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

Opening nighttime of the 2025-26 NHL play is Tuesday, featuring a tripleheader of games connected ESPN: Chicago Blackhawks-Florida Panthers astatine 5 p.m. ET (including the Stanley Cup banner-raising), Pittsburgh Penguins-New York Rangers astatine 8 p.m. ET, and Colorado Avalanche-Los Angeles Kings astatine 10:30 p.m. ET.

Before puck drop, this preview volition service you each the cardinal intel you request connected each 32 teams, including strengths, weaknesses, X factors, astir apt grant winners, phantasy tips and a bold prediction.

Our play preview besides features the archetypal variation of our Power Rankings, which supply the bid successful which these teams are presented. The play rankings are formulated done votes from ESPN hockey broadcasters, analysts and reporters.

Note: Thanks to PuckPedia for wage and declaration data. Advanced stats are from Hockey Reference, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey. Kristen Shilton profiled the teams successful the Eastern Conference, portion 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 the caput of Greg Wyshynski. Stanley Cup likelihood are courtesy of ESPN BET arsenic of Oct. 6, projected points are via Stathletes.

How to ticker the 2025-26 NHL play connected ESPN networks -- including 100 exclusive games and the out-of-market bundle (over 1,050 games).

1. Edmonton Oilers

Last season: 48-29-5 (101 points), mislaid successful Stanley Cup Final
Stanley Cup odds: +800
Projected points: 103.1

Biggest strength: A supporting formed that appears threatening. Every squad successful a title model is faced with the yearly occupation of gathering a beardown supporting formed with constricted headdress space. The Oilers jettisoned rather a fewer players successful the offseason to bash conscionable that, with the intent of reaching a 3rd consecutive Cup Final -- hopefully with a antithetic outcome. Oilers GM Stan Bowman utilized his team's choky abstraction to adhd Andrew Mangiapane, and traded for Isaac Howard, knowing that the reigning Hobey Baker Award victor -- on with Matt Savoie -- gives ...