The Canadian Power Ranking before the 2023–24 NHL regular season begins, we still find ourselves bound to the past for a few fleeting moments. Still, after an offseason of manoeuvres, and a preseason that offered some limited insights into what the future might hold, the stirrings of change are already beginning to take shape.
Without further ado, let’s check in on the NHL’s seven Canadian teams and how they stack up against each other
7. Montreal Canadiens
In all likelihood, this spot will be occupied by the Montreal Canadiens all season, and this is by design. The only team currently committed to rebuilding, more than any specific result in the standings the Canadiens will measure success by the development of their prospects outside the NHL, the young players on the NHL roster, and the NHL team’s identity as a whole.
As such, GM Kent Hughes and Head Coach Martin St. Louis are still in something of a grace period. For his part, Hughes has amassed a treasury of young assets, including former high draft picks that had fallen out of favour with their original organisations. Most would consider last season’s trade for Kirby Dach a resounding success, and only time will tell if the acquisition of Alex Newhook will be looked upon just as favourably this time next year.
Still, the Canadiens won’t be ready to contend in earnest until their blueline comes of age. Hughes has clearly prioritised building his blueline of the future through the draft. David Reinbacher joins Lane Hutson as blue chip defence prospects, not far from joining the likes of Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj in the NHL. Of course, the Canadiens have a number of other notable defence prospects, and some less heralded defenders emerging as legitimate NHL talents, such as Johnathan Kovacevic.
For St. Louis’ part, there have been positive signs from the young players on the Canadiens roster. By no means is the work here done, including the importance placed on the growth of young players like former first overall pick Judah Slafkovsky. Seeing these core young roster players continue to build on their games is the coach’s primary objective at this point, though this might come hand in hand with a greater team identity, as well as a better record.
In all, there is still a lot of patience for the Canadiens leadership, and so long as some positive momentum remains. The perfect season would see the Canadiens are far more capable NHL team this season, while still accruing some draft capital for June 2024. While some fans will surely cheer for the highest draft pick possible, the Canadiens have a significant amount of their potential tied up to the culture and results of their NHL roster.
6. Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are far closer to passing the teams in front of them on this ranking than falling behind the Canadiens, but the status quo of the past half decade has been quite mercurial. With a potent core group headlined by elite talents like Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Thatcher Demko the Canucks have some of the championship calibre pieces that are the most elusive to acquire.
Still, GM Patrik Allvin has had his work cut out for him in clearing out a team that was full of cap sinkholes and riddled with depth issues. In particular, the Canuck blueline has been suspect since Chris Tanev left in free agency. While Andrei Kuzmenko and Anthony Beauvillier seem to be quality additions up front, it will be instead the quality of additions like Filip Hronek, Carson Soucy, and Ian Cole that help stabilise the defence group and in turn give the rest of the team a puncher’s chance at a postseason berth.
For the time being, Coach Rick Tocchet has the Canucks pulling in the same direction more cohesively. The most pivotal improvement over last year should be the penalty kill, especially considering their defensive additions. Between the atrocious results on the penalty kill and a slow start to their 2022–23 season, a positive outlook was quick to evaporate last season. If nothing else the Canucks would do well to remain in the hunt into the winter months this season.
The Canucks are overdue for a season where things break their way. Given the star power in their lineup it’s imperative to the psyche of the team and the fan base that there are some tangible steps forward this season. More critical fans might bemoan that the time to rebuild around young stars has come and gone, with the Canucks instead toiling in the stasis of mediocrity.
5. Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets find themselves at something of a crossroads after many lingering issues were resolved this offseason. Pierre-Luc Dubois’ stalemate ended after he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. Former captain and controversial locker room presence, Blake Wheeler, was moved on from. Still, this is a team whose coach had less than flattering things to say about his team at the end of last season, with two of the franchise pillars, Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele, on the last year of their respective deals. Despite a number of issues being resolved, uncertainty looms large.
