{"numbering":"no_numbering","slides":[{"title":"31. Detroit Red Wings","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/det_red_wings_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603368308,"caption":"

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has a tough task trying to rebuild with a team that ranked dead last in goals scored and goals allowed per game last season.

It's going to be another long season in Detroit.

"},{"title":"30. Ottawa Senators","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/ott_sens_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603372307,"caption":"

The Senators had a very good offseason. They owned two top five picks and used them to address areas of weakness with the selections of German left winger Tim Stuetzle (No. 3 overall) and American defenseman Jake Sanderson (No. 5 overall). Ottawa also bolstered its goaltending with the addition of two-time Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray in a trade with the Penguins. Ottawa made an impact in free agency by signing right winger Evgenii Dadonov, who's scored 25-plus goals in three consecutive seasons.

The Senators probably won't make the playoffs in 2020-21, but they have started to lay a strong foundation for sustained success in the near future.

"},{"title":"29. Anaheim Ducks","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/ana_ducks_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603368645,"caption":"

The free agent signing of veteran defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk -- fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Lightning -- will make the Ducks' blue line better, especially offensively. But this team finished 29th in goals scored per game last season and still lacks the offensive firepower to be a playoff contender.

"},{"title":"28. LA Kings","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/la_kings_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603368805,"caption":"

The 2020-21 season will be another rebuilding year for the Kings, who selected Sudbury Wolves (OHL) center Quinton Byfield with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

"},{"title":"27. San Jose Sharks","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/sj_sharks_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603373765,"caption":"

It's officially a new era in San Jose with veteran center Joe Thornton leaving to join the Leafs in free agency. Thornton had been with the Sharks for 15 years after the Bruins traded him to San Jose during the 2005-06 season. He won a Hart Trophy and led the Sharks to the playoffs 15 times, including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2016.

Now it's time for a new player to step up and become the leader/face of the franchise.

"},{"title":"26. Chicago Blackhawks","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/chi_bhawks_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603368832,"caption":"

The Blackhawks have had an abysmal offseason. The situation was so bad that captain Jonathan Toews surprisingly voiced his frustration about the team's moves in a recent interview with The Athletic.

The 'Hawks were unable to retain longtime goalie Corey Crawford in free agency, leaving them without a reliable presence in net. Malcolm Subban, who has an .899 save percentage in 66 career games, is the team's best goalie right now.

Trading away a quality forward in Brandon Saad, who was a key part of two Stanley Cup-winning teams, also made little sense.

Chicago's challenge of rebuilding quickly and maximizing what's left of Patrick Kane and Toews' primes will be a tough one.

"},{"title":"25. Arizona Coyotes","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/az_coyotes_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603372578,"caption":"

The Coyotes failed to trade defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and remain stuck with his salary cap-burdening contract. They also lost star left winger Taylor Hall in free agency and have failed to find an adequate replacement so far.

Arizona upset the Predators in the qualifying round last season before falling to the Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was an impressive end to the 2019-20 season for the Coyotes, but after a brutal offseason that saw key players depart and no impactful improvements made, we should expect Arizona to take a step back in 2020-21.

"},{"title":"24. New Jersey Devils","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/nj_devils_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603372650,"caption":"

The No. 1 goal for the Devils this season should be developing their best young players, and at the top of the list are recent first-round picks Jack Hughes (No. 1 overall, 2019) and Nico Hischier (No. 1 overall, 2017).

These two players have the potential to be a formidable 1-2 punch at center for many years in New Jersey.

"},{"title":"23. Minnesota Wild","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/min_wild_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603374015,"caption":"

The Wild upgraded in net by trading goalie Devan Dubnyk to the Sharks and signing veteran Cam Talbot in free agency. Talbot posted a .919 save percentage for the Flames last season.

This swap probably isn't enough to help the Wild return to the playoffs, but it does give them more dependability at the most important position.

Minnesota also added some nice forward depth with the free agent signings of Nick Bonino, Nick Bjugstad and Marcus Johansson.

"},{"title":"22. Nashville Predators","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/nas_predators_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603374262,"caption":"

The Predators did very little to improve their roster after back-to-back years of disappointing exits in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They also lost three of their top four goal scorers from last season -- Nick Bonino, Craig Smith and Mikael Granlund -- to free agency.

It's hard to see a path to the second round or Western Conference Final for this group in Nashville.

"},{"title":"21. New York Rangers","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/ny_rangers_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603374472,"caption":"

The Rangers rebuild is going very well, and after drafting can't-miss prospect Alexis Lafrenière with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, the hope for New York is that he and 2019 No. 2 pick Kaapo Kakko will soon lead a new generation of winning hockey at Madison Square Garden.

