NHL Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands After 2020 Draft

The handshakes have been exchanged. The victory laps have been skated.

And the Tampa Bay Lightning have dived headlong into their championship offseason.

But while that means Lightning players need to get rings sized and days with the Stanley Cup planned, it also means the rest of the teams in the NHL have begun the chase for a 2020-21 title.

The standings for each of the 31 clubs will officially read 0-0 until play begins Jan. 1—or thereabouts, according to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman—but that doesn't mean everyone's starting from the same spot.

The next generation of superstars was virtually introduced to the hockey-watching world across seven rounds of the NHL draft Tuesday and Wednesday. Some teams certainly bolstered their chances at making progress from 2019-20, while some others may have stagnated or fallen back.

The B/R ice hockey think tank convened several times before and during the playoffs, and it got together once again following the draft to assess where everyone stands now that the picks are made and the countdown toward next season has begun in earnest.

We placed the teams in order from No. 31 to No. 1, combining results from last season with noteworthy additions, subtractions and changes made in the meantime.

Read on to see where your favorite club sits, and feel free to drop a comment to let us know your thoughts.

31-26: Taking the First Steps

31. Detroit Red Wings (31st overall in 2019-20)

The Red Wings have a lot of holes, and it will take more than a draft to fill them, but they got themselves an elite playmaker in No. 4 overall pick Lucas Raymond to augment the future. If nothing else, they should whittle the 23-point gap between themselves and the rest of the league in 2020-21.

30. Ottawa Senators (30th overall in 2019-20)

The Senators had three picks in Tuesday's first round and did well on all of them, netting an elite winger (Tim Stuetzle), an elite defenseman (Jake Sanderson) and a center whose stock had been rising (Ridly Greig). None of them are likely to see time next season, but the rebuild got a legitimate kickstart.

29. Anaheim Ducks (27th overall in 2019-20)

They didn't pick as high as their Southern California rivals in L.A, but the Ducks still netted a blueliner (Jamie Drysdale) and a scoring center (Jacob Perreault) in the first round to add to an already impressive collection of prospects. Generating consistent offense will be the first order of near-term business.

28. Buffalo Sabres (25th overall in 2019-20)

Jack Eichel, meet Jack Quinn. The Sabres took the right-side sniper at No. 8 to go alongside their disgruntled 2015 draft prize, and they traded up in Round 2 to land winger JJ Peterka, which helped make up for any concerns about the Quinn pick. How they fare in free agency will dictate how high they rise.

27. Los Angeles Kings (28th overall in 2019-20)

The Kings got themselves a big-bodied center at No. 2 overall who will play in the NHL next season and is forecasted by many to be another Anze Kopitar type. If that means Quinton Byfield sticks around for 333 NHL goals and a pair of Stanley Cups, Los Angeles fans will be happy.

26. New Jersey Devils (26th overall in 2020-21)

Picking Alexander Holtz in the first round netted the Devils perhaps the best shooter in the draft, and he'll fit well as a winger alongside recent first-round centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Dawson Mercer, a center, was picked at No. 18, and Shakir Mukhamadullin, a Russian defenseman, was a surprise at No. 20.

25-21: On the Road to Recovery

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

25. Chicago Blackhawks (23rd overall in 2019-20)

German winger Lukas Reichel came at No. 17 in the first round, and then Chicago took aim at future goalie needs with Drew Commesso in Round 2. The alumnus of the U.S. National Development program was 18-7-1 with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage with the national under-18 team.

24. Arizona Coyotes (22nd overall in 2019-20)

The Coyotes didn't have a pick in Tuesday's first round, and they have instead spent time dealing with current roster issues, including the potential trade of defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and the seemingly impending free agency of coveted forward and former league MVP Taylor Hall.

23. Montreal Canadiens (24th overall in 2019-20)

A mobile defenseman with sound hockey sense, Kaiden Guhle came to the Canadiens with the 16th overall pick, not to mention forward Josh Anderson in a trade that sent center Max Domi to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team's young core played well in the playoffs, which provides optimism for 2020-21.

22. Minnesota Wild (21st overall in 2019-20)

General manager Bill Guerin has been busy reshaping the Wild roster since their postseason run ended in the qualifying round, and he added a valuable piece in center Marco Rossi, who terrorized the OHL last season and was expected to be gone by the ninth pick. Overall, the team netted three centers and two defensemen.

21. San Jose Sharks (29th overall in 2019-20)

The Sharks created the feel-good moment of the draft when executive Doug Wilson Jr. used sign language to announce the pick of Ozzy Wiesblatt, whose mother is deaf. They also acquired veteran goalie Devan Dubnyk and forward Ryan Donato in separate deals with the Minnesota Wild. Donato had 14 goals last season.

20-16: Working Toward the Middle

20. Columbus Blue Jackets (13th overall in 2019-20)

It's a tale of two moves for the Blue Jackets, who got center Max Domi from the Montreal Canadiens on draft day and signed him to a two-year, $10.6 million deal. Elsewhere, the selection of Russian winger Yegor Chinakhov at No. 21 overall was a head-scratcher given that he wasn't among The Hockey News' top 100 prospects (h/t Sports Illustrated's Ken Campbell).

19. Florida Panthers (18th overall in 2019-20)

General manager Bill Zito's week began with the pick of Finnish center Anton Lundell at No. 12, and it'll continue with decisions to be made in free agency. The Panthers have more than $21 million in cap space, but they also have several free agents of their own, including wingers Mike Hoffman, Evgenii Dadonov and Erik Haula.

18. Winnipeg Jets (15th overall in 2019-20)

Winnipeg scored big when OHL center Cole Perfetti was still available at No. 10 after he'd been ranked fourth in ESPN's predraft scouting report. Meanwhile, persistent rumors continue to swirl that the team is shopping prolific 22-year-old winger Patrik Laine, with the Philadelphia Flyers on the radar.

