They could easily be a sneaky team that's in the wildcard discussion for soke of year but at the end of the day they're still a year or 2 away. Doesn't help they play in the same division as Florida, Toronto, Tampa and Boston (could throw Detroit as a solid playoff hunter too).
If you look at the teams that are clearly above them, there isn't not that many. Habs done good so far, and who knows, if they get the chemistry going they are already in.
Hab fan here and I think he hit it right on - We have a lot of insane talent but they need to mature and it will take time for the chemistry to settle in. But we are definitely on the verge of the end of the rebuild.
Good young talent. Goaltending could be an issue. Slavkovsky is growing. Sizuki is becoming a beast. Theyll be in hunt for sure. As good as detroit if you ask me..
They added a potential vezina winner in Markstrom. Should get better health from their players and improvement from guys like the Hughes brothers and Nemec.
They missed the playoffs solely because of injuries and bad goaltending. Now they've added Markstrom and are fully healthy, so in theory they should be a contender
The Boston is getting older narrative is inaccurate. They have 4 players 30 or older and one older than 32. One of those 30 year olds is their new backup. They're the 4th youngest team in the league ATM.
Boston's only hope at any chance of winning is Swayman. Bunch of washed up old parts couldn't get it done last year and I barely see them squeaking into the playoffs this year. A top 5 goalie won't score goals and Boston is looking pretty bad at that. Been a fan since the 80s but I'm a realist, without reliable scoring, they're gonna SUCK
@@winkletown8828Why do you need reliable scoring? Scoring is enough, it doesn’t matter if it’s the result of extreme puck luck 😁 Not a Boston fan but I wish them good luck anyway. 😎
- 2 high firsts next year if Calgary doesn't make the playoffs. - Insane roster flexibility in 2027 & beyond with some big players locked down long-term. - no retained cap after this season. - Ability to possibly resign Laine if he works out - insane farm system with lots of cap & no real anchor contracts at all come 2027/2028 Montreal is about to be a monster, which is really annoying.
You don't like their roster as much as Carolina or NY Rangers? Not saying I disagree with questioning their legitimacy in that convo, but they do at least look good on paper
If the 1st tier only means they will end up 1st in their division, I could see this happening. If it really means cup contender I 100% disagree. Playoff hockey is really different than regular season hockey. The Devila were really good 2 years ago, they could end up with a lot of points again this year. But in terms of playoffs, Nashville has better chances at winning the cup because of the experience of the vets
As a Devils fan, I think playoff team is more fitting, but this roster is arguably better than the 2022-2023 roster. Stay healthy, get at least average goaltending and this team at minimum is a playoff lock
Stars fan here, my vibes are hungry. I feel like my team isn’t the most glamorous on paper for anyone. Stars haven’t been this good since the turn of the century but we are hungry. We were there in 2020. And we’ve been on the doorstep the past two seasons. In Jim Nill we trust. The stars are the deepest team in hockey right now because we want it bad in Dallas. Vibes are good
@@joannathiessen4681 Kind of, but I think of a team like Toronto, the vibes in Toronto are not great, they aren't panicked from what I have seen, there is more apathy than panic. Like a "would you just overachieve for once". Or a Philadelphia, they seem panicked about the direction of the team but also have good vibes at the same time with the prospects.
New Jersey Devils: I'm putting them in the Cup contender tier Me, a Devils fan: could everyone _PLEASE_ please please please please _PLEAAAASE_ ...STOP DOING THIS to us
Pens will be just as bad as last year. As much as 87 wants to will this dying team into the playoffs, it's not gonna happen. I get the excitement about Rutger and the extension to Ned, but our left-wing depth is still bad, I'm not sold on Kevin Hayes as the 3C, and who knows how much more consistent Jarry will be. Let's just hope we remain better than the Flyers (we'll save the tanking for next season when we get McKenna in the lottery (it's already in the script lol))
MTL shouldn't be in the hunt as a Habs fan. We COULD be in the hunt but with unreliable health from Laine Caufield Slaf Dach and back to back botttom 5 seasons. We probably will be bottom 10 again. Around 7th-12th worst.
Finally a leafs wan who wont talk shit about the Habs :D I see the Habs in the hunt, but not in the playoffs (like detroit last year). Obviously it HAS to be an healthy season, if not we're doomed again (ottawa is always a disappointment, just don't trust this team at all to do anything unless they make major changes in the roster)
Habs won't make it but could be a sneaky 40 win 90 point team. A healthy top 6 of Suzuki Caufield Slafkovsky Laine Newhook Dach could be really nice. And if Hutson has a Calder contention season which he definitely could then hey maybe.
With the Laine signing, I feel they have caught up to Detroit, Buffalo & Ottawa. A healthy blueline and above expectation performance from Montembeault will have them competing for sure.
They only won 20 games in regulation last season. Like Detroit, their record was boosted quite a bit by their ability in 3v3 and shootouts. I trust much more in a team's 5 on 5 record to be stable than I do for a team to repeat with 14 or 16 wins after regulation. I would expect both teams to regress down to about 10 wins after regulation. That would mean that to get 40 wins, Montreal needs a 50% increase in their regulation wins if they only get 10 wins after regulation next season.
@@gabrielrockmanthis is the same reason why I am not high on the Leafs and think they’re actually going to take a step back. I also don’t think Montreal will make the playoffs but they won’t be an easy win like they have in the past.
Montreal isn't a threat, won't be for a long time. 20-30 wins is expected. You already know Laine doesn't want to be there so don't expect a big season. Canfield and Slaffy aren't carrying a bunch of bums to anything great. Even if they start surpassing expectations, I'm sure Trudeau will find some communist loophole to stop them. 🤣🤣🤣
I'm trying my best to not be biased about this but I think that the Rangers and Devils should be swapped. Yes the Devils are one of the most improved teams this offseason, but from not even being in the race for a wild card spot to being a cup contender seems crazy. The Rangers however are currently in their window for the cup. they may not have done very much this offseason, but they got a forward to play with Kreider and Zibanejad on the first line, which was very much needed. Their top six in general is very very strong, especially the second line with Panarin, Lafrenière, and Trocheck. Also, Jacob Markstrom is obviously a very good and strong goalie, and good on the Devils for acquiring him, but he's getting older, as he's 34, and Igor Shesterkin is just better. Markstrom has a .905 SV% and 2.78 GAA, which is really good, but Shesterkin ended the regular season with a .913 SV% and 2.58 GAA, and ended the playoffs even better with a .927 SV% and 2.34 GAA. The Rangers are also very good on their special teams and have a good defense. These are obviously just my thoughts and opinions but I believe the New York Rangers are currently a stronger and better team overall than the New Jersey Devils.