The departure of longtime goalie Henrik Lundqvist was a sad one for Rangers fans, but the time was right for him to pursue a Stanley Cup title with another team.

"},{"title":"20. Montreal Canadiens","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/mon_canadiens_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603419731,"caption":"

You can't say the Canadiens weren't aggressive in trying to bolster their scoring depth this offseason.

Not only did they give up Max Domi and a third-round pick to acquire right winger Josh Anderson in a trade with the Blue Jackets, they signed him to a seven-year deal worth $38.5 million! Montreal also added Tyler Toffoli in free agency on a very reasonable four-year contract worth $17 million.

The acquisition of Jake Allen to be the backup goalie behind starter Carey Price also was a very good move. Allen has plenty of experience and will lessen Price's workload, which should keep the Vezina-caliber netminder fresh for the important games late in the season.

Don't be surprised if the Canadiens jump back into the playoff mix in the Eastern Conference as soon as next season.

"},{"title":"19. Buffalo Sabres","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/buf_sabres_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603375111,"caption":"

The Sabres are under increasing pressure to start winning and take advantage of franchise center Jack Eichel's prime. They have yet to surround him with enough talent to make a real run at securing a playoff spot, although the surprising addition of former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall on a one-year free agent contract was a very nice move.

Buffalo hasn't made the playoffs since 2011 -- by far the longest drought in franchise history.

"},{"title":"18. Florida Panthers","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/PANTHERS_USATSI_14710685.jpg","credit":"","published":1603374649,"caption":"

The Panthers scored the sixth-most goals per game last season, but they are unlikely to replicate that success in 2020-21. Top goal scorer Mike Hoffman is still a free agent and Evgenii Dadonov, Florida's second-leading goal scorer, took his talents to the Senators in free agency.

Losing that much offensive firepower without bringing in any notable replacements is a tough blow for a team that also allowed third-most goals in the league in 2019-20.

"},{"title":"17. Winnipeg Jets","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/win_jets_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603375427,"caption":"

Vezina Trophy-winning goalie Connor Hellebuyck will give the Jets a chance to win a lot of games this season. The primary concern is the blue line, where Winnipeg has one of the worst groups of defensemen among the playoff-caliber teams in the West.

"},{"title":"16. Pittsburgh Penguins","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/pit_penguins_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603422306,"caption":"

The Penguins are not a top Stanley Cup contender, but they will be a tough team to beat as long as future Hall of Fame centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are healthy and in the lineup.

The position to watch in Pittsburgh is goaltender. Tristan Jarry played at an All-Star level last season, and now he'll be the full-time starting netminder after the Penguins traded Matt Murray to the Senators for a second-round pick and a prospect in October.

"},{"title":"15. New York Islanders","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/ny_islanders_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603421830,"caption":"

The depth on the blue line took a hit with Devon Toews (trade) and Johnny Boychuk (retirement) both leaving. Thomas Greiss' departure also stings because he was a pretty dependable goalie for New York over the last five seasons.

The Islanders still have enough talent to compete for a playoff spot, though.

Re-signing leading scorer and No. 1 center Mathew Barzal (restricted free agent) to a long-term contract is the most important offseason task remaining for the Islanders.

"},{"title":"14. Columbus Blue Jackets","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/colum_blujax_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603421969,"caption":"

The Blue Jackets have very good goaltending, an excellent blue line and they are a tough team to play against due to their physicality and impressive defensive structure. This is what you expect from a John Tortorella-coached team.

The concern is up front -- Columbus ranked 27th in goals scored last season and hasn't made enough upgrades in the offseason to expect a meaningful improvement in 2020-21. Oliver Bjorkstrand was the only Blue Jackets forward to hit the 20-goal mark last season. A breakout campaign from top center Pierre-Luc Dubois would go a long way in helping Columbus solve its offensive woes.

"},{"title":"13. Vancouver Canucks","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/van_canucks_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603422428,"caption":"

The Canucks lost starting goalie Jacob Markstrom, a top-six caliber forward in Tyler Toffoli, and two quality defensemen in Chris Tanev and Troy Stecher in free agency. Acquiring top-four defenseman Nate Schmidt in a trade with the Golden Knights was a fantastic move, but it's still hard to grade the totality of Vancouver's offseason any higher than a "C".

"},{"title":"12. Carolina Hurricanes","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/car_hurricanes_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603419921,"caption":"

There's a lot to like about the Hurricanes' roster, especially on the blue line, but the goaltending remains a huge concern.

Neither Petr Mrazek (2.69 GAA, .905 SV%) nor James Reimer (2.66 GAA, .914 SV%) inspire much confidence between the pipes after last season's performance.

