NFL Power Rankings: Midseason Edition

Photo Credit: Andrew Nelles/USA TODAY Sports

With nearly half of the teams having or at their bye week and the NFL hierarchy starting to cement itself, we are close to saying that we are officially at the midway point of the NFL season.

At this point, one conference has been dominant, illustrated by the fact that the top five spots in these rankings belong to teams from said conference. The NFC has shown its teeth throughout the season, with each of their divisions being represented at the top by teams that could be legitimate powerhouses come January. Unlike the AFC, which is shaping up to be a surprising playoff picture, the NFC is loaded with elite talent, making the postseason a potentially explosive affair.

Speaking of the AFC, there’s a quick question I want to ask. Did any of you have the Cincinnati Bengals not just in first place of the loaded AFC North at this point, but ahead of the likes of the Chiefs in any capacity? If you answered yes, you are either a terrible liar, a legitimate psychic, or someone who could have a lot of money waiting for them at the betting counter in the new year. It’s good to see surprise teams at this point of the season prove their legitimacy (hello, Arizona and Los Angeles Chargers), but it’s more surprising when the Bengals overcame serious scrutiny over their offseason decisions and organizational malaise over the last few years to become one of the surprise contenders this season. The glory of sports, man.

So how does the NFL stack up this time?

1. Arizona Cardinals (3): After two straight weeks of clicking on both sides of the ball and keeping their undefeated record intact, I’ll finally give the Cardinals their due and place them at the top of the rankings. After JJ Watt’s season-ending injury, however, Arizona could now be in play to bolster their pass rush at the trade deadline (November 2, for the curious).

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2): The only worrisome thing from Tampa Bay’s clash with Chicago was having to negotiate with a fan for Tom Brady’s 600th regular-season touchdown ball (thank you, Mike Evans). If the Bucs can put together a similar effort against the only legitimate competition in their division in the Saints, you can basically lock the Buccaneers for at least one home playoff game.

3. Los Angeles Rams (6): The Rams have unsurprisingly gone through the weak stretch of their schedule, but the Lions were able to keep the game a lot closer than fans would have hoped for. The cupcake matches end after Houston, so any issues the Rams still have need to be solved soon for them to be able to catch Arizona for the NFC West crown.

4. Dallas Cowboys (8): The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for the Cowboys, with Dak Prescott coming out of their last game injured and his Week 8 status still up in the air. They should still be fine with the amount of talent they have on the roster, but being without Dak for a game or two could knock them down a peg.

5. Green Bay Packers (7): Aaron Rodgers is still putting up big numbers to keep the Packers in the mix, but a few struggles against Washington still has me thinking this team is below the four above them in terms of sheer firepower. A game against Arizona where the Packers will be without their top three receivers and defensive coordinator might be a little unfair to judge them for, however.

6. Buffalo Bills (1): After being on cruise control for most of the season, Buffalo’s ambitions hit a snag against Tennessee last week. Hopefully, they come out of the bye week motivated to get the stench off of them, and it helps that the rest of their division doesn’t appear to have interest in chasing after them too hard.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (13): After soundly dominating their main AFC North competition in Baltimore, it’s time to finally admit that the Bengals have all the makings of a good team. Joe Burrow has completely changed the complexion of this franchise, and the decision to draft Ja’Marr Chase over Penei Sewell has paid off in a big way.

8. Los Angeles Chargers (4): The blowout loss to the Ravens was probably necessary for the Chargers to see the flaws on their roster, which they can use the deadline and an easier stretch of their schedule to work out. They used the past week to try and solve their special teams issues, but their big task is going to be how to fix a league-worst run defense that has been exposed the last couple of games?

9. Tennessee Titans (15): Even in a game where Derrick Henry wasn’t dominating defenses as per usual, Ryan Tannehill and the defense were able to pick up the slack and then some. They could virtually lock up the AFC South with a victory over Indianapolis this week, giving them the season to play with more consistency.

10. Baltimore Ravens (5): A week after crushing the Chargers, the Ravens were on the other side of a blowout against Cincinnati in what felt like a “changing of the guard” game. The depth issues that Baltimore’s suffered since the beginning of the season may be coming back to haunt them, which could necessitate coming away from the trade deadline with a couple new pieces in tow.

11. Cleveland Browns (9): Give credit to the Browns for coming away with a victory over Denver on the back of a third-string running back that was suiting up in the AAF just a few years ago (if you had to Google that, you’re proving how impressive this effort was). The field hospital’s worth of injuries isn’t going to make Cleveland’s run any easier, but this level of adversity would have tanked any of last decade’s Browns squads.

12. Las Vegas Raiders (14): Did the Raiders somehow get better with Jon Gruden out of the picture? Derek Carr didn’t need Darren Waller to put together a dominant performance against the Eagles, and they’ve managed to remain in great position to be the Chargers’ biggest competition in the AFC West, assuming it’s not the other way around…

13. New Orleans Saints (11): The defense showed that the Saints are a likely playoff team against Seattle, but the offense has the potential to cut any plans short. Alvin Kamara has been great but, if the rushing game isn’t going, Jameis Winston and the passing game might not be good enough to move the ball without help. How they counter that when Michael Thomas finally returns will be pivotal.

14. Kansas City Chiefs (10): The blowout loss to Buffalo was bad enough, but failing to score a single touchdown against the Titans as the defense continues to fall apart and NFL defensive coordinators appear to be figuring out Patrick Mahomes? It’s time to slam the panic button as Kansas City runs the risk of not only missing the Super Bowl, but missing the playoffs entirely.

15. San Francisco 49ers (12): The bomb cyclone that hit Santa Clara and forced San Francisco’s primetime game against the Colts to be played in heavy rainfall did no favors, but the 49ers are falling fast in the NFC West where the top two teams don’t appear to be slowing down. Kyle Shanahan’s job security can’t be particularly high at this point in time, and Trey Lance’s health is the only thing that should keep him out of the starting lineup at this point.

16. Minnesota Vikings (19): The Vikings came off their bye week with two straight wins, but a primetime matchup against the Cowboys, followed by games against the Ravens, Chargers, and Packers, will decide their fate come January. Kirk Cousins has never had any problems putting up numbers, but even a .500 record at this stretch could add a bit of significance behind the stats.

17. New England Patriots (22): After taking the Cowboys to the limit, the Patriots embraced one of their favorite pastimes and beat up the New York Jets. Dropping fifty-plus points was impressive, but they need a statement win to convince me or anybody else that they’re a serious playoff threat.

18. Indianapolis Colts (25): After starting the season 0-3, the Colts have fired off three victories in the last four games to put them back in the AFC playoff hunt. While Tennessee will look to put the division in their pocket, an Indianapolis victory this week suddenly keeps their AFC South hopes alive.

19. Pittsburgh Steelers (21): Najee Harris and the defense have been at least alright, but the offensive line and an aging Ben Roethlisberger means to keep expectations low on this team. Injury-riddled Cleveland could give the Steelers some momentum, but their next five games (Chargers, Bengals, Ravens, Vikings, Titans) could doom them to their first losing season in the Mike Tomlin era.

20. Carolina Panthers (16): An embarrassing loss to the Giants all but ends the Panthers’ optimism for this season, as they’ve only shown how important Christian McCaffrey is to the overall team. If Sam Darnold getting benched for PJ Walker doesn’t tell you that they’re willing to pull the plug on the former number 3 overall pick, being in on the Deshaun Watson trade rumors certainly will.

21. Denver Broncos (17): Losing to the Browns wouldn’t typically be a bad thing, but losing to a Browns team that was torn apart by injuries definitely is. The only way for the Broncos to move forward is to fire Vic Fangio and Pat Shurmur, while looking at which quarterback in the 2022 draft would fit their new offense’s designs.

22. Atlanta Falcons (26): I’m not overly convinced the Falcons are all that good, but finally establishing a connection to Kyle Pitts is paying dividends for the offense. A reeling Panthers team gives Atlanta a chance to not only be over .500 for the first time in the Arthur Smith era, but the first time since 2017.

23. Seattle Seahawks (18): A Monday night dud against New Orleans has Seattle 0-3 at home since 1992, and I’m not convinced that Geno Smith or this team is good enough to beat the Jaguars in Seattle either (I can’t believe I’m saying that unironically). Russell Wilson was covering up a lot of flaws with the Seahawks, and that alone could inspire sweeping organizational change to keep their superstar QB happy.

24. Chicago Bears (20): Justin Fields is slowly suffering the same fate as Mitch Trubisky did in Chicago, and games like the one against Tampa Bay aren’t helping build confidence. It’s clear that Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace need to go in favor of a regime that’s willing to build around their quarterback before his confidence is shattered.

25. New York Giants (28): Give credit to the Giants for soundly defeating the Panthers, topped off by Daniel Jones imitating Odell Beckham Jr. on a trick play. I’m not going to say this team is good, but they can definitely play the role of spoiler for some teams as they look for pieces to center their rebuild around (is Jones emerging as one of them?)

26. Philadelphia Eagles (23): After showing so much promise against Atlanta in Week 1, the Eagles are on the verge of a deadline fire sale by losing five of their last six. Even more alarming is that pundits are already trying to figure out who’s going to drop out from the Jalen Hurts-Nick Sirianni connection, assuming either one of them stays in Philadelphia at all.

27. Washington Football Team (24): Washington had all the makings of a huge upset over Green Bay to turn their season around, but a failure to finish on offense still led to a double-digit loss. The Taylor Heinicke story is a nice one, but it feels like a matter of time until it reaches its conclusion.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars (32): The losing streak is finally out of sight and out of mind, with Trevor Lawrence looking more like an NFL quarterback with each passing game. Catching Seattle without Russell Wilson might be a cause for momentum, but the stretch beyond that might dictate whether Urban Meyer’s first year in professional football is also his last.

29. New York Jets (29): Getting blown out by the Patriots was bad enough, but the offensive line finally letting Zach Wilson get injured puts an end to any reason to care about the Jets. If you seriously think Joe Flacco can be an answer, you’d be alone.

30. Miami Dolphins (27): Want to know how your season is over?; try breaking a 20-game losing streak and choking to the league’s most notorious choker in back-to-back weeks. The Deshaun Watson rumors are only getting louder but, with all of the problems that this team has, is it really any different or better than the one he’d be leaving?

31. Houston Texans (30): Losing to the Cardinals was expected, and the story now shifts to what Deshaun Watson might get for the Texans in the end. It seems like a saga that has ominously hovered over Houston since the offseason may finally be taken off their hands.

32. Detroit Lions (32): I really don’t want to bury this team, but is 0-17 watch officially a thing now? The only real winnable matchups I see are this week against the Eagles and Thanksgiving against the Bears; it’ll be gravely concerning if December comes and the Lions are still winless.

NHL Power Rankings: Week 2 Edition

Well, this is going unexpectedly.

While this season is early, there’s plenty of teams having results that were not expected at this point of the year. With all of this in mind, we have to examine what stands out as legitimate and what’s just an early stretch of good fortune. For example, St. Louis and San Jose are off to strong starts, but their shooting percentages as a team are among the highest in the league. When the shots stop being as accurate, will the teams sink back to where they were expected to be? Meanwhile, Colorado and the New York Islanders haven’t gotten off to fantastic starts, but they are teams built for the postseason and should not hit the panic button quite yet.

What teams stand out as legitimate, however? No early results may be more telling of a team’s narrative than the Florida Panthers, who looks strong in nearly all phases of play. On the other side, Toronto and Vegas have legitimate problems emerging that could damage their hopes for this season, while Chicago and Montreal look flat-out terrible with little reason to expect much change. Of course, watch as a month or so passes by and at least one of these teams starts figuring it out, because sports loves to bust up narratives.

So where does your team stand?

Disclaimer: these rankings are based off of games played and stats recorded from October 24.

1. Florida Panthers (2): It’s one thing for the Panthers to be exceeding expectations this early; it’s another to be doing so with Sergei Bobrovsky matching the high play of his rookie counterpart in Spencer Knight. If Bobrovsky can finally regain his form after two sub-standard years in Sunrise, the Panthers’ Stanley Cup odds will skyrocket.

2. Carolina Hurricanes (1): It seems the reactions to the losses of Dougie Hamilton and Alex Nedeljkovic were more overblown than the on-ice results show. Also, it had to feel good for Carolina fans to watch Jesperi Kotkaniemi score his first goal as a Hurricane against his former team in Montreal (because the NHL needed another reason to dunk on the Habs, right?)

3. Pittsburgh Penguins (7): Top two centers, top two wings, top defenseman, and top goaltender on the roster are all of the injured lists, and the Penguins are still putting up five goals a game. I’m not quite sure if the Cup window is still open like Penguins fans might think, but it’s a promising start nonetheless.

4. Edmonton Oilers (9): Connor McDavid’s already got six goals and 13 points in Edmonton’s first five games, which puts him on pace for a Gretzky-esque 200+ point season. It would be somewhat surprising if McDavid manages that total, and what matters to him at this stage is postseason success, but it’s still restoring his status as the best player in the world.

5. St. Louis Blues (13): They have the second-best power play percentage in the league at 42.9%, and the league’s best shooting percentage at 15.83%. It’s led the Blues to a hot start this season, but what happens when those percentages start coming down?

6. Boston Bruins (4): The Perfection Line is still dominating games, and their plan to replace Tuukka Rask in a Linus Ullmark-Jeremy Swayman combination has worked out so far. So long as that remains the case, the Bruins have a chance to win most nights.

7. Minnesota Wild (6): The Wild suffered their first loss of the season to the Predators on Sunday, but they’ve still managed to produce at an effective rate. Kirill Kaprizov hasn’t found the back of the net quite yet, but Joel Eriksson Ek’s three goals in five games have more than made up for it.

8. Washington Capitals (12): Alex Ovechkin is showing zero signs of slowing down, and the problem spots for the Capitals last season seem to be clearing up a bit. They did lose to Calgary to close out the week, but they showed a lot of fight to get a point despite the 3-0 deficit early on.

