Super 16: Predators, Devils climb power rankings in busy offseason
The NHL offseason is officially in full swing, and with it comes a flurry of trades, free agent signings, and a whole lot of speculation about which teams are poised for a big year. Power rankings are always a fun way to gauge where teams stand, and this year is no different. The Predators and Devils have made significant moves this offseason, and their efforts are being recognized by some of the top hockey minds in the business.
The Predators, despite losing star forward Filip Forsberg in free agency, have added some key pieces, including Ryan O’Reilly, who brings a wealth of experience and leadership to a team looking to compete for a Stanley Cup. Adding Ivan Barbashev, who put up a career-high 25 goals last year with the Blues, gives Nashville more scoring depth, and with the Predators having a solid core in place, it’s no surprise that they are being considered a more potent team.
The Devils, on the other hand, are looking to take the next step in their rebuild. Their offseason moves have been focused on adding depth and experience, with the signing of Tyler Bertuzzi being a major coup. Bertuzzi, a known tough guy and skilled goal scorer, brings another potent offensive weapon to a Devils team that is already high on talent. The Devils have been slowly building up their roster in recent years, and this offseason’s additions are a clear indication that they are ready to make some noise in the Eastern Conference.
But while the Predators and Devils are climbing the power rankings, there are also some teams that are moving in the opposite direction. The Panthers, who were widely considered the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, have seen their ranking drop after losing their top two stars, Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. It remains to be seen how they will fare without their dynamic duo.
So, where do the Predators and Devils stand in the latest Super 16 power rankings? To find out, we’ve compiled a list of the rankings from various NHL writers and analysts.
- The Predators and Devils have climbed the power rankings in the NHL offseason due to their significant moves and additions.
- Ryan O’Reilly and Ivan Barbashev are key acquisitions for the Predators, boosting their scoring depth and leadership.
- The Devils are focused on adding depth and experience, with Tyler Bertuzzi bringing offensive firepower to their roster.
- The Panthers have seen a drop in rankings after losing top stars Barkov and Tkachuk, impacting their Stanley Cup prospects.
- The Predators are poised for a deep playoff run with their strong core and offseason improvements, gaining recognition from NHL experts.
- Both teams are signaling readiness to compete at a higher level in their respective conferences with strategic offseason moves.
The Predators’ Rise
The Predators have been a consistent playoff contender in recent years, and their offseason moves have certainly given them the potential to make a deep run this year. They have received a lot of love from the experts, with several analysts placing them in the top 10.
Amalie Benjamin, for example, has the Predators ranked 8th, while Jean-François Chaumont and Nicholas J. Cotsonika both have them at 9th. Bill Price has them even higher, at 2nd, and Adam Kimelman has them at 6th. This general consensus is a clear indication that both fans and experts believe the Predators are a legitimate contender for the Cup.
The Predators’ success will likely depend on the performance of their new additions, particularly Ryan O’Reilly. O’Reilly, a former Conn Smythe Trophy winner, is a proven leader and playmaker, and he will be tasked with helping the Predators solidify their identity as a contender in the tough Central Division.
The Devils’ Resurgence
The Devils, after years of rebuilding, are starting to look like a real threat in the Eastern Conference. They have been steadily acquiring talented young players, and their offseason moves have shown that they are ready to take the next step.
Brian Compton has the Devils ranked 13th, while Mike G. Morreale has them at 10th. Tom Gulitti has them at 11th, and Shawn P. Roarke has them at 10th. While these rankings may not seem overly impressive, it’s important to note that the Devils are a young team with a lot of potential. They have the talent to make a run for the playoffs, and they are definitely a team to watch.
The Devils’ success will likely depend on the development of their young stars, such as Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Hughes has already established himself as a dynamic playmaker, and Hischier has proven to be a reliable two-way forward. The Devils have a good mix of young talent and veteran leadership, and they are poised to make some noise in the Eastern Conference.
Looking Ahead
The NHL season is still a few months away, but the offseason has already given us a glimpse into the potential of some of the league’s top teams. The Predators and Devils are two teams that have made significant moves, and their efforts are starting to be recognized by the experts. It will be interesting to see how they perform once the puck drops.
Of course, the power rankings are just a snapshot of where teams stand at this point in time. There will be plenty of movement up and down the rankings as the season progresses, and it will be interesting to see which teams emerge as the true contenders.
One thing is for sure: the 2023-24 NHL season promises to be an exciting one. Several teams are looking to make a run for the Stanley Cup, and the Predators and Devils are two teams that are definitely in the mix.
