th) and prospect pool (21st) that rank outside the top 20. The Capitals have rewarded veterans with lengthy, rich contracts, leading them to 25th in cap management. But owner Ted Leonsis, GM Brian MacLellan and their new coach Spencer Carbery rated out as the 13th-best group in their category. -- Wyshynski
Points of concern: For the Capitals, the biggest questions they appear to be facing are around their veteran core and how it will work in the coming years. Venerable figures such as Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin are part of an eight-player group of players who are older than 30 while also being signed to contracts that have at least two years remaining. There will come a time when the Capitals have to venture without that group. Until then? What are the realistic expectations for the Caps? Was missing the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons just a detour or was it a preview of what awaits them in the coming years? -- Clark
Reason for hope: Sometimes it's a player signing in the offseason that rejuvenates a team. For Washington, the shot in the arm the Capitals need might be first-time NHL head coach Spencer Carbery. It's been easy in the past to knock the Capitals' lack of evolution; they've often felt too stale, too set in their ways to get on another Cup run. Well, Carbery will bring the fresh perspective Washington likely requires to step into its next phase. Ovechkin and Backstrom may not be getting any younger but GM Brian MacLellan has done an admirable job recognizing where his team is at (retooling) and identifying how to smartly proceed (bring in Carbery, sign Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome to long-term deals, etc.) towards a sustainable future. And, let's be honest, after last season's injury woes, things can only go up for Washington from here. -- Shilton
29. San Jose Sharks
Overall score: 69.9
Score NHL
Rank
Roster 58.4 32
Prospects 78.6 13
Cap/contracts 77.4 12
Owner/GM/coach 71.4 29
Why they're here: Last season, the Sharks were 28th overall in roster construction. That was with Erik Karlsson and Timo Meier still on the team. Now that they're gone, San Jose's current group is dead last in that category.
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