The 2026-27 NHL season is about to get underway after an eventful offseason. led by two major trade requests and a boatload of money being handed out.
Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin made the trade requests and that will be hanging over their teams early this season. Fellow U.S. Olympian Brady Tkachuk was moved to the Florida Panthers.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers made an offer sheet to the Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson that changed the salary structure for younger players. Carlsson's deal, which was matched, was topped by Mackllin Celelbrini and Cale Makar, who became the NHL's first $20 million player.
How does that change the power structure in the NHL? USA TODAY provides its season-opening
power rankings:
2026-27 NHL power rankings 32-20
32. Vancouver Canucks
New coach Manny Malhotra won an American Hockey League championship, but he'll have his work cut out to get the Canucks out of last place. Thatcher Demko and Filip Chytil are injured already. A key will be Elias Pettersson returning to form.
31. Calgary Flames
They added defenseman Simon Nemec after trading Mackenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson last season, but they're still in rebuilding mode.
30. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken are still looking for an identity after one playoff appearance in their first five years. Their offseason was relatively quiet outside of unsuccessfully trying to trade for Jason Robertson.
29. Chicago Blackhawks
The additions of Bowen Byram and Patrick Kane make the team better. But they'll be without injured Connor Bedard early in the season.
28. Winnipeg Jets
Three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck remains away from the team while awaiting a trade. Goalie acquisition Stuart Skinner has had great - and bad - stretches, but he's no Hellebuyck. If the Jets get a good return, they'll move up the list.
27. Ottawa Senators
Brady Tkachuk's skill set will be missed. The Senators have plenty going for them, but they are in a tough division.
26. Detroit Red Wings
Their troubled offseason included Larkin's trade request and GM Steve Yzerman stepping aside. Larkin is with the team, so that will help. But they won't end their 10-season playoff drought.
25. New York Islanders
A team with Matthew Schaefer, Ilya Sorokin and coach Peter DeBoer should make the playoffs. But the departure of captain Anders Lee hurts.
24. Los Angeles Kings
Coach Peter Laviolette usually has success in his first season with a team. The key question: Can Quinton Byfield thrive as a No. 1 center after Anze Kopitar's retirement?
23. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks matched the offer sheet and got Cutter Gauthier re-signed, but the defense is weaker and they moved out Mason McTavish and Chris Kreider.
22. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets were in the news a lot, but Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko weren't traded, and Adam Fantilli eventually re-signed. But even with bringing in Alexander Nichushkin, it might not be enough to end the team's playoff drought.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
Porter Martone will try to become the first Flyers player to win rookie of the year. Matvei Michkov looked better in training camp after a tough sophomore season. Still, the team didn't get its No. 1 center when the Ducks matched the offseason sheet.
2026-27 NHL power rankings 20-11
20. New York Rangers
The Rangers are a better team after trading for Pavel Dorofeyev and Sean Durzi. But they have a ground to make up to be a playoff team.
19. Nashville Predators
New GM Chris MacFarland added Mavrik Bourque, plus former Avs Jack Drury and Ross Colton. Trading Luke Evangelista might hurt, though.
18. Toronto Maple Leafs
New GM John Chayka lucked out with a lottery win and drafted Gavin McKenna, plus he signed two-time Stanley Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky, 22-goal defenseman Darren Raddysh and remade the bottom six. New coach Jim Hiller will have to make it all mesh.
17. San Jose Sharks
Macklin Celebrini landed a massive contract extension and the captaincy at age 20. He has a chance to lead the Sharks to a playoff spot in the weaker Pacific Division.
16. Pittsburgh Penguins
Franchise stalwarts Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in the final years of their contracts. They got back to the playoffs last season. This season is not as certain, especially with Ben Kindel and Bryan Rust injured early.
15. St. Louis Blues
The Blues moved Jordan Kyrou, kept Robert Thomas and named him captain. Offseason acquisitions Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish could push the Blues toward a playoff spot.
14. New Jersey Devils
The Devils are deeper on the wings and Luke Evangelista was a good pickup. If their goaltending can hold up, their playoff absence could be only one season.
13. Boston Bruins
David Pastrnak leads by example with four consecutive 100-point seasons and now he has the captaincy. He, Morgan Geekie and Jeremy Swayman will lead the Bruins to the playoffs again.
12. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights handed the coaching reins to Ryan Craig, who has been preparing for this position. He takes over a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final last season. He'll have to find a way to make up for Pavel Dorofeyev's lost goals.
11. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have the talent to make it two playoff appearances in a row after ending a record 14-season drought, but they have to figure how to make up for Alex Tuch's goals.
2026-27 NHL power rankings 10-1
10. Utah Mammoth
They've been spending wisely since moving to Salt Lake City, and now they've added veterans Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck. A 100-point season seems possible.
9. Edmonton Oilers
They took a step back with a first-round exit and fired coach Kris Knoblauch. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are hoping veteran coach Mike Babcock takes them to the top.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning haven't escaped the first round since 2022 but they're still in a championship window, assuming Victor Hedman has a bounceback season. It would help if MVP Nikita Kucherov signs an extension.
7. Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are built with a host of players on reasonable contracts growing together. That got them to the Eastern Conference finals. Now, they've added veteran power-play presence Chris Kreider to that mix.
6. Washington Capitals
The Capitals won the offseason by bringing in Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner. All-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin liked what he saw and signed a one-year deal.
5. Minnesota Wild
Bill Guerin received a contract extension and the hockey world is waiting for him to get one for Quinn Hughes. Otherwise, the Wild remain among the upper-tier teams in the tough Central Division.
4. Dallas Stars
The Stars re-signed Jason Robertson and traded Mavrik Bourque. But they get Tyler Seguin back from injury. They remain a deep, dangerous team.
3. Florida Panthers
The 2024 and 2025 champions imploded last season under major injuries, including Aleksander Barkov. He's back, the Panthers brought in Matthew Tkachuk's brother, Brady, and will be a Stanley Cup threat if the goaltending holds up.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
The defending champions are in the mix for a repeat. Brandon Bussi showed he can handle the net. They'll have to cope with Seth Jarvis' early injury and find a solution to Alexander Nikishin not reporting.
1. Colorado Avalanche
The No. 1 overall Avalanche were swept in the conference finals because of injuries to Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. If both stay healthy, the Avalanche can get to the final this year.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL power rankings as 2026-27 season opens: Who will challenge for Stanley Cup?
