Super 16: Top teams through start of free agency

With the 2020 NHL Draft having taken place and free agency well underway, most teams have their rosters set for this season, which is targeted to begin Jan. 1, 2021.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the No. 1 team in the Super 16 after winning the Stanley Cup by defeating the Dallas Stars in six games last season. They received nine of 13 first-place votes.
The Colorado Avalanche, who received two first-place votes, edged the Vegas Golden Knights (one first-place vote) by two voting points for the No. 2 spot.
The Golden Knights (No. 3), Stars (No. 4) and St. Louis Blues (No. 5) round out the top five.
RELATED: [Free Agent Tracker | Trade Tracker | Draft first-round pick signings tracker]
It's the first Super 16 with all 31 teams eligible to receive votes since June 4.
To create this week's Super 16, each of the 13 participating staff members put together his or her version of what it should look like. Those were submitted, and a point total is assigned to each.
The team picked first was given 16 points, second got 15, third got 14 and so on down to No. 16, which got one point.
Here is the Super 16:

1. Tampa Bay Lightning

Total points:203
Rank on June 4:No. 2
Hit:The Stanley Cup champions have their core locked up, with forwards Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, defenseman Victor Hedman and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy each signed for at least the next four seasons. Forward Brayden Point is signed for the next two seasons.
Miss:They have yet to sign any of their restricted free agents, including defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who scored 34 points (eight goals, 26 assists) in 70 games last season, agreed to a three-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 9.

2. Colorado Avalanche

Total points:187
Rank on June 4:No. 4
Hit:Acquired forward Brandon Saad in a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 10. The two-time Stanley Cup champion scored at least 21 goals in five of the past six NHL seasons.
Miss:Traded defenseman Nikita Zadorov to the Blackhawks to acquire Saad. Zadorov led the Avalanche in hits each of the past four seasons.

3. Vegas Golden Knights

Total points:185
Rank on June 4:No. 6
Hit: After advancing to the Western Conference Final, they re-signed goalie Robin Lehner to a five-year contract Oct. 3 and signed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo to a seven-year contract Oct. 12.
Miss:To clear space under the NHL salary cap for Pietrangelo, forward Paul Stastny was traded to the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 9 and defenseman Nate Schmidt was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 12.

4. Dallas Stars

Total points: 158
Rank on June 4:No. 9
Hit: Goalie Anton Khudobin signed a three-year contract Oct. 9 to remain with the Stars. He helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final last season, going 14-10-0 with a 2.69 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage and one shutout in 25 postseason games (24 starts).
Miss:Mattias Janmark, one of their better defensive forwards and penalty killers, signed a one-year contract with the Blackhawks on Oct. 12. They still need to sign restricted free agent forwards Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz.

5. St. Louis Blues

Total points:153
Rank on June 4:No. 3
Hit:Defenseman Torey Krug agreed to a seven-year contract Oct. 9, and forward Kyle Clifford signed a two-year contract Oct. 11. Clifford brings grit with 842 penalty minutes in 676 NHL games and is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Los Angeles Kings (2012, 2014).
Miss: They lost Pietrangelo and traded goalie Jake Allen to the Montreal Canadiens on Sept. 2. Backup goalie Ville Husso has yet to play an NHL game.

6. Washington Capitals

Total points:122
Rank on June 4:No. 5
Hit:Added depth at defenseman by signing Stanley Cup champions Justin Schultz (Oct. 9) and Trevor van Riemsdyk (Oct. 10). Schultz won the Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017, and van Riemsdyk did so with the Blackhawks in 2015.
Miss:Goalie Braden Holtby, who played 10 seasons with the Capitals and is second to Olie Kolzig in wins (282) and tied with Kolzig for first in shutouts (35) in Washington history, signed a two-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 9.

7. Boston Bruins

Total points:121
Rank on June 4:No. 1
Hit:Forward Craig Smith signed a three-year contract Oct. 10. The five-time 20-goal scorer should add much-needed depth up front, especially if forwards Brad Marchand (sports hernia) and David Pastrnak (hip) miss the start of the season after each had surgery in September.
Miss: They have yet to replace Krug and may also need to replace defenseman
Zdeno Chara
if the 43-year-old retires or decides to play elsewhere.

8. Philadelphia Flyers

Total points:116
Rank on June 4:No. 8
Hit: Signed defenseman Erik Gustafsson to a one-year contract Oct. 12. He could help the power play, which was 23rd among the 24 teams in the postseason (7.7 percent; 4-for-52).
Miss: With the retirement of defenseman Matt Niskanen on Oct. 5, the Flyers lost the right-handed shot on their top defense pair and a solid penalty killer.

9. New York Islanders

Total points:87
Rank on June 4:No. 14
Hit:Goalie
Ilya Sorokin
is expected to compete for playing time with Semyon Varlamov this season. Sorokin was 26-10-3 with a 1.50 GAA, a .935 save percentage and nine shutouts in 40 games in the Kontinental Hockey League last season.
Miss: They still need to sign restricted free agent forward Mathew Barzal, who has led them in scoring each of the past three seasons.

10. Pittsburgh Penguins

Total points:76
Rank on June 4:No. 7
Hit:Added penalty-killing depth by signing forward Mark Jankowski to a one-year contract Oct. 9 and agreeing with defenseman Cody Ceci on a one-year contract Oct. 17.
Miss: Traded forward Patric Hornqvist to the Florida Panthers on Sept. 24 for forward Colton Sceviour and defenseman Mike Matheson. Hornqvist scored at least 21 goals in four of his six seasons with the Penguins and won the Stanley Cup twice (2016, 2017).

