This is part one of a two-part series ranking all 32 NHL teams by tiers for the 2023-24 season. Part 2, which addresses the top 16 teams, was published Wednesday.

Keep in mind this exercise is rolling out roughly 10 days before training camps open, and the tiers are based on personal projections for the 2023-24 season only, not the long-term trajectories of each franchise.

Worst of the worst (Tier 8)

In a league of their own - and not in a good way

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks, who recently traded Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, will miss the playoffs for a fifth straight year. Heck, they're tracking toward a miserable 50 points and a minus-100 goal differential.

It seems harsh, but the bleakness comes after taking one look at the goaltending tandem (Kaapo Kahkonen and Mackenzie Blackwood) and a blue line devoid of top-pair talent.

The Sharks' fall from grace also sent Timo Meier and Brent Burns out of town - and the teardown is unfinished. For one, veteran forwards Kevin Labanc, Mike Hoffman, Anthony Duclair, Alexander Barabanov, and Oskar Lindblom all enter the season on expiring contracts.

General manager Mike Grier and head coach David Quinn have both been on the job for just over a year. There's zero pressure, internally or externally, to switch gears and skip steps in the rebuild.

Instead, one of the most competitive teams of the past quarter century set itself up to tank for the 2024 draft prize, Macklin Celebrini. The next generation of Sharks, led by 2021 and 2023 picks William Eklund and Will Smith, has potential. But the team lacks a franchise-altering prospect - someone like Celebrini.

Head barely above water (Tier 7)

Rebuilding with the inside track on prime draft-lottery odds

Anaheim Ducks

The hockey world didn't talk enough last season about how atrocious the Ducks were. They ranked 32nd in points, 32nd in goals against, 31st in goals for, 31st in power play percentage, 31st in penalty kill percentage, and - here's the kicker - allowed the most shots on goal per game ever.

The Ducks landed here for two reasons. First, it's reasonable to expect all three of the team's young leaders - Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, and Jamie Drysdale - will reach new heights. (We'll see if second overall pick Leo Carlsson sticks around for the full year.) Second, it's highly unlikely the Ducks perform worse defensively under rookie head coach Greg Cronin, who took over for Dallas Eakins.

Forward Alex Killorn and defenseman Radko Gudas count as notable offseason additions. The duo will help elevate the Ducks' floor, as will bounce-back years from wingers Ryan Strome and Jakob Silfverberg. Speaking of Silfverberg, the pending UFA could be a desirable midseason trade chip. The same goes for defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Adam Henrique.

Arizona Coyotes

Arizona's still very much in the brick-by-brick stage of the rebuild process. Its roster features a handful of longtime Coyotes (Clayton Keller, Lawson Crouse, etc.), a bunch of hired guns (Jason Zucker, Matt Dumba, etc.), and a few stud youngsters (Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, etc.).

As a group, the Coyotes aren't particularly dangerous offensively or scary defensively. Even if less heralded 20-somethings Matias Maccelli and Karel Vejmelka build on strong 2022-23 showings, the team won't be overly competitive in the Central Division. Think 80 points - about 15 from the playoff cutline, but still a nice bump from last year's 70 points.

While arena issues continue to dominate headlines, Cooley's arrival is a welcome distraction. A top-six center role awaits the 19-year-old highlight machine, and many believe he possesses the offensive firepower to challenge for the Calder Trophy.

Squint hard and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the NHL's laughingstock franchise.

Chicago Blackhawks

Bedard. Bedard. Bedard.

Everything the Blackhawks are doing right now revolves around making Connor Bedard's transition to the NHL as seamless as possible - while simultaneously keeping the roster substandard in order to increase draft lottery odds. It's a delicate balance but, at least on paper, general manager Kyle Davidson has threaded the needle so far. Case in point: savvy vets Corey Perry, Nick Foligno, and Taylor Hall were signed to short-term deals in the offseason, yet the gaping hole between the pipes went unaddressed.

Chicago already owns two first-round picks in both 2024 and 2025. The team's books are relatively clean, with $12.9 million available in cap space and only Seth Jones under contract past 2025-26. So, despite the infusion of a once-in-a-generation phenom, plus blue-chip prospects Lukas Reichel and Kevin Korchinski, the Blackhawks remain firmly in rebuild mode.

Philadelphia Flyers

Now that Keith Jones, Daniel Briere, and John Tortorella have settled in as president, general manager, and head coach, the Flyers organization appears to be embracing a show-me-whatcha-got phase.

Owen Tippett, Joel Farabee, Noah Cates, Morgan Frost, and Wade Allison are all between 23 and 25 years old and should be given ample opportunity to take the next step in their careers. Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson, two former All-Stars coming off injuries, need to prove themselves all over again. Goalies Carter Hart and Cal Petersen fall into this category, too.