17. Calgary Flames (17th overall in 2019-20)

The Flames got themselves a center-ice prospect when Connor Zary of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers was still around for their 24th overall selection, and they made news with the announcement they'll go back to the home and away jersey designs they used from 1980 through the mid-1990s.

16. Vancouver Canucks (20th overall in 2019-20)

The Canucks, coming off a run to the Western Conference semifinals, did not have a first-round pick but have plenty of work to do nevertheless. They're on the verge of having starting goalie Jacob Markstrom and right wing Tyler Toffoli reach free agency. Toffoli was acquired in a February trade with Los Angeles.

15-11: Better Days Ahead?

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

15. Nashville Predators (19th overall in 2019-20)

It's weight-cutting time in Nashville. The Predators unloaded veteran forward Nick Bonino and the one year remaining on his $4.1 million contract to the Minnesota Wild. They also jettisoned Kyle Turris by putting him on waivers for purposes of a buyout. He had four years and $24 million left on his contract.

14. Edmonton Oilers (ninth overall in 2019-20)

The Oilers received middling reviews for their selection of Dylan Holloway from the University of Wisconsin at the No. 14 slot Tuesday, but things perked up Wednesday with the re-signing of the No. 4 overall pick from 2016, Jesse Puljujarvi. He'd been playing in Finland since the end of the 2018-19 season.

13. New York Islanders (14th overall in 2019-20)

The Islanders didn't pick until No. 90 overall after unloading their first- and second-round picks in a trade for Jean-Gabriel Pageau in February. Much of their attention this week is focused on retaining the services of Mathew Barzal, who's a restricted free agent. He was given a qualifying offer of $874,125.

12. Carolina Hurricanes (12th overall in 2019-20)

The Hurricanes are considered a young team on the rise in the NHL, and they didn't hurt that status by adding speedy and skillful center Seth Jarvis at 13th overall. That said, they will likely need to compete for the services of would-be free-agent defensemen Sami Vatanen and Trevor van Riemsdyk.

11. Dallas Stars (10th overall in 2019-20)

Quebec-based center Mavrik Bourque was the pick for the Stars with the second-to-last selection of the first round. He has good hockey sense and raw offensive ability. As for free agency, Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News suggested Dallas target Pat Maroon, whose teams have eliminated the Stars on the way to two straight Stanley Cups.

10-6: The Second Tier of Contention

10. St. Louis Blues (second overall in 2019-20)

No. 26 overall pick Jake Neighbours seems like a Blues-style left winger given his broad competitive streak and big body (6'0", 195 pounds) that's tough to force away from the puck. That said, a big decision looms on whether St. Louis will make an offer that will keep impending free agent Alex Pietrangelo around.

9. New York Rangers (16th overall in 2019-20)

There were already plenty of reasons to be high on the New York Rangers entering the 2020-21 season, and the selection of Alexis Lafreniere does nothing but add to them. Young talent across the ice and in goal, not to mention star power in Artemi Panarin, makes the Rangers a real contender in the near term.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (12th overall in 2019-20)

Another team rich with skill, the Maple Leafs will have some creative accounting to do to keep everything intact. But assuming the core stays and issues on defense—and perhaps in goal—are addressed, Toronto is not far from making a serious run. First-round pick Rodion Amirov, a left wing, fits their style too.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (seventh overall in 2019-20)

Window open? Window closed? That's the question about the Penguins that will yield different answers depending on who's asked. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are well into their 30s, but they're also still point-per-game players when healthy. Trading Matt Murray to Ottawa makes Tristan Jarry the man in net.

6. Washington Capitals (fifth overall in 2019-20)

The Capitals are two seasons removed from the Stanley Cup and have the league's leading active goal-scorer in Alex Ovechkin. So they are good for now, no matter what. The selection of Hendrix Lapierre at No. 22 could be brilliant if he's healthy, and a report suggests Henrik Lundqvist may soon don their sweater too.

5-1: The Elite Class

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

5. Philadelphia Flyers (sixth overall in 2019-20)

The Flyers pulled the trigger on winger Tyson Foerster with the 23rd overall pick, and he can be a solid scorer if and when he reaches the NHL. Elsewhere, the team will have to replace retired defenseman Matt Niskanen, with Tampa Bay's Kevin Shattenkirk perhaps among the top targets if he opts for free agency.

4. Boston Bruins (first overall in 2019-20)

The Bruins were the best team in the standings before the pandemic upended the season, but they never regained the mojo they'd had up to March. Things will be different going into 2020-21 with the possible exit of Torey Krug, though incoming players could include Brandon Saad and/or Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

3. Vegas Golden Knights (eighth overall in 2019-20)

The Golden Knights were a Stanley Cup finalist in their first season and appeared headed for a second final as the Western Conference's top seed in 2019-20, but they were stopped by the Dallas Stars and a hot goalie. Speaking of goalies, Vegas committed to Robin Lehner and has a choice to make on Marc-Andre Fleury.  

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (fourth overall in 2019-20)

Nothing like riding off into the offseason sunset with a Stanley Cup parade, eh? The Lightning were dominant while plowing through the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders and Dallas Stars, but general manager Julien BriseBois has salary-cap work to do to keep Tampa Bay's core group together for another title run.  

1. Colorado Avalanche (third overall in 2019-20)

The Avs were rolling in the playoffs and looked like a legit Stanley Cup contender before goaltending injuries and a plucky Dallas Stars team ended the run. But they maintain a talented young core that's only getting better and will have the memory of a stalled playoff run as fuel to improve in 2020-21.

They aren't the incumbent champions, but they are the best team moving forward.