Ranking the Deepest Teams in the NHL as the 2016 Playoffs Approach

The playoffs are fast approaching, and some of the league's top teams are looking primed for long playoff runs. 

But who is the deepest of them all? The answer may not surprise you (spoiler: there's a reason one NHL club has already claimed the best regular-season record), but some of the teams on this list may require a second look.

Health comes into play in these rankings, along with holes that haven't been filled and perhaps can't be plugged by organizational depth. Almost every team has a weakness that could be exposed, but these are the best of the best when it comes to depth.

Click ahead to see who ranks No. 1, and feel free to weigh in below in the comments section.

9. Boston Bruins

Danny Moloshok/Associated Press

Lineup Strengths

With top centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci anchoring the top two lines, the Boston Bruins boast one of the best top-six forward groups in the league. Both Loui Eriksson and Brad Marchand are having big seasons on the scoring front. Thanks to the development of Ryan Spooner and growth of free-agent pickup Matt Beleskey, that title might extend to the top nine.

Defensemen Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug could both crack the 40-point mark this season, offering plenty of offense from the back end.

Potential Weaknesses

As much as the Bruins have risen in the goal-scoring department, they have dipped in the defensive game—and that may be a product of the lack of depth on the back end. Tuukka Rask is a strong starter in goal but is facing a lot of shots (third-most in the league, 1,789).

Behind Chara, Krug and Kevan Miller, the defensive power dips considerably. Among those who have played at least 40 contests, only Krug and Miller have shots-attempted percentages over 50 when games are close.

8. Dallas Stars

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Lineup Strengths

The league's top offense is led by two of the league's best players in center Tyler Seguin and winger Jamie Benn, with Benn second in the NHL's Art Ross race (87 points). But the talent runs deep within this group. Jason Spezza and Patrick Sharp have combined for 50 goals and 100-plus points, and another half-dozen forwards could finish with more than 30 points. Having 10 of your starting 12 forwards net 30 or more times is a luxury only one or two others on this list may be able to duplicate. 

Led by super sophomore John Klingberg and veteran Alex Goligoski, the defensive unit has more depth than it has in years when healthy, with Jason Demers, Johnny Oduya and Kris Russell making a huge impact in their own zone. Since coming over from the Calgary Flames in February, Russell has led all Dallas Stars blueliners in ice time. The 23-year-old Stephen Johns has also emerged as a capable member of the top six—with Jordie Benn and Patrik Nemeth providing great depth.

Potential Weaknesses

Goaltending is a huge question mark for the team despite the offseason efforts to shore up the performance at the position. Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen have been equally awful this year while splitting duties, posting similar numbers. Niemi has a 2.70 goals-against average and .904 save percentage. Lehtonen's .906 save percentage is marginally better, but his 2.81 GAA is worse. It's because of the depth at the other positions the Stars have had so much success.

Injuries to Demers and Russell—although both are listed by TSN as day-to-day—need to be monitored. And Seguin's ugly Achilles cut only further clouds his playoff future after his unspectacular postseason appearances with the Boston Bruins.

7. Florida Panthers

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Lineup Strengths

Spreading the wealth offensively, the Florida Panthers have five 50-plus point players and will likely have a sixth by season's end. Not even the Washington Capitals can boast that. The franchise has been a surprise all season, but Jaromir Jagr's on and off-ice leadership has helped bring together a strong and underrated group that is anchored by Jagr, Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov.

The top nine is right up in the top third in the league, and six players could finish with 20 or more goals.

Goaltender Roberto Luongo is somewhat quietly having his best season since 2011, when he was with the Vancouver Canucks, putting together a 2.37 GAA and .921 save percentage along with 32 wins and four shutouts so far.

Potential Weaknesses

That defense is a little thin behind the top pairing of Aaron Ekblad and Brian Campbell. The Panthers have tried combinations in the double digits in an attempt to find balance. The group has collectively been strong enough to help Luongo and backup Al Montoya put up the joint-sixth-best GAA in the league (2.44), but it has yet to prove its value in the playoffs.

6. Chicago Blackhawks

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Lineup Strengths

That group of Chicago Blackhawks forwards is impressive, with high-end skill (Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, Artemi Panarin and Andrew Ladd to name a few) complemented by the grit of guys such as Dale Weise, Andrew Desjardins and Andrew Shaw. They've produced the ninth-highest goals-per-game average, 2.75, and with the deadline addition of Ladd, they have five players who should finish with 20 or more on the year.

On defense, the Hawks have a pair of elite offensive stars in Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, who both have more than 40 points already this season. Niklas Hjalmarsson is as solid a No. 3 as they come.

Potential Weaknesses

Goaltender Corey Crawford had all but assured himself a spot as a Vezina finalist with 35 wins, a .926 save percentage and 2.32 GAA before an injury knocked him out of the lineup in mid-March. His absence has been noticeable and could be crippling in the playoffs. Backup Scott Darling isn't anywhere near Crawford's caliber. 