It was a smart long-term play to bid farewell to defensemen Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo in the offseason. Still, there's no doubt Philadelphia's thinner on the back end year over year. Meanwhile, the biggest addition up front was Matvei Michkov, who won't be playing in North America for a few seasons.

That last sentence alone says a lot about the current state of the team.

Notch below playoffs (Tier 6)

2023-24 doesn't project to be a banner season, for various reasons

Columbus Blue Jackets

There's nowhere to go but up for the Blue Jackets. Last season's 59-point output was the byproduct of countless injuries and absences, underwhelming performances, and poor coaching.

Patrik Laine and Zach Werenski, who played a combined 68 games in 2022-23, are now healthy. The promising Alexandre Texier is returning to Columbus after dealing with an injury and taking a family-related leave of absence. Provorov and Damon Severson were added to the defense corps. Longtime head coach Mike Babcock is ready to redeem himself.

Adding to the intrigue: Third overall pick Adam Fantilli turned pro, and the University of Michigan product might find a season-long home on a line with star Johnny Gaudreau.

In short, there's a ton to be excited about in Columbus. That said, the positivity is countered by a deep Eastern Conference, unreliable goaltending, and special teams in dire need of an overhaul. A step forward, yes, but the playoffs are probably out of reach in Babcock's debut season.

Montreal Canadiens

In January 2022, Kent Hughes inherited a middling Canadiens roster with far too many onerous contracts from Marc Bergevin. The new general manager has done an admirable job of ridding the club of some poor deals. That middling roster, meanwhile, is still under construction.

That's not to say Montreal will be a walkover. They'll be competitive most nights and should definitely improve upon last year's 68 points. The question is, which players see the end of the rebuild? Who's a long-term core piece beyond Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and a few others?

The Canadiens have made a habit of giving second chances to young players who aren't performing to their full potential elsewhere. Kirby Dach is the biggest success story to date, while Alex Newhook, fresh off signing a four-year extension, is the next developmental case study.

It'll be fascinating to see how the club's sophomores - Juraj Slafkovsky and Arber Xhekaj, for starters - fare under the tutelage of Martin St. Louis and his coaching staff.

Nashville Predators

The Predators are a difficult team to gauge at the moment.

On one hand, new general manager Barry Trotz made it known that the status quo will not be tolerated after Nashville's playoff streak ended at eight seasons. Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen were jettisoned in the offseason while Stanley Cup winners Ryan O'Reilly and Luke Schenn were welcomed into the fold.

On the other hand, a team that boasts Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Juuse Saros - three surefire NHL stars - won't bottom out anytime soon. Trotz may opt to cut deeper, triggering a full-fledged rebuild. Or he may attempt to retool around the stars.

Time will also tell if Andrew Brunette is an upgrade from John Hynes behind the bench, though young forwards Cody Glass, Juuso Parssinen, Phil Tomasino, and Luke Evangelista should benefit from a new voice. Elsewhere on the roster, pending unrestricted free agents Tyson Barrie, Thomas Novak, Yakov Trenin, Alexandre Carrier, and Kevin Lankinen are all potential trade bait.

Standings purgatory (Tier 5)

Legitimate chance at playoff spot, but stars must align

Boston Bruins

This is the least confident I feel about a team's slot. The Bruins compiled a record 135 points last season. How could I possibly place them in Tier 5 with the rest of the borderline playoff teams?

It comes down to center depth. With Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci gone, Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha are Boston's top-six centers. No offense to either player, but it's hard to envision a scenario in which they can replace the value lost by those retirements.

Also gone in the offseason: wingers Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi, and defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Connor Clifton. That's a ton of talent sucked out of the 2022-23 roster. And let's not gloss over the fact that goalie Linus Ullmark's chances of once again dominating the regular season are slim.

On a sunnier note, David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Ullmark still make up a stellar core. The blue line, in general, remains a real strength. So Boston hasn't become irrelevant since we last saw them. They're just less relevant to the Cup conversation - for now, anyway.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings went on a spending spree in the offseason, acquiring Alex DeBrincat and Jeff Petry via trade, and signing free agents J.T. Compher, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Justin Holl, among others. General manager Steve Yzerman was similarly busy in the summer of 2022.

All of this activity raised Detroit's floor. They are no longer the club trying to move on from the glory years of a 25-year playoff run.

The Red Wings still need at least two more offensive drivers, as the drop-off from catalysts Dylan Larkin and DeBrincat to Lucas Raymond, Compher, Andrew Copp, and David Perron is, frankly, too steep. Meanwhile, the efficacy of the blue line is still to be determined. Moritz Seider and Jake Walman should be terrific again, but none of the others - Gostisbehere, Petry, Holl, Ben Chiarot, and Olli Maatta - instill a ton of confidence. As for the tandem behind them, well, Ville Husso with James Reimer is fine but nothing special.

Detroit will continue to climb the standings but it likely won't be enough for the playoffs.

