Winners and Losers From the 2022-23 NHL Regular Season
The 2022-23 NHL regular season ends Friday with the Buffalo Sabres facing off against the Columbus Blue Jackets while the Colorado Avalanche meet the Nashville Predators. The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on Monday, Apr. 17.
This season, scoring rose to levels not seen in nearly 30 years. Several players, including Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, had career-best performances with stats that harken back to the high-scoring days of the 1980s and 1990s.
This season also saw the Boston Bruins set a single-season record for wins and points. Meanwhile, another one of the NHL's oldest franchises suffered through its worst campaign since the league's expansion in 1967.
Here's our take on the winners and losers from the 2022-23 regular season. Let us know if you agree or disagree with our choices in the comments section below.
Winner: Seattle Kraken
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Unlike the Vegas Golden Knights, the Seattle Kraken failed to qualify for the playoffs during their inaugural season. That seemed to indicate that their path toward postseason contention would be longer and more difficult.
It turns out the Kraken only needed two seasons to do so. Sitting fourth in the Pacific Division and holding the first Western Conference wild-card berth, they've punched their ticket to their first-ever playoff appearance.
Improved play in their own zone is a big reason behind the Kraken's improvement. They reduced their goals against per game from 3.46 last season to 3.07. Their 27.1 shots against per game is the league's second-lowest.
The Kraken's offense rose from 2.60 goals per game in 2021-22 to 3.56 this season. Scoring leaders such as Jared McCann, Vince Dunn and Daniel Sprong had career-best performances. Rookie center Matty Beniers quickly became an impact player, while offseason additions Oliver Bjorkstrand and Andre Burakovsky boosted the Kraken's production.
It's uncertain how far the Kraken will go in the upcoming playoffs. Regardless, getting this far in only two seasons is a significant accomplishment on which they can build going forward.
Loser: NHL Trade Deadline Hype
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The trade deadline is among the biggest events on the NHL calendar. Typically held in late February or early March, it's the final opportunity for contenders to bolster their rosters as non-playoff clubs ship out pending free agents that they can't or won't re-sign in the offseason for draft picks and prospects.
It's also among the most hyped days during the regular season. Stoked by media rumors over potential destinations for players deemed to be trade candidates, many hockey fans look forward to significant deals taking place.
The salary cap has limited the ability of general managers to swing blockbuster trades on deadline day, as most lack sufficient cap space to do so. Recently, significant deals are being made in the weeks prior to the deadline. Still, there are usually a handful of stars dealt on deadline day, including the possibility of a surprise move or two.
However, the trade deadline was a dud this year. Big-name players such as Patrick Kane, Ryan O'Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko and Timo Meier, were moved well before deadline day. Of the 19 trades that occurred on the day of the deadline, John Klingberg was the only noteworthy player to be moved.
The trade deadline might no longer be the can't-miss event it once was. The movement of stars well before deadline day could remain the trend going forward. While such moves will still generate plenty of excitement, it could sap the buzz around the deadline itself.
Winners: Players Reaching Notable Milestones
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Every NHL season features its share of players who reach notable milestones. This year was no exception, as several stars achieved significant individual accomplishments.
Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel became the NHL's ironman for most consecutive games played, breaking the mark of 989 set by defenseman Keith Yandle. The 35-year-old Kessel is in decline with 36 points in 81 games, but his durability endured through what could be his final NHL season. His record has since climbed to 1,062 consecutive games.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continued his quest to overtake Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 career NHL regular-season goals. The 37-year-old left winger moved past Gordie Howe into second place earlier this season and currently sits with 822. Ovechkin also set a record for the most 40-goal seasons with 13.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reached a major career milestone by reaching 1,500 points. The 35-year-old center is just the 15th player in league history to reach that total and only the second player in Penguins history to do so.
San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson capped his bounce-back performance this season by reaching 100 points for the first time. He also became the first blueliner to reach that plateau since Hall of Famer Brian Leetch did it in 1991-92.
Boston Bruins winger David Pastrňák reached three significant milestones. He became the first Bruin to score 50 goals in a season since Cam Neely in 1993-94 and the first to reach 60 since Phil Esposito in 1974-75. Pastrňák joins Edmonton's Connor McDavid as the first two players to tally 60 goals in a season since Mario Lemieux and Jaromír Jágr in 1995-96.
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Losers: Rebuilding Teams with Playoff Aspirations
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The Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and Ottawa Senators entered this season hoping to become playoff contenders after several years of rebuilding. However, all but the Devils wound up missing the postseason.
It was heartbreaking for the Sabres, as they remained in the playoff chase until they were eliminated on Tuesday. Led by rising stars like Tage Thompson, Rasmus Sandin and Dylan Cozens, the Sabres' 3.55 goals-per-game average was the league's fourth-highest. However, their goals against per game (3.65) was among the league's worst.
The Red Wings added veterans such as David Perron, Dominik Kubalik and Andrew Copp last offseason to augment promising youngsters like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. While team captain Dylan Larkin had a team-leading 79-point performance, their ongoing lack of reliable scoring depth and shaky defense proved to be their undoing.