Coach Rick Bowness seems to have gotten the most out of heavy bluelines in the past, including this group which returns most of its pieces from last season. A preseason injury to Ville Heinola is particularly disappointing given his age and the lack of offence from the group in general. Josh Morrissey will be leaned on heavily once again, and will have to prove that the strong performance from last season was the rule and not the exception.
Up front, the Jets might have their deepest group in half a decade, since their trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2018–19, in large part thanks to the return from the Dubois trade. Gabe Vilardi joins Cole Perfetti as young professionals with a strong chance to emerge as pieces of the Jets new core. Alex Iafallo joins Nino Niederreiter as a capable veteran middle-six forward. Rasmus Kupari joins David Gustafsson as potential centres who might still have some upwards trajectory in the lineup.
Of course, top tier talents like Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor will be the focal point of the Jets success. With a stout defence and an opportunistic offence the Jets might be able to replicate their regular season play from last season and earn a playoff spot. Would that be enough to convince Hellebuyck and Scheifele to re-sign? Or with a worse performance will the Jets be forced to concede, selling big at the deadline?
4. Ottawa Senators
There’s a lot for Ottawa Senators fans to feel good about. With new ownership, an arena deal, and a roster headlined by star young talent like Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson, the Sens are poised to push for a playoff spot. One of a number of young teams rising in the East, the Sens will still be in tough against other upstarts like the Buffalo Sabres in chasing down a pack of veteran laden contenders like the Tampa Bay Lightning.
If there is bad news, it is most certainly the most recent injury absence of centre Josh Norris. We have already begun to tread upon the extended absences affecting his overall quality if and when he does return. He leaves a sizable hole at centre, one that the Sens might soon need to address. In such a case the Sens do have futures to move if they so choose.
The issue at centre is further compounded by the contract stalemate with Shane Pinto, who seemed to have asserted himself as a key piece of the Senators top-nine forward group. Still, the Sens offence is potent, and new additions like Vladimir Tarasenko and Dominik Kubalik should help spread the wealth deeper into the lineup.
The strength of the Senators is their blueline, perhaps one of the better units across the league. Sanderson might quickly be on his way to leading the group, though Thomas Chabot, Jakob Chychrun, and Artyom Zub complete a formidable top four. The Sens boast a plethora of other younger options, including Erik Brannstrom and Tyler Kleven on the left and Lassi Thomson and Jacob Bernard-Docker on the right.
Now that former Oiler Steve Staios has joined as President of Hockey Operations, the new structure up top is not beholden to GM Pierre Dorion or coach D.J. Smith. While these two deserve credit for building the Sens up to this point, the push for more might push them out if the team continues to miss the playoffs.
3. Calgary Flames
Over the offseason a few things have cleared up for the Calgary Flames. With a new arena deal, a new GM, and a new head coach, the Flames are looking to rekindle some of the magic that eluded them last season. With an abnormal amount of close losses and overtime defeats, discord grew as the Flames missed out on a playoff spot by a small margin. Tensions due to the arena or former Head Coach Darryl Sutter took on a life of their own, as the mood teetered on the precipice of disaster.
A number of high priced veterans are looking to bounce back after underwhelming seasons, from newcomers Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau, to longer tenured Flames like Jacob Markstrom. In all, the mood seems to have reset a bit since the end of last year, as new captain Mikael Backlund re-signed with the club, a symbolic regrouping of the current roster.
Still, the Flames boast a strong blueline, the strength of their team. While futures are uncertain for some upcoming UFAs, like Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm, Flames fans can feel a bit more secure about the urgent standing of their team.
As always, the brightest flickers of hope come from some of the younger players looking to make their mark on the Flames roster. Matt Coronato leads a group that is looking to make its mark on the NHL roster, potentially providing the spark that re-ignites an offence that lacked heat last season.