New York Islanders

The Islanders are, in a word, solid. Their floor is relatively high thanks to a stable of veteran skaters and high-end goaltending. But a lack of game-breaking talent keeps their ceiling relatively low.

This dynamic leaves the Isles somewhere in the middle of the league. It wouldn't be shocking if they earned a spot in the postseason. However, the depth of the East guarantees absolutely nothing.

What's interesting about New York: General manager Lou Lamoriello doubled down on his well-tenured group in the offseason, handing Ilya Sorokin, Scott Mayfield, and Pierre Engvall long-term extensions. The most loyal executive in the NHL wisely locked up Sorokin, one of the three best goalies on the planet. The commitment to Mayfield and Engvall is dicier, given their on-ice values and ages.

Last season, the Islanders finished 22nd in goals and 30th in power play percentage. It's critical Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, who's entering his first full season on Long Island, produce at first-line levels. Burgeoning star defenseman Noah Dobson must continue to level up.

Ottawa Senators

With Jake Sanderson re-signing last week, the Senators have five difference-making under-27 players locked up for five seasons or more at a combined $40.6-million cap hit. The upper limit is expected to rise significantly over the next few years, so Ottawa's in fantastic shape financially.

But those good vibes don't necessarily lead to massive gains in the standings.

I thought about slotting the Sens in the fourth tier, reserved for probable playoff teams. But, given the competition in the Atlantic Division, a ton needs to go Ottawa's way for them to break a six-year playoff drought, starting with the bet on Joonas Korpisalo in net.

Nevertheless, new owner Michael Andlauer made a shrewd investment. The Sens lineup is beginning to look formidable. The top half of the forward group, led by Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk, is frightening, and the left side of the blue line, led by Sanderson and Thomas Chabot, is enviable.

St. Louis Blues

St. Louis is coming off a disappointing season, but things could get worse.

The main issue is a lack of high-end talent. Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou - forwards on matching contracts running through 2030-31 - have played elite hockey for stretches of their young careers. But neither seems destined for superstardom. The next candidate is 2023 first-rounder Dalibor Dvorsky, who's still a work in progress.

All of that said, this version of the Blues, who have a hard-driving coach in Craig Berube, could sneak into the playoffs because of their abundance of B-level players. Kevin Hayes, Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, and Torey Krug are all proud veterans who should have enough left in the tank to avoid a freefall in the standings.

If the season goes south early on in the year, though, general manager Doug Armstrong would be smart to embark on a more aggressive reshaping of the roster. Krug, Marco Scandella, Robert Bortuzzo, Jakub Vrana, Sammy Blais, and Oskar Sundqvist could all help playoff teams at the trade deadline.

Vancouver Canucks

In a perfect world, the Canucks find stability in 2023-24.

Right now, there are layers of instability surrounding the club, ranging from Elias Pettersson's contract extension to goalie Thatcher Demko's ability to bounce back from an injury-plagued year to the talent level and cohesiveness of a revamped blue line.

Vancouver won't win a division title. It won't lose 50 games, either. The roster, even after marginal upgrades in the offseason, is very much mid-level, beyond offensive catalyst J.T. Miller, captain and top defenseman Quinn Hughes, and Pettersson, who's a legitimate two-way superstar.

It wouldn't be a miracle if the Canucks earned a playoff spot for the first time since 2019-20. But there are more than a handful of teams in the West who look better on paper.

Washington Capitals

The 2022-23 trade deadline was a turning point for the Capitals, who were obvious sellers before the team missed the playoffs for just the second time in 16 years.

Fast forward and Spencer Carbery, not Peter Laviolette, is running the bench. Carbery's main objective is as straightforward as it is daunting: Get this team back in the postseason so Alex Ovechkin and his contemporaries - Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, and Tom Wilson, among others - can chase a second Stanley Cup before it's too late. The awkward thing is that, based on the average age of the core, it may already be too late.

If newcomer Max Pacioretty can stay healthy, if Evgeny Kuznetsov can rediscover his championship form from 2018, and if Anthony Mantha can finally reach his 30-goal potential, the Caps' offense should be in a pretty good spot. Their blue line and goaltending are both average.

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets won't challenge for the Central Division title, let alone the Stanley Cup. Nor will they challenge for favorable draft lottery odds. As currently constructed, they're in the Western Conference's murky middle, having only partially turned the page on an old core of players.

The conversation changes if Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck leave Winnipeg midseason. Depending on the return for the two pending unrestricted free agents, the Jets could shift toward either a lengthy rebuild or a quick-fix retool. Either way, the club will look and feel markedly different.

For what it's worth, I loved Kevin Cheveldayoff's work on the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade. The package of Gabe Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, Alex Iafallo, and a second-round pick is more than enough for a guy who was unwilling to re-sign. Vilardi's trajectory is the key - can he blossom into a No. 1 center?

