Defence wins championships, right?
Well, if that’s true — and the St. Louis Blues were pretty darn good on the back end — then the top teams here could have a leg up on the competition.
Defensive depth is crucial, but having a
In the second of a four-part series ranking the NHL teams by position, here is how they stack up on defence for the 2019-20 season — counting down from No. 31 to No. 1.
31) Detroit Red Wings
Danny DeKeyser-Filip Hronek
Patrik Nemeth-Mike Green
Dennis Cholowski-Trevor Daley
Jonathan Ericsson-Madison Bowey
Joe Hicketts-Oliwer Kaski
Moritz Seider/Vili Saarijarvi/Gustav Lindstrom/Brian Lashoff/Dylan McIlrath
ANALYSIS: The Red Wings have stocked the cupboard with promising young defenders, with Hronek and Cholowski leading the current NHL charge. Seider has enormous upside and Kaski could be a sleeper to have an impact this season. Bowey and Hicketts are going to be in the mix too. Detroit is rebuilding under Steve Yzerman, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see Green, Daley and Ericsson traded at some point this season. DeKeyser and Nemeth wouldn’t be top-four defenders on most contenders, so that speaks to where the Red Wings are today.
30) Ottawa Senators
Thomas Chabot-Dylan DeMelo
Ron Hainsey-Nikita Zaitsev
Erik Brannstrom-Christian Jaros
Mark Borowiecki/Christian Wolanin/Max Lajoie/Andreas Englund/Cody Goloubef/Nick Ebert
ANALYSIS: The Senators are rebuilding as evidenced by this blue line. Chabot and Brannstrom are the future, with Lassi Thomson, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Jonny Tychonick also on the way. Lajoie and Wolanin could still factor into that future too. The present has a pairing of former Leafs in Hainsey and Zaitsev, while DeMelo and Jaros could be ready for bigger roles. Borowiecki is part of the leadership group and a physical presence who can protect all that youth. Chabot is already a stud and Brannstrom could be one by season’s end, but Ottawa’s blue line is very much a work in progress in the present.
29) Vegas Golden Knights
Brayden McNabb-Nate Schmidt
Jon Merrill-Shea Theodore
Jimmy Schuldt-Deryk Engelland
Nic Hague-Nick Holden
Jake Bischoff-Zach Whitecloud
Jaycob Megna-Dylan Coghlan
ANALYSIS: The Golden Knights’ have depth for days and lots of promising defenders knocking on the door, but their NHL group isn’t necessarily upper echelon. Theodore is the real deal, Schmidt is probably still underrated, Merrill has been making strides, and McNabb is certainly serviceable. Engelland has his role and his partner will be determined in camp, with Schuldt and Hague the leading candidates. Holden will get into games too, whenever Engelland’s toughness isn’t needed as much. Vegas has a good, not great group overall.
28) Edmonton Oilers
Oscar Klefbom-Adam Larsson
Darnell Nurse-Caleb Jones
Kris Russell-Matt Benning
William Lagesson-Joel Persson
Evan Bouchard/Ethan Bear/Dmitri Samorukov/Keegan Lowe/Logan Day/Brandon Manning
ANALYSIS: The Oilers have a hole or two on their blue line but are expecting a couple young defenders to snatch up those spots — namely Jones, Persson, Lagesson and Bear, with Bouchard and Samorukov as long-shots. Those six, plus 2019 first-rounder Philip Broberg, should ensure a bright future for Edmonton’s defence. In the present, the top three are locked in with Klefbom, Larsson and Nurse. Russell and Benning can work well together as a third pairing.
27) Los Angeles Kings
Derek Forbort-Drew Doughty
Alec Martinez-Matt Roy
Joakim Ryan-Paul LaDue
Daniel Brickley-Sean Walker
Kale Clague/Mikey Anderson/Sean Durzi/Markus Phillips/Kurtis MacDermid/Austin Strand/Chaz Reddekopp
ANALYSIS: The Kings still have Drew Doughty — one of the league’s elite — but the rest of L.A.’s defence leaves a lot to be desired in this rebuilding state. There isn’t a ton of experience on this back end, which could open the door for a prospect or two, with Clague and Anderson sure to challenge their older competition in camp. Perhaps this group will prove underrated in hindsight, but the Kings aren’t as deep as they once were on defence.
