NHL Set to Begin Season Tonight

By Scott Burnside

ESPN Senior Writer

It feels like the hockey season's been underway for, well, weeks. And thanks to the World Cup of Hockey, some of the NHL's best players should be starting the regular season in midseason form, which isn't a bad thing. So, without further ado, we bring you episode one of the ongoing drama of the Power Rankings. Bring it on.

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

The defending Stanley Cup champions always start the season in the top perch. It's tradition. Now, Sidney Crosby's concussion diagnosis certainly casts a pall over the start of the season. So how long the Penguins remain on top will depend on how quickly Crosby comes back and on how veteran Marc-Andre Fleury, who will start the season as the Pens' starting netminder due to postseason star Matt Murray being injured, holds down the fort in goal.

2. San Jose Sharks

It's not necessarily tradition, but we'll put the Sharks in the second spot, given that they're coming off their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals. They shouldn't have too much of a drop-off thanks to some nice offseason work by San Jose general manager Doug Wilson.

3. Washington Capitals

"Win now or bust" is pretty much the slogan for the Caps, who tore through the regular season in 2015-16, but were dumped in six games in the second round of the playoffs by Pittsburgh. Washington is still a force from top to bottom.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning

There's lots to like about the Eastern Conference finalists. Can GM Steve Yzerman continue his magic and get Nikita Kucherov under contract and on the ice? And what, ultimately, will become of goalie Ben Bishop as he enters the last year of his contract?

5. Chicago Blackhawks

A rare one-and-done playoff run last spring should mean that the Blackhawks are well rested. This team is still loaded up and down the lineup. We love the repatriation of defenseman Brian Campbell and can't wait for Marian Hossa to get career goal No. 500. The future Hall of Famer enters the season one away from the milestone.

6. Dallas Stars

Does anyone expect GM Jim Nill to finish the season with Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen as his goaltenders? With an upgrade between the pipes and some good luck when it comes to the health of stars Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, the Stars could be headed to the finals.

7. Nashville Predators

Is this the season Nashville gets over the hump? How big of an impact will P.K. Subban have -- and will they miss longtime captain Shea Weber more than they think? This might be the best lineup from top to bottom that the Predators have ever iced. Now can they take advantage of it?

8. Montreal Canadiens

The Habs are coming off a train wreck of a season that saw Carey Price miss all but a month or so of action. Price is back and in terrific form thanks to Canada's run at the World Cup of Hockey. Weber brings a whole new level of seriousness to the proceedings -- and how about the potential impact of former bad boy Alexander Radulov?

9. Florida Panthers

There's a weird dynamic in Florida, where ownership shook things up after the Panthers won their division. So we'll have to see how the changes affected the karma. We love the addition of Keith Yandle but wonder about Roberto Luongo's durability. It's possible that goalie James Reimer may be the Cats' most important offseason addition.

10. Anaheim Ducks

Randy Carlyle is back behind the bench, and this is still a dangerous team capable of winning the Pacific Division. But the Ducks need to get Hampus Lindholm's and Rickard Rakell's respective contracts sorted out. The reality is that time is running out for Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler et al.

11. Calgary Flames

If Brian Elliott can rise to the challenge of being "the man" in Calgary, this isn't just a playoff team but a potential division winner. The Flames are deep defensively and given their plentiful great young offensive parts they are on the cusp -- assuming, of course, they get Johnny Gaudreau's contract resolved sooner rather than later.

12. St. Louis Blues

It's a year of transition for the Blues, as Ken Hitchcock prepares to bow out in favor of assistant coach Mike Yeo. The losses of David Backes and Troy Brouwer will mean new leaders need to step up in St. Louis. It's now Jake Allen's bus. Can he drive it back to the playoffs?

13. Minnesota Wild

Bruce Boudreau is one of the most successful regular-season coaches in the game. We expect the Wild to get back to the playoffs with Eric Staal enjoying a nice bounce-back season in Minnesota.