It'll also be fun to watch how blue-liner Josh Morrissey follows up his brilliant 2022-23 season.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the second part of a two-part series ranking all 32 NHL teams by tiers for the 2023-24 season. Part 1, which addresses the bottom 16 teams, was published Tuesday.

Keep in mind this exercise is rolling out roughly 10 days before training camps open, and the tiers are based on personal projections for the 2023-24 season only, not the long-term trajectories of each franchise.

Moderately dangerous (Tier 4)

Probable playoff teams unlikely to go on a deep run

Buffalo Sabres

Of the three risers in the Atlantic Division - Buffalo, Ottawa, Detroit - the Sabres have the best chance to break through. The calculus on the playoffs is pretty simple: If Buffalo can repeat last year's offensive output and take a step forward on defense, the team should make it.

While the Sabres didn't lose any key forwards in the offseason, Jack Quinn, who showed flashes of brilliance as an NHL rookie, is sidelined with an injury for approximately half the year. Rookie Jiri Kulich should fill the void just fine.

Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson, and newcomer Connor Clifton lead the blue line. How the skaters insulate goalies Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - as well as the goalies' individual performances - will go a long way in determining the Sabres' fate.

Overall, everything's gone according to plan under general manager Kevyn Adams and coach Don Granato. They've started to reap the rewards of their slow-burn build. With fans getting antsy for postseason hockey, surely the team will deploy the $8.8 million in available cap space to upgrade the roster midseason.

Calgary Flames

Calgary is one of the most fascinating teams in the league and also one of the most difficult clubs to get a firm handle on.

Last year was such a perfect storm of roadblocks, headlined by horrible years from starting goalie Jacob Markstrom and highest-paid skater Jonathan Huberdeau, 17 overtime or shootout losses, and coach Darryl Sutter losing the room. So you have to take missing the playoffs with a grain of salt. Yet properly evaluating the team right now is just as hard: Top goal-scorer Tyler Toffoli was traded, Ryan Huska is moving from assistant to head coach, and the futures of Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, and Noah Hanifin - all in the final years of their current contracts - are hanging in the balance.

The flip side: the chaos dies down, the players get into a groove, and next thing you know, the Flames are in the Pacific Division race. I think, at worst, a Western Conference wild-card spot is theirs if they want it.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild are in salary-cap hell, with the buyouts for Ryan Suter and Zach Parise eating up $14.7 million a year through 2024-25. They have enough talent to make the playoffs for the 11th time in 12 years but don't have a roster that screams "deep run." In other words, not much has changed.

The club's biggest strength is playing as a unit under bench boss Dean Evason. Beyond the amazing Kirill Kaprizov - who's arguably a top-10 NHL player - there's a serious lack of offensive punch. (Matt Boldy's trending in the right direction, and Marco Rossi may get there by season's end.)

A sturdy blue line and the goaltending tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury take some pressure off the score-by-committee approach.

Prediction: The Wild snag the third spot in the Central Division.

New York Rangers

Bowing out in the first round certainly wasn't the Rangers' plan after going all-in at the most recent trade deadline. Boy, does it feel like 2023-24 is an extra-important season.

General manager Chris Drury brought in Peter Laviolette, an intense coach who might wear on players over a long period but has a track record of getting results early on. Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Vincent Trocheck are all in their 30s. The veteran roster hasn't been overhauled; the biggest offseason shuffle is up front, with Blake Wheeler and Nick Bonino subbing in for Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. Everybody's wondering if 2020 first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere will ever pop and, as usual, what's in store for Kaapo Kakko, now entering his fifth season.

Igor Shesterkin broke out as a world-class goalie in 2021-22 and then regressed last year. If the Rangers want to get past New Jersey and Carolina in the playoffs, Shesterkin can't be just OK. He needs to steal a game or two.

Seattle Kraken

The Kraken finished with 100 points last year. Let that sink in for a moment. After seemingly botching the expansion draft and missing the playoffs by 37 points in Year 1, Seattle hit triple digits in points as a second-year team.

Coach Dave Hakstol deserves a ton of credit. The Year 2 squad shot from the prime scoring areas far more often and also became a threat off the rush. The attacking approach, mixed with better injury and puck luck, enabled six forwards to record 20 goals, including Jared McCann's 40-snipe explosion.

Seattle didn't alter its roster a whole lot in the offseason, which is OK. I like how general manager Ron Francis is focused on building a sustainable winner.

If Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger can provide decent goaltending, Shane Wright can find his footing, and Matty Beniers doesn't slump as a sophomore, the Kraken are 100% a playoff team. However, a Cup isn't within reach - yet.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning accomplished the unthinkable from 2019-22: two Stanley Cup victories and a third Cup Final appearance in a flat salary cap world.