26) Winnipeg Jets
Josh Morrissey-Dustin Byfuglien
Dmitry Kulikov-Neal Pionk
Nathan Beaulieu-Sami Niku
Anthony Bitetto-Tucker Poolman
Logan Stanley-Nelson Nogier
ANALYSIS: The Jets are looking a little sketchy on defence. Morrissey and Byfuglien will continue to lead the way as impact players, but their supporting cast is depleted with the losses of Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot. Pionk isn’t going to replace Trouba, but he should be able to contribute in some capacity. Niku and Poolman are trending up on the right side, while Kulikov and Beaulieu will be taking on bigger roles on the left side. Bitetto will be in that mix too, with Stanley and Nogier also providing competition in camp. Winnipeg’s defence will be a question mark — if not a weakness — to start the season.
25) Colorado Avalanche
Bowen Byram-Erik Johnson
Samuel Girard-Cale Makar
Nikita Zadorov-Conor Timmins
Ian Cole (IR)/Calle Rosen/Kevin Connauton/Mark Barberio/Ryan Graves/Jacob MacDonald/Mark Alt
ANALYSIS: The Avs’ top four is impressive and the future is bright for Colorado’s blue line. Girard and Makar should combine to offset the loss of Tyson Barrie. Byram is going to make a strong case to stick in the NHL rather than returning to junior, especially with Cole sidelined for the first couple months. Rosen is perceived to be NHL-ready and Timmins was trending well before getting derailed by a bad concussion. Johnson and Zadorov are beasts that are tough to play against and perfect partners for the youngsters if both Byram and Timmins are on Colorado’s opening-night roster. Those pairings would change when Cole comes back, but Connauton and Barberio could also fill roles if those top prospects aren’t ready. Graves, MacDonald and Alt add to the depth.
24) Anaheim Ducks
Cam Fowler-Josh Manson
Hampus Lindholm-Michael Del Zotto
Jacob Larsson-Korbinian Holzer
Brendan Guhle-Jani Hakanpaa
Josh Mahura-Chris Wideman
ANALYSIS: The Ducks aren’t as deep as they once were, having traded away Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore, but Fowler, Lindholm and Manson are still in their prime with Larsson, Guhle and Mahura potentially ready to make an impact this season. Those six, on paper, are still a very solid group going forward, but Anaheim is no longer icing a top-10 defence in the present. Not with two of Del Zotto, Holzer, Hakanpaa and Wideman potentially in the starting six.
23) New York Rangers
Brady Skjei-Jacob Trouba
Marc Staal-Tony DeAngelo
Libor Hajek-Adam Fox
Yegor Rykov-Tarmo Reunanen
Brendan Smith/Ryan Lindgren/Brandon Crawley/Darren Raddysh
ANALYSIS: The Rangers are going to have one of the most fascinating training camps to follow, with a ton of new faces and prospects competing for spots at every position. The defence has been overhauled with Trouba and Fox leading a new wave of excitement after Kevin Shattenkirk’s buyout. DeAngelo exploded last season, in a good way, and Hajek looked NHL-ready before getting hurt. Hajek and Fox will have to fend off Rykov and Reunanen in camp, with Smith perhaps getting buried in the minors again. This is a young group overall, but the Rangers are going to be all kinds of fun to watch.
22) Pittsburgh Penguins
Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson-Justin Schultz
Jack Johnson-Erik Gudbranson
Juuso Riikola-Chad Ruhwedel
Pierre-Olivier Joseph/David Warsofsky/Zach Trotman/Kevin Czuczman/John Marino/Calen Addison
ANALYSIS: The Penguins’ defence is going to be tested this season with a much stronger Metro Division and we’ll see how it holds up. Letang has to stay healthy, that’s the key, and Schultz could be an impact player in a contract year as long as he can avoid another concussion. Pettersson is on the rise and Dumoulin is steady in rounding out that top four. Pittsburgh’s third pairing is concerning, but that fourth pairing could draw in if Johnson and Gudbranson can’t keep the ice from tilting. The depth is decent, but another injury to Letang would be devastating.
