NHL-ийн багуудын удирдлагын багийн чансааг 2026 оны байдлаар танилцууллаа

How confident are you in your team’s front office? That’s the question we ask every summer, a necessary heat check on each team’s management group and how their decisions are perceived by not only their own fan base, but the public at large.

There can be irrational year-to-year movement, recency bias and other weird results that happen any time you ask a group of passionate fans to rate what their team is doing. It can be fueled by results more than process, struggle to find the balance between short- and long-term, and have too much optimism or pessimism depending on where a team is in its contention cycle. Still, it works as a way to showcase the general perception around a team’s brain trust.

Each front office is graded in six categories: roster building, cap management, drafting and development, trading, free agency and vision.

This is the 11th annual version of this project, with this year’s edition seeing over 10,000 responses from fans grading their own favorite team and nearly 500 responses grading every team. The contrast between the two is always fascinating.

According to the collective opinion of our well-informed subscribers, here’s how much confidence each team’s front office currently inspires.

---

1. Carolina Hurricanes

2025 ranking: 3

“The Hurricanes front office truly fires on all cylinders. Often you look at a strong team and notice certain blemishes in their operations. You’ll see a head scratcher contract given to a defenseman in his late 30’s for example. With the Canes though they’re really good at avoiding falling into traps and always keep the future in mind.”

“The management team (Dundon, Tulsky, Brind’Amour) are fully aligned on building a roster that fits Rod’s system. They have a plan and execute it to the hilt. They are able to see ‘hidden’ value in players who may not have fit their previous team, K’Andre Miller being a prime example.”

“I have learned very quickly to not second guess what Tulsky is doing. I wasn’t sure about trading for K’Andre Miller or giving Jackson Blake 8 years after one year. I’d say both of those look very good a year later.”

Now that the Hurricanes have added a Stanley Cup to their mantle, who else could it possibly be?

There were some lingering doubts before that happened for varying reasons depending on who you asked. There are none left after a dominant run through the playoffs that proved Carolina was building something seriously special.

Everything the Hurricanes touch seems to turn to gold and the recent run over the last years culminated in this moment. Adding Nikolaj Ehlers and K’Andre Miller, the Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake extensions, the Mikko Rantanen arbitrage — all of it not only led to the 2026 Stanley Cup win, but a potential era of dominance. The roster building has been meticulous, the player pricing has been second-to-none and the overall vision of continued excellence is what every other franchise should strive for.

The Carolina Hurricanes are the model NHL franchise, and while that’s arguably been the case for a few years, they now have the Cup to prove it.

2. Montreal Canadiens

2025 ranking: 5

“A smart front office that exercises patience and makes prudent, calculated moves. You can see that they don’t panic and they have a clear plan that they’re adhering to. The fruits of this plan were seen with a trip to the conference finals this past season, so the plan is working and fans can see that the team’s best years are ahead of them.”

“I like how Hughes has avoided overpriced UFA’s and focused on drafting, developing and trading. He has signed multiple team friendly deals and keeps making smart choices. While he watches other teams handcuff themselves with bad contracts, he continues to build something that keeps evolving into a contender. He has earned my trust.”

The Canadiens proved they were here to stay last spring, making the playoffs again and this time advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference final. While their date with the eventual champions proved there’s still a long way to go, there is little doubt regarding Montreal’s future place in the league. The Canadiens are still early in the process and are already knocking on the contending door. That’s a big deal.

What’s especially scary is the sheer potential of what the Canadiens can build thanks to an immaculate cap sheet. Montreal has its young core locked up for a long time on some bafflingly strong deals and with an exploding cap, the Canadiens will have all the space in the world to build around them.

There aren’t many (if any) better places to win it all than Montreal. What Kent Hughes and co. have done to make that such an attractive proposition both now and in the future makes it feel like it’s a matter of when, not if, the Canadiens will bring home their 25th Stanley Cup. They’re doing everything right to get there.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning

2025 ranking: 4

“JBB’s approach and reluctance to go ‘all-in’ for miniscule cup odd improvements might not endear him to our fans, but for me it means we’ll continue to have a shot at a cup every year instead of going the way of the Penguins or Blackhawks.”

“Even if the playoff results haven’t been there for them over the past 4 seasons, Julien BriseBois and company have managed to keep the team looking like a Stanley Cup contender despite everybody rushing to say their window has closed. I have faith they will be rewarded and bring another Stanley Cup back to Tampa Bay in the near future.”

As other past contenders fade, the Lightning have managed to stick around the contender’s circle for years thanks to a hunger to extend this window for as long as possible. It helps that several core pieces are still playing at a high level, but Tampa Bay’s ability to augment that group with Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel and J.J. Moser over the years has been admirable. The latter two being on terrific contracts and coming into their own as high-end pieces certainly helps.