NJD is getting Hamilton back and they have 2 good goalies. Markstrom and Allen alone bring them in the playoffs. I like the Rangers and i think they are a contender, but the Devils are too.
Yeah it will be interesting. I think the devils are the stronger offensive unit, and with the improved defense, we’ll see. Also going from league worst goaltending to Markstrom is going to make an insane difference in points
The east coast commiefornia Rangers are hot garbage. They have 2 guys that can score somewhat consistently, but running the same play time after time isn't going to bode well as every team with any brain power has it figured out by now. Shesterkin should have demanded a trade to a team that actually has a shot. Like Florida, Jersey or Carolina. The aging core that they rely on to do anything in East coast commiefornia isn't good enough to get it done. If they make the playoffs this season I'll be surprised. No sho fox, missing in action panarin and one trick pony lafrenierre pose no threat.
Not a devils fan but I pay attention to all teams and you can tell the amount of people who either only pay attention to their team or started watching last year by this comment section. 2 years ago they were 3rd in the league and made it to round 2 where they lost Carolina who was 2nd in the league that year and last year they were decimated by injury’s and everything just fell apart. They are not even remotely close to as bad as what happened last year and with less injury issues it is not crazy in the slightest to have them as a cup contender. I would still take panthers and rangers above them in the east but they will be up there
With their coach Montreal will surprise a lot of people he has a way with players and their getting better with talent. Never count Colorado or Tampa bay out of anything.well coached and a good organization.
Honestly I feel like Tampa should go in playoff team, Guentzel is an huge addition, should be a great replacement for Stamkos. Moser, McDonagh are great additions to the defense and I think Atkinson can bounce back. along with Point and Kucherov in their prime. I think they should be a lock. Love the videos OhNyquist!
The only problem is the Atlantic is tough as shit. Only two teams are really locks (Panthers and Leafs), everyone else except maybe the Habs are looking to be in the hunt for those wildcard spots.
Fair classification of the Blues. The thing really holding them back is the lack of a proper 2C. At this moment, unless Texier suddenly puts it all together or Dvorsky wows in camp and is really ready for the bigs or Schenn has a sudden renaissance after two seasons of noticeably more cold than hot, it's what would keep them from doing anything in the playoffs should they make it. And they might, but they'll need to stay unusually healthy to do it. Honestly, I think next season will be the one where they start making real leaps. And then after that, they're probably gonna be really scary for a while.
I think NJD need a season or two to cook and stir, and next year it's a go. this year? probably a solid play offs, competetive 2nd round exit. I would love to be wrong. I think people underestimate how bad it was to lose McLeod. He was my favorite 3rd line C in the entier league.
OhNyquist: *clearly explains why he thinks the Devils are a contender* The comments: "omg how do you have the Devils in contender tier?" Guys. Use your ears and brains.
Doesn’t matter they’re not gonna do much in the playoffs assuming they make it they’d get folded by rags canes bruins and panthers in a seven game series
Really think Pens should be "in the hunt" category. Don’t think they make it, but they’re for sure in the mix. They were very close last year, and they added better depth, and hopefully the PP isn’t gonna be disastrous again
Habs are going to upset is what my hopes are. There is a core for sure and with laine if he stays clean and wants to have a cup sometime in his life he needs to perform and the first two lines are dangerous so pretty good and decent two last lines so it ain’t that bad , not to mention the D lines are NOT bad this year it’s gonna be something can’t be as bad as last year lol
Feels really weird to call the avs suspect on depth considering Landeskog is actually expected to return around the 1/4 mark of the season. Easily one of the best top 9's in the league with Landeskog or Nichushkin in. I get calling or Georgiev too but man.. Can't blame the playoffs on him, he was a stud in the playoffs and in the regular season he actually get some proper load management by having a real backup in Annunen. I think I'd feel better about them being just a playoff team if the Devils weren't a contender, that's just a terrible take. A take for the sake of catching eyes isn't a very good take.
It's because they think jack hughes is going to be the next connor mcdavid or sidney crosby And honestly he's really good, but I don't see him being that good. I think connor bedard has more skill than him and is only going to get better as long as he doesn't get hurt since he is on the small side
@wyattmays7341 Nothing we can do to get rid of him. As of now he's back late Nov/Early Dec. The avs would never cut Landy, 92 is going up to the rafters. He'll be back this year in some capacity anyways.
@@Nate-vq8wy before his initial injury last season he was above 2pts a game pace. He's good enough to be a top 10 player in the league. He just needs to stay healthy along with the rest of his supporting cast.
I really enjoyed the video 😀👍❤️ I hope you’re right about Detroit, being in the hunt is so exciting! In my opinion any team that is almost certain to reach the playoffs is a cup contender, but of course some of those teams are more likely to win than others. That is, on paper, assuming that they will all be healthy and not experiencing really bad puck luck, which can happen to any team. I’m so excited for this upcoming season!
New Jersey got hit by the Montreal infirmary bad luck last season, could be really different if their best players stay healthy! Hughes missed 20 games and Hamilton missed 62 games. Toffoli missed 21 games, Meier missed 13 games, Hischier missed 11 games who are also good players. If I'm not mistaken, they were a top 3-5 team in the league until Hughes got injured last year, but don't quote me on that.
I think the Habs will be an interesting team to watch because we'll see which players will develop and who who will disappoint. Chemistry in the making. (Goaltending remains a huge question mark for this coming season.)
I think the blues are a sleeper to make the playoffs. If they were an eastern conference team, they would’ve made it last season(better record than Washington) With Vegas being significantly weaker it wouldn’t surprise me if the blues finished 5th in the central securing a wild card spot while Vegas and La don’t make the playoffs. Plus their group of young guys could really surprise people if one or 2 of them have break out seasons. I still agree that they are in the hunt and not a for sure playoff team, but on paper I think their bottom six depth is way better than last year.