Behind the three aforementioned blueliners, the Hawks are relying on a trio of 24-year-olds in Trevor van Riemsdyk, Erik Gustafsson and Viktor Svedberg along with veterans Christian Ehrhoff and Michal Rozsival—whose best days are long behind him.

5. Los Angeles Kings

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Lineup Strengths

Strength down the middle has been a staple of the Los Angeles Kings for years, and this year has been no exception thanks to the addition of Vincent Lecavalier, who has been rejuvenated with the Kings. Jeff Carter, Anze Kopitar and Lecavalier form a tremendous top three. The wingers are no slouches, either, with Tyler Toffoli and Milan Lucic driving the offense and Marian Gaborik and Kris Versteeg bolstering the top six when healthy.

They have tremendous size and physicality distributed among the third and fourth lines.

Potential Weaknesses

On the blue line, Drew Doughty is among the NHL's best, but the depth behind him is questionable. It was an area the Kings were unable to improve upon significantly at the trade deadline. The team's success in the goals-against category is dependent on the play of the entire group, as well as goaltender Jonathan Quick.

According to Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times, Gaborik may not be ready to start the playoffs and Versteeg is still out of the lineup as well. Those could be key cogs for postseason success on what's been an opportunistic but less than spectacular offense.

4. Anaheim Ducks

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Lineup Strengths

The Anaheim Ducks have done a nice job of bulking up for the postseason after a rough start to the season. They can roll three strong scoring lines by separating superstars Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf and mixing in more recent additions David Perron, Brandon Pirri and Jamie McGinn.

The defensive group is solid, balancing the dynamic puck-moving variety (Sami Vatanen, Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm and Simon Despres) with the more defensive minded (Kevin Bieksa, John Manson,  Clayton Stoner and Korbinian Holzer). This might be the deepest bunch of blueliners in the business. 

Potential Weaknesses

Perron has proved during his time with the Ducks that he can still be an extremely productive playmaker. His injury hurts the overall forward depth, although the additions of Pirri and McGinn at the trade deadline softened that blow. An injury to one of Perry or Getzlaf, however, would see the motor fall out of the machine for this team.

Just as frightening may be the concussion goalie Frederik Andersen suffered on Wednesday. He's their most experienced playoff backstop. John Gibson has been good this year, and the team just called up Anton Khudobin, but as promising as Gibson is, Andersen is the safety net the team held onto at the deadline to ensure the position was sound in the spring.

3. St. Louis Blues

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

Lineup Strengths

The St. Louis Blues have gone through many ups and downs because of injury this season but are nearly at full strength again just in time for the playoffs. When it comes to the full complement of forwards, there may not be a team in the league that can roll out four better lines.

Vladimir Tarasenko is the superstar but Alex Steen, Jaden Schwartz and Paul Stastny all have point-per-game averages of .76 or more. Eight players are producing at least a half point per contest.

Potential Weaknesses

The defense is top heavy, with Kevin Shattenkirk, Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko providing the bulk of the offensive production and Jay Bouwmeester offering important minutes. But the third pairing could be exposed if forced to play minutes beyond its means.

2. New York Rangers

James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Lineup Strengths

Despite lacking sniper Rick Nash for nearly half the season, the New York Rangers own the sixth-best offense in the league (219 goals). They've got one of the most balanced forward groups in the NHL, with 10 players in double digits in goals and another four on the brink of hitting that mark.

But their true strength may be on the blue line, where the top six ranks the best of any of these teams. They have talent—at both ends of the rink—and plenty of experience. Keith Yandle and Ryan McDonagh lead the way offensively, but every one of the top six has at least 14 points.

Potential Weaknesses

Starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist remains one of the league's best, and backup Antti Raanta has been played well in his limited action. But Raanta is unproven as a playoff commodity, and Lundqvist is 34 and may make his most regular-season appearances since 2011. A breakdown from fatigue or injury would put the Rangers in jeopardy.

There isn't a great deal of youth on the blue line and depth beyond the top six.

1. Washington Capitals

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Lineup Strengths

The Washington Capitals have five 20-goal scorers and should have six by season's end with Jason Chimera one goal shy. Of course, that group is led by Maurice Richard Trophy leader Alexander Ovechkin, who has 45 and counting. The offseason additions of T.J. Oshie and Justin Williams have proved to be stellar pickups, and the evolution of Evgeny Kuznetsov as one of the league's best playmakers may give the Caps the best one-two punch in the league at center with Nicklas Backstrom.

Goalie Braden Holtby has emerged as one of the league's best, leading the way in wins (47) and posting a 2.17 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.

Potential Weaknesses

The team is stacked. There aren't many holes to poke in the runaway Presidents' Trophy winners. If anything is a concern, it might be the prospect of losing Holtby to injury. They may be able to withstand injuries in other areas, but not in goal.

All stats via NHL.com unless otherwise noted.