Defending Cup champ Hurricanes start season on top of Super 16 power rankings

The Carolina Hurricanes start this season in the same place they were at the end of last season – on top.

The defending Stanley Cup champions are the No. 1 team in the first edition of the Super 16 Power Rankings for this season. 

The Hurricanes are ranked No. 1 by 11 of the 15 participating NHL.com voters this week.

The Colorado Avalanche, last season's Presidents' Trophy winners, are ranked No. 1 by two voters. The Montreal Canadiens and the Florida Panthers each got one No. 1 pick.

To come up with the Super 16, the 15 voters provide their own rankings and a point total gets assigned to each, with the team selected first given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on.

Here is first preseason edition of the Super 16 Power Rankings, in order of ranking and including the record of each team from last season, their total points earned through the voting this week, and thoughts from the NHL.com editorial staff on the most important thing to watch in training camp.

1. Carolina Hurricanes (53-22-7)

Total points: 234    

"The Stanley Cup celebrations throughout the summer have been fun, memorable and a joy to follow, but how the Hurricanes handle the start of camp, getting back to work, focusing on the first steps to a repeat will make the difference in how they start the regular season. They'll be without forward Seth Jarvis at least at the beginning. He's recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Alexander Nikishin is still unsigned. The restricted free agent defenseman is an important piece to the Hurricanes. There are rumors that they are in on the trade talks involving Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. So as much as they appear setup to go for a repeat, there is still uncertainty swirling around the Hurricanes. Optimistically speaking, though, a quicker training camp with fewer preseason games might benefit the Hurricanes, allowing them less time to worry about the dreaded Stanley Cup hangover." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

2. Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11)

Total points: 225

"There's only one thing to watch from the Avalanche in the preseason and it has nothing to do with injuries or new players. It's where they are mentally. On paper, the Avalanche are one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup again this season, spearheaded by defenseman Cale Makar and forward Nathan MacKinnon. That was what their future was last season after a record-breaking run in the regular season. But injuries and a red-hot Vegas Golden Knights team in the Western Conference Final contributed to an upset that still stings for the Avalanche. Have they put it away or will it linger? We'll start to find out soon." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

3. Dallas Stars (50-20-12)

Total points: 189

"What I'll be watching for during the Stars' preseason is how forward Tyler Seguin is progressing off his ACL injury. The 34-year-old sustained the injury to his right knee on Dec. 2, 2025, and had surgery two weeks later. He said on Sept. 8 that he had a setback in June and, while he is currently skating, he may not be ready for the season opener. Seguin is still a good, productive player when healthy. He's had some rough injuries the past few seasons, so let's see how his health is as the opener looms." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

4. Florida Panthers (40-38-4)

Total points: 173

"Florida's preseason will be about seeing how well the team integrates new faces (forwards Brady Tkachuk and Garnet Hathaway, defenseman Radko Gudas, goalie Jacob Markstrom) into a lineup that has set a championship standard. Fans should pay close attention to the chemistry on the forward lines, particularly how the team replaces departed contributors and whether younger players can earn larger roles. On the blue line, watch the battle for roster spots and how effectively Florida maintains its trademark aggressive, puck-possession style." -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

5. Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17)

Total points: 169

"The Golden Knights have a new coach in Ryan Craig, and they lost their leading goal-scorer in Pavel Dorofeyev. How do they respond to Craig? What changes does Craig make? How do they fill the hole offensively? Another thing to watch: the goalies. Vegas likes the tandem of Carter Hart and Adin Hill. How will the new coach divide the workload?" -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

6. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10)

Total points: 167

"Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are two men to watch at the Canadiens' training camp. Will the two top executives keep Montreal's roster intact, or will they pull a rabbit out of a hat? They did it on Saturday by acquiring Chris Kreider, a big, experienced winger. But on paper, the Canadiens still need help at the crucial second-line center position. Oliver Kapanen -- a great find last year -- ran out of steam late in the season and during the playoffs. The Finn could reclaim the second-line center spot, given the lack of other genuine candidates. -- Jean-Francois Chaumont, LNH.com senior writer

7. Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6)

Total points: 147

"All eyes will be on the Lightning's blue line, where John Carlson joins, replacing Darren Raddysh, and Victor Hedman returns after missing the end of last season, including the playoffs (Tampa Bay was eliminated in the first round), because of a personal leave related to his mental health. Hedman's return is massive for Tampa Bay. He's their leader, captain, and longtime No. 1 defenseman. His return also gives the Lightning an emotional lift. Carlson should fit in as a seamless replacement for Raddysh, who had a career year last season (70 points in 73 games) and is now with the Toronto Maple Leafs. How coach Jon Cooper uses Hedman and Carlson on the power play will be interesting. Raddysh's booming shot was big for Tampa Bay last season. He scored 10 of his 22 goals on the power play. Carlson and Hedman should both be on the power play. Will the Lightning use a two defensemen unit? Will Cooper separate Carlson and Hedman and put them on separate units? Who gets the benefit of playing with last season's Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov?" -- Rosen