I think that Samsonov is an excellent backup goalie. The issue is that the Leafs tried making him a starter, and he never showed he would be able to do that consistently. His mental is his main issue, and if the Leafs were to keep him, he would probably implode once more being Woll's backup, since that would be a relegation for him. Him moving to VGK directly as a Backup could be great for him.
Was about to say wtf to this but honestly might be true. (Stars fan here) was gonna say that there’s no way the nucks and oilers both dominate their division hard enough to both be contenders but then again, the kings are mid, Vegas is crashing, Seattle is trying to get going and the rest of the pacific is basically mid or rebuilding trash rn so maybe. The jets probably have another good run in for them but central just keeps getting tougher and I think central is now the toughest division. Stars are still in my bias the goats of central, but the Avs go hard and so will Nashville with all the buys they’ve made, the jets will have to work really hard to steal a lock position or command a wildcard. All in all I don’t see the pacific getting a wild card this year
@@wyattmays7341 yeah man, the big weakness on Canucks this year is their bottom 2 D pairs, but the thing is, those bottom 4 area at least all good PK players. They can take that load completely away from Hughes and Hronek
@@caseyjones5930 also hope your goalies stay healthy i know we got desmith from yall but yall seem fine with your third and first strings just need them alive for playoffs
It’s just glazing amongst the NHL and its fans. They’re not even a playoff team they’re in the hunt. The style of play they played under ruff isn’t much different under keefe….
@lllllllll153 their defense is a lot better and the goaltending is significantly better too. Do I think they win the cup? No, but crazier things have happened.
In addition to the internal growth of the young core, Anaheim will see improvement in the standings by virtue of health alone. Carlsson, Mintyukov, Zegras and McTavish all missed significant time last year. Zellweger and Gauthier will be regulars now. Lots of people forget Anaheim had well over 320 man games lost last season. They also suffered from many 1 goal losses that were winnable games even with their main horses out of the lineup.
And they were the most penalized team with the worst PK (31st actually). By fixing those problems, having better injury luck and growth of young players they should be fighting for fifth in Pacific (at least)
The ducks are either gonna push for wild card or be last in the division, no between Them and the Habs are in the same area, they have growth comming up, but they need to stay healthy
@newtrystan3533 Canadiens are going to be trash for years. No star wants to play for them so they're stuck in bottom feeder position for a very long time. Just like the sharks. First round picks don't win cups, teams do, big time players making big time plays do, coaching, chemistry and grit are lacking on both of these teams. I look forward to watching them fail for another decade and are forced to sell their teams to someone who can actually build a team.
Pretty good list; mine wasn't too different from yours, with the biggest difference being I had New Jersey as a playoff team, not a cup contender lol. Only thing I didn't like was that you didn't use the new Ducks and Kings logos smh.
My tier list. (the order of teams is best to worst) Cup Contender: Oilers, Dallas, Playoff Team: New Jersey, Florida, New York, Carolina, Colorado, Boston, Toronto, Vancouver, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Winnipeg In the Hunt: Vegas, LA, Islanders, Detroit, Washington, Utah, Seattle, Montreal, Buffalo No Playoffs: Ottawa, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Basement: Chicago, Calgary, San Jose, Anaheim, Columbus
I think bruins will get better over the next couple years... when they get out from under coycles contract and marchy will inevitably hafta to take a pay cut to finish out his career. Pasta isnt gonna slow down. Mcavoy may not be a top 5 defenseman but hes clearly a #1 on most teams and the rest of the d corp will take off the pressure on him. It all hangs on swayman... can he sustain or even get better?
On point including the devils as a pick.Alot of people will be suprized by them this year.Well not the people who know hockey at least and know that the devils where plagued with bad luck when it came to injuries.
I don't doubt the Devils as cup contenders, but if you're only picking one team from each division to be cup contenders, I don't think the Devils are going to be better than the Hurricanes or Rangers. Hurricanes lost some pieces, but I think they've made up for what they've lost and they have a great record of building up players that other people underestimate. Also, I think the Predators are going to be the best team in the West, hands down. If you think the Devils moves make them cup contenders, you need to look at the Predators. Preds kept all their best players, and only added even better players.
eh i think georgiev will be fine with the avs this season. he showed no matter how he is in regular season, he shows up for playoffs. i think also landeskog is a blind spot for anyone making a tier list who forgot hes coming back in November and will have plenty of time to get his game back by playoffs.
I like the format, and your reasoning. Great video. But, with due respect, might I just add that if you are going to make a video like this, you really shouldn't rely on how teams finished last year. The teams, ages, coaches, cap hits, and goalie and injury situations are completely different. You pretty much just did an exact carbon copy of last year's performance. Every single one of your playoff teams and basement teams finished as playoff and basement teams last year. You have to demote or promote teams for these lists to be both insightful and accurate. For instance, which is the young breakthrough team? Detroit? Montreal? Utah due to amassing talent? Seattle due to systems-hockey? Buffalo putting it together? And which contender falls out of contention due to goaltending, or not managing the cap? This to say: surprise us, and then convince us.
Columbus should be a tier up. Add Monahan, Gaudreau has to be more productive but also Fantilli, Johnson, Sillinger, Jiricek, the three Russians are all gonna be better than last year. Team just needs some stability.
Nate Mac and makar make the avs a cup contender. One of the top 3 forwards and arguably the best defenceman in the game plus the captain most likely coming back
I mean Vegas and Boston of course since those two teams have regressed significantly. Colorado also kinda regressed but I would put the Rangers over the Devils
The Habs are going to be awesome in a few years but the overhype going into this season is insane. Reminds me of the Sens overhype the past few offseason’s and we’ve all saw how that turned out. You have them right where they should be.
Habs fan here ... yes I agree, we should be better than last year (if healthy) but not good enough to make the playoffs yet. We have a lot of young players that need more experience under their belt.