9. New York Islanders (11): Ilya Sorokin has worked himself into a position that he can claim the number 1 netminder role in Long Island. Despite the uncharacteristically-questionable defense, Sorokin has a .933 save percentage in six games, including ending the week with back-to-back shutouts.

10. New York Rangers (16): Igor Shesterkin has allowed only one goal in his last three contests. and the success has pushed him to second in the league in GAA and save percentage. The Rangers may have some small issues, but the elite play of their goaltender can make up for at least some of that.

11. Tampa Bay Lightning (1): Since losing Nikita Kucherov to LTIR for the second straight season, the Lightning dropped back-to-back contests against the Panthers and Avalanche. They haven’t even held a lead yet in regulation, which can’t bode well for their chances to threepeat.

12. San Jose Sharks (27): The 13.87% shooting percentage for the team likely means the Sharks’ success isn’t sustainable, but strong starts from Erik Karlsson and Adin Hill are giving some substance to a surprisingly good unit. With the rest of the Pacific outside of Edmonton tripping over themselves, San Jose could put themselves in position for a playoff spot early.

13. Dallas Stars (15): The offense still hasn’t been performing, but Braden Holtby has managed to be one of the best under-the-radar signings of the offseason so far. It likely has more to do with Dallas’ defensive talent than anything, but strong goaltending should keep the Stars in games most nights.

14. Colorado Avalanche (5): Similar to last season, the Avalanche have some early-season issues to work out. Chief among them might be goaltending, where Darcy Kuemper has struggled with a .894 save percentage to start his time in Colorado.

15. Philadelphia Flyers (19): Cam Atkinson and Joel Farabee have led the Flyers offense so far with four goals and six points, respectively, while Carter Hart has laid the Philadelphia fans’ doubts to rest with what’s looking like a bounce-back campaign. It’s looking good so far for Philly.

16. New Jersey Devils (20): The Devils are one of the bigger surprises this season, but analytics are suggesting that they are one of the more sustainable early success stories in the league. Losing Jack Hughes for a bit is unfortunate, but Dougie Hamilton has been as advertised in the early going.

17. Columbus Blue Jackets (22): The Blue Jackets aren’t exactly expected to sustain this hot start, but Elvis Merzlikins and Patrik Laine have both been solid to start the season. The latter has to be refreshing for Columbus fans to see, as Laine is finally emerging as the offensive driver that they needed.

18. Calgary Flames (24): Elias Lindholm’s six goals in four games is pushing the Flames off to a solid start. I don’t know where the Flames stand, but it’s a good start so far.

19. Winnipeg Jets (21): The Jets have scored five goals in three of their five games thus far, which has allowed them to shake off a rough first week. Kyle Connor’s six goals have pushed the Jets so far, while Pierre-Luc Dubois has also looked very impressive to start.

20. Vancouver Canucks (14): Conor Garland’s looked good to start, but the underlying analytics suggest the Canucks have been too reliant on Thatcher Demko thus far. It’s early in the season, but there will be trouble in Vancouver if some things aren’t fixed.

21. Detroit Red Wings (26): Tyler Bertuzzi is tied for the league lead with six goals, while rookies Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider have combined for four goals (all from Raymond) and eight points. As long as all three players are cooking, the Wings should continue to play better than expected.

22. Toronto Maple Leafs (8): The Leafs’ 5.7% shooting percentage is the worst in the league, and Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have done virtually nothing to start the year. Things might get better with the talent they have, but they are clearly behind the likes of Florida, Boston, and Tampa Bay right now.

23. Vegas Golden Knights (10): Injuries have affected them dramatically but, unlike the Penguins, the Knights have struggled in horrific fashion. Ten goals and being the only team without a power-play goal isn’t going to cut it, and there’s a chance that a clean bill of health doesn’t save this from being a mediocre unit this time around.

24. Ottawa Senators (23): Filip Gustavsson and Anton Forsberg have been solid in net so far, but the offense has let them down on a couple occasions already. They need more from Brady Tkachuk and Connor Brown, simple as that.

25. Buffalo Sabres (29): Back-to-back losses have dampened the optimism, but the Sabres have still been more competitive than expected. For a team with zero expectations heading into the season, that’s not a bad thing.

26. Los Angeles Kings (18): The Kings rewarded my “playoff contention” status on them last week by being held out of the win column this week. Even the win against Vegas isn’t looking as impressive as it normally would.

27. Nashville Predators (30): Philip Tomasino has looked good in his debut season, but it’s still a case of the Predators being carried by Juuse Saros. It’s impossible to figure out just where this team is headed.

28. Seattle Kraken (19): A four-game losing streak, including two blown third-period leads, has to be damaging for the NHL’s newest team. At least Climate Pledge Arena looks like it’ll be rocking all season long.

29. Anaheim Ducks (31): There’s a couple good spots here and there, even if the Ducks are still one of the worst teams in the league. That’s more than can be said for the three teams below them.

30. Montreal Canadiens (28): They got their first win of the season against Detroit, but les Canadiens were outscored 19-4 in the five games prior to that. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have only combined for two points this season, which has been one of the key reasons Montreal has looked anemic in the opposite zone thus far.

31. Arizona Coyotes (32): There is nothing here, and the tank job is still on. Anyone have any good Shane Wright slogans?

32. Chicago Blackhawks (25): They’ve been outscored 10-1 with Seth Jones on the ice, Marc-Andre Fleury looks like he held on a year too long, and they now hold the record for the longest time to start a season without holding a lead. At this rate, it’d be a shock if Jeremy Colliton and Stan Bowman are employed at the end of November.

NHL Power Rankings: Week 1 Edition

Image Credit: Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

The NHL season is officially underway.

Like any first week of a new season, this year’s NHL has given us a couple of surprises already. The Buffalo Sabres, widely regarded as the worst team in all of hockey, are currently undefeated. Meanwhile, championship contenders like the New York Islanders and Vegas Golden Knights have gotten off to relatively slow starts. It’s far to early to say anything regarding the seasons of any of those teams, and time should even things out so performances matches the talent, but it’s what makes these opening weeks some parts fun, some parts confusing.

While overreactions are always important to stay away from in the sports world, some trends have been interesting to note. Teams like the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Minnesota Wild may have been better than initially reported. Others like the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils are starting to get on the right track. On the flip side, the Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, and Montreal Canadiens all seem to have serious flaws that need to be fixed before the season kicks into full swing. While it is still to early to consider these teams as playoff contenders or enduring lost seasons, there’s still enough evidence to suggest where they are as a team.

So how does your team stack up?

Disclaimer: these rankings are based on record and stats from October 17.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (1): It hasn’t been easy for the defending Stanley Cup champions so far, as their banner-raising ceremony was ruined by an upset loss to the Crosby-less Penguins. They’ve managed to rebound, but losing Nikita Kucherov to injury again and having to come back against Detroit is cause for concern.

2. Florida Panthers (5): A rally against Pittsburgh and a blowout of the New York Islanders have the Panthers living up to their loftiest expectations yet, at least early on in the year. Keep an eye out for Sam Bennett, who recorded a hat trick in the Islanders win and has looked rejuvenated since coming from Calgary at last season’s trade deadline.

3. Carolina Hurricanes (7): Frederik Andersen has looked alright to start his Carolina tenure, which the Hurricanes will need if they want to go anywhere this season. Andrei Svechnikov’s strong start is also promising, as he appears set to emerge as Carolina’s next great offensive superstar.

4. Boston Bruins (6): The Bruins core is still strong as usual, but a goaltending battle may be brewing in Beantown. Despite Boston throwing a good chunk of change at Linus Ullmark in the offseason, Jeremy Swayman’s strong opening-game start and fantastic finish to last season could force Bruce Cassidy into some interesting lineup choices.

5. Colorado Avalanche (2): It was an inconsistent start for the Avalanche, dominating the Blackhawks in their opening game before dropping the next one to the Blues. Not having Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog in the lineup is partially to blame; I’d imagine they’ll be back up to their old spot soon.

6. Minnesota Wild (12): A successful first two games against the Kings and Ducks have the Wild picking up where they left off after being a pleasant surprise from last season. While the schedule will undoubtedly get tougher, a drama-free Wild squad should have no problem being competitive in the Central.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (14): Even without Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Jake Guentzel in tow, the Penguins managed to pick up five points in their first three games. More impressive is that they scored fifteen goals in those games, which could be a sign that the Penguins could be fine until the captain and his primary cohorts return to action.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (8): Losing to the Senators was a rough start, but they at least got a revenge win and picked up four of six points to start the season. Having Auston Matthews back will help matters considerably, but everyone knows the real test for this group is the playoffs.

9. Edmonton Oilers (11): Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are going to rack up the points, to the shock of absolutely nobody. Outside of those two, it’s still unclear who’s going to emerge as the primary help, but Mike Smith continuing to kick and scream at Father Time is nice for Edmonton’s season prospects.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (4): They looked wholly unimpressive in their first two games, and now have to deal with long-term injuries to Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. A week of rest couldn’t have come at a better time for the banged-up Knights, who need some bodies back if they want to make this opening stretch any easier.

11. New York Islanders (3): Being outscored 11-4 isn’t a strong start by any stretch, and they still have eleven more road games before they head back to Long Island. Similar to Vegas, I wouldn’t be overly concerned just yet, but the rust will hopefully shake off sooner rather than later.

12. Washington Capitals (10): The Capitals didn’t start out too poorly, but I liked the start of the teams who leaped ahead of them better. Alex Ovechkin passed another legend on his quest to catch the Great One’s goal-scoring record, while Evgeny Kuznetsov and Vitek Vanecek’s strong starts should make any Capitals fan feel good about their chances.

13. St. Louis Blues (13): The Blues have played only one game, but a road victory against Colorado is sure to open some eyes. Granted, that did also happen last season before St. Louis endured an up-and-down year, so take it with a grain of salt.

14. Vancouver Canucks (16): Three games in four days is tough stretch for any team, so I’ll give the Canucks the benefit of the doubt for the .500 start on the year. With how most of the Pacific is playing right now, Vancouver’s start puts them in decent position for a run to the playoffs.

15. Dallas Stars (20): Ditto to the Stars, who had to play three games in four days with less positive results. Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov didn’t move the offensive needle too much in their returns, which has to change if the Stars want to be taken seriously.

16. New York Rangers (15): The season debut for the Rangers against the Capitals was an anti-climactic start to what should have been an interesting rivalry this year. Gerard Gallant may need a bit of time for this group to gel under his guidance, but having a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman in Adam Fox should help.

17. Seattle Kraken (18): A rough call against Vegas probably should have given the Kraken at least one more point this week, but they seem to be willing to grind out for results. A victory against Nashville and strong efforts in Vegas and Columbus exemplify this team as one to at least pay attention to.

18. Los Angeles Kings (23): The Kings’ offseason moves indicated that they were pushing to make the playoffs and cement themselves as a team on the rise. Absolutely dominating Vegas in their season opener was a great start to that goal.

19. Philadelphia Flyers (17): Four goals on nearly forty shots made Flyers fans fear that the leaky defense and goaltending from last season would return to sink them this year. If Carter Hart’s confidence is shot, that dampens the Flyers’ short and long-term prospects.

20. New Jersey Devils (22): Defeating the Blackhawks a great start to the season, and it gave the Devils a great opportunity to showcase its stars. Dougie Hamilton got his Devils tenure off to a great start with a goal, while Jack Hughes showed why everyone feels he’s ready to take the next step.

21. Winnipeg Jets (9): The Jets are far better than what they were this week, so don’t anticipate them staying down here for too long. Still, coming up empty in a stretch against rebuilding teams is more than justifiable to knock Winnipeg out of the top twenty.

22. Columbus Blue Jackets (27): Elvis Merzlikins has looked locked-in to start the year, and the cannons fired so many times against Arizona that Nationwide Arena sounded like a Civil War reenactment. One word of advice: do it for Matiss.

23. Ottawa Senators (26): The Brady Tkachuk saga is finally over, and the Senators were able to pick up two wins in their first three games. How many segments for the Senators are going to be me waxing poetic about Filip Gustavsson?

24. Calgary Flames (24): A mediocre start for a mediocre team in a mediocre division. Yawn.

25. Chicago Blackhawks (19): Few teams have been as disappointing as the Blackhawks this season, and Marc-Andre Fleury’s over-7 GAA and .826 save percentage should tell you exactly how this team’s doing. Would Hawks fans feel too bad if the sexual assault scandal from the offseason took down Stan Bowman? Just saying.

26. Detroit Red Wings (29): The Red Wings blowing two three-goal leads against the Lightning wasn’t good, but at least it shows Detroit still has the potential to put up goals. At least Moritz Seider looks like the real deal so far.

27. San Jose Sharks (28): Evander Kane is officially lost for over a quarter of the season, which doesn’t help a team that already has issues. They did win their first game, though, and they should get a great package out of Tomas Hertl when he gets traded.

28. Montreal Canadiens (21): Maybe Carey Price and Shea Weber were more important for les Canadiens than anyone could have envisioned. With an 0-3 start and a putrid offense so far, Marc Bergevin’s gambles have landed on snake eyes in the early going.

29. Buffalo Sabres (32): Unlike the Canadiens, the Sabres have turned no expectations into two straight wins and a decent offensive performance. No slander here for Buffalo; just let the suffering fans enjoy this moment of happiness for however long this lasts.

30. Nashville Predators (25): Sorry, Juuse Saros, but it seems you won’t be getting much help this season. Mattias Ekholm’s contract extension was confusing for a team that so clearly looks like it needs a full-scale rebuild.

31. Anaheim Ducks (30): The Ducks won’t be very good this season, but at least goaltending and the development of their top prospects have all been positive so far. As long as it stays that way, this season will be successful, even if the results say otherwise.

32. Arizona Coyotes (31): Karel Vejmelka looked good in his NHL debut, which might not bode too well for his playing time this season. As obvious a tank job as there is in hockey right now.

NFL Power Rankings: Week 5 Edition

The chaos of the NFL continues for another week.

Kickers were nowhere to be found this week. The Browns and Chargers put on an early contender for Game of the Year. A scandal involving racism, misogyny, and homophobia shook an organization to its very core, with the potential of another being the root cause. These are the types of weeks that have ramifications for months to come.

Meanwhile, we can start discussing who’s going to be in play for the season awards. The MVP race is looking tight between two hotshot young quarterbacks and one widely regarded as the greatest of all time. Both Rookie of the Year awards are looking like close calls. One coach completely shifting the culture of his team is the front-runner for Coach of the Year. A lot can change in the next few months, but let’s not discount how this early success can catapult teams moving forward.

So how does the NFL stack up?

1. Buffalo Bills (2): After weeks of stacking up against mediocre-to-poor offenses, the Bills defense went into Arrowhead and flat-out dominated Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. It’s uncertain if they can put together a repeat performance in January, but it’s feeling like the AFC is going to run through Bills Mafia.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1): The only reason the Buccaneers lose the top spot in a victory is due to competition: the Dolphins are nowhere close to the level of the Chiefs. The strangest stat of the day: this game marked the first time Tom Brady threw for 400+ yards and five touchdowns. Just another milestone for the GOAT.

3. Arizona Cardinals (3): After a month of dominant offensive play from the Cardinals, it was their defense that came through in a big divisional victory over the 49ers. We’ve now seen that both sides can take over games; now it’s just a matter of both clicking at the same time.

4. Los Angeles Chargers (6): Justin Herbert firmly entrenched his name into the MVP conversation, and Coach of the Year contender Brandon Staley has turned this into an exciting team to watch. The Browns exposed a couple of issues, but they pale in comparison to the rest of their AFC West counterparts.

5. Baltimore Ravens (4): After Monday night’s comeback against the Colts, it’s hard to deny Lamar Jackson is a legitimate quarterback at this level. After his performance, his combined 1,850 offensive yards would put him in the top half of all NFL teams.

6. Los Angeles Rams (7): The victory over Seattle on Thursday wasn’t necessarily a shining effort, and it’s become clear that the Rams are not as good as their Week 3 blowout of the Buccaneers made them look. Still, with their next three opponents having two wins between them, this will be a great chance for the Rams to gain momentum and keep pace with the Cardinals.

7. Green Bay Packers (8): No kicker redeemed themselves more than Mason Crosby, who went from goat to hero in a shouldn’t-have-been overtime thriller. They won’t skate by like that in their next stretch, which includes games against four playoff teams from last season and the Cardinals. Buckle up.

8. Dallas Cowboys (10): What can you say about the Cowboys other than how dominant they’ve looked after an up-and-down first two weeks? With a healthy Dak Prescott leading the offense and the defense generating takeaways at an insane rate, it seems safe to pencil in the Cowboys as the winner of one of football’s least intimidating divisions.

9. Cleveland Browns (5): After a strange performance against the Vikings where the defense had to carry a struggling offense, the inverse happened against the Chargers this week. Games like this show what the Browns are at this stage: a flawed contender.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (9): Patrick Mahomes’s six interceptions in the first five games have matched his total from last season already, and the Chiefs are tied with Jacksonville at a league-leading 11 turnovers. Unless the offense wakes up and carries a defense that has been completely overmatched, the Chiefs are looking at a first-round exit…at best.

11. New Orleans Saints (17): Combined with a punting performance from Blake Gillikin that would make Pat McAfee proud, Alvin Kamara and a strong defense put the mercurial Saints on top. With plenty of key players coming back after New Orleans’s bye, will their returns do anything to shed the inconsistent label this team has earned in the first month?

12. San Francisco 49ers (13): Despite the loss, the 49ers move up a spot due to the team that was in front of them and their…issues. It’s unclear who’s going to be starting at quarterback when the team returns from their bye, but George Kittle landing on IR will not help matters.

13. Cincinnati Bengals (14): Ja’Marr Chase is slowly building a case for himself as Offensive Rookie of the Year, but Evan McPherson’s imitating Nick Young on a missed field goal will be hard to forget. Zac Taylor going to his kicker in a game where field goals were nowhere to be found is an inexplicable decision that will be remembered if the Bengals go on a sudden drop.

14. Las Vegas Raiders (12): Losing to the Bears at home was bad enough, but the sudden Jon Gruden bombshell has completely scattered this team. It’ll undoubtedly be a black cloud that hangs over the Raiders for this season and potentially beyond, which isn’t a good thing when your quarterback’s already tabled talks of a contract extension…

15. Tennessee Titans (21): Derrick Henry is a god amongst men right now on the football field, as his 128 rushing yards per game currently have him on pace for the single-season rushing record. He’s already put himself on the map in another category: his 4,792 rushing yards are the most in a 40-game stretch in league history, eclipsing Jim Brown and his 4,759. Hail to the King.

16. Carolina Panthers (15): It’s clear that the Panthers need Christian McCaffrey, as Sam Darnold has thrown for five interceptions in the two games without his star running back and safety valve. Thankfully, Run CMC is expected to return this week, which hopefully means the wins can as well.

17. Denver Broncos (16): The Broncos have played poorly on third down and in the red zone this season, and those issues are finally being taken advantage of by legitimate competition. That 3-0 start was definitely too good to be true.

18. Seattle Seahawks (11): After ten seasons of surviving behind poor offensive lines, Russell Wilson will miss several games with a finger injury. Geno Smith did well in relief against the Rams, but I don’t think he’s capable of guiding a middling rushing attack and poor defense like Russ can.

19. Minnesota Vikings (22): The Vikings managed to keep Detroit winless, but is a last-second long-range field goal in your own building against a winless team really something to celebrate? Similar to Matt Nagy after Chicago’s victory over the Lions, I’m not sure if this victory does anything to cool Mike Zimmer’s hot seat.

20. Chicago Bears (23): It seems the Bears of this season are starting to take shape, with Justin Fields being allowed to learn an NFL offense while relying on decent rushing and a surprisingly-stout defense. Just don’t make the same mistake if you land another shock playoff berth, Bears: you’re winning in spite of Matt Nagy, not because of him.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (25): Losing JuJu Smith-Schuster for the year hurts, but it was refreshing for Steelers fans to see Big Ben put on a strong performance and Najee Harris live up to his first-round billing. A primetime matchup against a suddenly-wounded Seahawks team gives the Steelers a chance to reach .500 before their bye, which would be huge for them.

22. New England Patriots (20): While the Patriots did win against the Texans, they drop for making Davis Mills look like a superstar one week after he posted a Nathan Peterman-esque stat line. Did anyone else have “Mac Jones is missing four starting offensive linemen and still looks like the best rookie QB” on their 2021 season bingo card?

23. Philadelphia Eagles (24): The Eagles got three big plays on all facets to go from a nine-point deficit to a three-point victory. That’s great and all, but performances like that won’t fly against the Buccaneers tomorrow.

24. Washington Football Team (19): A disappointing defense that was absolutely embarrassed by the Saints in just the first half, and a potential continuation of the NFL’s investigation that has the NFLPA smelling blood. By the end of the season, the list of firings could have this organization resembling The Squid Game (Think the Red Light, Green Light episode, except a lot less NSFW.)

25. Indianapolis Colts (18): Trotting out a clearly-injured Rodrigo Blankenship one too many times had something to do with it, but I don’t think any team’s stolen defeat from the jaws of victory quite like the Colts did on Monday. After blowing a sixteen-point lead in the fourth quarter alone, I just don’t see how Indianapolis comes back.

26. Atlanta Falcons (29): It turns out utilizing Kyle Pitts’s unicorn-like size/speed combination against a defense ill-equipped to handle it works out pretty well most of the time. Hopefully, the bye gives Arthur Smith time to adjust his offense for more plays from the number four overall pick.

27. Miami Dolphins (26): Welcome back, Tua Tagovailoa; you come back to find your team in absolute crisis mode. If the Dolphins end up breaking the Jaguars’ run of futility in London, their offensive coordinators might be out of work before the team plane leaves Heathrow Airport’s tarmac.

28. New York Giants (27): The injury bug continued to bite the Giants hard, and they need to hope that neither Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, or Kenny Golladay are out long-term if they want to survive this part of their schedule. At least there’s a chance Kadarius Toney can build off a performance that was great…until he got ejected for throwing a punch.

29. New York Jets (28): It seemed that while the Jets played in London, their luck went over the Bermuda Triangle. Robert Saleh and Mike LaFleur need to get Zach Wilson some luck, and using young promising playmakers like Elijah Moore and Denzel Mims would be a good start.

30. Houston Texans (31): Davis Mills had a surprisingly good day against a coach that typically dominates rookie quarterbacks, only to be let down by terrible special teams efforts. With the quarterback draft class looking murkier by the week, getting signs of life from Mills has to be relieving.

31. Detroit Lions (30): First Justin Tucker’s record-breaking field goal, then losing on another long-range field goal from a team notorious for missing those in key situations? I feel legitimately bad for Dan Campbell.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (32): Urban Meyer is now having issues with Trevor Lawrence, and the Jaguars have become the first team to lose 20 straight games since the EXPANSION Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1977. I’d normally advocate against firing a coach this early but, if the Jaguars push the streak to 21 in London, would sending Meyer out really be the worst thing to happen?

NHL Power Rankings: Start of Season

In less than 24 hours, the 2021-22 NHL season will officially be underway.

It’s a reset for the NHL this time around. If everything goes according to plan, each team will play 82 games for the first time in three years. The divisions are back to their pre-pandemic alignment, with the only exception being the Arizona Coyotes moving to the Central to make room for the expansion Seattle Kraken in the Pacific. Every division looks like there will be battles throughout the season, ranging from the division crown to the final playoff spots.

One of the more interesting storylines, however, is the history that the Tampa Bay Lightning have the possibility to make. The last time an NHL squad celebrated a third consecutive cup win, the 1982 New York Islanders were hoisting the Cup for the third of four consecutive times. Their road to history, however, will not get easy. Their division is stacked at the top. Their conference rivals are either tough outs in the playoffs or teams looking for one last shot at glory. The other side of the bracket has two legitimate superpowers and a cluster of hungry squads looking to make their mark. As a wise man once said, it’s lonely at the top.

So where do the teams match up before the puck touches the ice?

1. Tampa Bay Lightning: The bottom six went through a serious overhaul due to cap constraints, but this roster is still loaded with star power. If health is permitting, they’ll be serious contenders for the Atlantic Division crown, the Presidents’ Trophy, and beyond.

2. Colorado Avalanche: They have the deepest roster in the NHL from a talent perspective, but patience could falter if they’re unable to make it past the second round. How the Avs transition from Philipp Grubauer to Darcy Kuemper in net will ultimately decide their fate.

3. New York Islanders: The Islanders have to be the most well-structured team in the NHL, with defense, goaltending, and coaching all being at elite levels or close to them. If they can score consistently and force the Eastern Conference playoff to run through their new stadium, the Isles could break through as a serious Cup contender.

4. Vegas Golden Knights: There’s a couple major questions surrounding the Knights, mostly centering around the forceful transition from Marc-Andre Fleury to Robin Lehner and if they did enough to fix the problems that ended their playoff run last season. They still have more than enough talent to stay competitive, however, and the Pacific Division still looks a year or two away from being on Vegas’s level.

5. Florida Panthers: The core from the best Panthers squad in this century remains intact, with the addition of Sam Reinhart and a healthy Aaron Ekblad hopefully pushing them over the top. The real X-factor here is in goaltending; if Sergei Bobrovsky regains his form or Spencer Knight enjoys a Calder-worthy season, this is a team that could do more than just win their first playoff series in 25 years.

6. Boston Bruins: The Bruins had a really good offseason, but the losses of David Krejci and Tuukka Rask indicate that a changing of the guard is still looming. Rask can likely be offset by a strong duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, but how will the transition from Krejci to Charlie Coyle on the second line affect their scoring depth?

7. Carolina Hurricanes: They still have the pieces to be a quality team, but losing Dougie Hamilton and undergoing an unnecessary overhaul of their goaltending has me somewhat concerned. If Rod Brind’Amour can work his magic again and pull this team into Cup contention, that will be an incredible accomplishment.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs: They have the talent to do some real damage, but it’s always been a question whether this team can finally shed the choker label that’s haunted them for the last decade and a half. If they fall short once again, do the Leafs remain as patient as they were this offseason?

9. Winnipeg Jets: The Jets have always had the offense and the goaltending to carry them far in the playoffs, but a lack of defensive depth has done them in the last few years. Adding Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt to pair with an emerging crop of young defenders could work wonders for Winnipeg, especially in the cutthroat Central.

10. Washington Capitals: Nicklas Backstrom’s injury poses a small problem for the Capitals, but Alex Ovechkin and crew should still put up a lot of goals. If Evgeny Kuznetsov and Ilya Samsonov can get back on the right track after a season filled with distractions, they have the firepower to make one more spirited Cup run.

11. Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will still likely be pushing the Oilers to some kind of relevance, but did they truly get better? 38-year-old Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci don’t really move the needle for me on defense, and trusting goaltending to 40-year-old Mike Smith is an extremely risky proposition.

12. Minnesota Wild: Kirill Kaprizov has almost single-handedly turned the Wild from one of the more boring squads in the NHL to a legitimately exciting team, and he was awarded the big bucks for it. The question is now what Kaprizov has in store for an encore, as well as if the center depth and defense can hold up to keep the Wild competitive in a stacked division.

13. St. Louis Blues: Replacing Mike Hoffman and Jaden Schwartz with Pavel Buchnevich and Brandon Saad were savvy moves by Doug Armstrong, and having a healthy Vladimir Tarasenko back can only help their scoring depth. They’re a re-emergence from Jordan Binnington and a return to form from their defense away from being competitive, and they do have Scott Perunovich waiting in the wings to help with the latter.

14. Pittsburgh Penguins: Betting against a core featuring Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang feels like a fool’s errand, but there’s viable reason for it this time around. Crosby and Malkin will miss significant time to start the season, and Tristan Jarry has to rebound after a disastrous postseason. If they can weather the early storm, they’ll be ok.

15. New York Rangers: The Rangers are pushing for the playoffs this season, adding grit to pair with their elite skill players and a coach in Gerard Gallant that knows how to maximize the talent under his direction. If that translates to the positive development of players like Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Vitali Kravtsov, the postseason could return to Broadway for the first time since 2017.

16. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks dodged a serious bullet by getting Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes under contracts, and the collection of scoring talent and Thatcher Demko in net looks like enough to consider Vancouver for the playoffs. Their kryptonite, however, will be a defense that may concede a lot of scoring opportunities, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson won’t fix that at this stage of his career.

17. Philadelphia Flyers: The defensive overhaul was completely necessary for the Flyers, but none of their moves will matter if Carter Hart can’t rebound to prior form. Still, the Flyers have a strange trend in recent history of alternating years of playoff appearances, and they did miss the postseason last time…

18. Seattle Kraken: The Kraken will begin their maiden season with a solid goaltending duo and a strong defensive corps, but it’s hard to predict where the goals are going to come from. Expecting a season like the Golden Knights had is probably unrealistic; believing the Kraken can make the playoffs like their desert-dwelling brethren did in their first season is well in the ballpark.

19. Chicago Blackhawks: The return of Jonathan Toews and the additions of Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury have the Blackhawks facing high expectations, but this roster still has some points of concern. How will they respond to the sudden increase in pressure, and do Stan Bowman and Jeremy Colliton survive if this season disappoints?

20. Dallas Stars: Injuries and bad luck did the Stars in last season, but the team is largely healthy heading into the next season. Call this a conservative ranking for now, as I want to see how the Stars respond to a season of disappointment.

21. Montreal Canadiens: This seems pretty low for last season’s runner-up, but there are more problems facing les Canadiens than a tougher division. Weakened center depth, a shakeup in on-ice leadership, and Carey Price being unavailable for the first month of the season will test this team early.

22. New Jersey Devils: Dougie Hamilton and Ryan Graves should make the defense a lot better than it was last season, and Jack Hughes seems on the verge of breaking out as a legitimate NHL star. Bad news for the Devils is the division is unforgiving and will likely temper the expectations for this season, but they’re trending in the right direction.

23. Los Angeles Kings: Quinton Byfield’s long-term injury certainly dampens the Kings’ outlook for this season, but several key additions and a strong prospect core approaching the NHL has the future looking bright. They could easily take advantage of the weak Pacific Division and make a playoff appearance ahead of schedule.

24. Calgary Flames: Trusting this team feels impossible to me, and there will likely be a lack of leadership in the early going with former captain Mark Giordano getting picked up in the Expansion Draft. Another season of mediocrity has to force this team to take action, and that might mean blowing up this core.

25. Nashville Predators: Juuse Saros can only do so much on his own, and the odds aren’t looking too good. Ryan Ellis and Viktor Arvidsson’s departures indicate a rebuild is coming, and a poor start could lead to a full-blown commitment.

26. Ottawa Senators: The Brady Tkachuk contract saga doesn’t seem to be coming to an end, which is a shame, given the Senators have some legitimately good talent. Young forwards like Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris, Drake Batherson, and Shane Pinto taking the next step up will be key if the Senators want to have a successful season.

27. Columbus Blue Jackets: A coaching change hopefully allows Patrik Laine to round back into form, and Elvis Merzlikins has some potential as a top netminder in the NHL. Unfortunately, the roster has too many holes to place them anywhere but last in the Metropolitan Division.

28. San Jose Sharks: The Evander Kane drama looms large, which can’t help a team locked into bad contracts and below-average goaltending. Tomas Hertl is shaping up to be one of the league’s premier trade chips come Deadline time.

29. Detroit Red Wings: Alex Nedeljkovic is the latest big move of the Yzerplan, and rookies Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond gives Wings fans something to look forward to. Losing Jakub Vrana for the first half of the year and Tyler Bertuzzi due to his anti-vax views, however, are losses that will be hard for this team to come back from.

30. Anaheim Ducks: With no additions to make any fixes from last season, don’t expect the Ducks to do anything of note this season. The only way this season is a success is if Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale emerge as building blocks for the future.

31. Arizona Coyotes: The Coyotes tearing down their core netted them several prospects and eight picks in the first two rounds of the 2022 Draft, including three in the first round. With how bad this team will be this season, there’s a chance the Coyotes could head to their new home with phenom Shane Wright in tow.

32. Buffalo Sabres: How the entire Jack Eichel situation has unfolded is how bad teams stay bad. At least the Bills will distract Buffalo from the nightmare their hockey team has become.

NFL Power Rankings: Week 4 Edition

The only difference between this set of power rankings and the most previous one? I’m actually on time with this one.

Other than that, the chaos of the NFL season has continued in full force. A week after the top dog was dethroned by their main challenger, this week saw the latter drop to an unexpected opponent. New teams are starting to see their potential being realized, while others are witnessing the end of their current relevance. A couple of teams can be penciled in to playoff spots already, while others would do wisely to check out the highlights of next year’s draft class.

It’s the duality of football in a sense; endless euphoria one week giving way to crushing agony the next. It shows the importance of each and every game, even in the early stages of the season. The narratives will always shift from week to week, as will these rankings.

So how do the teams stack up this time?

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2): The weather turned Tom Brady’s return to Foxborough into an unexpected slogfest, but the Bucs did just enough to eke out a win. Unfortunately, they lost yet another defensive back in Carlton Davis to injury, which might mean recently signed Richard Sherman becomes the number one corner within a week of signing. Yikes.

2. Buffalo Bills (4): While Buffalo’s 118-21 combined score and two shutouts in the last three games is a great sign of momentum, they came against three mediocre-at-best offenses. If they can manage the same success against the Chiefs, however, the Bills suddenly have a legitimate case of being the best team in the AFC.

3. Arizona Cardinals (7): Maybe I’m being too harsh on Arizona, who became the last undefeated team in the league with a shocking road victory against the Rams. I’ll buy into the Kyler Murray MVP hype, but the next month will decide if the Cardinals truly stack up with the league’s elite.

4. Baltimore Ravens (5): Lamar Jackson had one of his best passing games, Marqise Brown made up for a tough game against Detroit, and the defense had their way with the Broncos all game long. That final last-second run by Jackson to give Baltimore a new NFL record for most consecutive 100-yard rushing games was just the proverbial middle finger to an opponent they exposed.

5. Cleveland Browns (3): The defense feels much more legitimate after dominating for the second straight game, and the Nick Chubb-Kareem Hunt duo is the most elite two-headed backfield monster in the league. All this needs is Baker Mayfield to be more consistent than he was against Minnesota, and the Browns could easily push for a deep playoff run.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (6): After an up-and-down beginning of the year, Justin Herbert has come alive with seven touchdowns and no interceptions in his last two games. Even more impressive, however, has been the defense, which has held all four of its opponents to their lowest offensive outputs of the season. Looks like Brandon Staley was the right man for the job.

7. Los Angeles Rams (1): The king of the hill was dethroned rather quickly this time around. After silencing the Buccaneers, the Rams struggled on both sides of the ball against the hotshot Cardinals. Once again, the NFC West is proving to be an absolute bloodbath.

8. Green Bay Packers (8): It wasn’t always pretty against Pittsburgh, but an offense that’s starting to find balance and an easy schedule could put the Packers in good position to have the NFC North at their mercy. They might have to do it without Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback Jaire Alexander, which pushes Green Bay whipping boy Kevin King and first-round pick Eric Stokes firmly under the microscope.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (9): The victory against Philadelphia last week was indicative of the Chiefs: a team that needs it’s high-end offensive talent to bail out what appears to be a truly horrendous defense. A primetime matchup against a surging Buffalo squad in Arrowhead suddenly has massive implications on where the Chiefs stand in the AFC.

10. Dallas Cowboys (12): As much as everyone outside of Dallas hates to admit it, the Cowboys are firmly in the driver’s seat of the NFC East. A balanced offense, combined with a defense that has enjoyed an impressive turnaround under Dan Quinn, has the denizens of Jerry World wondering what this team’s ceiling is.

11. Seattle Seahawks (17): Russell Wilson has never had a three-game losing streak since he entered the league ten years ago, and he was the sole reason it stayed that way against San Francisco. I’m still not convinced they’re better than the Rams and Cardinals, however, so Thursday’s game against the former will be crucial.

12. Las Vegas Raiders (10): The Raiders had been living life on the edge by coming back from 14-0 in two straight games, and it cost them when they pressed their luck against the Chargers with a 21-0 deficit after the first half. Derek Carr almost pulled it off with a strong second half, but a missed field goal and the defense buckling one final time put an end to those ambitions.

13. San Francisco 49ers (11): Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury started the Trey Lance era in unexpected fashion, and the talent he flashed against Seattle will come up big for San Francisco in situations this season. Unfortunately, Lance’s first start comes in a must-win game against the undefeated Cardinals. No one said being QB1 was sunshine and roses.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (18): The Bengals nearly regressed to old habits against Jacksonville on Thursday, but they woke up just in time to mount an impressive second-half comeback. Joe Burrow and company are certainly trending in the right direction, but the Packers pose a stern test.

15. Carolina Panthers (13): The Panthers received a reality check from the Cowboys last week, but a stretch of five games against one-win teams gives them a chance to regain momentum until they get Christian McCaffrey back. Sam Darnold does need to be much more consistent; his two interceptions allowed the Cowboys to tack on 10 points that turned the tide against his team.

16. Denver Broncos (14): The pundits who claimed the Broncos were only undefeated due to their schedule were proven correct against Baltimore, and Teddy Bridgewater entering concussion protocol forces Denver to commit to Drew Lock’s last stand. Given he put up zero points against Baltimore, however, color me skeptical that this will go any better.

17. New Orleans Saints (17): The fourth-quarter meltdown against the Giants was a result of Sean Payton trusting Taysom Hill over Alvin Kamara on a crucial third-down call, a decision that saw New York put up seventeen unanswered points. The Saints appear to be the most volatile team in the NFL by a comfortable margin.

18. Indianapolis Colts (25): Despite Quenton Nelson going on the shelf, the Colts managed to take advantage of a Dolphins team that has fallen apart at the seams. Despite starting out 0-3, the Colts are one win back from the lead of the NFL’s weakest division.

19. Washington Football Team (24): Chase Young and the Washington defense are still performing well below expectations, which could prove trouble in their next three games against New Orleans, Kansas City, and Green Bay. That said, Taylor Heinicke was instrumental in Washington’s comeback victory, as he continues to cement himself as a potential QB1.

20. New England Patriots (19): I don’t question Bill Belichick all that often, but opting for a 56-yard field goal from Nick Folk in inclement weather over allowing Mac Jones to continue his efficient performance certainly qualifies. At least it appears they made the right decision riding the rookie instead of Cam Newton, even if the Patriots seem set for uncharacteristic mediocrity.

21. Tennessee Titans (15): Being without A.J. Brown and Julio Jones doesn’t excuse what an embarrassing loss last week was for the Titans. Between an offensive line that allowed Ryan Tannehill to be sacked seven times and a defense that allowed the Jets to score more points than their last three games combined, there’s no other way to describe this than absolute failure.

22. Minnesota Vikings (19): Just when we thought the Vikings might have figured it out, Kirk Cousins ends up disappearing to waste Minnesota’s first quality defensive effort of the season. A 1-3 start puts the Vikings at risk, and risking missing the postseason could put Mike Zimmer’s job in jeopardy.

23. Chicago Bears (26): Justin Fields showed signs of life in his second professional start, which might have something to do with offensive coordinator Bill Lazor taking control of the offense. Still, the Lions aren’t an overly impressive opponent, and losing David Montgomery for an extended period of time will hurt. Matt Nagy’s job is still very much at risk.

24. Philadelphia Eagles (23): Jalen Hurts seems to be the answer at quarterback for the Eagles, which is good news. Unfortunately, three touchdowns called back by penalties are the self-inflicted wounds you can’t have if you want to beat the Chiefs.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers (20): If Ben Roethlisberger isn’t suffering from poor offensive line play, he’s making poor decisions with the football that cost his team games. It sounds like sacrilege, but the Steelers might be better off testing the waters with either Mason Rudolph or Dwayne Haskins to see if they need to draft a quarterback in April.

26. Miami Dolphins (22): With a poor offensive line and a failing co-offensive coordinator system, Tua Tagovailoa might come back in a salvage situation. Brian Flores doesn’t deserve blame for this season, but the offense might require an overhaul in the spring.

27. New York Giants (30): The Giants place lower after a victory due to me staying realistic about their rough schedule and my distrust of Joe Judge not going away anytime soon. Still, Saquon Barkley had his best game since returning from his torn ACL, and Daniel Jones is finally starting to scratch the surface of his potential.

28. New York Jets (31): The Titans may be undermanned, but Zach Wilson and the defense did enough to pull out a shock victory. A trip to jolly old England against a reeling Falcons squad is suddenly a chance to build some much-needed momentum.

29. Atlanta Falcons (27): A kick-return touchdown followed up by two touchdown drives to lose a game would be a heartbreaker for most teams. For the Falcons, it’s yet another chapter of pain for one of sports’ longest-suffering franchises and teams.

30. Detroit Lions (29): More pain for the Lions, as they lost another strong defender to an Achilles tear and virtually saved Matt Nagy’s skin in Chicago. The only thing they’re hoping for is a legit QB1 to emerge in next year’s draft class.

31. Houston Texans (28): Davis Mills had his Nathan Peterman game with a four-interception performance against Buffalo (ironically). To be fair, though, this team could have Deshaun Watson still playing and they would be struggling.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (32): The Jaguars took their nineteenth consecutive loss against Cincinnati last Thursday, and Urban Meyer took another loss over the weekend with his…antics. Think Duval would be too upset if Meyer took the USC job?

NFL Power Rankings: Week 2/3 Edition

Really, NFL? I leave you alone for a week, and you decide to completely shift on me? Guess it’s my form of karma coming after me.

All kidding aside, these first three games have presented a much clearer picture of the NFL hierarchy. Some contenders are performing as expected, with plenty of matchups looking primed to be repeated in the postseason (looking at you, Rams and Buccaneers). Meanwhile, other contenders have shown serious flaws in their rosters that have been exploited, leading to a few slow starts.

The surprises haven’t been all bad, though. A few surprising teams are still undefeated, and a few names have popped up as being in the hunt for awards. While there’s bound to be a team that breaks out of their slump at the expense of a team falling back to previous expectations, we can at least enjoy the ride of an exciting season.

So where have the teams landed since last time? Let’s find out.

1. Los Angeles Rams (3): The Rams’ all-in approach to a Super Bowl this season has gained positive results in the early going, headlined by Sunday’s dominant effort against the defending champs. Matthew Stafford looks like he has completely revitalized the offense, and the defense seems to be doing just fine with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey leading the charge.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1): The flaws of the Buccaneers’ current roster such as an inconsistent running game, surprisingly ineffective pass rush, and thin secondary were exposed against what appears to be their top competition for a Super Bowl return. Richard Sherman might help a bit, but next week will be all about Tom Brady’s return to Foxboro to take on (and likely break the all-time passing record against) the Patriots.

3. Cleveland Browns (5): If Myles Garrett and the defense can stifle opposing teams with more consistency like they did with the Bears, there’s no reason to believe they can’t fulfill their potential as a Super Bowl contender. Baker Mayfield’s efficient passing and elite running back duo should ensure the offense is in a good place most games.

4. Buffalo Bills (6): All of Bills Mafia breathed a sigh of relief from Josh Allen shaking off an inconsistent beginning with a strong performance, but the defense is taking some strides in the right direction. A.J. Epenesa and Gregory Rousseau have started to emerge as the pass-rushing duo that last season’s Bills could have definitely used.

5. Baltimore Ravens (13): Marquise Brown owes Justin Tucker a few steak dinners. Dropping two touchdown passes that could have iced the Lions early forced the latter to make NFL history in order to save the Ravens from a shocking upset. Does Hollywood need a change of scenery to live up to his nickname?

6. Los Angeles Chargers (10): In a parallel universe, the Chargers hired another Anthony Lynn and are sitting at 0-3; instead, they’re a few questionable calls away from 3-0. A couple problems still exist, but the aggressive playcalling from Brandon Staley, improved offensive line play, and a defense that’s making big plays when needed have been key to the Chargers finally starting to play to their potential.

7. Arizona Cardinals (7): A comeback win against hapless Jacksonville isn’t exactly something to write home about, but a hallmark of good teams is finding a way to win the games you should be winning. Kyler Murray and the defense led the second-half charge, but it might not have been the desired outcome given their next three games (Rams, 49ers, Browns).

8. Green Bay Packers (14): Aaron Rodgers is a literal time wizard, silencing the San Francisco crowd with a comeback drive to set up Mason Crosby’s game-winning field goal. It’s debatable whether they can stand up to the likes of Los Angeles and Tampa Bay but, as long as Rodgers is relaxed, anything is possible.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (2): A leaky defense plus an uncharacteristically careless offense equals Kansas City’s first stint in the AFC West basement since 2015. Any team with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid still has a chance of success, but the strong starts of their divisional rivals means they have to pick things up quickly (P.S. Josh Gordon’s not going to solve any of the concerns I have. Just saying.)

10. Las Vegas Raiders (25): The Raiders’ first 3-0 start since 2002 has come with a few bumps in the road, but they’ve certainly lived up to their home city’s “Entertainment Capital of the World” persona. Derek Carr emerging as a legitimate clutch quarterback, an array of receiving weapons, and a defense that’s starting to have a couple key pieces emerge have the Raiders thinking more than just being competitive.

11. San Francisco 49ers (9): How long can Kyle Shanahan reasonably keep Trey Lance on the bench? Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t bad, but if he continues putting up overall mediocre performances against quality competition, the cries in the Bay Area to start the number 3 overall pick will only grow louder.

12. Dallas Cowboys (12): Dak Prescott and the offense have done their part to put Dallas as the alpha dog of the NFC East, but the real reason for the Cowboys’ sudden turn have been the playmakers on defense. Micah Parsons has emerged as an early favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year, while Trevon Diggs’s six interceptions in his last eight games is seeing him emerge as a legitimate playmaking cornerback.

13. Carolina Panthers (22): Carolina pulled out a strong performance on Thursday against Houston, but lost Christian McCaffrey and Jaycee Horn to long-term injuries. The Panthers replaced the latter by landing C.J. Henderson from Jacksonville without giving up too much, but not having McCaffrey for a few weeks will be a true test for Sam Darnold, Joe Brady, and the Carolina offense.

14. Denver Broncos (18): Going 3-0 against the bottom three teams on this list (spoilers) isn’t overly impressive, but there’s something to be said about winning the games you’re supposed to be winning. Should they beat Baltimore this week, however, a spot in the top ten could be waiting for them.

15. Tennessee Titans (15): Maybe the “pay Derrick Henry over Ryan Tannehill” crowd was onto something. In Tennessee’s Week 1 loss to the Cardinals, Henry put up 58 rushing yards on 17 carries (3.4 YPC); in Tennessee’s two recent victories, he’s amassed 293 rushing yards on 56 carries (4.7 YPC).

16. New Orleans Saints (8): So they aren’t as good as their Week 1 pasting of the Packers implied, but the Saints still have a quality team. Jameis Winston’s gunslinging ways make the team incredibly volatile to predict, but Alvin Kamara and the defense are good enough to take advantage of their quarterback’s good days.

17. Seattle Seahawks (4): This might not even be a Seahawks squad Russell Wilson can save. He and the offense can do their part, but this defense looks terrible, especially when it comes to the run defense which made Alexander Mattison look like Dalvin Cook stole his understudy’s jersey and played in his stead. Divisional matchups against San Francisco and Los Angeles suddenly have serious implications for Seattle’s season.

18. Cincinnati Bengals (23): If you had guessed Cincinnati’s still-terrible offensive line to break the Steelers’ 75-game sack streak, you may be a literal psychic. They’ll be hard-pressed to make the playoffs, but keep an eye on them to play spoiler for a team or two as the season progresses.

19. Minnesota Vikings (26): The offense had their way against Seattle’s defense, giving the Vikings and Mike Zimmer the statement win they desperately needed. With games against Cleveland and Carolina up next, however, those two close losses still loom large.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers (11): T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith’s absences left Pittsburgh without their typical punch on defense, but the offense is what’s going to give Mike Tomlin his first sub-.500 season as Steelers coach. The offensive line looks as terrible as predicted, Najee Harris will be taking his lumps in his rookie year, and Ben Roethlisberger looks like he hung around a year too long.

21. New England Patriots (17): It’s weird to say that Mac Jones is still the best-looking rookie quarterback in the league after…whatever the New Orleans game was. With three interceptions, Jones showed that he’s a quarterback who needs his team to elevate him at this stage of his career, unlike a certain prodigal son making his return…

22. Miami Dolphins (16): A spirited “hard loss” effort to Las Vegas under Jacoby Brissett doesn’t appear bad at first blush, but the schedule sees Tampa Bay and Buffalo as opponents in the next month. I’d safely consider Brissett’s “revenge game” against Indianapolis as a must-win if Miami wants to do anything worthwhile this season.

23. Philadelphia Eagles (21): If Weeks 1 and 2 showed the potential that Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, and the Eagles have, Week 3’s dud against Dallas showed that there’s still a lot of building to do. With the next month featuring Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Las Vegas on the schedule, the Eagles could be eyeing a lost season by the time Halloween rolls around.

24. Washington Football Team (20): The supposedly-formidable defense has been shredded repeatedly, the offense under Taylor Heinicke can’t do anything notable, and the team is a lucky penalty away from 0-3. The Cam Newton talk after Ryan Fitzpatrick’s injury was in jest to start; it may start looking like an understandable desperation heave to salvage a season on the brink.

25. Indianapolis Colts (19): Carson Wentz’s second tour of duty under Frank Reich hasn’t gone according to plan for the Colts, who may need a Week 4 win against Miami to reasonably stay in the playoff hunt. Reich led the 2018 Colts to the playoffs after a 1-5 start; he may need to conjure up similar magic for the sake of job security.

26. Chicago Bears (24): It’s hard to tell what was worse about Justin Fields’s NFL debut: the offensive line that featured Myles Garrett stealing Jason Peters’s soul, or an easily-predictable offensive scheme from Matt Nagy that saw the Bears offense have 47 yards…total. If Nagy makes the wrong quarterback decision and loses to Detroit this week, he and Ryan Pace may need security escorts out of Chicago.

27. Atlanta Falcons (30): It didn’t matter which way the Falcons got a win over the Giants; it was necessary to save this season. A nice schedule with Washington and the Jets coming up puts Arthur Smith in great position to gain some momentum and possibly make something out of his first season as head coach (having something worthwhile in Cordarrelle Patterson certainly helps).

28. Houston Texans (28): The Texans are a talent-deficient team as expected, but they aren’t as terrible as many thought they’d be to start the season. Davis Mills showed flashes of ability in his first career start, and the roster performing well without the weight of expectation is a victory in and of itself. Props to you, David Culley.

29. Detroit Lions (31): If the football gods truly exist, they hate the Lions with a burning passion. Here’s how the final moments of the Baltimore game went: conversion on fourth-and-19, a botched no-call on an obvious delay of game penalty, and a historic field goal from Justin Tucker. Somewhere, Calvin Johnson cackles maniacally…

30. New York Giants (27): Hamstring injuries to New York’s top two receivers and a torn ACL to a defensive leader later, and the Giants have now lost two winnable games on last-second field goals. Their reward is as follows: their next six games against New Orleans, Dallas, the Rams, Carolina, Kansas City, and Las Vegas before the bye. Joe Judge getting fired before the bye could come off as an act of mercy if this goes as horribly as expected.

31. New York Jets (29): Just like Zach Wilson’s rookie season, I think we can safely call this another lost season for the Jets. With 20 points over three games and being held out of the end zone since Week 1, any optimism with Gang Green is long gone.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (32): The Iron Bowl-esque kick-six has been the only highlight for the Jaguars so far as Trevor Lawrence commits to the Peyton Manning route of a terrible rookie season leading to a promising career. That said, any person willing to jump off the Jumbotron to Rise Against in a mascot costume is worth a salute.

NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 Edition

It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything NFL-related on this blog, but why not try it again and see how the dice lands this time around?

Week 1 is always one of the most anticipated weeks for a football fan. Despite all the offseason hype that rolls around, the first game of the regular season is a true litmus test to determine just where your team stands in the NFL hierarchy. Whether it be how impressive the rookie crop has been in training camp or how a specific player earned a roster spot with a strong preseason, Week 1 is where the fans can gain concrete evidence for or against specific narratives.

Granted, Week 1 is also prone to delivering serious overreactions in the aftermath. No, your team isn’t going to the Super Bowl because you dominated your first opponent, nor should you start your rebuilding plan because of a bad opening loss. We won’t truly know where the teams stand until the first month of the season comes to a close, hence the chaotic nature of a ranking this early on.

That said, that’s the fun of doing these rankings. It’s fascinating to look back and seeing where a team started and questioning how you thought so highly or negatively of them in the first place. It happens every year in every sport, so there’s no shame in admitting that you were wrong about a certain team or player. The only question now is juggling this with the NHL when it starts up next month (your problem, future me).

So where does your team stack up?

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: There are noticeable chinks in the defending Super Bowl champion’s armor, such as an inconsistent running game and a lack of quality secondary depth. Until Father Time solves the riddle known as Tom Brady, however, there’s no reason to doubt the Bucs can close out games and be a force throughout the season.

2. Kansas City Chiefs: Make that 11-0 with a 35-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio for Patrick Mahomes in September, and the offensive triumvirate of Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce remains the deadliest in the NFL. The Chiefs might be hoping for repeat performances; the defense has issues that Tyrann Mathieu’s return won’t fix, so expect plenty of firefights all season long.

3. Los Angeles Rams: The Matthew Stafford era in L.A. started with a bang, highlighted by two long touchdown throws that should continue to open things up for Sean McVay’s offense. If one of the running backs can step up in the absence of Cam Akers, a chance for a hometown Super Bowl would increase significantly.

4. Seattle Seahawks: New offensive coordinator Shane Waldron made his mark on the Seahawks early, as Russell Wilson, Chris Carson, Tyler Lockett, and D.K. Metcalf all had big days against a typically-stout Indianapolis defense. However, we’ve seen this movie before; if the Seahawks want to be taken seriously as a contender, they need to continue to produce these efforts with consistency, especially in the playoffs.

5. Cleveland Browns: The Browns came shockingly close to leaving Arrowhead Stadium with their first season-opening win since 2004, but three costly second-half turnovers put a stop to those ambitions. They’re still in the top five because they’ve shown they can be a serious competitor against the top teams; now it’s just a matter of eliminating the mistakes before playoff time.

6. Buffalo Bills: The Super Bowl talk cooled significantly in Buffalo, as they did virtually nothing against the Steelers in one of the more surprising outcomes of the week. It’s far too early to panic, but if Josh Allen continues to look more like the raw prospect of his rookie season than last year’s potential MVP candidate, there could be serious causes for concern.

7. Arizona Cardinals: Who saw that coming? Whether it was Kyler Murray kicking off his MVP campaign with a five-touchdown performance or a surprisingly strong defensive effort headlined by Chandler Jones five-sack afternoon, the Cardinals dominated Tennessee in just about every facet of play. It’s hard to think of a team with a more impressive Week 1 effort…

8. New Orleans Saints: …well, maybe not. Despite having their first home game relocated to Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida, the Saints looked right at home. Between Jameis Winston’s hyper-efficient stat line and the defense forcing reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers to the bench in the fourth quarter, they showed that they can still be competitive without Drew Brees.

9. San Francisco 49ers: All four NFC West teams being in the top 10 should be an indicator of how difficult this division is going to be. The dominant storyline coming from San Francisco wasn’t the ongoing quarterback battle between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance, but how the defense completely fell apart after the loss of Jason Verrett. They made a key stop outside of the red zone to stave off a Detroit comeback, but that defensive effort won’t cut it in a division loaded with quarterback talent.

