Blueshirt Banter 2026-27 NHL Standings Preview Roundtable

The 2026-27 National Hockey League season is upon us. Last year, to the chagrin of some, the Carolina Hurricanes pushed on a near-open door and won their second Stanley Cup in franchise history. Do they have what it takes to repeat? Or will we be crowning a new champion come spring?

To get the season underway, the Blueshirt Banter crew takes a look at each division and gives its predictions for where each team will finish.

(Teams in bold are teams predicted to make the playoffs.)

Atlantic Division

Eric Kohn: As he's about to mention to you, Chip last year correctly predicted the demise of the Toronto Maple Leafs (who I think do bounce back some this year, and the recent acquisition of Kirill Marchenko only helps that case more). I have a feeling that one of these seasons the Tampa Bay Lightning are going to go from first to almost last and it's all going to fall apart, as Ernest Hemingway said of bankruptcy in The Sun Also Rises, "gradually and then suddenly." But I don't think that's this year, and especially not in a still fairly weak Eastern Conference. I don't think there are any big surprises in the Atlantic. I think Toronto did enough between the addition of Gavin McKenna, their work in free agency, and adding Marchenko to get back into the playoffs as a wild-card team. The Buffalo Sabres were a great story last year, but they were buoyed by an absolutely unrepeatable stretch of winning, and they undeniably got worse this offseason. They'll fall off big. And the Detroit Red Wings might be one of the worst offenses ever put on ice this year. Bad times in the Motor City.

Chip23: Last year at this time I declared the Maple Leafs dead, and this year my pick for the team that is going to bottom out also comes from the Atlantic. I think the deal that the Washington Capitals gave Alex Tuch was bonkers in terms of its length, and I think the Chicago Blackhawks were drunk for giving up the fourth overall pick for Bowen Byram—having said that, they were both important players for the Sabres last year, and general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen did diddly poo to replace them. That's going to hurt on the ice and in the room. Add in the injuries to Mattias Samuelsson and Olen Zellweger and the Sabres feel like a team bound to return to NHL oblivion. If that's the case, it wouldn't shock me at all if Tage Thompson is the next Team USA player to demand a trade.

I'm not betting against the Lightning in this division. They have the best goalie, the best forward, and the best coach. The Montreal Canadiens are, again, going to play fast, fun hockey that will make certain writers forget what an absolute train wreck of a general manager Jeff Gorton was with the New York Rangers. I think people are underrating what a solid pickup JJ Peterka was for the Boston Bruins while overrating the loss of Brady Tkachuk for the Ottawa Senators. The Florida Panthers' goalie situation is a tire fire. Detroit may challenge for the worst record in the NHL as the Dylan Larkin situation continues to fracture the franchise.

Jake DiBlasio: The Atlantic will be fiercely competitive this season, and I believe its teams will secure both wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference. Outside of the Red Wings, I believe that any of these teams can take a playoff spot. Ottawa played a really structured game last season, and Toronto just added Marchenko along with adding McKenna at the draft. I still think the top dogs in this division will be Florida, Tampa Bay, and Montreal. I put Montreal ahead of the other two because they still have lots of room to grow, and if Michael Hage hits the ground running when he makes his expected debut later this season, they could be a true Cup contender.

Tom Dianora: On paper, and based on last season, this seems to be the much stronger of the two Eastern Conference divisions. I see the Panthers bouncing back with better health plus the addition of Brady Tkachuk, but it's the Lightning who I think will take the division crown. There is a lot of hype for the Canadiens, and they do have a ton of young talent. However, I can see them going through some growing pains this season, as their underlying results last season weren't always impressive. I also think the Sabres will take a step back but will sneak into one of the two wild-card spots. The Senators will be interesting, but I ultimately see them falling short of the postseason. I predict the Bruins will take a step back, and the Maple Leafs will struggle despite their offseason acquisitions (Darren Raddysh, Sergei Bobrovsky, and now Marchenko at the expense of Matthew Knies). The Red Wings are bad enough even without the Larkin drama hanging over them.

Chris Feldman: The Atlantic became a threat in the East last season, and while it's expected to continue this year, it is a division that could see things flip around significantly. In my eyes, the Canadiens are the team to beat. From top to bottom, they have a complete group, and with so much young talent growing acquainted with the NHL, they could really take off this year. The Panthers are another big story with the Brady Tkachuk of it all. Whether they're going to be as intimidating as everyone seems to think remains to be seen, but with Aleksander Barkov back to full health, I'd expect them to finish second.

Buffalo still has some question marks and made some interesting choices this summer, but similar to Montreal, their young talent is only going to continue to improve. It's going to be neck and neck with them and Tampa for third and the first wild-card spot. The chase for that second wild-card spot is also going to be neck and neck between the Maple Leafs and Senators. The Bruins won't be far behind, and the Red Wings are, well, a hockey team.