I agree, Just because they added Markstrom, An Unproven goalie that cant stop shots, I think they are bottom or middle of the pack near the end of the season. If not missing again
Biased Avs fan here, I think with Landy coming back, along with O’Connor and potentially Nichuskin, that solves the depth issues, and Georgie will really benefit from Annunen starting more games this year, since dude was way to tired to play as good as we know he can consistently
I hope that Jeff Skinner pulls an Eichel and wins a cup the next season after a move. Poor guy has over 1000 games played and no playoffs. Corey Perry, I get he won a cup in Anaheim, but man he has some piss poor luck last few years being in so many losing teams in the finals. McDavid will do McDavid things again, same with Draisaitl. Hope they can take it this year. Go Oilers bring the cup back to Edmonton this year
Bruins got some cap space and good talent considering how many assets and draft picks they traded away over the last decade. I don't see them colapsing soon, they should be over this risk as all their old guys retired except for Marchy. As always a big what if with how they use the money
NJD in Cup Contenders with a meh goalie tandem, mostly unproven and inexperienced core, and a coach that has already shown he cant lead an arguably better team past the first round of the playoffs is a WILD hot take my dude
I don’t think the Canucks make the playoffs this year. Thatcher Demko has a permanent “career altering” injury. Due to the way the Canucks miss handled Demko’s recovery from his initial injury I could see him demanding a trade out of Vancouver or deciding to retire if the injury has a significant impact on the way that he plays. As for the Quinn Hughes I think that the Canucks will lose him to New Jersey either in the form of a trade or via free agency. As for Brock Boeser I think he ends up playing for the Wild via a trade or free agency.
Tampa fan here - call me biased, but I think having us 'In the hunt' and not a playoff team is wildly short sighted. Vasy missed a ton of time last season, and when he got back he was overused to try and limp us into the playoffs. The blue line was ass and has since been IMO, totally retooled and upgraded. Stammer leaves, but is replaced with a younger (better 5v5) player in Guentzel. I think with a full summer to recover and a better defense in front of him we can expect Vasy to bounce back, in conjunction with the best top line in the league and a couple key depth pieces like Nick Paul, Hagel, and Cirelli, we should be scoring just fine. No way we miss the playoffs with this team.
Sad news for Sabres, Sens, and Red Wings fans I think the Eastern conference playoffs are still going to be pretty similar to last year except the Devils should get in. Hope I'm wrong though would be nice to see a switch up in the Atlantic division of the teams getting into the playoffs
Not a habs fan but i think this habs team could surprise a lot of people
They could easily be a sneaky team that's in the wildcard discussion for soke of year but at the end of the day they're still a year or 2 away. Doesn't help they play in the same division as Florida, Toronto, Tampa and Boston (could throw Detroit as a solid playoff hunter too).
If you look at the teams that are clearly above them, there isn't not that many. Habs done good so far, and who knows, if they get the chemistry going they are already in.
Hab fan here and I think he hit it right on - We have a lot of insane talent but they need to mature and it will take time for the chemistry to settle in. But we are definitely on the verge of the end of the rebuild.
Good young talent. Goaltending could be an issue. Slavkovsky is growing. Sizuki is becoming a beast. Theyll be in hunt for sure. As good as detroit if you ask me..
I don't get how Devils go from no playoffs last season to cup contender coming season
season before last season.
They added a potential vezina winner in Markstrom. Should get better health from their players and improvement from guys like the Hughes brothers and Nemec.
They missed the playoffs solely because of injuries and bad goaltending. Now they've added Markstrom and are fully healthy, so in theory they should be a contender
Thats why he said it was a controversial take. Also remember Vegas went from no playoffs to winning the cup.
Vegas went also from missin playoffs to win the cup..
The Boston is getting older narrative is inaccurate. They have 4 players 30 or older and one older than 32. One of those 30 year olds is their new backup. They're the 4th youngest team in the league ATM.
A lot of people think it’s still 2021 lol
It's weird how people still say that after all the old guys (Bergy, Rask, Chara, Krejci, etc) have retired.
Boston's only hope at any chance of winning is Swayman. Bunch of washed up old parts couldn't get it done last year and I barely see them squeaking into the playoffs this year. A top 5 goalie won't score goals and Boston is looking pretty bad at that.
Been a fan since the 80s but I'm a realist, without reliable scoring, they're gonna SUCK
@@winkletown8828 troll comment
@@winkletown8828Why do you need reliable scoring? Scoring is enough, it doesn’t matter if it’s the result of extreme puck luck 😁 Not a Boston fan but I wish them good luck anyway. 😎
Can't wait to watch the habs in the next decade. Going to be electric
Me too! Gonna go to the Bell Center a few times for sure!!
No Price level goalie no playoffs
Jacob fowler will be good or we can trade for a decent goalie
- 2 high firsts next year if Calgary doesn't make the playoffs.
- Insane roster flexibility in 2027 & beyond with some big players locked down long-term.
- no retained cap after this season.
- Ability to possibly resign Laine if he works out
- insane farm system with lots of cap & no real anchor contracts at all come 2027/2028
Montreal is about to be a monster, which is really annoying.
@@frequentsee3815 When Montreal is a monster, the NHL is a fun and better place. Habs fan here.
DEVILS IN CUP CONTENDER???? Cmon...
Thats why he said it was a controversial take. Also remember Vegas went from no playoffs to winning the cup.
You don't like their roster as much as Carolina or NY Rangers? Not saying I disagree with questioning their legitimacy in that convo, but they do at least look good on paper
they finally have a goalie, and they get Dougie Hamilton back....
If the 1st tier only means they will end up 1st in their division, I could see this happening. If it really means cup contender I 100% disagree. Playoff hockey is really different than regular season hockey. The Devila were really good 2 years ago, they could end up with a lot of points again this year. But in terms of playoffs, Nashville has better chances at winning the cup because of the experience of the vets
As a Devils fan, I think playoff team is more fitting, but this roster is arguably better than the 2022-2023 roster. Stay healthy, get at least average goaltending and this team at minimum is a playoff lock
I wish someone would make a "Vibes" tierlist. Based on teams/fanbases have things to look forward too/feeling good about their team.
Stars fan here, my vibes are hungry. I feel like my team isn’t the most glamorous on paper for anyone. Stars haven’t been this good since the turn of the century but we are hungry. We were there in 2020. And we’ve been on the doorstep the past two seasons. In Jim Nill we trust. The stars are the deepest team in hockey right now because we want it bad in Dallas. Vibes are good
This sounds maybe like the hockey guy’s panic indexes? Maybe? Idk
Great idea!