21) Montreal Canadiens
Victor Mete-Shea Weber
Ben Chiarot-Jeff Petry
Brett Kulak-Christian Folin
Mike Reilly-Noah Juulsen
Karl Alzner/Gustav Olofsson/Xavier Ouellet/Josh Brook/Otto Leskinen/Cale Fleury
ANALYSIS: The Canadiens are strong on the right side but a little weak — or rather unproven — on the left side. Weber is still a beast and outlasted P.K. Subban on his second team following their 1-for-1 blockbuster that has worked out well for Montreal with Weber now captaining the Canadiens. Petry is the other horse on the Habs’ back end, with newcomer Chiarot a nice complement to him. Mete, Kulak and Reilly will be competing for the other two spots on that left side, while Juulsen and Brook will be challenging Folin on the right side.
20) New York Islanders
Nick Leddy-Johnny Boychuk
Adam Pelech-Ryan Pulock
Devon Toews-Scott Mayfield
Thomas Hickey-Noah Dobson
Sebastian Aho/Parker Wotherspoon/Mitch Vande Sompel/Seth Helgeson/David Quenneville/Bode Wilde
ANALYSIS: If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. The Islanders are returning the same defence corps, by and large, but could be getting a big boost if Dobson proves NHL-ready. Toews took a big step in the second half of last season and is poised for a bigger role. Pulock should take another step too. Leddy, Boychuk and Hickey represent the old guard, with Leddy looking to return to form this season. The Islanders have a lot of prospects pushing, so there could be some changes coming, but this group remains solid as of today.
19) Vancouver Canucks
Alex Edler-Chris Tanev
Quinn Hughes-Tyler Myers
Jordie Benn-Troy Stecher
Oscar Fantenberg/Olli Juolevi/Alex Biega/Guillaume Brisebois/Ashton Sautner/Jalen Chatfield/Brogan Rafferty/Josh Teves
ANALYSIS: The Canucks upgraded their defence with the signings of Myers and Benn, plus the addition of rookie sensation Hughes. Juolevi is healthy again and shouldn’t be counted out. Stecher has taken strides in recent seasons and looked great for Canada at the worlds this spring, so he could make more of an impact for Vancouver this season. Edler and Tanev are the elder statesmen and still the top pairing, providing they stay healthy. Fantenberg was another quality signing that flew a little under the radar. He leads a strong supporting cast for Vancouver, with several defenders capable of stepping in when injuries arise.
18) Arizona Coyotes
Oliver Ekman-Larsson-Niklas Hjalmarsson
Jakob Chychrun-Alex Goligoski
Jordan Oesterle-Jason Demers
Kyle Capobianco-Ilya Lyubushkin
Aaron Ness-Robbie Russo
Cam Dineen-Victor Soderstrom
ANALYSIS: The Coyotes are captained by Ekman-Larsson, one of the league’s better all-around defenders, and Chychrun still has a high ceiling. As does Soderstrom, this year’s first-rounder who could be in the mix to make Arizona’s roster. Capobianco should be knocking on the door too. Hjalmarsson, Goligoski and Demers, if healthy, are proven veterans, while Oesterle took another nice step last season. Lyubushkin, Ness and Russo provide depth should injuries strike again.
17) New Jersey Devils
Sami Vatanen-P.K. Subban
Will Butcher-Damon Severson
Andy Greene-Connor Carrick
Mirco Mueller/Ty Smith/Josh Jacobs/Matt Tennyson/Colton White/Dakota Mermis/Brian Strait
ANALYSIS: The Devils bolstered their entire lineup this offseason and Subban certainly changes the complexion of their defence. As does Smith, assuming he sticks in the NHL. That is suddenly a pretty exciting defence corps in New Jersey. It may take time to develop chemistry and find the right pairings, but the talent and potential
16) Minnesota Wild
Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba
Nick Seeler-Greg Pateryn
Brad Hunt/Matt Bartkowski/Louis Belpedio/Brennan Menell
ANALYSIS: The Wild’s top four rank in the top 10, but the depth guys aren’t great in Minnesota. Dumba should be good to go for camp and obviously makes a big difference here. His loss was sorely felt. Spurgeon needs to be extended as a pending free agent next summer, so that will be a storyline as the trade deadline approaches. Suter is still going strong and Brodin is solid. It’ll be interesting to see whether Bill Guerin tweaks that bottom pairing, but defence is probably the least of his worries — outside of re-signing Spurgeon.