That’s what keeps Tampa Bay’s fan base perennially optimistic despite repeated playoff failures. There’s still a lot of hope that the current group can squeeze one more Stanley Cup out of this window, and that the current management group has pulled all the right strings to make it happen.

Hard to disagree with that given the current state of Tampa Bay’s roster, but we’re going to need to see the Lightning actually make it count when it matters this year. Five straight first-round losses, or a playoff miss, wouldn’t be pretty.

4. Florida Panthers

2025 ranking: 1

“It’s been five years and Bill Zito is still ahead of the game. I’m surprised that more general managers haven’t followed his strategies — mainly not putting the value of futures (picks and prospects) at an untradeable premium. He has consistently turned potential value into current value.”

“Bill Zito is the embodiment of what makes a great GM today. Never complacent and always willing to make a move.”

The one downside of trading every pick? Getting a tough grade for drafting and developing. No worries — the Panthers have figured out that when the window is wide-open, talent now is better then talent tomorrow. That’s been the strategy for many of the team’s big-ticket adds to support the core and the latest Tkachuk trade, for Matthew’s brother Brady, is right in line with the team’s ethos.

Even after missing the playoffs, it doesn’t feel like the Panthers can do much wrong. Bill Zito and co. have a strong vision of what a championship-caliber team looks like and have proven it twice with a team that fits that identity to a tee. That stylistic execution still feels second-to-none.

5. Utah Mammoth

2025 ranking: 7

“They clearly have a lot of ambition, but have also shown discipline. Not overpaying for Trocheck or Weegar. Talking Anders Lee into joining. The test will be how they shepherd Iginla, Desnoyers, Simashev, Hrabal, But and now Belchetz into the team.”

“It’s so refreshing to have a team whose front office you completely trust. These guys know how to draft and develop players. Bill Armstrong gives out great contracts to set them up for the future. It feels great to be a Mammoth fan right now.”

The Mammoth front office has entered the top five after finally taking the next step into playoff contention last season. And it feels like that was just the beginning for an on-the-rise team that’s finally blooming.

The main reason for optimism is the budding core coming into its own while also already being locked in at reasonable prices. Early extensions for Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley are already paying dividends and should only look better as the cap continues to grow.

Their growth and those deals have afforded Utah the opportunity to significantly add over the last couple of years. While JJ Peterka didn’t work out, John Marino and Nate Schmidt have been great and there’s optimism for what Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee can bring to the table.

Now it’s time to see if this management group can push the Mammoth even further to go the distance.

6. Washington Capitals

2025 ranking: 9

“Very good at finding reclamation projects, à la Chychrun, Dubois, and hopefully Kyrou. Ross Mahoney has been unreal at finding high end talent in 2nd and 3rd rounds, such as Cole Hutson, Ilya Protas, Andrew Cristall, and, going back a little further, Aliaksei Protas and Martin Fehervary.”

“You can’t overstate how impressive it is to actually make a ‘retool’ work. It’s commendable that the Caps managed to thread the needle when it came to not only staying competitive during Ovi’s swan song years, but also setting themselves up as a strong contender in the post-Ovi era.”

Whenever a team pitches a retool, it’s hard to imagine it working because it usually just means delaying the inevitable. The Capitals are working to be the exception to that rule, and they’re making a damn good case that it can actually work. After years of winning trades, signings and picks, Washington’s front office has managed to assemble a team with genuine contender possibility.

That is no small feat, especially for a declining club without a clear succession plan, and it didn’t happen overnight. Every summer the Capitals have taken a swing on a buy-low option and they’ve usually nailed it. This summer’s latest, Jordan Kyrou, looks like he can be another winner too.

It’s an unconventional build and the lack of high-end talent at the moment could limit their ultimate ceiling, but it’s hard not to be impressed with the way Washington is currently operating. The front office has earned a ton of respect.

7. San Jose Sharks

2025 ranking: 8

“Mike Grier has consistently attacked this rebuild with the best available players at the top of the draft and filling the gaps with free agency & trades. Some of the veteran’s contracts may have a higher number than I would have liked to see in AAV or years by a bit, but overall they addressed a need.”

“Grier has overpaid for a couple of free agents this Summer, but his asset management during a long rebuild has been stellar. Now the team is set up with not only a superstar talent in Celebrini, but the depth to make some playoff runs.”