Things might have already started precariously for the Flames, as potential goalie of the future Dustin Wolf was placed on waivers. That being said the Flames will have to balance the timeline of their team. Things could spin out of control quickly if the Flames find themselves out of the race by the trade deadline, as the Flames might be forced to move on from Hanifin and Lindholm, as they did with Tyler Toffoli this offseason.
At the same time the Flames do have a wave of prospects expected to make their way towards NHL relevance in the near future. Samuel Honzek joins Jacob Pelletier, Connor Zary, and Jeremie Poirier as players that should come into prominence in the near future. The Flames do have some help on the way, but many might feel the organisation should be more focused on building for the future, breaking the cycle of yo-yoing in and out of the playoffs and failing to keep top talent that has defined the last decade of the team’s work.
The margins of error are slim, but the Flames have the ability to choose a path towards contention in good faith, one way or another. For the time being, they have a roster that is strong enough on paper to contend for a playoff spot, and did hoist the division crown just two seasons ago.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
While most of the core remains intact, a lot has changed for the Toronto Maple Leafs over the past year. Finally they won a playoff round. Division powerhouses in the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins appear to be loosening their grip on the Atlantic Division. Even more, the forward group seems to be stronger than ever, as Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and Matthew Knies are poised to be a huge upgrade on the left side. Prospect Fraser Minten has forced his way into the conversation as well.
The Leafs defence might be the most suspect area of the team, though it is by all means capable. John Klingberg is a boom or bust bet who hasn’t been quite the same since Rick Bowness took over coaching duties for the Dallas Stars. He joins a deep blueline that lacks a true, physical, shutdown defender. While T.J. Brodie and Jake McCabe bring some of these elements, it is only to a partial degree.
That being said the Leafs are still expected to be a top contender, and have performed well defensively in the regular season the past few years. This should make things easier for goalies Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll, who should be able to outperform their collective cap hits behind a strong team.
In all, there’s a lot of reasons for Leaf fans to be excited for the season ahead. With tons of roster flexibility en route over the next couple seasons, the Leafs new GM Brad Treleving will have ample opportunity to further shape the roster to his liking. For now, the Leafs are clearly among the league’s elite teams, if not the favourite to win the Atlantic Division.
1. Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have nearly done it all, a Stanley Cup the only piece of hardware missing from an otherwise sterling run. Since hiring Coach Jay Woodcroft, the Edmonton Oilers have finally started to play with the quality and consistency required of championship teams. In particular, the Oilers defensive game has come a long way, even before considering the reshaping of the blueline.
The Oiler have built a formidable defence group, perhaps undersold as one of the league’s better units. Swapping for Mattias Ekholm was huge, as was the emergence of Evan Bouchard, but the transformation is ongoing as Philip Broberg continues to develop.
The overall team defence has improved as well, as the Oilers have a deep forward group with a multitude of different talents as a group. Connor Brown joins, and Dylan Holloway looks poised for another step forward, mitigating any potential impact from departures Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto, if not upgrading. Ryan McLeod will be important as the team’s checking line centre.
The penalty kill was middling last season, evidence that the Oilers defensive focus still lags behind their abilities. In their series loss against the Vegas Golden Knights, it was short lapses of defensive focus that led to the Oilers downfall. Re-forging themselves with this defensive focus will be a task, but the Oilers have the personnel to do so, and do appear to be unified in pulling together towards that goal.
With a strong, cohesive defensive team in front of them, Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell will be well positioned to succeed in net. The split of starts should be even, and the Oilers shouldn’t shy away from riding the hot hand, even in the playoffs. While neither are thought of as true number 1 options, both have had stretches befitting the descriptor.
The Oilers are in rarefied air, coming off of back to back seasons of at least one playoff series win. Both seasons, the Oilers fell to the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Outside of having won it all, the Oilers have proven they are full value as a true contender, and are sure to be a popular choice when predicting which team might reign supreme in June 2024.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