15) Washington Capitals
Dmitry Orlov-John Carlson
Michal Kempny-Radko Gudas
Christian Djoos-Nick Jensen
Jonas Siegenthaler/Alexander Alexeyev/Lucas Johansen/Tyler Lewington/Colby Williams/Connor Hobbs
ANALYSIS: The Capitals continue to be solid on the back end, led by Carlson. Kempny should be ready for camp, coming off a torn hamstring, while Gudas is new to the fold as one of the league’s hardest hitters. Orlov and Jensen are locked in too, with Djoos and Siegenthaler competing for the final spot in the top six, though Alexeyev could also challenge them in camp. This is a big year for Johansen to make a push as well. Depth won’t be a problem for Washington.
14) Chicago Blackhawks
Duncan Keith-Erik Gustafsson
Olli Maatta-Connor Murphy
Carl Dahlstrom-Brent Seabrook
Calvin de Haan (IR)-Adam Boqvist
Slater Koekkoek/Philip Holm/Dennis Gilbert/Chad Krys
ANALYSIS: The Blackhawks retooled their blue line this offseason, acquiring Maatta and de Haan. Keith is still the leader in Chicago, but Seabrook is past his prime. Gustafsson is coming off a breakout offensive season and Boqvist is planning to turn pro this season. He’d be another catalyst if he cracks the NHL lineup, but some AHL seasoning could be beneficial. Koekkoek and Dahlstrom are depth guys, with Holm potentially factoring in as an older European signing.
13) Dallas Stars
Esa Lindell-John Klingberg
Miro Heiskanen-Andrej Sekera
Jamie Oleksiak-Roman Polak
Taylor Fedun/Julius Honka/Stephen Johns (IR)/Joel Hanley/Dillon Heatherington/Gavin Bayreuther/Ben Gleason/Thomas Harley
ANALYSIS: The Stars’ big three are capable of carrying them a long way, with Heiskanen looking like the real deal as a rookie in complementing Klingberg and Lindell. Sekera came cheap and could be good value, but he’s coming off a couple serious injuries. Oleksiak could have another level to his game. As could Honka, but he’s likely going to get a change of scenery through a trade or perhaps on waivers. Johns would be a big boost for Dallas’ defence — an upgrade on Polak — but his health remains a question mark. Fedun and the others can fill in as needed.
12) Florida Panthers
Keith Yandle-Aaron Ekblad
Michael Matheson-Anton Stralman
Mark Pysyk-MacKenzie Weegar
Ian McCoshen-Joshua Brown
Tommy Cross-Ethan Prow
Riley Stillman-Brady Keeper
ANALYSIS: The Panthers’ top four is terrific and their depth is decent too. Joel Quenneville should help Ekblad and Matheson take the next step in their development and make the most of their prime years. Stralman is the only newcomer and he didn’t have to move far, coming over from Tampa Bay to Florida. Weegar came on pretty strong last season to really round out this defence corps. It remains much the same, but that’s not a bad thing.
11) Columbus Blue Jackets
Zach Werenski-Seth Jones
Ryan Murray-David Savard
Vladislav Gavrikov-Markus Nutivaara
Adam Clendening/Dean Kukan/Gabriel Carlsson/Dillon Simpson
ANALYSIS: The Blue Jackets’ top pairing is one of the league’s best in the present and for the future, but depth could be a concern for Columbus — especially if Murray were to get hurt again. Murray took a nice step when healthy last season and Savard is certainly a contributor. Nutivaara could have more to give and Columbus really likes Gavrikov’s upside. It’s a decent group of six, but those top two are the reason Columbus ranks this high.
10) Philadelphia Flyers
Ivan Provorov-Justin Braun
Travis Sanheim-Matt Niskanen
Shayne Gostisbehere-Philippe Myers
Robert Hagg-Nate Prosser
Samuel Morin-Andy Welinski
T.J. Brennan/Chris Bigras/Tyler Wotherspoon
ANALYSIS: Chuck Fletcher retooled the Flyers’ defence by acquiring Braun and Niskanen, turning the back end into a strength providing Provorov is re-signed. There is lots to like about this group on paper — it is certainly above average, top to bottom — but time will tell how that translates to the ice. Provorov and Sanheim are entering their prime, Gostisbehere should be able to bounce back, and Myers could break out. There is plenty of depth too, with no real worries other than Provorov’s contract status.