I’m always wary of lavishing praise on a rebuilding team that hasn’t taken the next step into actual playoff relevancy. But it’s clear San Jose’s rebuild is on the right track with the team’s record at the draft table. That’s where the team’s highest grade comes in, which has added significant hope for the future. It would be a surprise if this rebuild fails.

The biggest reason for hope is the presence of Macklin Celebrini, who is now locked up for five years after his ELC expires; that was a big win. So too was the team’s addition of Michael Kesselring as a buy-low bet to shore up the defense.

Where fans were obviously much less convinced was the team’s expensive additions of Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse. One of them? Sure. Both? That’s a tough look that has created some genuine concern regarding the team’s cap management.

How the Sharks navigate future deals for their budding core with those deals on the books will speak volumes about how strong this management group is. They’ve conquered the easy part and hopes are high because of it. Now the real challenge awaits.

8. Dallas Stars

2025 ranking: 2

“They operate in a smart way. Building a roster that has been competitive for close to a decade is great as a fan. Every season for the last 5 years, I have thought this team has a legitimate chance of going far. Injuries are out of offices control.”

“I feel like a lot of small mistakes have started to pile up in regards to cap management and free agent signings/trades.”

Dallas’ front office is still extremely well-regarded, but patience is starting to wear thin for a team that has been close but can’t get over the hump. That time should come for a team this good, but the sting of a first-round loss is obviously weighing on a fan base that isn’t as confident as it was a year ago.

Fans love the swing for Zach Werenski, similar to how the Stars pulled off the Mikko Rantanen trade. The big-game hunting is what could get this team over the hump and it helps that they have a lot of the core locked up to sweetheart deals. That is, of course, with the exception of Jason Robertson — a situation that has become a little dicey and has added some questions about the team’s overall cap management.

While the team’s contract efficiency is strong on the whole, the string of misses filling out the hole at second-pair right defense has caused issues. And the team missed the mark in making Robertson a priority. If the Stars end up losing him next summer while failing to win it all again, they’re in danger of dropping out of the top 10. Figuring out Robertson in an exploding cap world is the team’s top priority.

9. Colorado Avalanche

2025 ranking: 14

“While MacFarland did a good job, having Mr. Sakic back at the helm feels like a hug from an old friend. I think the moves so far this offseason have looked sound, and it seems like Joe gets so much respect around the league that we always get a good deal.”

“It will be interesting to see what things look like with McFarland gone, and how the team can try to surround MacKinnon and Makar as Nelson, Kadri, Toews et. al continue to age.”

After a brief drop outside, the Avalanche are back in the top 10 thanks to a dominant Presidents’ Trophy-winning season. If not for a brutal conference final loss, they might’ve pushed closer to the top five. While losing Chris MacFarland is tough, going back to Joe Sakic is one helluva safety blanket.

The Avalanche have long been considered one of the NHL’s best management groups and earn a lot of trust when it comes to trades. If Colorado is calling, it might be best to hang up; they’ve won a lot of deals. The sting of losing Valeri Nichushkin is tough, but the Avalanche have earned the benefit of the doubt there.

The one main concern with the Avalanche year after year is drafting and developing. It’s their worst grade annually and that hasn’t changed this year either; it’s what holds them back from a higher rank. It’s hard to hit on low picks when a team is in full contention mode, but there’s a clear difference in that area between Colorado and other contenders above the Avalanche. It may be what’s held the team back from a second Cup.

10. Buffalo Sabres

2025 ranking: 32

“If we are being honest, this is still (mostly) Kevyn Adams team. But Jarmo has made some solid signings that look like he is responsible. He definitely seems able — and willing — to swing for a big trade. I far more confident in Jarmo than Adams. Now he needs to show us he can manage the team for a whole season.”

“Dating back to Kevyn Adams I’ve felt that this front office has been focused on putting together a team that will be challenging for the cup for a long time, not just a sell-everything-for-a-shot. The decisions they made this season were tough ones (Tuch, Byram), but I feel absolutely the right ones.”

One year ago, Buffalo was at rock bottom. In the midst of a lengthy playoff drought, the Sabres front office ranked dead last with many fans too angry to trust the team’s potential; the Sabres had to actually prove it for once. That they did, winning the division and making a run to the second round with years of decision-making finally paying off.

Much of the fan base recognizes that the team that made magic last year had former GM Kevyn Adams’ fingerprints all over it. Still, there’s an air of legitimacy Jarmo Kekäläinen immediately brought to the table that caused the team to wake up.

Since then, he’s got some fantastic deals under his belt for Josh Doan and Zach Benson, and made the bold but correct decisions to move on from both Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram. Every player has a price and the Sabres were wise not to go above that for either, even parlaying Byram into a massive draft-day haul.