Fanbase did vote for management and team vibes from what I recall. Just not a video on it lol
@@joannathiessen4681 Kind of, but I think of a team like Toronto, the vibes in Toronto are not great, they aren't panicked from what I have seen, there is more apathy than panic. Like a "would you just overachieve for once".
Or a Philadelphia, they seem panicked about the direction of the team but also have good vibes at the same time with the prospects.
the devils cup contender? what?
It's a pretty popular take, people were saying it last preseason before injuries and goaltending became an issue.
Thats why he said it was a controversial take. Also remember Vegas went from no playoffs to winning the cup.
New Jersey Devils: I'm putting them in the Cup contender tier
Me, a Devils fan: could everyone _PLEASE_ please please please please _PLEAAAASE_ ...STOP DOING THIS to us
We all know that the real jinx hockey youtuber is THG, not Nyquist lol
Pens 5th line is gonna carry
Pens will be just as bad as last year. As much as 87 wants to will this dying team into the playoffs, it's not gonna happen. I get the excitement about Rutger and the extension to Ned, but our left-wing depth is still bad, I'm not sold on Kevin Hayes as the 3C, and who knows how much more consistent Jarry will be.
Let's just hope we remain better than the Flyers (we'll save the tanking for next season when we get McKenna in the lottery (it's already in the script lol))
I would have put Montreal in the hunt, i see every atlantic team next season in the 80+ points (unless Ottawa is a disappointment again)
MTL shouldn't be in the hunt as a Habs fan. We COULD be in the hunt but with unreliable health from Laine Caufield Slaf Dach and back to back botttom 5 seasons. We probably will be bottom 10 again. Around 7th-12th worst.
We had 78 points with terrible goaltending. With Ullmark in net we for sure will be 80+
Finally a leafs wan who wont talk shit about the Habs :D
I see the Habs in the hunt, but not in the playoffs (like detroit last year).
Obviously it HAS to be an healthy season, if not we're doomed again
(ottawa is always a disappointment, just don't trust this team at all to do anything unless they make major changes in the roster)
@@sens_outlookthe Sens will never make the playoffs again
In the hunt....for what, exaxtly?
Not the playoffs
Habs won't make it but could be a sneaky 40 win 90 point team. A healthy top 6 of Suzuki Caufield Slafkovsky Laine Newhook Dach could be really nice. And if Hutson has a Calder contention season which he definitely could then hey maybe.
With the Laine signing, I feel they have caught up to Detroit, Buffalo & Ottawa. A healthy blueline and above expectation performance from Montembeault will have them competing for sure.
They only won 20 games in regulation last season. Like Detroit, their record was boosted quite a bit by their ability in 3v3 and shootouts. I trust much more in a team's 5 on 5 record to be stable than I do for a team to repeat with 14 or 16 wins after regulation.
I would expect both teams to regress down to about 10 wins after regulation. That would mean that to get 40 wins, Montreal needs a 50% increase in their regulation wins if they only get 10 wins after regulation next season.
@@gabrielrockmanthis is the same reason why I am not high on the Leafs and think they’re actually going to take a step back.
I also don’t think Montreal will make the playoffs but they won’t be an easy win like they have in the past.
Montreal isn't a threat, won't be for a long time. 20-30 wins is expected. You already know Laine doesn't want to be there so don't expect a big season. Canfield and Slaffy aren't carrying a bunch of bums to anything great. Even if they start surpassing expectations, I'm sure Trudeau will find some communist loophole to stop them. 🤣🤣🤣
@@winkletown8828 Shit reading this was a waste of 6 second your a joke dude
Ps it’s Caufield BTW
I'm trying my best to not be biased about this but I think that the Rangers and Devils should be swapped. Yes the Devils are one of the most improved teams this offseason, but from not even being in the race for a wild card spot to being a cup contender seems crazy. The Rangers however are currently in their window for the cup. they may not have done very much this offseason, but they got a forward to play with Kreider and Zibanejad on the first line, which was very much needed. Their top six in general is very very strong, especially the second line with Panarin, Lafrenière, and Trocheck. Also, Jacob Markstrom is obviously a very good and strong goalie, and good on the Devils for acquiring him, but he's getting older, as he's 34, and Igor Shesterkin is just better. Markstrom has a .905 SV% and 2.78 GAA, which is really good, but Shesterkin ended the regular season with a .913 SV% and 2.58 GAA, and ended the playoffs even better with a .927 SV% and 2.34 GAA. The Rangers are also very good on their special teams and have a good defense. These are obviously just my thoughts and opinions but I believe the New York Rangers are currently a stronger and better team overall than the New Jersey Devils.
NJD is getting Hamilton back and they have 2 good goalies. Markstrom and Allen alone bring them in the playoffs. I like the Rangers and i think they are a contender, but the Devils are too.
Yeah it will be interesting. I think the devils are the stronger offensive unit, and with the improved defense, we’ll see. Also going from league worst goaltending to Markstrom is going to make an insane difference in points
Absolutely they should be swapped!
The devils beat that same rangers team in 2023 in the playoffs with a lesser defense and goaltending.
The east coast commiefornia Rangers are hot garbage. They have 2 guys that can score somewhat consistently, but running the same play time after time isn't going to bode well as every team with any brain power has it figured out by now. Shesterkin should have demanded a trade to a team that actually has a shot. Like Florida, Jersey or Carolina. The aging core that they rely on to do anything in East coast commiefornia isn't good enough to get it done. If they make the playoffs this season I'll be surprised. No sho fox, missing in action panarin and one trick pony lafrenierre pose no threat.
Not a devils fan but I pay attention to all teams and you can tell the amount of people who either only pay attention to their team or started watching last year by this comment section. 2 years ago they were 3rd in the league and made it to round 2 where they lost Carolina who was 2nd in the league that year and last year they were decimated by injury’s and everything just fell apart. They are not even remotely close to as bad as what happened last year and with less injury issues it is not crazy in the slightest to have them as a cup contender. I would still take panthers and rangers above them in the east but they will be up there
With their coach Montreal will surprise a lot of people he has a way with players and their getting better with talent. Never count Colorado or Tampa bay out of anything.well coached and a good organization.