9) Buffalo Sabres
Rasmus Dahlin-Rasmus Ristolainen
Jake McCabe-Brandon Montour
Marco Scandella-Colin Miller
Matt Hunwick (LTIR)-Zach Bogosian (IR)
Lawrence Pilut (IR)-Henri Jokiharju
John Gilmour-Casey Nelson
ANALYSIS: For those keeping count, the Sabres have a dozen — yes, 12 — NHL-calibre defencemen on their roster right now. A couple of them could be sidelined by injuries to start the season and Hunwick might miss the whole campaign, but something will still have to give there. Speculation has been swirling around Ristolainen’s future in Buffalo for much of the offseason, but he’s still in the fold for now. Dahlin is the franchise defender going forward, with Montour, Miller and Jokiharju likely filling out the right side. McCabe and Scandella are quality vets — Bosogian is too, when healthy — but Pilut, Nelson and Gilmour are likely capable of logging NHL minutes this season, so Jason Botterill is eventually going to have to move out a few bodies.
8) Boston Bruins
Zdeno Chara-Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug-Brandon Carlo
John Moore-Matt Grzelcyk
Urho Vaakanainen-Kevan Miller
Jeremy Lauzon-Connor Clifton
Jakub Zboril-Steven Kampfer
Alex Petrovic (PTO)
ANALYSIS: The Bruins went all the way to the final on the strength of this defence. Chara isn’t getting any younger — he’s 42 — but he isn’t getting much worse either. McAvoy is only going to get better as he enters his prime. Krug is already there, with Carlo, Grzelcyk and even Clifton hitting their stride as NHL regulars. Lauzon, Zboril and Vaakanainen should be banging on the door in Boston this season, while Moore, Miller and Kampfer continue to provide veteran depth. Petrovic picked a peculiar place for his PTO since this is already a solid group top to bottom.
7) Toronto Maple Leafs
Morgan Rielly-Cody Ceci
Jake Muzzin-Tyson Barrie
Ben Harpur-Justin Holl
Kevin Gravel-Jordan Schmaltz
Travis Dermott (IR)/Martin Marincin/Teemu Kivihalme/Rasmus Sandin/Timothy Liljegren
ANALYSIS: Kyle Dubas has done a masterful job of retooling Toronto’s defence with the additions of Muzzin, Barrie and Ceci to the Leafs’ top four. Rielly is still No. 1 there and should be considered a legit No. 1. Harpur is a placeholder for Dermott, who could miss the first half while recovering from shoulder surgery. Once Dermott is healthy and up to speed, Toronto is going to have a formidable blue line come the playoffs. Holl and Schmaltz will battle for the right-side spot on the third pairing, while Gravel and Marincin will provide competition for Harpur. Gravel, in particular, could exceed expectations in Toronto. Sandin and Liljegren are only a call-up away as first-rounders thriving in the AHL.
6) Calgary Flames
Mark Giordano-T.J. Brodie
Noah Hanifin-Travis Hamonic
Oliver Kylington-Rasmus Andersson
Brandon Davidson/Andrew MacDonald (PTO)/Juuso Valimaki (LTIR)
ANALYSIS: The Flames were considering changes to their top four — with Brodie and Hamonic supposedly being shopped — but might stand pat now that Valimaki is out long term with a torn ACL. Calgary’s top four are still the envy of many teams and the Swedish youngsters should get their chances to shine. MacDonald picked a good spot for a PTO, but Davidson could also crack that lineup if he outperforms Kylington in camp.
5) Nashville Predators
Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm-Dante Fabbro
Dan Hamhuis-Yannick Weber
Matt Irwin/Steven Santini/Jeremy Davies/Alex Carrier/Frederic Allard/Matt Donovan/Jarred Tinordi
ANALYSIS: The Predators lost Subban but still have their big three on the back end with Josi, Ellis and Ekholm. Fabbro will get a chance to round out that top four in Subban’s spot, which is asking a lot of a rookie. Hamhuis anchors the third pairing and his partner could be something of a revolving door or a rotation between Weber, Irwin and Santini. Davies, Carrier and Allard could also make things interesting in camp. Subban left behind a huge hole, but Nashville should have enough depth to maintain one of the league’s better blue lines.