11. Carolina Hurricanes

Total points:69
Rank on June 4:No. 11
Hit:Forwards Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen each is signed for the next four seasons, and defenseman Jaccob Slavin is signed for the next five.
Miss: Lost a strong veteran presence when forward
Justin Williams
announced his retirement Oct. 8. Williams won the Stanley Cup three times, including with the Hurricanes in 2006.

12. Vancouver Canucks

Total points:62
Rank on June 4: NR
Hit: Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat, J.T. Miller and Tanner Pearson give the Canucks one of the best top-six forward groups in the NHL.
Miss: They lost goalie Jacob Markstrom (Calgary Flames), defensemen Chris Tanev (Flames) and Troy Stecher (Detroit Red Wings), and forward Tyler Toffoli (Montreal Canadiens) in free agency.

13. Toronto Maple Leafs

Total points:61
Rank on June 4:No. 13
Hit: One of the most active teams in free agency, the Maple Leafs signed defenseman Zach Bogosian (Oct. 10) and forwards
Joe Thornton
(Oct. 16), Jimmy Vesey (Oct. 11) and Wayne Simmonds (Oct. 9), each to a one-year contract, and defenseman TJ Brodie to a four-year contract (Oct. 9).
Miss:After setting NHL career highs in goals (20), assists (52) and points (72) in 2018-19, defenseman Morgan Rielly scored 27 points (three goals, 24 assists) in 47 games last season. He scored seven power-play points after he scored 21 in 2018-19.

14. Edmonton Oilers

Total points:39
Rank on June 4:10
Hit: Centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who have combined to win the Art Ross Trophy as the leading scorer in the NHL in three of the past four seasons, each is signed for at least the next five seasons. McDavid's contract runs through 2025-26 and Draisaitl's through 2024-25.
Miss: After Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen combined to allow 16 goals in a four-game loss to the Blackhawks in the best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers, Smith signed a one-year contract Oct. 10 and again will share time with Koskinen this season.

15. Calgary Flames

Total points:38
Rank on June 4:NR
Hit: Upgraded in goal and at defenseman by signing Markstrom to a six-year contract and Tanev to a four-year contract Oct. 9.
Miss: Lost veterans Jankowski and Brodie in free agency.

16. Columbus Blue Jackets

Total points:33
Rank on June 4:No. 12
Hit: Acquired center Max Domi in a trade from the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 6 and signed him to a two-year contract the next day. The Blue Jackets also signed center Mikko Koivu to a one-year contract Oct. 10.
Miss:Domi and Koivu combined for 21 goals last season, but Columbus needs more offense after finishing tied for 27th in the NHL in goals per game (2.57).
Others receiving points:New York Rangers 24; Montreal Canadiens 20; Nashville Predators 11; Buffalo Sabres 1; Minnesota Wild 1; Winnipeg Jets 1
HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM
AMALE BENJAMIN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Philadelphia Flyers; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Vancouver Canucks; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. Calgary Flames; 16. Buffalo Sabres
TIM CAMPBELL
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Philadelphia Flyers; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Calgary Flames; 12. Montreal Canadiens; 13. Vancouver Canucks; 14. Carolina Hurricanes; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. New York Islanders
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Vegas Golden Knights; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. New York Islanders; 6. Vancouver Canucks; 7. Boston Bruins; 8. St. Louis Blues; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Philadelphia Flyers; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Montreal Canadiens; 13. Calgary Flames; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. Carolina Hurricanes; 16. New York Rangers
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. New York Islanders; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Philadelphia Flyers; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. Boston Bruins; 11. Carolina Hurricanes; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Vancouver Canucks; 15. Columbus Blue Jackets; 16. Minnesota Wild
TOM GULITTI
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. New York Islanders; 7. Vancouver Canucks; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Calgary Flames; 10. Columbus Blue Jackets; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs. 12. Washington Capitals; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Pittsburgh Penguins; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Winnipeg Jets
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Philadelphia Flyers; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Boston Bruins; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Vancouver Canucks; 13. Pittsburgh Penguins; 14. Nashville Predators; 15. Carolina Hurricanes; 16. Calgary Flames
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Philadelphia Flyers; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. St. Louis Blues; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Carolina Hurricanes; 13. Montreal Canadiens; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. New York Rangers; 16. Toronto Maple Leafs
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. St. Louis Blues; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Columbus Blue Jackets; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. Calgary Flames; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Pittsburgh Penguins; 16. Edmonton Oilers
TRACEY MYERS
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Philadelphia Flyers; 6. New York Islanders; 7. St. Louis Blues; 8. Boston Bruins; 9. Vancouver Canucks; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Carolina Hurricanes; 12. Columbus Blue Jackets; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Calgary Flames; 15. Pittsburgh Penguins; 16. New York Rangers
SHAWN P. ROARKE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Carolina Hurricanes; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Nashville Predators; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Columbus Blue Jackets; 12. Calgary Flames; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. New York Rangers
DAN ROSEN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. St. Louis Blues; 7. Boston Bruins; 8. Philadelphia Flyers; 9. Vancouver Canucks; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Carolina Hurricanes; 12. Pittsburgh Penguins; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. New York Rangers; 16. Edmonton Oilers
DAVID SATRIANO
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Boston Bruins; 6. Philadelphia Flyers; 7. St. Louis Blues; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Vancouver Canucks; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. New York Rangers; 16. Calgary Flames
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. Philadelphia Flyers; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. New York Islanders; 13. Carolina Hurricanes; 14. Calgary Flames; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Vancouver Canucks