Roberto Solis-Byxbee: Are the Canadiens frauds? What an odd question that began popping up in their playoff run last year. I think this season will reveal they're the real deal, but they're early in their contention window. The team's young corps will look to take another step forward, and they have the skill level to grab the division by the throat. Will Jacob Fowler emerge, take hold of the crease, and rise to his destiny as Montreal's franchise goaltender? Anything's possible. Calling it here: The Red Wings will have the worst record in the NHL this season.

Charlie Vidal: The Lightning run back one of the most complete rosters in the NHL, and it took losing games in which they outshot the Canadiens 40-24 and 29-9 to be bounced in the first round. Between the Brady Tkachuk trade and Barkov's return from injury, the Panthers are adding two players who would be on the top line for half the teams in the league. The Canadiens have enough young talent to ensure that they make the playoffs. My big surprise is that the loss of Brady Tkachuk won't hurt the Senators as much as anticipated, and the Sabres will regress after their magical season. The Leafs and Bruins have too many question marks to be playoff teams, and I'm honestly not sure what the Red Wings are doing as an organization.

Metropolitan Division

Eric: The Hurricanes are the same. I see no reason to expect that they won't win the division. Washington improved enough to vault them up into second place here. I have the Pittsburgh Penguins finishing third, but could also see them missing the playoffs. They're so reliant on that Sidney Crosby magic. My guess is they aren't quite as good as last year but are still good enough to be a playoff team. I have the Rangers fourth and in a wild-card slot. If you read Monday's Rangers preview roundtable, you already know my thinking on where the Rangers are now. Combine their improvements with the Philadelphia Flyers falling off some from last year, and I think the Rangers get in. Finally, I'll believe in the New Jersey Devils when I see it. I don't trust their goaltending, nor do I trust Jack Hughes to stay healthy for an entire season. If they manage to swing a trade for Connor Hellebuyck and Jack Hughes stays on the ice, I could be completely wrong about this. But, again, I'll believe it when I see it.

Chip23: The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup last year, so predicting them to do anything other than win the Metropolitan Division this year feels like intellectual dishonesty. After that, though, it's really anyone's guess. On paper, the Capitals have the deepest forward group in the league, though there are plenty of questions about their defensive group. The Flyers made noise with the Leo Carlsson offer sheet but in the end didn't actually add anyone to their roster, the Penguins are treading water, the New York Islanders are trash (respectfully), and the Columbus Blue Jackets are a perennial train wreck. By default that puts the Rangers and Devils in a dogfight for the third spot, and I think the Rangers will come out ahead.

Jake: Opposite of the Atlantic, the Metropolitan Division can go a number of different ways because of how weak it is. I believe the three teams to make the postseason will be Carolina, New Jersey, and Washington. I believe Washington, similar to the Rangers, has a lot of depth, but the Capitals added more star power to that depth, even if it was at an overpay. The Devils made a lot of moves that I liked this offseason, and not to play the what-if game, but a healthy Jack Hughes can make this team destined for the playoffs. I do think the Rangers just miss out this season, as it is only year one of the retool, and not everything is in place yet to be true contenders.

Tom: The Hurricanes always rack up wins and points in the regular season, and last season they finally followed through in the playoffs. They are the obvious pick to finish atop the division. Then there are the Capitals, who have built some nice depth, particularly up front, with offseason additions such as Jordan Kyrou and Tuch. They feel like the clear second-best team in the Metro. Things get much more interesting after that. I think the Devils are dangerous if they can stay healthy and if they get decent goaltending (both fairly big ifs). I see them locking in the No. 3 spot. The rest of the division is a bunch of average-to-bad teams. I think the Rangers can sneak into the playoffs as a wild card via the fourth-best record in the Metro. I don't buy the Flyers or the Penguins despite their playoff appearances last season. I don't think the Islanders have enough firepower, and I think the Blue Jackets are still a mess.

Chris: This division is pretty much up for grabs. The Hurricanes are expected to finish first, but after that, it's anyone's for the taking. Last year, the second- and third-place spots went to the Penguins and Flyers, neither of which got miles better this summer. The Capitals definitely improved and had enough existing talent to be a threat. The Rangers improved, the Devils improved in everything except goaltending, and the Islanders are always going to be worth consideration with Matthew Schaefer in town. The only team that's still in trouble is the Blue Jackets.

That said, the Hurricanes will finish first with the Capitals right behind them. The Rangers will bounce back this year and take that third-place spot, leaving the Islanders, Flyers, Devils, and Penguins to fight it out with teams in the Atlantic for potential wild-card spots. I only have three teams making the playoffs out of the Metro again this year, though.