Honestly I feel like Tampa should go in playoff team, Guentzel is an huge addition, should be a great replacement for Stamkos. Moser, McDonagh are great additions to the defense and I think Atkinson can bounce back. along with Point and Kucherov in their prime. I think they should be a lock. Love the videos OhNyquist!
I cannot wait for that top line, honestly could be one of if not the best top line if Guentzel plays well with Kuch and Point
Man, it’s going to weird seeing Guentzel in a different uniform again. I wish him luck in Tampa!
The only problem is the Atlantic is tough as shit. Only two teams are really locks (Panthers and Leafs), everyone else except maybe the Habs are looking to be in the hunt for those wildcard spots.
Putting Nashville a tier above Tampa in this list is criminal.
@@Wayf4rer its justified based on salary cap additions. Stamkos will have a good year which means 35 goals 40 assists. He will be missed in Tampa.
Good video. you should have shown your results from last year
NYR isn't a cup contender? Hi, I'd like you to meet my friend Igor!!!!
Fair classification of the Blues. The thing really holding them back is the lack of a proper 2C. At this moment, unless Texier suddenly puts it all together or Dvorsky wows in camp and is really ready for the bigs or Schenn has a sudden renaissance after two seasons of noticeably more cold than hot, it's what would keep them from doing anything in the playoffs should they make it. And they might, but they'll need to stay unusually healthy to do it. Honestly, I think next season will be the one where they start making real leaps. And then after that, they're probably gonna be really scary for a while.
Calgary should be basement, I actually think the sharks might do better than them this season 😂
not really
At the very least the Blackhawks are gone be better than them.
@@Exp.No.Zenar-57 both
@@utsuhoreiuji5866 calgary may be worst team in the league w o markstrom
Impossible
Putting the devils above Van, NYR, Tor and Col is crazy
Agreed
Do the Habs change with Laine? 🤔
I think NJD need a season or two to cook and stir, and next year it's a go. this year? probably a solid play offs, competetive 2nd round exit. I would love to be wrong.
I think people underestimate how bad it was to lose McLeod. He was my favorite 3rd line C in the entier league.
detroit is going to playoffs and with the help dan campbell as he hypes up the wings
Getting in would be great experience for young core players like Raymond, Seider, and Edvinsson
he'll be extra able to motivate since he'll be wearing a super bowl ring
As Minnesota and Montreal fan, this is going to be a long season, again.
Good thing I like Anaheim and NYI also. Oh well...
Montreal is gonna be fun as hell to watch. Nothing long about this season, trust
Dallas also lost pavelski, so them being cup contenders just speaks to how good they were last year
OhNyquist: *clearly explains why he thinks the Devils are a contender*
The comments: "omg how do you have the Devils in contender tier?"
Guys. Use your ears and brains.
Doesn’t matter they’re not gonna do much in the playoffs assuming they make it they’d get folded by rags canes bruins and panthers in a seven game series
@@edited1325 they literally beat the rangers 2 seasons ago with a worse roster than this lol. Rangers had Tarasenko and Kane in their top 6
Really think Pens should be "in the hunt" category. Don’t think they make it, but they’re for sure in the mix. They were very close last year, and they added better depth, and hopefully the PP isn’t gonna be disastrous again
Canucks>Devils by far
Habs are going to upset is what my hopes are. There is a core for sure and with laine if he stays clean and wants to have a cup sometime in his life he needs to perform and the first two lines are dangerous so pretty good and decent two last lines so it ain’t that bad , not to mention the D lines are NOT bad this year it’s gonna be something can’t be as bad as last year lol
Feels really weird to call the avs suspect on depth considering Landeskog is actually expected to return around the 1/4 mark of the season. Easily one of the best top 9's in the league with Landeskog or Nichushkin in. I get calling or Georgiev too but man.. Can't blame the playoffs on him, he was a stud in the playoffs and in the regular season he actually get some proper load management by having a real backup in Annunen. I think I'd feel better about them being just a playoff team if the Devils weren't a contender, that's just a terrible take. A take for the sake of catching eyes isn't a very good take.
It's because they think jack hughes is going to be the next connor mcdavid or sidney crosby And honestly he's really good, but I don't see him being that good. I think connor bedard has more skill than him and is only going to get better as long as he doesn't get hurt since he is on the small side
Is Nuke even staying? Is he coming back? Not an Avs fan but I kinda thought yall would cut landy and Nuke because of cap hell
@wyattmays7341 Nothing we can do to get rid of him. As of now he's back late Nov/Early Dec. The avs would never cut Landy, 92 is going up to the rafters. He'll be back this year in some capacity anyways.
@@Nate-vq8wy before his initial injury last season he was above 2pts a game pace. He's good enough to be a top 10 player in the league. He just needs to stay healthy along with the rest of his supporting cast.
you got mtl to finish last in the Atlantic, you'll be wrong.
I really enjoyed the video 😀👍❤️ I hope you’re right about Detroit, being in the hunt is so exciting!
In my opinion any team that is almost certain to reach the playoffs is a cup contender, but of course some of those teams are more likely to win than others. That is, on paper, assuming that they will all be healthy and not experiencing really bad puck luck, which can happen to any team.
I’m so excited for this upcoming season!
The devils??? Didn’t they miss the playoffs? That’s a bit of a hot take.
Their additions are significant, but the Predators should be scarier than the Devils
New Jersey got hit by the Montreal infirmary bad luck last season, could be really different if their best players stay healthy! Hughes missed 20 games and Hamilton missed 62 games. Toffoli missed 21 games, Meier missed 13 games, Hischier missed 11 games who are also good players.
If I'm not mistaken, they were a top 3-5 team in the league until Hughes got injured last year, but don't quote me on that.
Oilers will not make it to the finals again.
I think the Habs will be an interesting team to watch because we'll see which players will develop and who who will disappoint. Chemistry in the making. (Goaltending remains a huge question mark for this coming season.)
The bruins have the youngest team in the league. Saying “team is getting older” is a stretch. Marchand is getting older. That’s about it.
Only thing keeping NJ from really being a cup contender is their coach. Keefe got outcoached in EVERY series he was in when he was with the leafs
I think the blues are a sleeper to make the playoffs. If they were an eastern conference team, they would’ve made it last season(better record than Washington)
With Vegas being significantly weaker it wouldn’t surprise me if the blues finished 5th in the central securing a wild card spot while Vegas and La don’t make the playoffs.