14. Carolina Hurricanes

We don't mind saying we weren't sure what to make of the bottom end of the Metropolitan Division, but we do love the skilled, speedy, youthful Hurricanes. And it's time, isn't it, for some good news in Raleigh? We have them third in the Metro.

15. New York Rangers

The Rangers could finish anywhere in the Metro, but we like them here. GM Jeff Gorton has done a nice job of getting younger up front without giving up too much. Now, can the aging defense come together after a miserable end to the season against Pittsburgh?

16. Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick can pretty much carry this team into the playoffs by themselves. They may have to.

17. Arizona Coyotes

Will the 'Yotes soon be putting shovel to ground on a new home? Will the on-ice product reflect the nice work done by young GM John Chayka? The playoffs aren't out of the realm of possibility for coach Dave Tippett's young charges.

18. Boston Bruins

We think the Bruins are going to be better than most people think they're going to be. In short, we don't think they stink. In fact, we kind of like them as a playoff team. At least right now we do.

19. Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers were a surprise part of the playoff tournament last spring and Dave Hakstol is going to be even more comfortable in his second season as an NHL bench boss. But we have to think a slight correction is in store for the Flyers.

20. New Jersey Devils

The playoffs could be in the cards for the Devils if Taylor Hall properly channels his inner anger at being traded and if Cory Schneider is aces once again. That defense, though, needs to be better than the sum of its parts after the departure of Adam Larsson.

21. New York Islanders

Lots of teams got better in the Metro and in the Eastern Conference overall. We don't think the Islanders were one of them. It's time to ramp up sale of those "John Tavares to Toronto" T-shirts.

22. Winnipeg Jets

A big season for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice begins with a big dilemma: what to do about disgruntled, restricted free-agent defenseman Jacob Trouba. All else that follows for the Jets this season flows from what happens with him.

23. Edmonton Oilers

Who knows just how great new teenage captain Connor McDavid is going to be? As for the Oilers, how big a jump will they need to make this season to consider the corner turned? They're not quite ready for the playoffs, but they can't be out of it by November either.

24. Buffalo Sabres

We want to believe in the Sabres. We really do. And we love the addition of Kyle Okposo. But let's see if Robin Lehner is the real deal, and let's see if Evander Kane has learned anything about being a pro over the past few months.

25. Detroit Red Wings

Frans Nielsen was terrific during the World Cup of Hockey. So was Tomas Tatar. Thomas Vanek? Not so much. Vanek's play was kind of like the Wings' -- some good, some bad but not enough to make you stop and pay attention. Detroit's playoff streak is definitely in jeopardy.

26. Ottawa Senators

New head coach Guy Boucher will have his hands full trying to forge an identity for the Senators, who seem to have lost their way the past couple of seasons. There's no reason the Sens can't still be in the playoff hunt. But we've said the same things the past couple of years.

27. Colorado Avalanche

We're going to find out pretty quickly whether the Avalanche really do stink or whether it was just their head coach who did. There will be lots of pressure on Jared Bednar, the minor pro coach who replaced Patrick Roy after Roy bolted in August -- but the Avs have little place to go but up.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets could be a playoff team. We don't think they will be, but they could be. Watch for Sergei Bobrovsky to get off to a great start and make this placement look silly.

29. Toronto Maple Leafs

Oh, the optimism in Toronto is almost nauseating. Sure, they'll be fun to watch, but if anyone expects the 30th overall team from last season to be anything but a stone's throw from 30th overall again this season, they haven't been paying attention.

30. Vancouver Canucks

Everyone else seems to be moving forward while the Canucks, most charitably, seem to be going sideways -- or is that in circles?

Wednesday, October 12 Schedule (All Times Central)

Toronto at Ottawa, 7 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Calgary at Edmonton, 10 p.m.

Los Angeles at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 13 Schedule (All Times Central)

Montreal at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

NY Islanders at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.

Washington at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Boston at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

New Jersey at Florida, 7:30 p.m.

Minnesota at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Carolina at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.

Anaheim at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.