TheHockeyNews.com has wrapped up its off-season rankings, highlighting the best and worst moves from all 32 NHL teams throughout the summer. Find all breakdowns and analysis from this series here.
With the NHL season just a few weeks away, TheHockeyNews.com recently completed its off-season rankings for all 32 teams across the league.
Moving in reverse, we ranked every team’s decisions throughout the summer, focusing on arrivals and departures through free agency and trades, as well as coaching and management changes.
Here is the complete list of all of the franchises with links to each individual breakdown to find out how your favourite team did this summer.
The Red Wings didn’t get better this off-season. To the contrary – they now seem like the only team in the Atlantic that will not be competing for a playoff spot in 2026-27.
The Ducks may still be a playoff team in 2026-27, but as the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings will be fighting for post-season spots in the Pacific Division, Anaheim could be on the outside looking in.
There are no guarantees for rebuilding organizations in the NHL, and the Blackhawks are in a difficult spot right now. After years of dominance, they are still searching for a way to return to the spotlight and it doesn't look like this off-season brought them much closer.
There have been a handful of bright moments for the Kraken, but they are proving that progress isn’t linear. Until some elite players enter the organization, it's difficult to image they can be expected to contend with the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights near the top of the Pacific Division.
Playing in a constantly-improving Atlantic Division means that the Sabres’ challenge next season is going to be considerably more difficult than it was this past year. Buffalo has to be in win-now mode, but the moves they’ve made are focused squarely on the future.
The Metro Division is almost wide-open for the taking – other than the defending Cup-champion Carolina Hurricanes – but the Jackets feel very much like a fringe playoff contender at best. And nothing that’s happened this summer makes us feel Columbus will be a playoff team next season.
For a while, the Senators were on a slow-but-steady ascent up the Atlantic ranks, and they were seeking to add talent, not replace it. But that’s a course Tkachuk put the franchise on, and Ottawa now is in a place where it may take a step backward next season and miss the playoffs altogether.
The Atlantic is going to be one of the most competitive divisions in the league once again this season, and the Canadiens can’t be satisfied with the status quo. Hughes and Gorton have provided excellent results, but there’s still a long way to go before they reach their ultimate goal.
McCrimmon has dutifully gone about positioning the Golden Knights as a year-in, year-out Cup contender, and he deserves praise for that. But at a point in league history where there’s parity everywhere, the margin between making the Cup final again, losing in the first round, or not making the playoffs at all, is razor-thin.
In four of the past five seasons, the Islanders finished between fourth and sixth in the Metropolitan Division. While they were fortunate to land star defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first-overall pick in 2025, the Isles need much more talent to take that next competitive step.
There’s a lot to like about the way the Kings are constructed, but at a point in time when California rivals like the Ducks and the Sharks have the generational talent to push past them in the standings, the Kings have chosen to push all their chips behind the 36-year-old Drew Doughty, the 34-year-old Panarin, and the 30-year-old Kevin Fiala.
Is it possible the Stars get some good luck with little injuries, lean on their accomplished veteran core, and finally put all the puzzle pieces together for a long-awaited championship run in 2026-27? Sure, but the Central is stacked, and only improving next season. Dallas could find the road to a Cup considerably more difficult next year.
There’s real danger surrounding this Oilers team in 2026-27. Edmonton didn’t have the worst off-season of any team, but they needed to do more to keep up with the rest of the improving Pacific teams, and they didn’t do so.
The more we look at the Devils’ core, the more we suspect fundamental change could be coming this time next year if there isn’t a playoff appearance and a decent accounting of themselves in the first round and beyond next spring.
At a point in time where virtually every one of Boston’s Atlantic rivals have notably improved, the Bruins have fallen behind. Making the post-season is still a possibility, but it will be an uphill battle if the team's biggest stars don't perform at a high level.
If Hellebuyck sticks around, the Jets have a chance for a big rebound season and a long playoff run in 2026-27. Even if he is traded, there’s still enough of a foundation in place for Cheveldayoff to re-tool and try staying competitive for the foreseeable future. Whether or not that is the best course of action is up for debate.
Tulsky and his analytical approach created a young group that’ll be in contention for the Stanley Cup for quite some time. Adding the fact they have one of the game’s best coaches in Brind’Amour, Carolina has virtually everything you want.
Guerin deserves credit for putting together a competitive team, but you can’t blame Wild fans for wanting more. Minnesota is at a point in its history where they have to go all-in and win a Cup now, making it more than a little underwhelming to see what they did this summer.
The Flyers didn’t have a sub-par off-season, but they also didn’t hit a lot of home runs with their changes. If Woll comes in and stays healthy – something he hasn’t been able to do to this point in his NHL career – Philadelphia could wind up as a threat to shock the rest of the league.
The Canucks no longer have the weight of expectation on them, and that may allow Vancouver’s youngsters to develop into difference-making NHLers. But who’s kidding who – there’s always going to be a spotlight on Canucks players, because their passionate fan base demands it.
Flames GM Craig Conroy has shown great patience as he traded veteran stars and converted them into draft picks, prospects and young players. While there’s still a long way for Calgary to go before they’re legitimate championship contenders, you can see what Conroy is trying to achieve with the moves he’s making.
The Penguins are unquestionably a work-in-progress, but they’re on their way. Considering everything Dubas has done in the weak Metropolitan Division, they should have a window to surge up the standings and challenge for home-ice advantage in the playoffs in 2026-27.
Despite taking steps in the right direction, the Predators still don’t have the type of high-end talent needed to compete with the powerhouses in the Central. Only time will tell if MacFarland ever decides to truly commit to a complete overhaul, but as of now, he's looking to reignite this group's competitive fire with a stronger supporting cast.
Making the playoffs next season is a realistic goal for this new-look Sharks team. You never know how fate and the injury bug will alter your plans, but the good news for San Jose fans is that their team is probably going to become Pacific powerhouses in short order.
While Colorado might be done making major additions throughout the summer, nobody should be shocked to see Sakic take big swings during the season. With multiple star players, depth and playoff experience, they deserve to be regarded as true Cup front-runners.
Are the Rangers better after this off-season? Yes, that can’t be questioned. Drury has followed through with his words last season that this would be a retool and not a rebuild. However, the other thing that could be true is the Rangers are destined to be a mushy middle team.
The Lightning don't change the fact that their competitive window is only open for so long. BriseBois has started trading away first-round draft picks, and while that’s a calculated gamble on his behalf, it’s one that eventually comes back to haunt the organization.
The Mammoth aren’t quite a finished product at the moment. But with Trocheck’s influence on the dressing room, Utah is going to be considerably more prepared next spring when they get another chance to make the playoffs and win a championship.
Most Panthers players have nothing to prove, but there are a handful of new acquisitions that will be under the microscope. That pressure could impact them negatively, but there's no question that Zito’s team-building skills have put the Panthers in a place where they’re legitimate contenders to win their third championship.
On top of good goaltending, St. Louis needs their youngsters like Dylan Holloway, Jake Neighbours, and Jimmy Snuggerud to continue evolving upward. They don’t have the full roster depth that will preserve them through tough times with injuries, but that’s true of most teams.
John Chayka has A) given the Maple Leafs excellent forward depth, B) signed the best free-agent defenseman on the market in Raddysh, and C) signed the most accomplished goalie on the market. That’s about as good as it gets for any team’s off-season.
The Capitals missed out on a playoff berth last season by only three points. They were agonizingly close to punching their ticket to the post-season, and Patrick has drastically improved his roster by using the full financial might of the organization.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