10. Los Angeles Chargers: Despite having all the ingredients of a typical Chargers loss, this unit managed to pull out a gutsy road win over Washington. While Justin Herbert will deservedly get the adulation for shaking off two costly turnovers with a game-winning drive and being aggressive on third down to burn the clock away, the new-look offensive line spearheaded by first-round pick Rashawn Slater deserves credit for keeping one of the league’s best pass-rushing units at bay.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers: Rumors of the Steelers’ demise may have been exaggerated, especially after putting together a clinic against a Bills offense that was near-unstoppable last season. Their own offense still has some question marks, but it’ll be a relief to Ben Roethlisberger and crew that their defense will give them a chance to get into a rhythm.

12. Dallas Cowboys: Despite a heartbreaking loss, Cowboys fans are likely rejoicing over Dak Prescott’s return to form. Questions still linger, however, regarding Ezekiel Elliott’s confusingly low usage, how long a young defense will adjust under Dan Quinn, and how this team will respond to Michael Gallup’s injury and La’el Collins’s suspension. The next couple games are going to be crucial.

13. Baltimore Ravens: Maybe all those injuries on offense were more critical than we thought, as exemplified by Lamar Jackson’s enigmatic performance on Monday. Two costly fumbles and having to deal with constant pressure isn’t going to help him develop as a passer, and now they draw the Chiefs on a short week? Yikes.

14. Green Bay Packers: The NFL’s version of The Last Dance started out with a twisted ankle, courtesy of Jameis Winston and the Saints. When Jordan Love looks better than the reigning MVP and Green Bay’s best hope for a Lombardi Trophy, that’s the epitome of a “burn the tape” game. Better days are likely ahead, but if they don’t, could this be a situation that gets toxic?

15. Tennessee Titans: The Cardinals just put on a master class on how to defeat the Titans: stop Derrick Henry consistently, build up a big lead against a shaky defense, and force a passing game not yet in sync to throw their way out of a deficit. Taylor Lewan’s accountability after getting victimized by Chandler Jones warrants respect, but it’s hard to find anyone on this team NOT deserving of blame for…whatever that was.

16. Miami Dolphins: If you were looking for Tua Tagovailoa to finally establish himself as a legitimate NFL franchise quarterback, you came away from this game sorely disappointed. If you were looking for a team playing to its strengths and looking good in key situations, you took away plenty of positives. The whole Xavien Howard drama’s cleared up long-term…right?

17. New England Patriots: The good news for the Patriots is they seemed to make the right decision on Mac Jones, as he actually outperformed Tagovailoa in the first battle of Alabama quarterbacks. The bad news is that Damien Harris went from hero to goat with a fumble that ultimately cost the Pats a winnable game, something Bill Belichick won’t be happy about.

18. Denver Broncos: Minus Jerry Jeudy’s injury, this was exactly the performance Broncos fans wished to see: a capable offense led by Teddy Bridgewater shoring up a strong defensive effort. Von Miller made a case for Comeback Player of the Year with two sacks, and such performances will be necessary if the Broncos want to snatch a spot in the playoffs.

19. Indianapolis Colts: Despite Carson Wentz deserving credit for avoiding the mistakes that plagued his final season in Philadelphia, nothing saved them from being dominated on both sides of the ball by Seattle. Frank Reich and his staff will have to bounce back quickly; even in the weak AFC South, two straight home losses to start the year could be the difference between the postseason and sitting out come January.

20. Washington Football Team: Taylor Heinicke had flashes in both Washington’s playoff game against Tampa Bay and the Chargers on Sunday, but he’ll now be called upon to guide the WFT after Ryan Fitzpatrick was put on IR. If he struggles to push a team loaded with talent over the edge, Cam Newton might want to think about putting Ron Rivera’s number on speed-dial.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: It’s hard to think of a first-year head coach who had a better debut than Nick Sirianni, who oversaw Jalen Hurts dominating an overmatched Falcons defense and a defensive performance that punished Matt Ryan. If they can catch a San Francisco team reeling from a near-loss, the Eagles could convince a lot of people about their legitimacy as a team on the rise.

22. Carolina Panthers: Sam Darnold was successful in his revenge game against the Jets, and having a reliable running back and safety valve in Christian McCaffrey can only help him as he gets acclimated to his new team. If the young defense can prove they’ve taken key steps against tougher competition, Matt Rhule might be on to something here.

23. Cincinnati Bengals: Despite a poor fourth-down decision by Zac Taylor opening the door for the Vikings to take Cincinnati to overtime, the Bengals were able to slam said door into their faces with Taylor redeeming himself on a much more sensible fourth-down call. Joe Burrow looked good coming off of knee surgery, JaMarr Chase erased some doubts towards his ability at the NFL level, and Joe Mixon’s strong game hopefully allows the offense to be more balanced this year.

24. Chicago Bears: It was the right decision to send Andy Dalton in front of the firing squad known as the Rams defense, but is Justin Fields’s inevitable debut (possibly as soon as this Sunday) going to really save this team? The defense hasn’t looked right in the last couple of years, and more ugly performances on that side of the ball could force the highly-touted Fields into an unmanageable situation.

25. Las Vegas Raiders: It took an epic comedy of errors to reach the end, but the Raiders did manage to open Allegiant Stadium to fans with a huge Monday night victory. Clelin Ferrell’s healthy scratch just two years after the Raiders drafted him number 4 overall is a massive knock on the Gruden-Mayock regime’s draft decisions, but Maxx Crosby and Bryan Edwards at least seem like hits.

26. Minnesota Vikings: While Vikings fans might call refball on Dalvin Cook’s costly fumble call, the truth is that Minnesota lost this game on their own. Kirk Cousins still doesn’t scare anybody from stacking the box on Cook, and the offensive line and defense are still serious issues. With a tough slate coming up ahead, could we seriously consider Mike Zimmer as a candidate for a mid-season firing if these struggles continue?

27. New York Giants: In 27 career starts, Daniel Jones now has 30 fumbles and 40 turnovers, including one that iced the game in Denver’s favor. That and several questionable decisions on both sides of the ball isn’t a good look for a team that’s seeing a lot of people requiring good seasons to keep their jobs.

28. Houston Texans: Sometimes, not having the weight of expectation is a good thing. While this victory should be taken with a grain of salt (the Jaguars’ only victory last season came in Week 1), the Texans shook off claims of being the worst team in football with a statement win over, ironically, the Jaguars. Also, if you had a Tyrod Taylor redemption arc on your 2021 NFL bingo cards, good on you.

29. New York Jets: Zach Wilson, I am so sorry. Your overall solid day was marred by how terrible the Jets’ offensive line is, and an injury to stud left tackle Mekhi Becton does not help matters. Whose name do I burn in effigy if Wilson gets Joe Burrowed mid-season?

30. Atlanta Falcons: So much for Arthur Smith and Kyle Pitts bolstering the offense. The defense struggled as expected against Jalen Hurts and crew, but it was clear how much the Falcons missed Julio Jones on offense. Not much good to be said here.

31. Detroit Lions: For as hysterical as Dan Campbell’s press conferences have been, the Lions nearly stealing victory from the jaws of certain defeat shows his team is already responding to their new coach’s energy. And then Jeff Okudah goes down for the season with a torn Achilles. Ladies and gentlemen, the Detroit Lions.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence will likely follow the Peyton Manning route and struggle in his rookie season, but can we talk about Urban Meyer for a second? Multiple reports are circulating about him already losing control of this team, and now being heavily outcoached by David Culley in what was supposed to be a statement win? It may be a Week 1 overreaction, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Meyer hire sets the Jaguars back years.

Winners and Losers of the 2021 NHL Offseason (So Far)

It’s insane to believe that we’re only a couple months away from the upcoming NHL season, but here we are.

The Seattle Expansion Draft, which felt like a Seattle tourism ad/ham-fisted spectacle hybrid, is over and done. The Entry Draft is all finished up. The initial wave of free agency has passed, and several trade chips have officially gone off the table. While there are a few high-profile signings remaining and the big fish of the offseason in Jack Eichel is still in play, it feels safe to say that much of the heavy lifting of this offseason has been done already.

With this in mind, we can observe the new lay of the land and see which teams improved or devolved. If you’ve followed my blog, you know the format of these winners and losers posts by now: there will be five teams on each side, and each team will be given a rundown as to why their spot on either side is justified. However, due to the sheer insanity of this offseason, I feel it’s also appropriate to briefly mention teams that also made waves during the offseason, for better or worse. I wouldn’t go so far as to call them honorable mentions, but their trajectories as far as this offseason is concerned are worth discussing.

Let the discussion begin!

Loser #5: Vancouver Canucks

Oh, what life must be like as a fly in Jim Benning’s office.

Let’s observe some of the optics of the Canucks’ moves this offseason, shall we? A year ago, Benning extended Jake Virtanen in the hopes that he would take the next step up, signed Braden Holtby to serve as a veteran mentor and 1A goaltender to Thatcher Demko, and traded a third-round pick to Vegas for Nate Schmidt in the hopes of solidifying their top four defensemen. This offseason, however? Virtanen and Holtby were both bought out of their contracts, while Schmidt was flipped to Winnipeg for a third-round pick after a mediocre season. It wasn’t entirely unjustified, but it doesn’t speak well to the organization when it has to change directions so soon after making moves.

Where the Canucks failed most this offseason, however, was creating cap space. They were buried under several bad contracts due to Benning’s whiffs in free agency, and needed to work out a few deals. The good news is they did work out a deal with Arizona that saw Loui Eriksson, Antoine Roussel, and Jay Beagle all come off the books; the bad news is they were instantly replaced by two longer contracts of nearly-equal value in Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland. They also used up more of their cap to bring back Travis Hamonic and sign Tucker Poolman, neither of whom is a real impact signing on the defense. While the players Vancouver received should do more to contribute than who they had to give up, it doesn’t help them with their key problems: Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. Both are restricted free agents and will be demanding large extensions, which is all but guaranteed to consume Vancouver’s $14 million in cap space (this is before factoring in other RFAs like Olli Juolevi and Jason Dickinson, the latter of which having recently filed for salary arbitration). Brock Boeser will also be hitting restricted free agency after this season, so the Canucks will now likely be forced to trade a key player to balance out the books (they’d prefer to lose Tyler Myers, but my guess is teams will be more focused on J.T. Miller).

The moves the Canucks made this offseason aren’t bad in a vacuum, hence their low placement on the losers side. However, with added context, it paints a picture of an organization that still isn’t quite sure about the direction it wants to go in.

Winner #5: Dallas Stars

Sometimes, you don’t need to be a major player to win the offseason.

Missing the postseason just one season after being in the Stanley Cup Final, the Stars didn’t panic and elected to reload the team. Given the going rate of young defensemen, the Stars may have gotten a relative bargain on Miro Heiskanen’s extension. The team also assisted their young defenseman by giving him an upgrade on his opposite side and a key mentor in Ryan Suter. The length of contract is a concern, as it does mean Suter will be locked up in Dallas until he’s 40, but he still has some tread left on the tires and will only assist in building Heiskanen’s game up.

Smaller pieces like Jani Hakanpaa, Luke Glendening, and Michael Raffl were brought in as well to stabilize the end of the lineup. It was intriguing to see the Stars sign Braden Holtby however, as it indicates Ben Bishop’s injury is more serious than anticipated, as well as the team potentially shopping Anton Khudobin (Arizona and Buffalo would be in the market for a starting goaltender, while St. Louis, Winnipeg, and even Calgary would like a stable backup). It would put Holtby back in the role of mentor (this time to Jake Oettinger), but it’s a fine low-risk signing. It also gives the Stars some cap flexibility, as Joe Pavelski and Alexander Radulov’s expiring deals would make way for extensions to John Klingberg, Jason Robertson, and Denis Gurianov.

Give credit to the Stars for staying calm and sticking to their guns, when lesser front offices would have panicked and changed direction. The Cup run may have been an aberration, but this is still a playoff-caliber team.

Loser #4: New York Rangers

What the heck did Tom Wilson do to you, Rangers?

Whether it was Wilson’s hit in a late-season game against the Rangers that saw Artemi Panarin miss the remainder of the year, or his sort-of T-pose in the penalty box, or the slap of the wrist given to the Capitals wing by the Department of Player Safety, something triggered the Blueshirts just enough to focus this offseason on a single trait: grit. Such became obvious when they traded for Barclay Goodrow, which was understandable in and of itself…before chucking a six-year extension at him with a $3.64 million AAV and a 15-team no trade clause to boot. Given how poorly power forwards like Goodrow age at the NHL level and Goodrow being 28, it’s very likely the Rangers will be paying him for his declining years.

Other signings like Patrik Nemeth, Greg McKegg, Dryden Hunt, and Jarred Tinordi also add little but veteran depth and grit to the roster. Trading a third-round pick to Vegas for Ryan Reaves and extending him for a year also shows what New York was really focused on this offseason (convince me all you want it’s because of his familiarity with Gallant, we all know what James Dolan and crew really got him for.) Extra points for trading away Pavel Buchnevich and Alexandar Georgiev requesting a trade as well, while still needing to provide an extension to Igor Shesterkin. While there is still time for the Rangers to fix this and come up with a way to land Jack Eichel, look at who will be notable free agents next season: Mika Zibanejad, Ryan Strome, Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox, Georgiev, Kaapo Kakko, Vitali Kravtsov, and Sammy Blais. Unless the Rangers are willing to part with a chunk of these expiring contracts (my guess would be Strome, Georgiev, and Kakko would go back), Eichel is off the table by their own doing.

It’s a combination of banking on younger talent to step up, and trying too desperately to fill out a part of the lineup that only realistically needs a couple options. The excitement on Broadway might be dimming a bit.

Winner #4: Los Angeles Kings

Don’t look now, but Rob Blake and Luc Robitaille are building a contender once again in LA.

They were one of the big winners of the Expansion Draft, with the Seattle Kraken (more on them later) choosing to select Kurtis MacDermid over higher-upside options like Carl Grundstrom and Kale Clague. Before the Draft, they traded for Viktor Arvidsson from Nashville, who gives Los Angeles another reliable scoring option in their top-six forward group.