8. Minnesota Wild (46-24-12)

Total points: 146

"The goaltending situation and whether Jesper Wallstedt emerges as Minnesota's full-time starter leads my list of what to watch for. Filip Gustavsson is recovering from offseason hip surgery and expected to miss the start of the regular season, which creates an opening for Wallstedt to take the job for good by getting the Wild off to a fast start. Wallstedt and Gustavsson combined for a 2.81 goals-against average (fourth) and .903 save percentage (third) last season, but the latter allowed at least four goals in five of his final six starts and four goals on 22 shots in his lone postseason start, a 5-2 loss to the Avalanche in Game 2 of the second round. The former was a first-round pick (No. 20) in the 2021 NHL Draft. If he can live up to his billing in his age 24 season, that may be what the Wild need to reach the conference final for the first time since 2003." -- Jon Lane, staff writer

9. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9)

Total points: 137

"Having reached the playoffs this past spring for the first time since 2011, the Sabres enter training camp trying to carry over that momentum. Yet to do so, how will they replace the 108 combined points (44 goals, 64 assists) that left with the departed Bowen Byram (Chicago Blackhawks) and Alex Tuch (Washington Capitals)? Who will step up? Can defenseman Olen Zellweger, who had 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) for the Anaheim Ducks last season, take the next step offensively in the wake of Byram's exit? Will Noah Ostlund, the 22-year-old center who had 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 60 games, continue to ascend and provide the Sabres with some much-needed punch up front after signing an eight-year $52.8 million deal on Monday? Intriguing camp questions the Sabres will be looking for answers to." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

10. Washington Capitals (43-30-9)

Total points: 89

"The Capitals will be trying to quickly integrate four significant new players into their lineup during the preseason -- forwards Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner, and defenseman Vincent Desharnais. Coach Spencer Carbery said one of Tuch, Kyrou and returnee Ryan Leonard, who all usually play right wing, will move to the left side for better balance. Finding the right fits for everyone could take some trial and error, though, and there won't be a lot of time for in-game experimenting because veteran players (at least 100 NHL games) are limited to two preseason games. So, some of that will have to be done in practice, too." -- Tom Gulitti, senior writer

11. Edmonton Oilers (41-30-11)

Total points: 82

"Mike Babcock will be coaching in the NHL for the first time since the 2019-20 season when the Oilers begin the preseason Saturday. It will be interesting to see how Babcock runs the bench and deploys his forwards, particularly Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. McDavid said prior to the start of training camp that he is looking for more consistency in the lines this season allowing each unit to build chemistry. The biggest decision Babcock has going into the season is whether to play his two star forwards together or have them each center their own line." -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

12. Utah Mammoth (43-33-6)

Total points: 75

"After qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in its history last season, Utah added veteran forwards Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck in the offseason. Offense shouldn't be an issue for the Mammoth, but after losing defenseman Sean Durzi and Ian Cole, more may be asked of Dmitri Simashev (one assist, 15:06 time on ice in 28 NHL games last season). Goalie Sebastian Cossa was acquired in an offseason trade and signed a two-year contract and likely will be the backup goalie. He has one game of NHL experience in 2024-25, so it'll be interesting to see how Utah chooses to deploy him." -- David Satriano, staff writer

13. Philadelphia Flyers (43-27-12)

Total points: 50

"Matvei Michkov led NHL rookies with 26 goals in 2024-25, but he dipped to 20 last season, and his inconsistent play and questions about his fitness and relationship with coach Rick Tocchet became season-long talking points. Michkov said he was going to take his offseason training more seriously this summer, and the Flyers need that work ethic to lead to an offensive output closer to his rookie season for them to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

14. Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6)

Total points: 48

"Taking a step forward on offense played a key role in ending the Ducks' seven-season playoff drought. The Ducks finished in the bottom three in goals scored the previous three seasons before improving to 13th last season. A similar jump on defense will go a long way in getting the Ducks back to the playoffs. The Ducks allowed the fourth most goals last season and overhauled their blue line with Radko Gudas, John Carlson and Olen Zellweger traded away, and Jacob Trouba signed away as a free agent. Jackson LaCombe, Drew Helleson, Pavel Mintyukov are joined on the blue line by veteran addition Nick Jensen as well as a group of prospects engaged in an intriguing training camp battle. Tristan Luneau may be most equipped for a full-time NHL role, but Tyson Hinds and Stian Solberg will push for a role on Anaheim's new-look defense." -- Paul Jannace, managing editor of production

