Where up-and-coming Sharks stand in NHL Power Rankings after busy offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
With the offseason dust almost settled, it’s time to evaluate where the Sharks stand among their NHL counterparts.
This could be the first time since 2019 that the Sharks make the playoffs, but how do they stack up against the rest of the NHL?
Here are San Jose Hockey Now’s offseason power rankings, as of Aug. 24.
Three NHL scouts also looked over the rankings.
Keep in mind, there still are some stars who could be moved by opening night: Center Dylan Larkin and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck could be traded. Winger Cutter Gauthier is among the top RFA’s still unsigned.
Here’s where all 32 teams sit:
32. Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks are where the Sharks were a few years ago, a franchise that needs to rebuild and is finally admitting it. Their quiet offseason is a reflection of this.
31. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken, as a franchise, are running in place. Frankly, there’s a reason why star sniper Jason Robertson declined a trade to Seattle.
30. Calgary Flames
The NHL’s most anemic offense didn’t add much firepower in the offseason. Goaltender Dustin Wolf is a fine foundation, but as a franchise, they need more game-changers.
29. Chicago Blackhawks
Patrick Kane and Bo Byram will help, but they’ll need to survive the absence of injured Connor Bedard for likely a month or so this season.
28. Detroit Red Wings
Dylan Larkin’s trade request will hang over them: This is going to be a tough year in Motown.
27. Toronto Maple Leafs
Sergei Bobrovsky is a future Hall of Famer, but he’s 37 and coming off possibly the worst season of his career. I think this gamble blows up in Toronto’s face and diminishes an otherwise excellent off-season.
26. Winnipeg Jets
Where Hellebuyck goes, the Jets follow.
If it’s out of town, Winnipeg’s contending window closes.
“They’ll be getting a haul back” for Hellebuyck, Scout No. 1 countered. That probably won’t make the Jets better this season, though.
25. New York Islanders
They’ve got teen superstar defenseman Matthew Schaefer, but most of their other best players are on the wrong side of 30. They don’t appear to have much upside.
“Not sure what to make of Toronto yet and same with the Islanders,” Scout No. 2 said.
24. Pittsburgh Penguins
Big picture, it was probably wise for the Penguins to not follow up on their surprising playoff appearance last year with a splashy offseason. But they also seem to be running out the clock on all-time great Sidney Crosby’s career.
23. New York Rangers
Pavel Dorofeyev should add lots of scoring, and along with a re-tooled defense and the continued presence of top goalie Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers should be better. They’re a wild-card team, if it all works out.
22. Nashville Predators
Mavrik Bourque, Ross Colton and Jack Drury are all solid additions up front, and the Predators have enough to eke into the playoffs, but do they have enough for a run? Stars Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly, and Roman Josi are all on the wrong side of 35.
21. St. Louis Blues
The aging Blues defense, besides Phillip Broberg, might have seen their best days. St. Louis could be deep up front: Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael are young and talented buy-low acquisitions. But they seem to be a “mushy middle” team.
20. Columbus Blue Jackets
This is a talented group, but how committed to Columbus is reigning Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski? This is a squad that really needs a quick start this season to help put the Werenski trade rumors to bed.
19. Anaheim Ducks
Beyond young star Jackson LaCombe, there are lots of questions about the Ducks’ defense. I do expect Leo Carlsson to take another step toward franchise center.
18. New Jersey Devils
Can Jack Hughes stay healthy? That could be the difference between the playoffs or not for the Devils. Jake Allen is a big question at the No. 1 goalie.
17. Los Angeles Kings
They’re good enough to make the playoffs, but that’s about it. This is a first-round-and-out roster that’s not getting better.
“I’d put Anaheim ahead of LA,” Scout No. 1 said. “Think there will be five Central teams and three Pacific teams in the playoffs.”
16. San Jose Sharks
San Jose’s defense has been arguably the NHL’s worst for years: Will the expensive additions of Darnell Nurse, Jacob Trouba and Michael Kesselringchange that?
Real defensive improvement will make life easier for talented but inconsistent Yaroslav Askarov.
The Sharks could be among the league’s best up front, headlined by Macklin Celebrini and a battalion of young guns who could take the next step; they just need the blueline to be competent.
I think the Sharks snap their seven-year playoff drought this season, the first of many postseason appearances in the Celebrini era.
15. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are a solid all-around group with some upside, but they need more star power to take the next step. They know it, too, hence their failed Carlsson offer sheet.
14. Ottawa Senators
The Senators are deep and talented, even without Brady Tkachuk, but they’re stuck in the Atlantic, the deepest division in hockey. I’m not sure they have enough to get out of it.
13. Boston Bruins
It’s a complete team that got better with the addition of scoring winger JJ Peterka, but they aren’t a Stanley Cup contender.
12. Utah Mammoth
Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee are solid adds to an already-imposing forward group. The Mammoth aren’t a Cup contender, but they should make the post-season.
11. Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers have been a du jour Cup pick this summer, but they didn’t really add a lot to their roster. I don’t think new head coach Mike Babcock makes that much of an impact.
“Babcock will make a difference,” Scout No. 3 countered. “Connor McDavid is a man on a mission.”
10. Washington Capitals
How the Caps are treating the twilight of Alex Ovechkin’s career is a fascinating contrast to how the Pens are approaching Crosby’s. They’re going all in with the expensive additions of wingers Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou (and ex-Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais). Their overall defense is a question mark, but they’re loaded up front today, future be damned.
A weaker Metropolitan division will help them, too.
9. Montreal Canadiens
They’re another popular offseason pick to take the next step, but I think this skilled group needs another game-changer to go from good to great.
8. Buffalo Sabres
Tuch and Byram are gone, but they’re a young and dangerous group; I expect they’ll make up for those departures from within.
7. Dallas Stars
Can the uber-talented Stars finally put it together? On paper, they look like a Cup contender, but they went backward last year, losing in the first round after three consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances. I think the Robertson situation also will be a distraction.
6. Minnesota Wild
The Wild haven’t been able to break out of a loaded Central for years … I think they have a long playoff run this season. They still need help up the middle though.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning
Since their three consecutive Final appearances from 2020 to 2022, the Lightning have lost in the first round every year. They’re too talented to let that continue, right?
4. Vegas Golden Knights
The defending Western Conference champs, up against the cap, were forced to deal Dorofeyev and didn’t add much this summer, but they’re still sound at every position. A weak Pacific should be theirs to lose once again.
3. Florida Panthers
The Panthers aren’t just adding Brady Tkachuk; they’ve got All-World center Aleksander Barkov healthy again. They’re going to be back in the championship hunt. I think the Jacob Markstrom roll of the dice in net pays off.
2. Colorado Avalanche
They’re still armed with superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, and still have solid depth. This might be the year that they recapture the Cup.
1. Carolina Hurricanes
The defending Stanley Cup champions have to top the power rankings at least in the preseason, right? They still look locked and loaded, on paper, for another run. But will they have the hunger to go back-to-back?
Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast
