NHL Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands on Opening Night 2024

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

For those who missed out on the most recent competition for an NHL championship, the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers engaged in a classic seven-game series that was ultimately won by the league's southernmost team in metropolitan Miami.

So it's probably no surprise that it's the Panthers and Oilers, again, occupying two of the top three spots in B/R's Power Rankings as the 2024-25 season gets going tonight with the Global Series curtain-raiser between Buffalo and New Jersey in Prague.

But the champs and the runners-up were nipped at the wire by the Dallas Stars, whom Edmonton eliminated in the Western Conference Final, meaning the initial stay in the rankings penthouse goes to coach Peter DeBoer and Co.

The B/R hockey types got together to mark the start of the annual 1,312-game odyssey by looking at off-season moves, recent injuries and how each team is likely to break from the gate by the time everyone hits the ice early next week.

Ballots were cast awarding 32 points for first place down to one point for 32nd, and the vote/point totals are reflected by the rankings.

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

Previous Ranking: 30

The Sharks got the No. 1 pick for a reason—or, if you look at last season's subpar points total, for 47 of them. And if that No. 1 pick, Macklin Celebrini, is absent for any amount of time after a heavy fall in a preseason game, it won't be a good result.

Previous Ranking: 32

The Blue Jackets finished at least 15 points behind every team in the Metropolitan Division last season, and to say they've had an awful offseason is a tragic understatement. Merely keeping the boat afloat would be considered heroic for new coach Dean Evason.

Previous Ranking: 30

The Ducks were in an unenviable limbo between last-place San Jose and sixth-place Seattle in last season's Pacific Division, and it's difficult to imagine much of a switch from that reality. Is 24-year-old Lukas Dostal ready to be a full-time No. 1 goalie? The answer will matter a lot.

Previous Ranking: 28

The Flames have tumbled from Pacific Division champions two seasons ago to a 17-point playoff miss last season, and it's no cinch they'll spike higher in 2024-25. Dustin Wolf took a brief spin in goal last season and could be the man now that Jacob Markstrom is gone.

Previous Ranking: 27

Much of the 2024-25 optimism for the Canadiens, who were basement-dwellers in the Atlantic last season, was based on the August trade that brought them Patrik Laine. But now that a knee-to-knee hit has Laine on the shelf for a few months, it'll be up to others.

Previous Ranking: 29

It's Year 2 of the Connor Bedard project and some improvement is expected, but it'll likely not be enough to get the Blackhawks out of the league's bottom tier or the bottom slot in the Central Division standings. Cutting down a league-worst -111 goal differential would help.

Previous Ranking: 25

The Kraken are alongside the Flames as the most likely teams to have a chance to climb in the Pacific Division if one of last year's playoff teams falters. And it may be more likely in Seattle, which is just a season removed from a 100-point performance and a series win.

Previous Ranking: 26

The Flyers were in the Eastern playoff mix until the final week of the season last spring, which was a surprise to many other than coach John Tortorella. The perception this year, though, is that a regression is more likely than a step forward into the postseason.

Previous Ranking: 18

The Blues didn't make the Western playoffs in 2023-24, but they amassed 92 points and actually won 10 more games than they lost (in regulation). You'd be hard-pressed to find many who think they'll hit those numbers again, though, even with offer-sheet wins.

Previous Ranking: 20

On the flip side of the Blues are the Capitals, who weren't expected to be elite last year but managed to find their way into the Eastern field. A flurry of summertime moves could make things interesting alongside Alex Ovechkin as he pursues the all-time goals mark.

Previous Ranking: 22

The owner insists the Wild will be the favorites to eventually retain the services of Kirill Kaprizov, whose contract runs through 2025-26, by offering the most years and money. But there's work to do to convince him in the meantime that Minnesota will be a winner.

Previous Ranking: 22

With all due respect to the loyal fans in Arizona, it's got to be better now for the former Coyotes. Doesn't it? Stable ownership. A legitimate NHL-caliber arena. And another year for talent like Clayton Keller to experience the league and build on success. Buy low on Utah.

Previous Ranking: 21

The Senators allowed the seventh-most goals in the league (281) last season and were "only" outscored by 26. So imagine what adding a stable, Vezina-quality goaltender like Linus Ullmark should provide. If you said a real chance at the Eastern playoffs, you're right.

Previous Ranking: 22

The Sabres will be among the teams battling the Senators and others to emerge from the pack of Eastern also-rans and climb into the actual playoff field. It'd be a long time coming in Western New York, which last saw a hockey postseason in 2011. Welcome back, Lindy.