We began to see the impact of those long playoff runs last season. The roster looked less intimidating as the cap crunch forced another round of important depth pieces to be jettisoned. Meanwhile, the decorated core of Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Brayden Point collectively ran out of gas. Losing in the first round was predictable.

A real summer break will be hugely beneficial, but the team again failed to retain depth dudes like forwards Ross Colton, Alex Killorn, and Corey Perry.

Are the third and fourth forward lines and third defenseman pairing too thin? Can new backup goalie Jonas Johansson shoulder enough of the regular-season load to ensure Vasilevskiy is fresher come playoff time? Does Hedman bounce back in 2023-24 following a down season by the Swede's lofty standards?

The Bolts are undoubtedly still a playoff team. But there's so much up in the air.

Scary at full potential (Tier 3)

Cup win not out of question, though a lot must fall into place

Florida Panthers

The good news: the Panthers are icing roughly the same team as last year. Led by coach Paul Maurice and Hart Trophy finalist Matthew Tkachuk, the reigning Stanley Cup finalist from the East is skilled, hardened, and cohesive.

The bad news: Florida's icing roughly the same team that was the eighth seed going into the playoffs. Yes, a few notable changes to the lineup mean the squad that caught fire after barely squeaking into the postseason will be an underdog of sorts again. Complicating matters, stud defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour are both question marks to start the season thanks to offseason surgeries.

Who knows what kind of goaltending they'll get. For all of his brilliance in the 2023 playoffs, veteran starter Sergei Bobrovsky can be super inconsistent. Spencer Knight, the netminder of the future, missed a huge chunk of 2022-23 after entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The 22-year-old is back at the rink, which is fantastic, though expectations should be tempered.

The Panthers don't have a first-round pick in 2024 or 2025 or a second in 2024. That lack of draft capital could handcuff general manager Bill Zito's ability to improve the club ahead of the trade deadline.

Los Angeles Kings

It's safe to say the rebuild initiated by general manager Rob Blake, which led to last and second-last finishes in the Western Conference to end the 2010s, has accomplished half its mission. The Kings have dutifully become an annual playoff team again - but a Cup win has yet to materialize.

In fact, a playoff series win has yet to materialize since the Kings won the Cup in 2014. This season, then, is about taking a step forward in the postseason. Winning a round or two would be huge for LA, a club now boasting arguably the best one-through-four center depth in the league: Anze Kopitar, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Phillip Danault, and Blake Lizotte.

All 32 teams could really benefit from their prospects and young NHLers leveling up in 2023-24, but it's especially true for the Kings considering how important Quinton Byfield, Arthur Kaliyev, Alex Turcotte, Brandt Clarke, and Jordan Spence are to what they're all building toward.

Franchise pillars Kopitar and Drew Doughty start the season aged 36 and 33, respectively. Their clocks are ticking.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Realistically, the Penguins have two or three good years left of magic between Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. The organization is highly motivated to throw caution to the wind to squeeze out every possible win and then start from scratch once Crosby retires.

Kyle Dubas was appropriately bold in his first offseason as hockey operations boss in Pittsburgh, reeling in Erik Karlsson and Ryan Graves for the blue line and Reilly Smith, Lars Eller, and Noel Acciari for the forward group. The 2023-24 roster is undeniably improved. Karlsson, who posted a ridiculous 101 points for a terrible San Jose team last season, will bring much-needed mobility while eating up enough minutes to give Letang a lighter load.

The Pens have an excellent coach and a top-10 roster. Their X-factors are the health of the Big Three - Malkin is 37, Crosby and Letang are 36 - and the performance of goalie Tristan Jarry.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Center Auston Matthews, fresh off signing a monster contract extension, will be hungry after scoring "only" 40 goals last year. Winger Mitch Marner will be chasing his first 100-point season (99 last year). Goalie Ilya Samsonov will be out to prove any remaining doubters wrong.

General manager Brad Treliving brought in a mixed bag of newcomers. The Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi signings were home runs. The John Klingberg and Ryan Reaves deals were questionable. If you add 20-year-old Matthew Knies to the newcomer list, just about the same amount of talent exited Toronto: Ryan O'Reilly, Luke Schenn, Michael Bunting, Justin Holl, and Acciari.

So, in a lot of ways, it's status quo in Leafs land.

As usual, the Leafs look dangerous on paper. They should be considered the favorite to finish first in the Atlantic.

As usual, nothing matters except playoff performance in the eighth season of Matthews-Marner.

Secondary Cup favorites (Tier 2)

Elite title-contending team with minor concerns

Dallas Stars

Dallas has basically everything you'd want in a contender.

A premier talent at forward (Jason Roberton), defense (Miro Heiskanen), and in goal (Jake Oettinger) - check. A mix of proven vets (like Joe Pavelski) and promising kids (such as Wyatt Johnston) throughout the lineup - check. Good coaching - check. Recent deep runs (including six-game losses in the 2023 conference final and 2020 Cup final) - check.