Free agency was also a success for the Kings, who landed one of the bigger prizes of the class in Phillip Danault. Coming off of a Cup Final run with Montreal, Danault’s strong two-way play will make him a fixture in Los Angeles’ middle six. Alexander Edler also comes to stabilize the defensive corps, letting the Kings further develop their younger options and provide leadership from the back end. The best part about these signings is that it gives LA options on what to do about its strong prospect core; younger prospects like Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, and Tobias Bjornfot are NHL-ready, but Danault and Edler give the Kings an avenue to give them more development time.

The Kings might not be back to the Cup-winning days of the early 2010s, but there’s no reason to think they can’t get there. For now, it’s time to focus on this current phase of the rebuild and push for a playoff spot in a weak Pacific Division.

Loser #3: Buffalo Sabres

Forget the head-scratching moves that the Pegula family are currently making with the Bills for a second; the hockey team is still in quite the mess.

After last year’s complete disaster, the Sabres seem content to blow up their core. A fine strategy with all things considered, but they seem to be struggling with being even remotely competitive. Will Butcher fell out of favor in New Jersey, so moving to a rebuilding team made sense for him. They also got a fine haul out of Rasmus Ristolainen from a Flyers team that was desperate for defense. Sam Reinhart is also off to Florida after basically saying he would only take a year-long contract in Buffalo to hit unrestricted free agency and bail.

The only real questions now are this: where’s the Eichel drama going, and what’s Buffalo’s plan in net this season? Jack Eichel’s saga is feeling more like Deshaun Watson’s by the day: it’s painfully obvious to anyone watching that he’s played his final game in Buffalo, and the team is only hurting themselves the longer they delay the inevitable. Many suitors are at their door (New York Rangers, Minnesota, Anaheim, etc.) bearing gifts of first-round picks and top prospects, and the Sabres will have to answer the door sooner rather than later. Also…is anyone sold on what the Sabres are doing for goaltending? After Linus Ullmark defected and signed with Boston, the Sabres signed Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell to veteran-minimum deals. While both are penciled in as the Sabres’ goaltenders this season, there’s no chance that will end well for either player or team. An Eichel trade could net either Georgiev from New York or Kaapo Kahkonen from Minnesota, or the Sabres can pull out another deal for someone like Anton Khudobin or even Mikko Koskinen from Edmonton. If they fail in that regard, it looks like top prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen may endure a trial by fire by midseason.

With Owen Power likely remaining in Michigan to continue his development, there’s little reason to be confident in the Sabres. It’s likely that, when Power comes over to Buffalo, there will be another number 1 pick to play alongside.

Winner #3: Boston Bruins

The Bruins knew what their gameplan was, and they deserve credit for sticking with it.

The Bruins got their top order of business finished early, signing Taylor Hall to a reasonable four-year extension worth $6 million per year. Hall was one of the best players on the ice since arriving from Buffalo, and it appears he’s finally landed on the contender he sought when he hit free agency last season. While losing longtime players like Tuukka Rask and David Krejci hurt, the Bruins did a good job of patching the holes there, as well.

To replace the Rask-Halak tandem in net, the Bruins swiped Linus Ullmark from Buffalo in free agency. Ullmark was one of the rare bright spots on a Buffalo team, so there’s reason to believe his play should look better under a much more defensively-responsible structure. Joining him would be rookie Jeremy Swayman, who looked strong in his late-season call-up with the Bruins. To replace Krejci and other middle-tier free agents like Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase, the Bruins made some quality signings with Nick Foligno, Erik Haula, Tomas Nosek, and Derek Forbort. All four should play key roles for the Bruins this season, and gives Boston options in multiple situations. Even if the Bruins do choose to trade Jake DeBrusk, the Bruins could easily fill in his spot with in-house options like Trent Frederic or Jack Studnicka.

The Atlantic Division will be a battle this season, but at least the Bruins worked on keeping their Cup window open for longer. That alone is worthy of some praise.

Loser #2: Edmonton Oilers

With the three losers before now, I could at least understand a little bit of the rationale behind their moves and/or there is a way to still come out decent in their situation. For the Oilers and the team below them, not so much.

It feels bad to speak ill about Ken Holland, but the final years of his tenure in Detroit and his current run in Edmonton can only make me think one thing: the hockey world has passed him by. Let’s start with his big move in acquiring Zach Hyman as free agency started. Hyman is a good player, but being on Toronto’s top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner is bound to inflate statistical output for any player. It didn’t scare Holland away from signing him to a seven-year deal at $5.5 million AAV. It’s also unlikely that Hyman even sees first-line minutes, as the extension of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will likely put Hyman on a second line with natural goal-scorers such as Leon Draisaitl and Jesse Puljujarvi. It’s a fit that could cause trouble quickly, and the term is banking on Hyman gelling with his new team quickly.

Even scarier than Hyman’s deal is what’s going on with the defense. While Darnell Nurse is emerging as a great number one defenseman and Evan Bouchard comes it with a lot of hype, the rest of the Oilers’ blueline has me mildly concerned. To counter Oscar Klefbom going on LTIR this season, the Oilers paid the Blackhawks their asking price on 38-year-old Duncan Keith, who just went through his worst season as a professional player. To replace Adam Larsson after he was selected by Seattle in the Expansion Draft, the Oilers grossly overpaid Cody Ceci for four years at $3.25 million AAV. That’s a lot of term and money for a player coming off his first good season in five years. Tyson Barrie also returns as a power-play specialist to pair with Connor McDavid and Draisaitl, but would it have been more sound to let another team overpay, especially with Nurse hitting unrestricted free agency next season? And was it worth trading another top-four defenseman in Ethan Bear for another grinding forward in Warren Foegele?

It’s unlikely the Oilers miss out on a playoff spot in the Pacific due to the lack of depth within the division. However, the common formula is still in place: McDavid and Draisaitl carrying this team as far as it will go.

Winner #2: Seattle Kraken

Talk about the surprise of the free agency period.

After a relatively mediocre Expansion Draft and a so-so entry draft, I was starting to get incredibly concerned about the Kraken in their maiden season. I had a lot of questions about whether they had done enough to even be competitive, or if they would go the way of many expansion teams and struggle early on in their existence. Instead, it appears Ron Francis and company decided to try and pull off the inverse of the Golden Knights’ formula. They won through side deals during the Expansion Draft? The Kraken would win in free agency.

Ticked off about Carey Price not being selected? Here’s a Vezina finalist in Philipp Grubauer at half of Price’s AAV (yes, the NHL did reject Seattle’s contract with Grubauer, but the issue isn’t something that a simple restructure won’t fix.) Worried that the Kraken don’t have enough players who can score goals? Take one of the league’s more underrated forwards in Jaden Schwartz. Concerned about center depth with number two pick Matt Beniers staying in Michigan and Yanni Gourde needing shoulder surgery that will cause him to miss the start of the season? Alexander Wennberg on a reasonable deal makes perfect sense. Not a bad free agent haul for the team’s first go-around.

Before free agency, the Kraken were seen as a team that would be fortunate to finish out of the Pacific’s basement. Now, there’s actually an outside shot of being a playoff team right out of the gate.

Loser #1: Carolina Hurricanes

What. Is. Going. On?

That’s all I can say about the Hurricanes and…whatever their offseason was supposed to be. They finally had a solution in net with Alex Nedeljkovic and Petr Mrazek, but the Hurricanes now have neither. They let Nedeljkovic, someone who was emerging as the Hurricanes’ first potential franchise netminder since Cam Ward, leave for Detroit for the signing rights of Jonathan Bernier and a mid-round pick. They didn’t even manage to secure Bernier, who joined New Jersey in free agency. Now, the Hurricanes are counting on Frederik Andersen, who had regressed every year in his tenure with Toronto, and an injury-prone Antti Raanta. Not a good look.

Losing Dougie Hamilton was also a blow, so the Hurricanes needed to match his production on defense. Jake Bean was traded to Columbus, so the problem required an entirely new solution. Picking up Ethan Bear from Edmonton was a good idea…and then Carolina destroyed all goodwill by signing Tony DeAngelo. For those who don’t know (or tried to forget) about DeAngelo, take a look at this. A history of using racial and homophobic slurs in junior hockey? Being one of the few athletes who not only holds strong pro-Trump views, but openly flaunts them on social media? A physical altercation with multiple players that saw his tenure with the Rangers end in disgrace? At what point do you just call it a lost cause? This is a move that only works if DeAngelo plays well enough to justify his presence…and his time in New York did little to convince me of that.

The Hurricanes are, bar none, the biggest loser of the offseason. I wish I could say it was strictly for DeAngelo, but that’s just the sour icing on top of the moldy cake. And it was all going so well…

Winner #1: New Jersey Devils

The Devils may be stuck in the toughest division in hockey in the Metropolitan, but they sure are trying to make a push.

After years of struggle on the defense, it appears the Devils may be getting their act together. Trading for Ryan Graves was already a good start, but then they pulled the big fish: they won the Dougie Hamilton sweepstakes. The deal is a big commitment, but it’s well worth it to acquire one of the best two-way defensemen in the NHL in his prime. With Ty Smith, Damon Severson, and a sheltered P.K. Subban still on the roster, the Devils’ defensive corps could be one of the best at providing offense from the back end in the league. With reinforcements like Kevin Bahl, Reilly Walsh, and Shakir Mukhamadullin also in the system, the Devils have set themselves up nicely on defense for the short and long term.

Jonathan Bernier was also a very sound pickup, providing Mackenzie Blackwood with a mentor and a true 1B goaltender that can give him some well-needed rest. The best part is that the Devils might not even be done yet. With only Janne Kuokkanen and Yegor Sharangovich needing extensions, they will still have plenty of cap space to play around with. With the free agent market calming down, the quiet could give Tom Fitzgerald an opportunity to snag talent on short-term deals in order to better the team now and give the prospects more development.

For a rebuilding team, where the Devils are right now is a good position to be in. They might not be a playoff contender quite yet, but they look poised to take advantage when juggernauts like Washington and Pittsburgh begin to slow down.

Honorable Mentions

Arizona Coyotes: Hard reset here. With most of the core either traded or soon to be traded, the Coyotes have gone back to taking bad contracts (Shayne Gostisbehere, Anton Stralman, the Vancouver triple threat) in exchange for significant future assets. Their deals did get them a few intriguing pieces, however; Conor Timmins should have an impact early, number nine overall pick Dylan Guenther could arrive as soon as this season, and they now have seven picks in the first two rounds of a loaded 2022 Draft. Oh, and taking a flier on reigning KHL MVP Dmitrij Jaskin is a smart bit of business.

Chicago Blackhawks: This is an all-in push if I’ve ever seen one. Seth Jones was acquired for significant assets, while Marc-Andre Fleury and Tyler Johnson were practically given to them as salary dumps. It’s fine, but Jones’s extension is a bit troubling, and the Hawks would be hoping Fleury and Johnson can either keep or regain their forms. Otherwise, the cap situation might look worse than it already is, and Stan Bowman might be fired before he gets a chance to clean up his own mess.

Colorado Avalanche: On one hand, the Avalanche were successful at locking up Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar long term. On the other, Philipp Grubauer was swiped by Seattle, and the Avalanche had to cover by sending Conor Timmins and a first-round pick to Arizona for former punching bag Darcy Kuemper. You win some, you lose some.

Detroit Red Wings: Knowing the pain of the Oilers all too well, the Red Wings have to be more than okay with Steve Yzerman running the ship steady. Landing Alex Nedeljkovic as a bargain was one of the moves of the offseason, and they also brought in Pius Suter to a good deal. Other than that, it’s looking like the youth are about to invade Hockeytown; Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider could both be in the lineup on Opening Night, while the likes of Joe Veleno, Jonatan Berggren, and Wyatt Newpower could all make appearances at some point this season.

Montreal Canadiens/Vegas Golden Knights: Ironically, these two playoff foes endured similar offseasons. For the most part, they’ve done alright; Montreal made two good signings in David Savard and Mike Hoffman, while Vegas retained key pieces like Alec Martinez and landed an intriguing buy-low candidate in Evgenii Dadonov. Unfortunately, it’s been a loss from a PR standpoint. Montreal made headlines for all the wrong reasons by drafting convicted sex offender Logan Mailloux with their first-round pick, while Vegas traded Vezina-winning goaltender and face of the franchise Marc-Andre Fleury for a player who won’t even play in their system this season. Both look like villains at this point, but nothing smooths relationships over quite like winning does (Marc Bergevin would be the first to tell you that.)

Philadelphia Flyers: After being let down tremendously by their defense this past season, the Flyers committed to a full-scale overhaul. Gone are Shayne Gostisbehere, Philippe Myers, and Robert Hagg; in are Ryan Ellis, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Keith Yandle. The only people who are praying for the success of this new-look defense more than Flyers fans are Carter Hart and free-agent acquisition Martin Jones: no two goalies in the NHL may need a larger boost in confidence than them.

Tampa Bay Lightning: The receipt for back-to-back Stanley Cup victories is finally coming around for the Lightning. Their entire third line of Blake Coleman (Calgary), Yanni Gourde (Seattle), and Barclay Goodrow (New York Rangers) have all gone elsewhere, and Tyler Johnson became another cap casualty. They did lock up Brayden Point long term, but with Stanley Cup Final hero Ross Colton needing a deal and filing arbitration, could the payroll shedding still be going on in Tampa?

The Sports Nerd’s 2021 NHL Mock Draft

From one draft straight into another…

Just 48 hours after the Expansion Draft is completed (and believe me, I have PLENTY of thoughts about that), the Seattle Kraken will join the 31 other NHL teams and participate in the 2021 Entry Draft. While a lot of the focus may be on how thin the draft class is this year compared to recent history, there can always be gems worth finding.

It’s also fair to note that this year, due to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, was the most difficult to scout players from. The Ontario Hockey League was shut down for the season due to public health orders, resulting in many of the players playing professionally in Europe. The NCAA was forced into a bubble, and several universities were not able to play this season as a result of shutting down sports for the semester. It leads to a strange scouting environment, where talent has to be evaluated largely off of the eye test.

Regardless, the draft will still go as planned, headlined by two Michigan Wolverines: defenseman Owen Power and center Matt Beniers. This is especially relevant after the draft lottery favored the Kraken, as they are positioned to take the prospect Buffalo does not choose at number 1. Either way, they’ll be able to start out their NHL life with a potential franchise talent.

