NHL season preview: Strengths, weaknesses, X factors for all 32 teams - ESPN

Opening night of the 2026-27 NHL season is Tuesday, which includes a tripleheader of games on ESPN: Florida Panthers-Carolina Hurricanes at 5 p.m. ET (including the Stanley Cup banner-raising), New York Rangers-Boston Bruins at 8 p.m. ET, and Chicago Blackhawks-Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Before the puck drops, this preview will serve you all the key intel you need on all 32 teams, including strengths, weaknesses, X factors, most likely award winners, fantasy tips and a bold prediction.

This season preview also features the first edition of ESPN's NHL Power Rankings, which provide the order in which these teams are presented. The weekly rankings are formulated through votes from ESPN hockey broadcasters, analysts and reporters.

Note: Thanks to PuckPedia for salary and contract data. Advanced stats are from Hockey Reference, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey. Kristen Shilton profiled the teams in the Eastern Conference, while Ryan S. Clark handled the Western Conference clubs. The fantasy outlook for each team was written by Victoria Matiash and Sean Allen, and bold predictions are from Greg Wyshynski. Stanley Cup odds are provided by DraftKings as of Sept. 26 and are subject to change. Projected points are via Stathletes.

Last season: 53-22-7 (113 points), won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup odds: +650
Projected points: 112.2

Biggest strength: The Hurricanes are stacked with top forwards and enviable depth performers. It's the combination that made Carolina champions four months ago, and versatility will be a trademark for this group again. Star skaters like Andrei Svechnikov (coming off a rebound season), Sebastian Aho (a puck-moving playmaker), Nikolaj Ehlers, Taylor Hall, Jordan Staal, Jackson Blake —