15. Boston Bruins (45-27-10)

Total points: 46

"I've got my eye on JJ Peterka. Peterka was the Bruins' big addition of the offseason, coming from the Mammoth in a 2026 NHL Draft-night trade for two first-round picks, and the team is betting on him to have a bounce-back season after his numbers were down in his single season in Utah. Peterka will be given a chance to play on the team's top line across from David Pastrnak, a potential that put a huge smile on his face when he first contemplated it. I won't make any judgements in preseason, but if those two can form some chemistry, it could go a long way toward the Bruins returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season." -- Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

16. San Jose Sharks (39-35-8)

Total points: 21

"I'll be watching the blue line, because San Jose's path back to the playoffs probably runs through Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse. The Sharks made a huge leap last season, improving by 34 points, but still allowed 3.54 goals per game, 30th in the NHL, and that simply won't cut it if they intend to end a seven-year playoff drought. Enter Trouba and Nurse, two physical, battle-tested defensemen with a combined 185 Stanley Cup Playoff games, who should make San Jose much harder to play against. Trouba, in particular, brings the leadership pedigree this young team needs. Macklin Celebrini and the kids can supply the fireworks; Trouba and Nurse have been brought in to help make sure the other team doesn't." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

Others receiving points: Pittsburgh Penguins 17, Toronto Maple Leafs 9, Ottawa Senators 8, New Jersey Devils 7, New York Islanders 1

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Montreal Canadiens; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Minnesota Wild; 9. Utah Mammoth; 10. Buffalo Sabres; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Boston Bruins; 15. Anaheim Ducks; 16. San Jose Sharks

JEAN-FRANCOIS CHAUMONT

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Montreal Canadiens; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Utah Mammoth; 11. Buffalo Sabres; 12. San Jose Sharks; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. Boston Bruins; 15. Anaheim Ducks; 16. New York Islanders

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

1. Florida Panthers; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Montreal Canadiens; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Anaheim Ducks; 8. Minnesota Wild; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. Philadelphia Flyers; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Utah Mammoth; 13. Tampa Bay Lightning; 14. Pittsburgh Penguins; 15. Boston Bruins; 16. Ottawa Senators

TOM GULITTI

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Utah Mammoth; 12. Boston Bruins; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. Anaheim Ducks; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Ottawa Senators

PAUL JANNACE

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Montreal Canadiens; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Florida Panthers; 9. Buffalo Sabres; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Utah Mammoth; 13. Washington Capitals; 14. Anaheim Ducks; 15. Pittsburgh Penguins; 16. San Jose Sharks

ADAM KIMELMAN

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Buffalo Sabres; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Utah Mammoth; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. Philadelphia Flyers; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. San Jose Sharks; 15. Boston Bruins; 16. Anaheim Ducks

JON LANE

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Buffalo Sabres; 6. Montreal Canadiens; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Utah Mammoth; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Anaheim Ducks; 16. San Jose Sharks

MIKE G. MORREALE

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Montreal Canadiens; 6. Minnesota Wild; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Buffalo Sabres; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Utah Mammoth; 13. Boston Bruins; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Anaheim Ducks; 16. San Jose Sharks

TRACEY MYERS 

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Montreal Canadiens; 5. Buffalo Sabres; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Philadelphia Flyers; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Florida Panthers; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. Utah Mammoth; 14. San Jose Sharks; 15. Boston Bruins; 16. Edmonton Oilers

SHAWN P. ROARKE

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. Montreal Canadiens; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. Anaheim Ducks; 10. Buffalo Sabres; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. Utah Mammoth; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. Washington Capitals; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. San Jose Sharks

DAN ROSEN

1. Montreal Canadiens; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Utah Mammoth; 11. Buffalo Sabres; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Boston Bruins; 15. Anaheim Ducks; 16. San Jose Sharks

DAVID SATRIANO

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. Florida Panthers; 9. Montreal Canadiens; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Pittsburgh Penguins; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Boston Bruins; 16. Utah Mammoth

PAUL STRIZHEVSKY

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Anaheim Ducks; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Florida Panthers; 14. New Jersey Devils; 15. Ottawa Senators; 16. Pittsburgh Penguins

DEREK VAN DIEST

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Montreal Canadiens; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. Buffalo Sabres; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Boston Bruins; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Anaheim Ducks; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Washington Capitals; 15. Utah Mammoth; 16. Pittsburgh Penguins

MIKE ZEISBERGER

1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Montreal Canadiens; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Utah Mammoth; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Buffalo Sabres; 13. San Jose Sharks; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Boston Bruins