Those issues also hamstrung the Senators. Like the Wings, they acquired veterans such as Claude Giroux, Jakob Chychrun and Cam Talbot to help rising youngsters like Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk. The Senators were an entertaining bunch at times, but their limitations once again proved insurmountable.
The Sabres, Red Wings and Senators each have a solid core of talent that could propel them back into playoff contention. While they did show real improvement this season, their respective front offices must address their roster weaknesses this summer or risk facing another disappointing outcome next season.
Winner: Connor McDavid
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NHL scoring has been rising in recent years. This season's 3.18 goals-per-game average is the highest since 1992-93, when it was 3.24. Four players scored at least 50 goals, while 11 reached the 100-point plateau.
Leading the pack is Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid. A four-time winner of the Art Ross Trophy since 2016-17, the 26-year-old center is this season's runaway scoring leader.
With 64 goals and 152 points, McDavid has already sewn up his fifth Art Ross Trophy. He's also on the verge of winning his first Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer.
McDavid's performance this season is another example of why he is this generation's greatest player. He's the first player to reach 60 goals and 150 points since Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux in 1995-96.
McDavid enters the 2023 playoffs seeking his first Stanley Cup. He helped Edmonton reach the 2022 Western Conference Finals and remained the leading scorer with 33 points when that postseason ended. Another performance like that one on an improved Oilers club could carry Edmonton to its first Cup in 33 years.
Loser: Chicago Blackhawks
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The Chicago Blackhawks were riding high in 2015. They were fresh off winning their third Stanley Cup in six seasons, making them the closest thing to a dynasty in today's salary-cap era. Led by superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews along with a solid supporting cast, the Blackhawks seemed poised to dominate the NHL for the rest of the decade.
However, Chicago has reached the playoffs only three times since then, the last of which was in 2020. Eight years after winning their last Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks will finish this season near the bottom of the overall standings.
The cost of retaining their best players came at the expense of their roster depth, as they made cost-cutting trades or watched players depart as free agents. An NHL investigation that found the team mishandled a player's allegations of sexual assault against an assistant coach in 2010 led to changes in management last season and the start of an overdue roster rebuild.
Chicago's record this season was among the worst in franchise history since the league's first expansion in 1967. The Blackhawks also traded Kane to the New York Rangers, while Toews played his final game for the franchise and heads into an uncertain future as an unrestricted free agent with ongoing health issues.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Montreal Canadiens and Arizona Coyotes also had difficult years as they focus on rebuilding their respective rosters. However, they didn't make the long tumble from a dynastic pinnacle as Chicago did.
For the Blackhawks, this season had to feel like reaching rock bottom.
Winners: Boston Bruins
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The NHL's Eastern Conference dominated the upper echelon of this season's overall standings. The Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers filled five of the top seven spots.
Ruling the standings were the Bruins, who won their second Presidents' Trophy since 2020 and the fourth in franchise history by setting new league records for wins (64) and points (133). The Hurricanes were a distant second overall with 51 wins and 111 points.
Led by 60-goal scorer David Pastrňák, captain Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Krejčí, the Bruins finished second in goals per game (3.65) and faceoff win percentage (54.5). Their power-play production (22.7) dropped over the course of the season, but they still finished 11th overall in that category.
The Bruins also gave up the fewest goals against per game (2.10), possessed the best penalty-killing percentage (87.1) and gave up the eighth-fewest shots against per game (29.8). That's a tribute to their goaltending tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman and a solid defense corps led by Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm.
Adding defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Garnet Hathaway before the trade deadline bolstered an already deep Bruins roster. With playmaking winger Taylor Hall recently returning from injury in time for the playoffs, the Bruins seem like the clear favorites to win the Stanley Cup.
Losers: Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals
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The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals have been rivals since their Patrick Division days in the early 1990s. The intensity between them ramped up when Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin made their NHL debuts in 2005-06.
With Crosby and Ovechkin leading the way, both clubs enjoyed considerable success. From 2006-07 to 2021-22, the Penguins made the playoffs in 16 consecutive seasons, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals four times and winning three Cups. The Capitals qualified for the postseason 14 times over that span, won the Presidents' Trophy three times and won the Stanley Cup in 2018.
However, the Capitals and Penguins have declined in recent years. Neither club has won a playoff round since 2018. Crosby and fellow Penguins stars Evgeny Malkin and Kris Letang are aging, as are Ovechkin and other Capitals core players like Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie. Their rosters were among the NHL's oldest entering this season.
Surpassed by Metropolitan Division rivals this season like the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers, the Capitals and Penguins struggled to remain in playoff contention. They were eventually eliminated in the final weeks of the season as injuries and declining roster depth caught up with them.
This season feels like the end of an era for both clubs. The best seasons of Crosby, Ovechkin and most of their fellow core players are now behind them.
Both clubs have eschewed rebuilding their rosters, preferring to retool around their older stars. However, maintaining that path won't help them return to their glory days.
Stats (as of Apr. 12, 2023) via NHL.com with additional info via Quant Hockey, Hockey-Reference.com and Cap Friendly.
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