The Blackhawks make their move in the NHL power rankings after a summer upgrade

Summer is in full swing, and training camps and preseason are set to begin in one month. Most of the NHL rosters are set for 2026-2027, so we have a good idea of who we can expect to take the next step or who will regress. The Central Division remains the strongest in the NHL, while we could see another "pillow fight" in the Pacific.

2026 NHL Offseason Power Rankings

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

17. Nashville Predators
18. Anaheim Ducks
19. New Jersey Devils
20. Columbus Blue Jackets
21. New York Rangers
22. Los Angeles Kings
23. St. Louis Blues
24. Boston Bruins
25. New York Islanders
26. Pittsburgh Penguins
27. Chicago Blackhawks
28. Seattle Kraken
29. Detroit Red Wings
30. Winnipeg Jets
31. Calgary Flames
32. Vancouver Canucks

New additions lift Chicago

This season could be the first time the Chicago Blackhawks finish above the bottom five in the league since 2021-2022. The additions of Bowen Byram and Patrick Kane, along with the arrivals of top prospects Roman Kantserov and Anton Frondell, are reasons why this team could advance higher in the standings this year. Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar will look to take the next step, as both will benefit from these new arrivals.

Last year, the Blackhawks left many points on the table. They lost twice as many games in overtime or a shootout as they won, ending with a 7-14 record for the year. While the Central remains the strongest division in the league, the Blackhawks can improve against the mediocre Pacific Division, where they finished with a 10-11-3 record last year. They will also look to improve on their 8-20-4 record against the Eastern Conference in 2025-2026.

Improved teams

The Florida Panthers are looking to be the most improved team heading into the year. After disappointing with only 84 points last season, they acquired Brady Tkachuk and will have a healthy Aleksander Barkov, improving their top forward depth. The Toronto Maple Leafs will also look to return to the playoffs after drafting Gavin McKenna with their first overall pick. They also added top defenseman Darren Raddysh, who had a career year with 70 points.

In the Western Conference, the San Jose Sharks look to take the next step in their rebuild by clinching a playoff spot for the first time since 2018-2019. The Sharks added to their defensive depth by adding Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse. These players add grit that will pair with the young skill they have on the forward end of the ice. Nashville added many depth forwards this offseason to give them a push back towards the playoffs, as many of their impactful players are on the wrong end of 30 years old.

Regressed teams

After missing the playoffs yet again, the Detroit Red Wings have had an extremely poor offseason (hate to see it). Number one center Dylan Larkin has requested a trade, and Detroit is still searching for its next general manager. With Patrick Kane signing in Chicago and losing Anthony Mantha to the Devils, the Detroit faithful might have another losing season on their hands.

The Los Angeles Kings have one of the best rosters in hockey... which is something you would hear in 2018. Joel Armia (33), Erik Haula (35), Artemi Panarin (34), Corey Perry (41), and Mats Zuccarello (38) are all in the back halves of their careers, while projected starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper is 36 years old. They will also be without Anže Kopitar, who retired. However, the Kings did sign Blackhawks legend Erik Gustafsson to solidify their blue line.

Overall, while the Blackhawks still have questions up and down their lineup, the trend is pointing higher in the Windy City. If they can overcome Bedard's early-season absence, then it is possible we could see this team finish above the bottom five.

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