General manager Jim Nill signing Matt Duchene to a one-year, $3-million deal shortly after the 32-year-old's buyout is one of the offseason's sharpest moves. Otherwise, the Stars are returning a similar roster, which is, generally speaking, a positive but also brings us to Dallas' minor concern.

If Nils Lundkvist, 23, and Thomas Harley, 22, aren't the solution to a relatively thin blue line beyond the top pair, Nill will be forced to go shopping for a midseason upgrade or two.

Edmonton Oilers

Believe it or not, this is Year 9 of the Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl era. The greatest forward duo since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr destroys the regular season with prolific production each year. They've often carried their teammates in the playoffs, too. But no Cup rings to date.

In fact, the Oilers haven't even made a Cup final with McDavid and Draisaitl, which means anything short of a conference final win in 2023-24 will disappoint. It took forever to get to such a place, but this group is fairly deep beyond the big dogs. I loved the no-risk Connor Brown signing in the offseason. Evan Bouchard is just scratching the surface as a top-pair defenseman. Mattias Ekholm, acquired prior to last year's trade deadline, is exactly what the blue line needed.

Expect the Oilers' historically effective power play to slow down, though only slightly. There's no reason why, with the same personnel, it can't continue to strike fear into penalty killers everywhere.

The minor concern for the Oilers is - yep - goaltending. The wild-card tandem of Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell is really the only reason why the Oilers are slotted in Tier 2 versus Tier 1.

New Jersey Devils

Last year, the Devils announced themselves as legitimate with a franchise-high 112-point regular season. This year, they're primed to go on the first deep playoff run of Jack Hughes' career.

General manager Tom Fitzgerald has assembled a tantalizing top six: Hughes and Nico Hischier down the middle, with Toffoli, Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, and Ondrej Palat or Dawson Mercer on the wings. The defensemen aren't too shabby, either, even after letting Graves and Damon Severson walk in free agency. Every night, it's Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Siegenthaler, John Marino, Colin Miller, Luke Hughes, and one of Simon Nemec, Brendan Smith, or Kevin Bahl.

"Potential" is the word for New Jersey. Potential division winner. Potential midseason acquisitions thanks to a wide-open contention window and assets to flip. Potential for greatness.

As is the growing trend across the league, the Devils are hoping an unheralded, low-salaried goaltending tandem can stand tall in the playoffs. That uncertainty keeps them in Tier 2 for now.

Primary Cup favorites (Tier 1)

Star-studded and deep - simply a cut above the rest

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have made the playoffs in each of Rod Brind'Amour's five seasons behind the bench, advancing as far as the third round twice. Over that span, the club's clever front office has managed to ice Cup-contending teams while keeping future flexibility.

This year's squad might be the most talented of the Brind'Amour era. Brent Burns, Jaccob Slavin, Dmitry Orlov, and Brett Pesce lead the NHL's best blue line. Carolina's closest thing to a superstar, elite two-way center Sebastian Aho, is in his prime. Sniper Andrei Svechnikov is healthy and hungry. Early-20s forwards Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis have untapped potential. New winger Bunting should excel in Brind'Amour's forecheck-heavy system.

Versatile and deep, the Canes now need their goal-scorers to finish and for the three-headed goaltending crew of Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta, and Pyotr Kochetkov to hold down the fort come playoff time. General manager Don Waddell has plenty of draft capital and some enticing prospects to package should Brind'Amour need some reinforcements ahead of the trade deadline.

Colorado Avalanche

What initially jumps off the page about Colorado's roster is the immense star power. Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon are consensus top-five players. Mikko Rantanen sits in the 15-20 range.

Everything trickles down from the three cornerstones: the championship standards, the modern playing style preached by coach Jared Bednar, and the usage and deployment. And yet the Avalanche aren't even top-heavy. Their versatile second tier consists of Valeri Nichushkin, Ryan Johansen, and Artturi Lehkonen up front, Devon Toews and Bowen Byram on the back end, and Alexandar Georgiev between the pipes. (Gabriel Landeskog would normally be listed here, but a knee injury will keep the team captain on the shelf for the entire regular season.)

On paper, Dallas is Colorado's only competition in the Central. From there, with home-ice advantage through at least two rounds, the Avs can really do some damage - especially if general manager Chris MacFarland tinkers around the edges at the deadline or Landeskog returns.

Vegas Golden Knights

Aside from trading Reilly Smith for salary-cap relief, the defending Cup champions are running it back. So there's no need to overthink it: Vegas has a realistic shot at repeating.

The Golden Knights are well-coached, their blue line is gigantic and mobile, and, as we saw this past spring, the forward group is clutch. How does Jonathan Marchessault follow up his Conn Smythe Trophy-winning postseason? Is this the year No. 1 center Jack Eichel records 100 points? To what degree does the Nic Hague-Zach Whitecloud defense pairing dominate its inferior opponents? Those are all questions of privilege in an NHL system that can be unforgiving.