4) St. Louis Blues
Joel Edmundson-Alex Pietrangelo
Jay Bouwmeester-Colton Parayko
Vince Dunn-Robert Bortuzzo
Carl Gunnarsson-Jake Dotchin
Derrick Pouliot-Mitch Reinke
Andreas Borgman/Jake Walman
ANALYSIS: The Blues are returning the entire blue line from their Cup-winning team. Doug Armstrong didn’t have a lot of work to do this summer after focusing on his forwards last summer. This group is deep and works well together, led by Pietrangelo and Parayko. Dunn really emerged during the playoffs and will likely be a top-four defender for St. Louis this season. Bouwmeester enjoyed something of a resurgence en route to finally hoisting the Cup. Depth on defence is also a strength for St. Louis.
3) Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin-Dougie Hamilton
Gustav Forsling-Brett Pesce
Haydn Fleury-Justin Faulk
Jake Bean-Chase Priskie
Trevor van Riemsdyk (IR)/Kyle Wood/Roland McKeown/Jesper Sellgren
ANALYSIS: The Hurricanes’ defence finally got its due on a global stage during their playoff run. Slavin is a stud and Pesce has long been underrated too. Hamilton and Faulk are well-known commodities, but Carolina is going to be breaking in a few newer faces on the back end. Forsling, Fleury and Bean will be competing on the left side, while Priskie could push for playing time on the right side as this summer’s prized college free-agent signing.
2) Tampa Bay Lightning
Victor Hedman-Mikhail Sergachev
Ryan McDonagh-Erik Cernak
Braydon Coburn-Kevin Shattenkirk
Jan Rutta/Luke Schenn/Cal Foote/Luke Witkowski/Cameron Gaunce
ANALYSIS: The Lightning are loaded to avenge that first-round meltdown, with their defence in great shape going forward. Hedman is a perennial Norris candidate and McDonagh isn’t far off that level. Sergachev could get there someday too. Cernak had his coming-out party last season — you should know him by now — and Foote is probably going to make his debut at some point this season. Shattenkirk has a lot to prove after getting bought out by his beloved Rangers, while Coburn is still very capable in his own right. Rutta and Schenn will be pushing for playing time in Tampa too.
1) San Jose Sharks
Marc-Edouard Vlasic-Erik Karlsson
Radim Simek-Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon-Tim Heed
Trevor Carrick-Ryan Merkley
Jacob Middleton-Jeremy Roy
Dalton Prout/Nick DeSimone/Mario Ferraro
ANALYSIS: The Sharks’ top three is tops in the league — with Karlsson, Burns and Vlasic — and the other three aren’t too shabby either. Simek and Heed aren’t household names outside of San Jose, but they are ready for those roles and possess nice upside for this season, while Dillon has proven his worth as a shutdown defender and physical deterrent. Prout can play that role too if and when he gets into the lineup. Carrick was a sneaky good acquisition for Doug Wilson, and there’s a chance that Merkley or Roy could crack the roster out of camp. San Jose’s defence is top heavy but, rest assured, it is stacked.
Recapping Defence Rankings
1) San Jose Sharks
2) Tampa Bay Lightning
3) Carolina Hurricanes
4) St. Louis Blues
5) Nashville Predators
6) Calgary Flames
7) Toronto Maple Leafs
8) Boston Bruins
9) Buffalo Sabres
10) Philadelphia Flyers
11) Columbus Blue Jackets
12) Florida Panthers
13) Dallas Stars
14) Chicago Blackhawks
15) Washington Capitals
16) Minnesota Wild
17) New Jersey Devils
18) Arizona Coyotes
19) Vancouver Canucks
20) New York Islanders
21) Montreal Canadiens
22) Pittsburgh Penguins
23) New York Rangers
24) Anaheim Ducks
25) Colorado Avalanche
26) Winnipeg Jets
27) Los Angeles Kings
28) Edmonton Oilers
29) Vegas Golden Knights
30) Ottawa Senators
31) Detroit Red Wings
Feel free to disagree with those rankings and share your own in the comments below.