Plus their group of young guys could really surprise people if one or 2 of them have break out seasons. I still agree that they are in the hunt and not a for sure playoff team, but on paper I think their bottom six depth is way better than last year.
I think that Samsonov is an excellent backup goalie. The issue is that the Leafs tried making him a starter, and he never showed he would be able to do that consistently. His mental is his main issue, and if the Leafs were to keep him, he would probably implode once more being Woll's backup, since that would be a relegation for him.
Him moving to VGK directly as a Backup could be great for him.
Canucks up to a contender, Jets down to in the hunt
Was about to say wtf to this but honestly might be true. (Stars fan here) was gonna say that there’s no way the nucks and oilers both dominate their division hard enough to both be contenders but then again, the kings are mid, Vegas is crashing, Seattle is trying to get going and the rest of the pacific is basically mid or rebuilding trash rn so maybe. The jets probably have another good run in for them but central just keeps getting tougher and I think central is now the toughest division. Stars are still in my bias the goats of central, but the Avs go hard and so will Nashville with all the buys they’ve made, the jets will have to work really hard to steal a lock position or command a wildcard. All in all I don’t see the pacific getting a wild card this year
@@wyattmays7341 yeah man, the big weakness on Canucks this year is their bottom 2 D pairs, but the thing is, those bottom 4 area at least all good PK players. They can take that load completely away from Hughes and Hronek
Are*
@@caseyjones5930 also hope your goalies stay healthy i know we got desmith from yall but yall seem fine with your third and first strings just need them alive for playoffs
devils in cup contender feels like a reach. i won’t be surprised to see them make the playoffs but calling them a cup contender is kinda crazy.
Thats why he said it was a controversial take. Also remember Vegas went from no playoffs to winning the cup.
It’s just glazing amongst the NHL and its fans. They’re not even a playoff team they’re in the hunt. The style of play they played under ruff isn’t much different under keefe….
I would have thought the same if the Vegas Golden Knights hadn't already gone from non-playoff team to cup champion only a couple years back
@lllllllll153 their defense is a lot better and the goaltending is significantly better too. Do I think they win the cup? No, but crazier things have happened.
@@Theon435bro u have to calm down about your devils😂
devils in cup contender and rangers not had me leaving video immediately lol
I think habs will not finish last in atlantic, but will not be on playoff battle at the last week
In addition to the internal growth of the young core, Anaheim will see improvement in the standings by virtue of health alone. Carlsson, Mintyukov, Zegras and McTavish all missed significant time last year. Zellweger and Gauthier will be regulars now. Lots of people forget Anaheim had well over 320 man games lost last season. They also suffered from many 1 goal losses that were winnable games even with their main horses out of the lineup.
And they were the most penalized team with the worst PK (31st actually). By fixing those problems, having better injury luck and growth of young players they should be fighting for fifth in Pacific (at least)
@@ivantot506 100%
The ducks are either gonna push for wild card or be last in the division, no between
Them and the Habs are in the same area, they have growth comming up, but they need to stay healthy
@@newtrystan3533 Ducks could easily finish 6th in the pacific while missing the playoffs, I do think there's an in-between if that's what it is
@newtrystan3533 Canadiens are going to be trash for years. No star wants to play for them so they're stuck in bottom feeder position for a very long time. Just like the sharks. First round picks don't win cups, teams do, big time players making big time plays do, coaching, chemistry and grit are lacking on both of these teams. I look forward to watching them fail for another decade and are forced to sell their teams to someone who can actually build a team.
Pretty good list; mine wasn't too different from yours, with the biggest difference being I had New Jersey as a playoff team, not a cup contender lol. Only thing I didn't like was that you didn't use the new Ducks and Kings logos smh.
Canucks are gonna win the cup next year
Said nobody ever
You should make a short video paying respects to John and Matt ❤
Ready for san jose to win the presidents trophy now cuz of this vid
My tier list. (the order of teams is best to worst)
Cup Contender: Oilers, Dallas,
Playoff Team: New Jersey, Florida, New York, Carolina, Colorado, Boston, Toronto, Vancouver, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Winnipeg
In the Hunt: Vegas, LA, Islanders, Detroit, Washington, Utah, Seattle, Montreal, Buffalo
No Playoffs: Ottawa, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Basement: Chicago, Calgary, San Jose, Anaheim, Columbus
Oilers and better is hilarious 😂
since laine i think mtl is in the hunt might make wild card
Devils needed a goalie, check. A tough blue liner, check. Healthy Dougie Hamilton, oh and Luke Hughes is legit and so it Nemec.
I think bruins will get better over the next couple years... when they get out from under coycles contract and marchy will inevitably hafta to take a pay cut to finish out his career.
Pasta isnt gonna slow down.
Mcavoy may not be a top 5 defenseman but hes clearly a #1 on most teams and the rest of the d corp will take off the pressure on him.
It all hangs on swayman... can he sustain or even get better?
So jealous to see sprong go, really hope Berggren comes up big for the wings this year
On point including the devils as a pick.Alot of people will be suprized by them this year.Well not the people who know hockey at least and know that the devils where plagued with bad luck when it came to injuries.
I honestly think Montreal may be in the hunt this year
Sharks fan here.. I have a feeling the Flames are going to crash hard and end up last this season, and if I was fan of theirs, I'd embrace it.
I don't doubt the Devils as cup contenders, but if you're only picking one team from each division to be cup contenders, I don't think the Devils are going to be better than the Hurricanes or Rangers. Hurricanes lost some pieces, but I think they've made up for what they've lost and they have a great record of building up players that other people underestimate.
Also, I think the Predators are going to be the best team in the West, hands down. If you think the Devils moves make them cup contenders, you need to look at the Predators. Preds kept all their best players, and only added even better players.
eh i think georgiev will be fine with the avs this season. he showed no matter how he is in regular season, he shows up for playoffs. i think also landeskog is a blind spot for anyone making a tier list who forgot hes coming back in November and will have plenty of time to get his game back by playoffs.