A less rosy question pertains to captain Mark Stone. Can his health hold up over the entire year?

Vegas gained a reputation for not sitting on its laurels even before winning the Cup. I highly doubt it will now. From Stone and Marchessault to Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez, the roster is littered with grizzled veterans who embody the so-called killer instinct that's elusive to so many.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

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Much like in the NHL, goaltending can make or break a fantasy hockey season. There's a premium on difference-makers between the pipes and, with that in mind, we're going to identify some netminding options to target and avoid leading up to your drafts.

We omitted some obvious choices - the Andrei Vasilevskiys and Igor Shesterkins of the world, among others - because it goes without saying that rostering top-calibre goaltenders is an obvious recipe for success.

Jake Oettinger, Stars 🎯

Oettinger has been a hidden gem for the past two fantasy seasons, but his highly impressive resume makes him one of the top up-and-coming goaltenders in the NHL. Although the 24-year-old is much more well-known than he was a year ago, he still falls behind the league's veteran superstars in most rankings. If the usual suspects go off the board in the opening rounds of your draft, make Oettinger your first goalie pick and reap the benefits throughout the season.

On top of respectable raw stats - he posted 37 wins, a .919 save percentage, a 2.37 goals against average (GAA), and five shutouts en route to finishing fifth in Vezina voting last season - Oettinger's situation as Dallas' No. 1 is highly attractive. The Stars are bonafide Stanley Cup contenders and play in a Central Division that, outside of the Colorado Avalanche, lacks firepower. Oettinger went 13-2-3 with a .927 clip within his division in 2022-23 and should replicate his success this season as one of the most dependable goaltenders in the league.

Linus Ullmark, Bruins ❌

There isn't a clearer regression candidate in the entire league. We aren't suggesting Ullmark suddenly isn't a quality goalie anymore, but it will be virtually impossible for him to improve on his Vezina-winning season. The Bruins' stalwart led the league in wins, save percentage, GAA, and goals saved above average to backstop a record-setting Boston squad in 2022-23, but we're admittedly frightened at what the wholesale changes in Beantown might do to Ullmark's fantasy stock.

The Bruins lost a ton of talent throughout the roster, and it remains to be seen how difficult life in the post-Patrice Bergeron era will be. Boston tends to prove naysayers wrong, but a step back after the best regular season in league history is all but guaranteed. Just how far the Bruins fall in a deep Atlantic Division is the million-dollar question, and the uncertainty makes Ullmark a significant gamble this fantasy season.

Ullmark's rocky playoff against the Florida Panthers is also cause for concern. And backup Jeremy Swayman is likely as motivated as ever to take the No. 1 role after going through arbitration this summer.

Filip Gustavsson, Wild 🎯

Gustavsson wrangled Minnesota's starting gig from future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury last season and is the Wild's no-doubt No. 1 heading into 2023-24. The club rewarded the Swede's strong campaign - which included a .931 save percentage - with a three-year contract this summer, and the 25-year-old is certainly a player to watch.

His small sample size may scare some fantasy managers away, but Gustavsson proved he's a legitimate game-changer last season with 31.3 goals saved above average in only 39 games, a total that trailed only Ullmark and New York Islanders superstar Ilya Sorokin. Gustavsson was a primary reason Minnesota reached the playoffs this past spring and should be again as the Wild have the inside track on the third seed in the Central. Taking Gustavsson in the middle of your draft, or in the later rounds if you're lucky enough to tandem him with another No. 1, is a surefire way to get an upper hand.

Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers ❌

Bobrovsky made the hockey world take notice with a Herculean playoff run this past spring, but the veteran's magical performance fell three wins shy of the Stanley Cup and we reckon it won't carry into the 2023-24 campaign. The Panthers' netminder posted a .935 clip in the first three rounds of Florida's surprise effort, then an extended break before the final seemed to crater Bobrovsky's momentum as he went 1-4 with an .844 save percentage against the Vegas Golden Knights.

That playoff run surely took a ton out of the 34-year-old, and he's much more likely to perform near the .905 save percentage he's mustered through four seasons in Florida than at the level he performed at in the postseason. Making matters worse, the Panthers will likely be without Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour for the early stages of the year. Although Bobrovsky showed flashes of his old two-time Vezina-winning self in the playoffs, we don't feel he's a safe bet as a fantasy starter entering his 14th NHL campaign.

Devon Levi, Sabres 🎯

Levi shouldn't be an early-round target in your drafts this fall but he should be at the top of every manager's mind later on - especially in keeper leagues. The 21-year-old is one of the top goaltending prospects in the world and the up-and-coming Sabres didn't bring in any veterans to stand in Levi's way between the pipes.