The Full Super 16 Rankings
Here is a breakdown of the full Super 16 rankings from the various analysts:
| Analyst | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | 16th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amalie Benjamin | Florida Panthers | Carolina Hurricanes | Edmonton Oilers | New York Rangers | Colorado Avalanche | Dallas Stars | Boston Bruins | Nashville Predators | New Jersey Devils | Tampa Bay Lightning | Toronto Maple Leafs | Vancouver Canucks | Los Angeles Kings | Vegas Golden Knights | New York Islanders | Winnipeg Jets |
| Jean-François Chaumont | Edmonton Oilers | Florida Panthers | Boston Bruins | Dallas Stars | New York Rangers | Toronto Maple Leafs | Colorado Avalanche | Nashville Predators | New Jersey Devils | Vancouver Canucks | Tampa Bay Lightning | Vegas Golden Knights | Carolina Hurricanes | Los Angeles Kings | Winnipeg Jets | Buffalo Sabres |
| Brian Compton | Florida Panthers | Edmonton Oilers | Nashville Predators | Boston Bruins | Vancouver Canucks | Dallas Stars | New York Rangers | Colorado Avalanche | Toronto Maple Leafs | Winnipeg Jets | New York Islanders | Los Angeles Kings | New Jersey Devils | St. Louis Blues | Carolina Hurricanes | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Nicholas J. Cotsonika | Florida Panthers | Edmonton Oilers | New York Rangers | Dallas Stars | Colorado Avalanche | Boston Bruins | Carolina Hurricanes | Vancouver Canucks | Nashville Predators | Toronto Maple Leafs | Winnipeg Jets | Tampa Bay Lightning | Vegas Golden Knights | Los Angeles Kings | New York Islanders | Washington Capitals |
| Tom Gulitti | Florida Panthers | Edmonton Oilers | New York Rangers | Dallas Stars | Boston Bruins | Carolina Hurricanes | Colorado Avalanche | Nashville Predators | Vancouver Canucks | Toronto Maple Leafs | New Jersey Devils | Vegas Golden Knights | Tampa Bay Lightning | Washington Capitals | Winnipeg Jets | Los Angeles Kings |
| Adam Kimelman | Dallas Stars | Florida Panthers | Colorado Avalanche | Vancouver Canucks | New York Rangers | Nashville Predators | Boston Bruins | Edmonton Oilers | New Jersey Devils | Toronto Maple Leafs | Tampa Bay Lightning | Vegas Golden Knights | Washington Capitals | Winnipeg Jets | Ottawa Senators | Seattle Kraken |
| Mike G. Morreale | Florida Panthers | Edmonton Oilers | Dallas Stars | New York Rangers | Nashville Predators | Vancouver Canucks | Boston Bruins | Colorado Avalanche | New Jersey Devils | Toronto Maple Leafs | Tampa Bay Lightning | Los Angeles Kings | Vegas Golden Knights | St. Louis Blues | Philadelphia Flyers | |
| Tracey Myers | Florida Panthers | Edmonton Oilers | Vancouver Canucks | New York Rangers | Boston Bruins | Colorado Avalanche | Toronto Maple Leafs | Nashville Predators | Dallas Stars | Carolina Hurricanes | Vegas Golden Knights | Tampa Bay Lightning | Winnipeg Jets | Los Angeles Kings | Seattle Kraken | New Jersey Devils |
| Bill Price | Florida Panthers | Nashville Predators | Edmonton Oilers | Boston Bruins | New York Rangers | Colorado Avalanche | Carolina Hurricanes | Vancouver Canucks | Winnipeg Jets | New Jersey Devils | Toronto Maple Leafs | Los Angeles Kings | Tampa Bay Lightning | New York Islanders | Washington Capitals | Utah Hockey Club |
| Shawn P. Roarke | Florida Panthers | Edmonton Oilers | Colorado Avalanche | Boston Bruins | New York Rangers | Dallas Stars | Nashville Predators | Winnipeg Jets | Tampa Bay Lightning | New Jersey Devils | Carolina Hurricanes | Toronto Maple Leafs | Detroit Red Wings | Los Angeles Kings | Vegas Golden Knights | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Dan Rosen | Edmonton Oilers | Florida Panthers | New York Rangers | Boston Bruins | Dallas Stars | Nashville Predators | Toronto Maple Leafs | Vancouver Canucks | Colorado Avalanche | New Jersey Devils | Carolina Hurricanes | Tampa Bay Lightning | Vegas Golden Knights | Los Angeles Kings | Winnipeg Jets | New York Islanders |
| Derek Van Diest | Edmonton Oilers | Florida Panthers | Nashville Predators | New York Rangers | Dallas Stars | Vancouver Canucks | Carolina Hurricanes | Boston Bruins | Colorado Avalanche | Toronto Maple Leafs | New Jersey Devils | Los Angeles Kings | Detroit Red Wings | Minnesota Wild | Winnipeg Jets | Washington Capitals |
| Mike Zeisberger | Florida Panthers | Edmonton Oilers | New Jersey Devils | Dallas Stars | New York Rangers | Colorado Avalanche | Boston Bruins | Toronto Maple Leafs | Carolina Hurricanes | Vancouver Canucks | Nashville Predators | Tampa Bay Lightning | Vegas Golden Knights | Washington Capitals | New York Islanders | Utah Hockey Club |
As you can see, the Predators and Devils are both ranked in the top 10 by several analysts, with the Devils even making it into the top 3 in one ranking.
It’s still early, but these rankings suggest that the Predators and Devils are both teams to watch this season. They have the talent and the potential to make a deep run in the playoffs, and they will be looking to prove their doubters wrong. Keep an eye on these two teams, as they could be the surprise teams of the season.