Roberto: I hate to say it, but the Hurricanes are going to run away with this division. I don't even think it'll be close. However, after that, I fully anticipate that for most of the season, the next five teams will be within points of each other. There will be plenty of shifting around, with rivals hopping over one another in the standings. A lot of people are counting the Rangers out, and it's hard to blame them, considering their performance over the past two seasons, now combined with what some thought was an underwhelming offseason. But following the formula of the last two decades, Igor Shesterkin will power the team into contention.

Charlie: The Hurricanes are excellent. The Islanders and Blue Jackets are terrible. In between there are five teams that could either make the playoffs or be picking in the top 10. All of these teams have major question marks, but the Devils have the most top-end talent and the Capitals are the deepest. The Rangers will finally pull things together enough to be the second wild-card team, while the Flyers will remain too dysfunctional under Tocchet and the Pens will prove to be too old as their window closes.

Central Division

Eric: In the Central, it's the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars, and then there's everyone else. I think the Utah Mammoth are a fun, up-and-coming team and will improve on their performance from last season. I think the Minnesota Wild are going to seriously regress this year, and I would have them missing the playoffs if not for my complete and utter lack of faith in all the other teams in the Central and most of the teams in the Pacific. I think the Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, and Nashville Predators could finish in any order in the bottom four here, but all will miss the playoffs.

Chip23: The Avalanche and Stars are the cream of this division. I'm pulling for the Blackhawks to finally put things together and get into the playoffs. I think that's the right way for Patrick Kane to wrap up his career, but I admit that the injury to Connor Bedard (he will miss at least the first month of the season following offseason shoulder surgery) could put a damper on that plan. Nashville finally moved on from general manager Barry Trotz and hired Chris MacFarland away from the Avalanche, and the early returns on his moves this summer are that the Predators would have been better off with Trotz.

Speaking of terrible general managers, the Wild just extended the overrated shitheel that is Bill Guerin. How funny would it be if the Wild miss the playoffs while the Mammoth, after adding the center that Guerin should have traded for (Vincent Trocheck), make them? I think it would be pretty funny, and I'm hoping it happens. I'm also hoping that Quinn Hughes leaves the Wild and they get nothing back for him. Fuck Bill Guerin.

Jake: In the Western Conference, I have each division getting one wild-card spot. I think, like many of Blueshirt Banter's writers, I have a lot of questions surrounding Minnesota and their center depth. I think they are still talented enough to make the postseason, but it would not surprise me if they missed out. The Mammoth are coming off a strong season and added pieces like Anders Lee and Trocheck to solidify their middle six, along with a prospect pool with players getting ready to graduate to the NHL level. Dallas and Colorado are both sure things when it comes to the regular season. They have depth and talent and have done it year in and year out.

Tom: The Avalanche are still the class of this division, but the Stars are not far behind. The Wild are also strong but still haven't adequately addressed their depth down the middle (sorry, Bill Guerin, but Charlie Stramel and a pick for Trocheck was not ever going to work). The Mammoth are on the rise but will have to settle for another wild-card berth. I think there's too much Hellebuyck drama and too much mediocrity for the Jets to be a real threat. Ditto on the mediocrity for the Blues, although I do have them finishing just ahead of the Jets. Then there are the Predators and Blackhawks. Not much to say there.

Chris: Until the Jets figure out their goaltending, I'm not expecting them to do any better than they did last year. It's all Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota in this division. Chicago could surprise some people with a big step forward this season, but I think Utah holds onto a wild-card spot. St. Louis could also be in the mix, but Nashville stays in the basement.

Roberto: Unless something derails a season for one of the top three teams in this division, I think the Central's hierarchy is boring. The most interesting part to me is projecting how far the Jets will tumble now that they're enduring the Hellebuyck debacle, and the tidbit that most of us didn't list the Blackhawks in last place. Seriously, guys?

Charlie: The Central is once again going to be the best division in hockey. You can flip a coin to decide which of the Stars and Avs will win the division, and you can slot the Wild in for a playoff spot. After that, it gets interesting. Utah is slept on right now and will find themselves in the playoffs. My big surprise in this division is that the Jets will overcome the impending loss of Hellebuyck to make the playoffs. Nashville, Chicago, and St. Louis are all too weak to seriously contend.