He only made seven appearances as a rookie last season, going 5-2 with a modest .905 save percentage. However, Levi's sterling collegiate and international careers made him a can't-miss prospect for a reason, as he's shown all the tools to become a quality NHL starter in short order. It's safe to expect a learning curve - as is often the case with young netminders - but drafting Levi this season has scintillating upside potential.

Darcy Kuemper, Capitals ❌

Kuemper's been a sought-after commodity in fantasy for several seasons, but a rocky debut campaign in D.C. made him a red flag for 2023-24. He registered an .898 save percentage across his final 25 appearances last season, and the Capitals are trending in the wrong direction in a top-heavy Metropolitan Division. Despite hiring a new, offensive-minded coach in Spencer Carbery, the Caps' roster simply doesn't appear to have enough support outside of Alex Ovechkin to make Kuemper worth drafting high.

The 33-year-old won only nine of 21 divisional matchups last year, and the Hurricanes, Devils, and Penguins all made big-ticket offseason moves to get deeper. Washington seems to be stuck in the middle of wild-card contention and rebuilding and, while injuries were a big issue for the club in 2022-23, the Caps hardly addressed last year's weaknesses over the summer. Kuemper has long been one of the most talented goalies in the NHL, but the roster turmoil surrounding him makes him a pass for us this year.

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Florida Panthers superstar Matthew Tkachuk says he's completely recovered from a broken sternum sustained during the Stanley Cup Final in June.

"I am feeling great," Tkachuk told NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "It's been a very short summer, the way I want it to be every year going forward. The worst timing for the injury. … I had the summer to get ready. I definitely improved on some things. The injury allowed me to work on some parts of fitness and conditioning, and that is in the best form right now possible, and I just improved on some strength, which was my goal."

Tkachuk was injured by a hit from Vegas Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar in Game 3. Tkachuk scored later in the contest and labored through the injury in Game 4 but was unable to suit up for the series finale.

The Hart Trophy finalist revealed after the series that his brother Brady had to help him get dressed and bring him to the rink for Game 4. The elder Tkachuk said he had no regrets trying to gut it out in pursuit of a championship and is clear of any long-term ramifications from the injury.

Tkachuk led the Panthers with 109 regular-season points and was the club's offensive catalyst during its unlikely run to the final. The 25-year-old managed 11 goals - including four game-winners - and 13 assists in 20 playoff contests.

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Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price appears to have come to grips with the reality that his playing days are almost certainly behind him.

"Barring a miracle," Price said Tuesday, according to TSN. "I'm still under contract and I still hold on hope to the fact that maybe I could play again, but the probabilities are falling by the month."

Price missed the entire 2022-23 campaign after making only five appearances the year prior. He underwent knee surgery in the summer of 2021 after leading the Habs' march to the Stanley Cup Final.

His knee has recovered to where he can live comfortably day-to-day, but Price admitted it can't handle the physical demands of an NHL season.

"The honest thing is right now, it’s just not going to happen," Price told The Athletic's Arpon Basu. "To take the stress of the goaltending position, (the knee) is not where it needs to be. So for now, I'm just going to continue to try and rehab my knee to a position where it's fit for life in general."

Price said last October that he didn't have plans to retire. The 36-year-old is under contract for three more seasons at $10.5 million per year but is likely to spend the remainder of the deal on long-term injured reserve.

He mentioned he's open to the idea of joining the Canadiens' front office in some capacity down the road.

"I'm probably not going to be in a full-time role soon; I've got a young family that I want to see grow up. I want to be present for that," he said. "But I'm definitely keeping that option open in the future when they're at an age that they don't want to hang out with dad anymore."

Montreal drafted Price fifth overall in 2005, and he went on to establish franchise records in games played by a goaltender (712) and wins (361). Price owns a lifetime .917 save percentage, and won the Vezina and Hart Trophy in 2015.

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Matt and Blake discuss the list of 27 players invited to the Canucks' Young Stars tournament, including whom they're most interested to see and which guys actually have a chance to play NHL games this season. Other topics include whether Thatcher Demko should be named an alternate captain; feedback from around the hockey world on Quinn Hughes being named captain; the club's defence and how many blue-liners have been needed over the years; and the bizarre controversy about Columbus head coach Mike Babcock allegedly asking to see his players' phones/photos. Patrick Johnston joins to talk about the Hughes appointment, Demko's fit in the leadership group, Babcock in Columbus, and the report of a Canucks practice facility being considered for SFU. Andy Dunn stops by with the Vancouver Canadians in Everett for Game 1 of the Northwest League championship. The C's president takes us through a season unlike any other, with extraordinary late-game heroics and an impeccable home record at the Nat, Andy lauds the players, managers and fans. He also previews the series versus Everett, and tells us why Nat Bailey Stadium is the best home-field advantage in the league. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.

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