As the 2024-2025 NHL season slowly approaches the league consists of many powerhouse teams. Based on previous seasons and the offseason, here’s a look at my top 10 teams going into the year.
The Canucks, led by young captain Quinn Hughes, finished first in the Pacific Division, and sixth place in the entire league. Forward J.T. Miller led the offense last season putting up 37 goals and 66 assists, for 109 total points. The starting goalie of the team, Thatcher Demko, had a 2.45 GAA and 9.18 SV%. Demko also finished a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, also known as Goalie of the Year award. The Canucks stayed quiet this past offseason, leaving them lower on this list.
The Leafs stay known for their overwhelming offensive talent. Their top six forwards include Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander. Matthews ended last season with a historic 69 goals. The team lacks on the defensive side of the game though. That was until this offseason. General Manager Brad Treliving took it into his own hands to improve the defensive core. The Leafs signed Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who both stand as very solid defensemen in the league. The team’s biggest issue now falls on the goaltending. Joseph Woll started in goal for the majority of the season and the playoffs. The 26-year-old doesn’t have much experience in the league which may explain his lackluster stats.
The Bruins finished second place in the Atlantic Division and seventh in the entire league. David Pastrańák leads the team’s offense. The Czechian player scored 110 points last season which is 43 points ahead of the next player. The team signed Elias Lindholm over the offseason to help Pastranak on the offensive end. The Bruin’s defense core stands strong against others in the league. Led by Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, the defense is potentially the best asset of this team. Goalie Jeremy Swayman also had a breakout season last year with a 2.53 GAA and a 9.16 SV%. Head coach Jim Montgomery, one of the most respected coaches around the league, knows what it takes to win.
The 2023 Stanley Cup Champions and second newest team in the league have had a franchise full of success. The Knights have only missed the playoffs one time in their seven years as a franchise. In those seven years, the team has appeared in four conference finals and two Stanley Cup finals winning one of the two. The team’s offense is led by Jack Eichel and Mark Stone and the defense led by Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin. The team lost one of their best players, Johnathan Marchessault. However, they acquired Tomáš Hertl and Victor Olofsson to make up for it. Adin Hill holds it down in goal for the team. The knights seem to always find a way to win, and they can continue to do so.
The reigning President’s Trophy champions, most points in the league, are a very well-rounded team. The offense led by superstar Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad stands as one of the best offensive cores in the league. The defense is led by star defenseman Adam Fox and captain Jacob Trouba. The best part of this team is the goaltending. Igor Shesterkin is debatably the best goalie in the NHL. The only reason the Rangers aren’t higher on this list is because outside of their top players, they are a very mediocre team.
Carolina HurricanesThe Hurricanes remain one of the toughest teams to play against. Brent Burns, Jacob Slavin, Dimiry Orlov and the rest of the defensemen will make you pay for making the wrong play. The team also has a very solid offensive side, led by Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. This team could be in the top three teams if they had more real superstars or their top guys stepped it up. The team had no players over 90 points. The leaders on the team have also been battling injuries, and it is hard to rely on players who may not be able to play.
This is a team that some would call top-heavy, but the guys who aren’t superstars still get it done. Nathan McKinnon leads the offense and is arguably the second-best player in the world. The team also has the best defenseman in the world, Cale Makar. With the support of players like Mikko Rantanen, Devon Toews and Sam Girard, the Avalanche are very well-rounded. The issue is the lack of leadership. The team’s captain Gabriel Landeskog has been out with an injury for over a year now. This year players like Nathan McKinnon and Cale Makar will have to step up and be leaders on and off the ice, which can lead this team to lots of success.
3. Dallas Stars
While this pick may seem biased because this is the hometown team, the Stars would be in this position no matter where they played. The Stars are a young team that is filled with talent across the roster. Finishing first in the Central Division and second in the league, the Stars always seem to succeed. Star defenseman Miro Heiskanen is the leader of the defense and forwards Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz lead the offense. Young players on the team like Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven and Thomas Harley are some of the biggest aspects of the team. The best part of the Stars roster is the veterans taking charge. Captain Jamie Benn and Assistant Captain Tyler Seguin may not be the top point scorers they used to be, but they have embraced their new roles on the team. They help develop the younger guys and are a big part of their success. Jake Oettinger is one of the best goalies in the league as well. The Stars could easily be number one or two on this list, but some of the players seem to disappear when it comes to the playoffs. If the team can fully come together in the playoffs, I can see them taking the top spot on a list like this.
After losing the Stanley Cup Finals last season, The Oilers are going to be coming back with one goal, to win. Led by the best player in the world and some consider him the most skilled player to ever lace up his skates, Connor McDavid, the Oilers have the best offense in the NHL. Leon Draisiatl playing alongside McDavid seems like a cheat code. The team has extra motivation to be the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup Finals in 31 years. The defense is led by star defenseman Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse. Many people doubt the Oilers and refer to them as “top heavy,” but this offseason they added Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson to the offense. With guys like Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins starting to break out, the Oilers are the second toughest team to play against.
The reigning Stanley Cup Champions look to come back strong and prove that they are the best team, again. It’s hard to say who leads the team because all of the players exceed expectations. The top four point scorers on the team scored 334 points combined. Veteran goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had a historic playoff run last year. Head Coach Paul Maurice is arguably the best coach in the league. There are no real flaws in this team. They have proved they can win, going to back-to-back Stanley Cup finals and winning one of them. They play physical, they score and they are hard to score against. Since 2015, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning have both won back-to-back cups. This Panthers team can definitely do the same.