Previous Ranking: 19

Meanwhile, the Islanders reside alongside the Capitals as the teams that predators like the Senators and Sabres are looking at as the most likely to fall backward. New York scored 17 fewer goals than it allowed last season, and Ilya Sorokin's health is a question. Uh oh.

Previous Ranking: 17

The Penguins were just three points out of the playoffs last season with an engine consisting largely of parts assembled in the mid 2000s. How much mileage they'll continue to get without any real injection of youthful fuel is the biggest issue on Steel City ice for now.

Previous Ranking: 15

The Red Wings are the second-highest ranked team that didn't reach the Eastern playoffs in 2023-24, trailing only New Jersey, and they're certainly in the aforementioned race to pick up ground on the Islanders and Capitals, etc. At some point, the Yzerplan has to work, no?

Previous Ranking: 15

There have been a slew of injuries to established players in the preseason, and none was any more painful for a team than Drew Doughty's to the Kings. His fractured ankle will apparently require surgery, and a status billed as month to month isn't a terrific sign for Los Angeles.

Previous Ranking: 14

It's hard to get super excited about the Jets in the aftermath of their first-round flame-out against a Colorado team they'd owned in the regular season, but don't forget that they did win 52 games and were just three points off Dallas' pace in the Central Division.

Previous Ranking: 12

Just when you thought the Lightning would finally cede their position among the Eastern elite after multiple deep playoff runs, they go and scoop up the most coveted free agent in Jake Guentzel. Will he provide what they lost with Steven Stamkos? It's a compelling watch.

Previous Ranking: 12

The Bruins certainly didn't trade Ullmark to Ottawa in June with a thought that one of the pieces they acquired in the deal—Joonas Korpisalo—would be starting the 2024-25 opener. But that's where they'll be unless the impasse with Jeremy Swayman is resolved quickly.

Previous Ranking: 11

It was an off-ice win but a win just the same for the Golden Knights when the league granted them salary-cap relief for injured goalie Robin Lehner's final contract year. That means additional wiggle room to address depth issues caused by summertime free-agency exits.

Previous Ranking: 8

It's far from a cakewalk in the Central with powerhouses like Dallas, Colorado and perhaps Winnipeg, but the Predators made a spectacular bid for the upper echelon with their summertime recruitment of Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei.

Previous Ranking: 10

The Hurricanes subtracted more than they added when it came to free agency, particularly on the blue line, but arriving defenseman Sean Walker has played well in the preseason and will need to continue if Carolina is to maintain its recent elite status in the Eastern field.

Previous Ranking: 6

The preseason record was lousy. But it's preseason. And it's hard to temper the excitement being felt in the Garden State. Markstrom's arrival from Calgary should stabilize the net, and simply avoiding horrid injury luck almost guarantees a playoff return for the Devils.

Previous Ranking: 8

Everyone knows it's been 57 years since a parade, and everyone knows about the recent playoff disasters. So it'll be interesting to see how much impact Cup-winning coach Craig Berube has on the Maple Leafs now that he's taken charge. The guess here is a lot.

Previous Ranking: 7

The Canucks were good all season while winning the Pacific Division's 2023-24 title, and they came within a game of the NHL's final four. But the injury that sidelined Thatcher Demko early in those playoffs is lingering, and it's unsure when he'll return. In the meantime, we'll see.

Previous Ranking: 5

The Avalanche are as loaded as they come thanks to reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon, blue-line star Cale Makar and the perhaps imminent return of Gabriel Landeskog. But goaltending matters. And unless Alexandar Georgiev raises his level, it could be an Achilles' heel again.

Previous Ranking: 4

That sigh of relief you hear from midtown Manhattan is connected to the health of perennial MVP candidate Artemi Panarin, who was injured during the preseason but is only labeled day to day. If he's back at full strength soon, the Rangers should continue as a contender.

Previous Ranking: 3

Avoiding the same opening-month plummet as last season would be a nice touch for the Oilers, who were at a home-ice disadvantage against the Canucks, Stars and Panthers in the playoffs. That'll be important, but shoring up the defense in the meantime is a huge need.

Previous Ranking: 2

The rings from June's title win soften the blow of a second-place rankings position for the Panthers, who earned two first-place votes and were no lower than third on any ballot. There were free-agency losses, but there's zero reason to believe Florida won't be in the mix.

Previous Ranking: 1

The mantel of "it's their title to lose" this season goes to the Stars, who were the best team in the Western Conference across the 2023-24 schedule but were ousted by the Oilers in six games. Still, the blend of skill, depth and a strong goaltender make Dallas a worthy favorite.