Gordon's Preseason NHL Power Rankings

(Image from Puck Daddy)

The 2011-2012 NHL season is upon us. Heading into this Thursday, here's a list of how the NHL's teams stack up against each other:

1. Boston Bruins
   
2. Washington Capitals
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. San Jose Sharks
7. Los Angeles Kings
8. Buffalo Sabres
9. Chicago Blackhawks
10. Anaheim Ducks
11. New York Rangers
12. Detroit Red Wings
    
13. Tampa Bay Lightning
14. Carolina Hurricanes
15. St. Louis Blues
16. Montreal Canadiens
17. Florida Panthers
18. Minnesota Wild
19. Toronto Maple Leafs
20. Colorado Avalanche
21. New Jersey Devils
22. Nashville Predators
    
23. New York Islanders
24. Columbus Blue Jackets
25. Calgary Flames
26. Edmonton Oilers
27. Winnipeg Jets
28. Phoenix Coyotes
29. Dallas Stars
30. Ottawa Senators

THE BEST:

The Atlantic Division is the toughest division in the NHL. If Philadelphia's Bryzgalov plays up to his billing and Danny Briere and co. pick up the slack from the loss of both Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, they may be the team to beat. That said, there's still Sidney Crosby (given he actually plays) and his Pittsburgh Penguins, perennially in the conversation to win the East, that the Flyers have to deal with. Oh yea, and the Rangers. With arguably the best goaltender in the game as well as sniper, Marian Gaborik, and Resident Puck-Wizard, Brad Richards, these Rangers could pull the improbable and perhaps win the division.
As for the rest of the East, look for Buffalo, Boston, and Washington to be the rest of the legitimate contenders for a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. New owner Terry Pegula has provided a new sense of worth for the Sabres, both team and community. With the additions of Robyn Regehr and Christian Ehrhoff, the Sabres' D is among the best in the NHL.
If Boston shakes off its Stanley Cup hangover, they may do it again. They have the tools to do so, anyways. It will be interesting to see how Tyler Seguin produces coming off his first NHL season as well as seeing if Rask and Thomas can put up the same stellar numbers they've been doing for the past few seasons.
Washington has an excellent goalie in Tomas Vokoun. We all know Ovechkin is a stud, but how far this team goes in the playoffs will hinge on their goaltending.

In the West, it's just about as open as the East. Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Jose, Detroit, Chicago, and Anaheim are my top contenders. After getting shellacked by Boston, the Canucks are looking to head back to the SCF. They are predicted to win the West in the regular season, but does Luongo have the mettle for another postseason? A solid team from top to bottom, this team's main concern will be the mental strength of its former captain: goaltender, Roberto Luongo.
The California teams each have their defining characteristics. San Jose has it's playmaking Centers in Thornton and Marleau as well as a bolstered blueline with the addition of Brent Burns. Anaheim has it's forwards who always find the net in Ryan, Perry, Getzlaf, and old-man Selanne as well as having an underrated goalie in Jonas Hiller. Los Angeles has a conglomerate of big-name forwards and defensemen in Mike Richards, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Penner, and Drew Doughty. LA gave up a blue-chipper in Brayden Schenn to land Richards, so the time is now or never for the Kings. My pick to win the division is Los Angeles. My biggest concern for the Kings is how well the team jells with all the big names on the team; who will be this team's leader?
As for Chicago and Detroit, neither team has the goaltending to win the West. Both teams will make the playoffs comfortably, but I don't see either team making it past the conference semi-finals with Detroit's aging forwards and Chicago's lack of depth on the back end after Keith and Seabrook.

THE WORST:
I'll make this brief. Ottawa will be the worst in the East because their best player is Erik Karlsson and 38 year-old Daniel Alfredsson. Grasping at straws with the acquisition of Nikita Filatov.
Dallas will be the worst in the West because their goalie is Kari Lehtonen and they did not compensate for the loss of Brad Richards.
My darkhorse candidate to be the shittiest team in the NHL is the Calgary Flames. Jay Feaster is ruining the flames brick-by-brick. A patchwork of soft and aging forwards (save Mr. Iginla), a defense "led" by arguably the most overrated player in the NHL in Jay Bouwmeester (although people are starting to realize how mediocre a player he is now that he's on a bigger stage in Calgary), and a has-been goalie in Kiprusoff. Trading Robyn Regehr so you can make cap room for Tanguay? Hilarious. Even Brad Richards wouldn't save this team. The only thing that may keep them away from the bottom is 34 year-old Jerome Iginla. If he gets hurt, this team is on a fast track for the first overall pick.