So how will tomorrow’s NHL draft unfold? Let’s give it a go.

1. Buffalo Sabres: Owen Power, D, Michigan: After months of wondering which prospect would emerge as the top prospect in the class, Power has managed to become a near-unanimous decision. A great combination of size, skill, and hockey IQ, Power has all the makings of a top-pairing defenseman at the NHL level. Even if he does elect to stay at Michigan for another season, Buffalo likely won’t be concerned too much about it; it might be better for him to develop in college instead of sink-or-swim in Buffalo to start his career.

2. Seattle Kraken: Matt Beniers, C, Michigan: With a lack of true center depth from the expansion draft and news of likely top-line center Yanni Gourde needing shoulder surgery, the Kraken can’t miss the chance to take someone who can emerge as a top-line center for the next decade. A point-per-game player at Michigan, Beniers plays a solid two-way game and can play in multiple situations. It also helps he represented the United States at the World Hockey Championships and didn’t look out of place against NHL-level players, so add that as a bonus.

3. Anaheim Ducks: Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL): The Ducks finished dead-last in terms of offense again this past season, and that will have to change if the Ducks want to make any noise in the Pacific Division. Luckily for them, they’ll have a chance to take Guenther, an offensive dynamo who tore up the World Junior Championships and the shortened WHL season. A future top line of him, Trevor Zegras, and Maxime Comtois is a frightening thought.

4. New Jersey Devils: Luke Hughes, D, U.S. NTDP: The third Hughes brother to enter the NHL, it will likely be too tempting to pass up a brother act of Luke and former first overall pick Jack. Very similar to fellow defenseman Quinn, Luke is largely considered a top prospect due to his strong two-way ability, skating, and hockey IQ. The X-factor regarding Hughes will be his size, as his 6’2″ frame could allow him to be more physical as he fills out and learns how to use his frame to his advantage. Add him to the growing stable of intriguing Devils defensive prospects.

5. Columbus Blue Jackets: Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda (SHL): Some of the centers remaining on the board could be in play, but I expect the Blue Jackets to land one of the top two defensemen remaining to replace Seth Jones quicker. A strong combination of size and mobility, Edvinsson has serious number 1 defenseman upside. There are a couple of technical issues to work out, but those tend to get exposed when you’re playing against grown men like Edvinsson is in Sweden. Expect further development to help him out before he comes to North America.

6. Detroit Red Wings: William Eklund, LW/C, Djurgardens (SHL): The pick here was once Jesper Wallstedt with a bullet, but a surprise trade for another young netminder in Alex Nedeljkovic has likely altered those plans. The good news is Detroit can stay in Sweden and draft the best player available in Eklund. A playmaker who really found his game this season in the Swedish Hockey League, Eklund’s speed and offensive ability should be perfect for Detroit to build around. He could pair nicely with a natural sniper such as Jakub Vrana or fellow number six overall pick Filip Zadina.

7. San Jose Sharks: Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea (SHL): Wallstedt’s slide only lasts one pick, and it’s to quite possibly the most goaltender-desperate team in the NHL. Despite trading for Adin Hill before Seattle could snatch him up in the Expansion Draft, the Sharks are in desperate need of a legitimate future franchise goaltender. Enter Wallstedt, who put up amazing numbers in the SHL and has been hailed as one of the top goaltender prospects in recent memory. It’s as easy a selection as it gets, at least beyond the first couple of picks.

8. Los Angeles Kings: Brandt Clarke, D, Barrie (OHL): With the Kings building up a strong group of forward prospects in recent years, the defense should be looked at in terms of adding another top prospect. Being the last of the top defensive prospects available, Clarke should be the choice here. Despite the OHL’s shutdown, Clarke turned some heads by playing professionally in the Czech Republic and putting up some impressive numbers. He’ll learn quite a bit from Drew Doughty before eventually taking his spot as the Kings’ defensive leader.

9. Vancouver Canucks: Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough (OHL): Another OHL prospect who impressed while playing in Europe, McTavish put up a near point-per-game pace in Switzerland this season. After another emergence at the World Juniors, a lot of people started to put more stock in McTavish, which would make this a dream selection for Jim Benning and the Canucks. An Elias Pettersson-McTavish-Bo Horvat trio would create an effective three-headed monster at center.

10: Ottawa Senators: Kent Johnson, C, Michigan: Make that three Wolverines in the top 10. The Senators have been using the college ranks to build a nice farm system and, in this mock, Johnson becomes the latest addition to that pipeline. A versatile, offensively-gifted forward, Johnson could become a key piece of Ottawa’s top nine in a year or two’s time.

11. Chicago Blackhawks: Cole Sillinger, C/LW, Sioux City (USHL): A second-generation prospect, Sillinger stands out as the most likely prospect to emerge outside of the top ten as a legitimate star at the NHL level. One of the best combinations of size and skill in the class, Sillinger lit up the USHL with 24 goals in 31 games. Even with Jonathan Toews returning, the Blackhawks should look at improving their center depth in this draft. Whether his NHL future is at center or on the left wing, however, could be of interest to some teams.

12. Calgary Flames: Chaz Lucius, C, U.S. NTDP: A knee injury destroyed Lucius’s chances of breaking into the top 10, but what matters is that he didn’t seem to lose anything as a result. Lucius was still a dominant force offensively, scoring a total of 26 goals and 38 points in a combined 25 games for the U.S. NTDP and the national World Juniors team. With the Flames having precious little elite prospects and Sean Monahan on the trade block if Calgary intends to blow up their core, the decision to add Lucius will bear fruit sooner rather than later.

13. Philadelphia Flyers: Brennan Othmann, LW/RW, Flint (OHL): The Flyers have a decent array of wings to choose from at this spot and, while there is merit to the likes of Fyodor Svechkov and Matthew Coronato here, Othmann is more of a natural fit to Philadelphia’s identity as a team. A hybrid of a sniper and power forward, Othmann is not afraid to throw the body around and be a physical presence in his own end, on top of his finishing ability on offense. He’d be someone to earmark as a future Claude Giroux replacement.

14. Dallas Stars: Matthew Coronato, LW/RW, Chicago (USHL): Similar to the Ducks drafting Guenther, the offensively-challenged Stars would be smart to take a prospect who showed he could score goals in bunches. While it’s unlikely Coronato matches his blistering scoring pace at the NHL level, even finishing with half of his 48 USHL regular season goals would be a great year in the big leagues. His toughness and scoring ability are very similar to Alexander Radulov, who the Stars could be looking to find a successor to in the near future.

15. New York Rangers: Fyodor Svechkov, C, Lada Togliatti (VHL): With the Rangers loading up on talented wings like Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Vitali Kravtsov, it’s time for them to start looking into improving their center depth. Svechkov was one of the class’s biggest risers throughout the season, with his value reaching its peak after a 10-point performance at the World Juniors. A largely defensive-minded center with some offensive touch, Svechkov would be a nice complementary piece for the middle six.

16. St. Louis Blues: Carson Lambos, D, Winnipeg (WHL): Don’t be surprised if the Blues go after a wing such as Fabian Lysell or Nikita Chibrikov, especially if news surrounding Vladimir Tarasenko confirms a trade. While Lambos doesn’t have the top-tier upside of the four defensemen taken earlier, he did have an alright stint in Finland while the WHL was delayed, and there doesn’t seem to be many holes in his overall game. We’ll call it a high-floor pick for now.

17. Winnipeg Jets: Corson Ceulemans, D, Brooks (AJHL): The Jets have been long-maligned for their weaknesses on defense, especially on the right side after the likes of Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers left. Ceulemans would be a pick designed to be a long-term plan on defense, with his two-way game showing a bright future in the NHL. He could pair nicely with someone such as Logan Stanley or Ville Heinola in the near future, depending on what attribute the Jets covet more.

18. Nashville Predators: Isak Rosen, LW/RW, Leksands (SHL): At this point, we’re starting to reach the prospects where the scouting reports tend to vary a bit more. While the diminutive Rosen struggled in the SHL this season, he flashed his offensive upside at the World Juniors with a goal-per-game pace. With the Predators losing a consistent offensive piece in Calle Jarnkrok to Seattle, Nashville could get his replacement right here and give him a couple seasons of development time.

19. Edmonton Oilers: Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton (WHL): With Cossa’s selection here, this draft becomes the first since 2012 to have two goaltenders drafted in the first round (Andrei Vasilevskiy and Malcolm Subban). With the Oilers being forced to re-sign Mike Smith and little help coming from the pipeline, they might be willing to trade up if it means drafting their future franchise netminder. Coming off of two straight spectacular seasons in the WHL, Cossa has NHL-caliber size and technical ability. This mock would mean getting at least three games of Cossa vs Wallstedt in the near future, which should excite any hockey fans who value great goaltending.

20. Boston Bruins: Fabian Lysell, LW, Lulea (SHL): With no first round pick last year and a thin farm system, the Bruins would be wise to go best player available here. There are serious questions surrounding Lysell’s game, especially after a rough transition to the SHL, but there’s no denying his speed and explosiveness could translate well at the NHL level. With the talent the Bruins now have in their forward group, they can afford to give Lysell two or three seasons’ worth of development. Medium risk, potentially high reward.

21. Minnesota Wild: Nikita Chibrikov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL): The Wild have started their Russian invasion with Kirill Kaprizov, and it could continue with another KHL product in Chibrikov. His size is on the smaller side and there are questions about his play off the puck, but he has shown skill and the ability to produce points. The Wild would certainly be hoping that he can earn some trust in the KHL, a league notorious for limiting the minutes of younger, non-superstar players.

22. Detroit Red Wings (from Washington): Aatu Raty, C, Karpat (Liiga): With the Red Wings having already made a selection in the first round and needing a center to take Joe Veleno’s spot in their farm system, the Red Wings could decide to take the plunge on Raty. Once seen as a potential number 1 selection, a rough rookie season in Finland’s top league caused his stock to plummet. Scouts already know what his ceiling could be, and Steve Yzerman knows a thing or two about what makes a great center. If Raty can improve his game and emerge into anything at least close to the player he was presume to be at the start of the season, this is a slam dunk selection.

23. Florida Panthers: Xavier Bourgault, C, Shawinigan (QMJHL): The Panthers sure love their two-way centermen; with Aleksander Barkov shedding the underrated label and Anton Lundell a top-six center in the making, Florida would be smart to create a three-headed monster and draft Bourgault. One of the more well-rounded forwards in the class, Bourgault showcased his ability to drive offensive play and the intelligence needed to make plays in all three zones. He’d become an immediate favorite of Joel Quenneville’s when he arrives in Sunrise.

24. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Toronto): Francesco Pinelli, C, Kitchener (OHL): With the Jackets opting for a defenseman in round one, center has to be the selection here. While Pinelli is more of a jack-of-all-trades type of player, that’s not a bad thing to be at this stage of the draft. A playmaker who put up points in the OHL, professionally in Slovenia, and the World Juniors, Pinelli should develop into a solid middle-six center at the NHL level.

25. Minnesota Wild (from Pittsburgh): Daniil Chayka, D, Guelph (OHL): With Ryan Suter bought out and Carson Soucy now part of the Kraken, the Wild will need to get a few more bodies into their defensive corps. Chayka showed a lot of promise as a two-way defenseman in the OHL, but his time in Russia brought up some questions about his game. If he’s learned from playing against stronger competition and develops consistency, this pick could be one of the best ones in the draft.

26. Carolina Hurricanes: Jack Peart, D, Fargo (USHL): While the Hurricanes have a strong defense at the NHL level, Jake Bean’s graduation leaves their prospect system without a top defensive option for the future. The reigning Mr. Hockey as the best player in Minnesota’s high school ranks, Peart was able to transition seamlessly from there to the USHL. A St. Cloud State commit, the Hurricanes can monitor Peart’s progress and let him develop his two-way game. A good spot for one of the draft’s top sleepers.

27. Colorado Avalanche: Sasha Pastujov, LW/RW, U.S. NTDP: Regardless of Gabriel Landeskog’s status, the Avalanche’s lack of true impact prospects out on the wing should make that a point of emphasis with this pick. A Notre Dame commit, Pastujov led the U.S. NTDP in scoring with 30 goals and 65 points, showing great offensive skill to pair with his size and hockey IQ. His dynamic offense would give the Avalanche a nice helping of secondary scoring in the future, which could be the key to making good on their Cup window.

28. New Jersey Devils (from New York Islanders): Simon Robertsson, RW, Skelleftea (SHL): The Devils have high-end talent at virtually every position, but they could use a grinding power forward to help tie it all together. Robertsson has the potential to be that for them, as he’s shown solid forechecking ability and has the size to play the role well. His scoring ability does have to improve against more mature competition, but he could be a fan favorite in New Jersey if he develops properly.

29. Vegas Golden Knights: Logan Stankoven, C/RW, Kamloops (WHL): A team in need of center depth and that can afford to add toughness on top of their skill. Sounds like a perfect fit for Stankoven, a small forward who’s not afraid to combine his speed and skill with physicality and ability to play in the rough areas. He’d be a good replacement for Jonathan Marchessault if he chooses not to re-sign after his contract expires in a couple years, and a good complement if he does.

30. Montreal Canadiens: Zachary Bolduc, C, Rimouski (QMJHL): With Phillip Danault likely on his way out of Montreal and the Canadiens running surprisingly thin on homegrown talent, they can land some good value with Bolduc. A strong two-way center, Bolduc has based his value on his impressive playmaking ability to go with plus speed and hockey IQ. While the center position is still safe with the emergence of Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, adding Bolduc into the middle six would be helpful.

31. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Tampa Bay): Zach Dean, C, Gatineau (QMJHL): The Blue Jackets elect to double down on centers by selecting Dean for more depth up the middle. Injuries plagued Dean’s draft year, but he’s already gaining a reputation as a pest and consistent net-front presence, both of which Columbus doesn’t really have at the moment. With skill in place, the Blue Jackets would certainly be hoping Dean’s physical style translates to some hard-fought victories.