I like the format, and your reasoning. Great video. But, with due respect, might I just add that if you are going to make a video like this, you really shouldn't rely on how teams finished last year. The teams, ages, coaches, cap hits, and goalie and injury situations are completely different. You pretty much just did an exact carbon copy of last year's performance. Every single one of your playoff teams and basement teams finished as playoff and basement teams last year. You have to demote or promote teams for these lists to be both insightful and accurate. For instance, which is the young breakthrough team? Detroit? Montreal? Utah due to amassing talent? Seattle due to systems-hockey? Buffalo putting it together? And which contender falls out of contention due to goaltending, or not managing the cap? This to say: surprise us, and then convince us.
I would put Seattle in the hunt,St Louis in no playoffs,Vancouver in cup contender,Dallas in playoff team.
Columbus should be a tier up. Add Monahan, Gaudreau has to be more productive but also Fantilli, Johnson, Sillinger, Jiricek, the three Russians are all gonna be better than last year. Team just needs some stability.
Great Video, as usual, Nyquist
Wondering if the Habs trade of Laine was accounted for in the ranking?
Nate Mac and makar make the avs a cup contender. One of the top 3 forwards and arguably the best defenceman in the game plus the captain most likely coming back
Lets see how bad/good this ages. Ill be back in a year
Jersey rated over Colorado, Rangers, Boston, and Vegas?
I mean Vegas and Boston of course since those two teams have regressed significantly. Colorado also kinda regressed but I would put the Rangers over the Devils
Dude, Bruins are like the 4rh-5th youngest team😅
Great vid! Absolutely no complaints
The Habs are going to be awesome in a few years but the overhype going into this season is insane. Reminds me of the Sens overhype the past few offseason’s and we’ve all saw how that turned out.
You have them right where they should be.
Habs fan here ... yes I agree, we should be better than last year (if healthy) but not good enough to make the playoffs yet.
We have a lot of young players that need more experience under their belt.
Devils are not cup contenders Canucks are.
I agree, Just because they added Markstrom, An Unproven goalie that cant stop shots, I think they are bottom or middle of the pack near the end of the season. If not missing again
1 from each Division. So who would you replace NJ with in the Metro? I guess the Rangers.
@@yourfaceistube yes.
Canucks are not contenders.They still have to go through edmonton just like the LA Kings.
@@Troyjanwarrior1 And every cup contender/winner has to go through 4 teams. I think you just defined the word “contend”.
Nice work I agree with about 80%
The canadiens are going to be one of the best teams in the nhl
In the next 5 years, it was about damn time.
Biased Avs fan here, I think with Landy coming back, along with O’Connor and potentially Nichuskin, that solves the depth issues, and Georgie will really benefit from Annunen starting more games this year, since dude was way to tired to play as good as we know he can consistently
I hope that Jeff Skinner pulls an Eichel and wins a cup the next season after a move. Poor guy has over 1000 games played and no playoffs. Corey Perry, I get he won a cup in Anaheim, but man he has some piss poor luck last few years being in so many losing teams in the finals. McDavid will do McDavid things again, same with Draisaitl. Hope they can take it this year. Go Oilers bring the cup back to Edmonton this year
Toronto is the Dallas Cowboys of the NHL. They should be a contender, but they always choke.
Bruins got some cap space and good talent considering how many assets and draft picks they traded away over the last decade. I don't see them colapsing soon, they should be over this risk as all their old guys retired except for Marchy. As always a big what if with how they use the money
oh laine we are in the hunt
NJD in Cup Contenders with a meh goalie tandem, mostly unproven and inexperienced core, and a coach that has already shown he cant lead an arguably better team past the first round of the playoffs is a WILD hot take my dude
worry about the rangers man
Montreal go playoffs with Patrik Lainen.
😂😂 doubt he makes it that far through the season
Devils and Stars as cup contenders? Stars got noticeably worse and Devils are untested with the pieces they acquired...
8:31 you said reinbacher i literrally understand Ryan Baker, i was like who is that guy 😂
I don’t think the Canucks make the playoffs this year. Thatcher Demko has a permanent “career altering” injury. Due to the way the Canucks miss handled Demko’s recovery from his initial injury I could see him demanding a trade out of Vancouver or deciding to retire if the injury has a significant impact on the way that he plays. As for the Quinn Hughes I think that the Canucks will lose him to New Jersey either in the form of a trade or via free agency. As for Brock Boeser I think he ends up playing for the Wild via a trade or free agency.
Washington and Nashville are Cup Containder. Finals will be NJ Devils vs Nashville Preds. Nashville will win 4-3.
My Poor Sharks 💔🦈
Very solid list !!
Tampa fan here - call me biased, but I think having us 'In the hunt' and not a playoff team is wildly short sighted. Vasy missed a ton of time last season, and when he got back he was overused to try and limp us into the playoffs. The blue line was ass and has since been IMO, totally retooled and upgraded. Stammer leaves, but is replaced with a younger (better 5v5) player in Guentzel. I think with a full summer to recover and a better defense in front of him we can expect Vasy to bounce back, in conjunction with the best top line in the league and a couple key depth pieces like Nick Paul, Hagel, and Cirelli, we should be scoring just fine. No way we miss the playoffs with this team.
Sad news for Sabres, Sens, and Red Wings fans I think the Eastern conference playoffs are still going to be pretty similar to last year except the Devils should get in. Hope I'm wrong though would be nice to see a switch up in the Atlantic division of the teams getting into the playoffs
Hmmm…this is 95% just the 2024 rankings.
Canes got worse.
Ducks should exit basement.
Habs will be in hunt.
Bruins are ready to slow down.
Vegas will be in playoffs.
Caps are crap.
Devils at cup contender is psychotic
The Toronto Maple Leafs will NOT make the playoffs
Sens giving false hope. They better be good
Boston is projected to be around the 6th youngest by avg age for when the season starts. Not older lol
I'm expecting Tampa missing the playoffs. Can't wait to see that happen lol
They're gonna make it this season
However next season... they're going to fall really soon
How the hell are the rangers worse then the bruins and devils 💀
Devils have all the pieces now as long as they stay healthy
I just want the Sabres to make the playoffs one time so the narratives can somewhat change. Then they can go back to the basement.
Still salty about the Flyers arent ya Nyquist?
Why are there 4 central and 2 pacific teams in the confirmed playoffs tear?
Shouldn't it be 3 teams from each?
Bro why is one of the sections say Utah Jazz💀14:47