"},{"title":"11. Edmonton Oilers","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/edm_oilers_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603421653,"caption":"

The Oilers had a bounce-back 2019-20 regular season and finished second in the Pacific Division. But they struggled in the playoffs and were upset by an inferior Blackhawks team in the qualifying round.

Expectations for the Oilers will be enormously high with Connor McDavid healthy and Leon Draisaitl coming off a Hart Trophy-winning campaign.

The question is whether the goalie duo of Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith is good enough to lead Edmonton on a deep playoff run. Right now, it's hard to say yes.

"},{"title":"10. Calgary Flames","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/cal_flames_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603422665,"caption":"

Each of the Flames' last three playoff appearances ended with first-round exits, including last year's six-game defeat to the Dallas Stars.

Calgary wisely strengthened its goaltending with the free agent signing of Jacob Markstrom, and it replaced defenseman T.J. Brodie by signing free agent Chris Tanev. The Flames also added forward depth with the additions of left wingers Joakim Nordstrom and Josh Leivo, among others.

Overall, the Flames had a busy (and impressive) offseason and should be a tough out in the playoffs.

"},{"title":"9. Dallas Stars","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/dal_stars_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603422546,"caption":"

The Stars made an impressive run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020, and we should expect a similarly strong result next season thanks to a goalie tandem of Anton Khudobin and Ben Bishop that finished No. 2 in goals against average last year.

"},{"title":"8. Toronto Maple Leafs","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Matthews_A_USATSI_14713320.jpg","credit":"USA TODAY Sports","published":1603422777,"caption":"

Adding Joe Thornton and Wayne Simmonds give the Leafs more scoring depth and experience up front, and the signing of free agent defenseman T.J. Brodie bolsters the blue line.

A huge spotlight will be on starting goalie Frederik Andersen, who's entering the final year of his contract after posting the worst save percentage and goals against average of his career last season.

"},{"title":"7. St. Louis Blues","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/stl_blues_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603422881,"caption":"

Losing team captain and No. 1 defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is a tough blow, but replacing him with Torey Krug -- the second-best free agent blueliner on the market -- was a nice rebound by Blues general manager Doug Armstrong.

Krug should provide consistent scoring production, toughness and strong leadership to a St. Louis team that still ranks as a top Stanley Cup contender.

"},{"title":"6. Boston Bruins","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/bos_bruins_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603423152,"caption":"

The Bruins haven't had a good offseason. Torey Krug left in free agency and the team hasn't replaced him with another top-four defenseman. Captain and veteran d-man Zdeno Chara also remains unsigned.

The addition of veteran winger Craig Smith was a solid signing, but he's not going to fix Boston's secondary scoring issues by himself.

Despite all of that, the Bruins still have one of the best rosters in the Eastern Conference highlighted by an elite first line and the league's top goaltending tandem.

"},{"title":"5. Philadelphia Flyers","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/phl_flyers_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603423325,"caption":"

The Flyers were a well-balanced team last season, finishing in the top 10 in both goals scored per game and goals allowed per game. Philly should be an even stronger team in 2020-21 as its top young players, such as leading scorer Travis Konecny, continue to improve. The Flyers still need to find a suitable replacement for retired defenseman Matt Niskanen, though.

"},{"title":"4. Washington Capitals","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/was_caps_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603423480,"caption":"

The Braden Holtby era is over, and now future Hall of Fame goalie Henrik Lundqvist takes over the Washington net in search of his first Stanley Cup title.

If Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin matches his 48-goal total from last season, he will end 2020-21 with the fourth-most goals in league history.

"},{"title":"3. Colorado Avalanche","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/colo_avalanche_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603424063,"caption":"

Trading for a top-six forward with championship experience in Brandon Saad and a top-four defenseman in Devon Toews gives the Avalanche a very talented and deep roster capable of making a championship run.

It's Stanley Cup Final or bust in Colorado this season.

"},{"title":"2. Vegas Golden Knights","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/vgk_pri.jpg","credit":"","published":1603423534,"caption":"

The Golden Knights should be the favorites in the Western Conference next season after adding a No. 1 defenseman in Alex Pietrangelo via free agency and re-signing starting goalie Robin Lehner.

"},{"title":"1. Tampa Bay Lightning","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/slide/image/Lightning_USATODAY_14996843.jpg","credit":"USA TODAY Sports","published":1603423685,"caption":"

The Lightning did not lose any significant pieces from their 2020 Stanley Cup-winning roster, and as long as restricted free agent defenseman Mikhail Sergachev re-signs, Tampa Bay will go into next season as the Stanley Cup favorite.

"}]}

2020 NHL Power Rankings: Where all 31 teams stand as new season approaches