Pacific Division

Eric: There are four tiers in this generally bad division. I see no reason to think the Vegas Golden Knights are going anywhere. Until further notice, they're going to be a perpetual contender. The second tier consists of the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers. There are major questions about both teams: How far along in their development is San Jose? They're relying on a lot of young talent to carry them, and there's reason for both excitement and skepticism there. Edmonton continues to white-knuckle it with Connor McDavid on his "please do something to improve this team around me" contract. They added Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Frederik Andersen from Carolina this offseason. He's probably the best overall goaltender they've had in several years, but he is given both to injuries and to spells where stopping the puck is like the moon to him. The third tier is the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and Seattle Kraken. They're all mediocre to me. I have the Kings sneaking into the playoffs as a wild card, but I wouldn't be shocked if they missed the playoffs. And the bottom tier is the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks, who are just straight up bad.

Chip23: Man, what a shitty division. I mean, after the Golden Knights it's just a mess. The Sharks have a fun group of forwards, but they're relying on Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse as their top defensive pair. Seriously, that's a thing that's happening in the year of our Lord 2026. Just think about that.

As for the rest of the division, McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will drag Edmonton into the playoffs, but they still don't have anyone who can keep the puck out of the net. General manager Pat Verbeek completely mismanaged the Ducks into a situation where you could argue that if they claimed Scott Morrow tomorrow he would be their best right-shot defenseman by quite a lot. But with all that said, the team I really want to take a look at is the Kings, because honestly, they don't get nearly enough hate.

If the Kings were not in the same division as the Canucks and Flames, they would be pulling up hind teat here. Yes, they have Artemi Panarin and signed Mats Zuccarello, and I wish I could be happy for those two players, but I can't because of how atrociously constructed that roster is. Behind Quinton Byfield, they have Erik Haula, Scott Laughton, and Samuel Helenius as their next three centers. If Haula or Laughton is your second-line center, you are not a serious franchise. Their goaltending also is still relying on Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg, neither of whom is good, and, oh yeah, Peter Laviolette is their coach.

I know everyone hates Chris Drury, but you could make an argument that he's better than literally every GM in that division other than Kelly McCrimmon.

Jake: Last season the Ducks looked like the young, fun, up-and-coming team with a bright future, but one offseason changes a lot, and I think it's the Sharks now who should make the playoffs. The Kings also made a lot of veteran additions for cheap, and Laviolette always (and only) gives his team a boost in the first year. To me, it is a toss-up between Edmonton and Vegas for the top spot, but I gave it to the Oilers because the team will feel pressure to capitalize on McDavid's limited time.

Tom: Even without now-Ranger Pavel Dorofeyev, I think the Golden Knights will be a bit more stable and consistent across the regular season this year, enough to buoy them to another division title. The Oilers will overcome head coach Mike Babcock's archaic and barbaric ways to finish second, pretty much on talent alone. After that, I see the Sharks taking another big step this season with Macklin Celebrini leading the way, and finishing third in the division. The Ducks will also make the playoffs for a second straight season but will struggle a bit without as much depth up front, and with a suspect blue line beyond Jackson LaCombe.

I don't think the Kings have enough firepower, although Panarin and Zuccarello should be a fun duo to watch for Rangers fans. The Kraken will continue to epitomize mediocrity, while the Canucks and Flames will likely be two of the worst teams in the league.

Chris: In arguably the weakest division, you have Vegas and Edmonton expected to be the one-two punch at the top. The Sharks should finally be a playoff team again this season. They showed tons of promise last year, and with the Ducks losing half their roster throughout the course of the offseason, there's no reason for the Sharks not to swoop in. The fourth spot likely goes to Los Angeles by default. Former Rangers aside, I just don't get what they're doing with this team. They're an old group that could be heading for a rebuild sooner than you'd think. Calgary and Vancouver are just here to have some fun this year. Not a clue what's going on in Seattle, but I can't imagine it's anything good this year.

Roberto: In a year or two the Pacific Division will belong to the Sharks. The writing is on the wall, and speaking of the Sharks, I think they're going to make some serious noise and even threaten to win the division this season, but the Golden Knights will hold them off. I also felt their California neighbors would either remain the status quo and limp into the last playoff spot or even take a step back. I have a hard time seeing the Ducks repeat their success. Maybe I'm off base, and they'll rise to the occasion, but I expect they'll miss the playoffs this year. Also calling it here: The Canucks will have the second-worst record in the league.

Charlie: For some reason, the Sharks decided that they should spend all of their resources on bad defensemen this season. Between Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, and Ivar Stenberg, they will certainly put up goals but will struggle to keep pucks out of the net and go on to miss the playoffs. Babcock might be insane, but he should inject enough into Edmonton to lead them to the top seed in the division, with Vegas close behind. For all of the turmoil in Orange County this summer, the Ducks are still talented enough to make the playoffs in the Pacific in spite of Verbeek. My other projections: While Vancouver, Seattle, and Calgary will all be terrible, Vancouver will scrape together enough points to not finish last in the division, and Calgary will be the worst team in hockey.