While the lack of replacements for either has some worried, it’s clear hope has been restored in Buffalo. Now it’s time to build on it and for once, it feels like the Sabres have the right front office for the job. No team jumped higher than Buffalo, going from dead last to the top 10.

11. Vegas Golden Knights

2025 ranking: 6

“I respect the hustle of big game hunting and trading away lottery picks (prospects/picks). No one is guaranteed to work out and having that culture of at least trying to win helped hockey flourish in the desert where very few expected.”

“Their win now attitude has always kept them at the top or near the top. And from a fan standpoint they always keep things very interesting and exciting. They’re not afraid to take chances and I love it.”

It’s funny that Vegas marched to the Stanley Cup Final only to drop out of the top 10 entirely, mostly because the fan base holds the team to a higher standard.

Golden Knights fans love the team’s ethos of big-game hunting, with Mitch Marner being the latest prize added to Jack Eichel and Mark Stone at the top of the lineup. His playoff performance spoke volumes with regards to his impact, further cementing Vegas’ place in win-now mode. It’s draft-schmaft in the desert.

That comes at a cost for the team’s draft-and-develop grade. While it’s commendable that Vegas has built a juggernaut through other means, there may come a time where the inability to add homegrown talent comes back around for them. Trading high picks for mid players like Rasmus Andersson and then extending them for more than their worth also puts a damper there.

If there’s one big mistake that currently haunts the fan base, though, it’s choosing Adin Hill over Logan Thompson a few years ago. Ouch.

12. Pittsburgh Penguins

2025 ranking: 20

“Dubas inherited a mushy middle mess from the previous FO, took a big swing in his first year, and has since impressively course corrected to a focus on replenishing a depleted farm and developing talent. When the time comes to be aggressive, he should have the cap space to accommodate some major signings. I trust he knows when that day will come.”

“Dubas has literally an impossible job in not shafting the old legends while trying to rebuild, and threaded the needle perfectly last year. While he’s made mistakes, he has a vision and is enacting it mostly positively, which is all you can really ask.”

What a turnaround it’s been for Kyle Dubas since his first year with the Penguins. A flurry of “last dance” moves that didn’t quite hit, and since then he’s strung together a ton of savvy bets that ultimately paid off in an unexpected playoff berth last spring. His offseason before that was particularly strong, highlighted by the hiring of Dan Muse as the coach who brought the vision together. Add the immediate impact of Ben Kindel, and it’s been a great year to be Dubas.

There’s not a lot to nitpick about Dubas lately, and even the controversial Ville Koivunen extension is a low-risk, high-reward move based on his potential and the low cost to buyout. But while there aren’t many big misses of late, there also haven’t been quite as many swing-for-the-fences homers that characterize many of the top 10 front offices. It’s possible the timing isn’t quite right yet given the legacy constraints of the roster. Either way, the Penguins front office is back on the rise.

13. New Jersey Devils

2025 ranking: 13

“If you had asked this question before Tom Fitzgerald was fired — and before Sunny Mehta was hired — I would likely have responded with all ‘1’ rankings. The minute he took over the team, everything changed. It’s Aug. 6 and I still believe he’s not done preparing this team for a run — finally, a significant run — in the spring.”

“It’s mostly too early to judge Sunny Mehta, and a glance at the 2023 rankings are a reminder we shouldn’t get too carried away. That said, it’s great to have a smart guy, whose record as an AGM in Florida was peerless, making what appear to be a series of smart bets to start his reign. And he’s also ‘one of us’.”

New Jersey’s ranking hasn’t changed since last year, but it’s crystal-clear that there’s been a vibe shift since the team hired Sunny Mehta to run the show. While the public at large is still waiting to see how the first-time GM handles the big job, the fan base already views the new-look front office as one of the league’s 10 best with especially high marks for a vision that’s already apparent.

Mehta has been busy in his first summer and did well in offloading Jacob Markström, bolstering the forward depth, extending the captain and moving off of Šimon Nemec. It’s not all roses — some question the Alexander Command draft pick and still lament not getting a top-flight forward — but it’s an immediate breath of fresh air compared to the old regime. Given Mehta’s reputation as an analytically-inclined thinker, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Devils move up with the other teams who are run by those with similar ideologies. They’ll need the on-ice results to get there, though.

14. St. Louis Blues

2025 ranking: 10

“Trying to stay competitive without tearing it down has made for some enjoyable seasons, while also not being miserable. The idea of getting a high draft pick is nice, but losing every game kind of defeats the purpose of playing.”

“The transition between Army and Steen has been seamless. It will be up to Steen now to ensure he keeps the pulse of the franchise on beat while ensuring a productive future. Time will tell.”

The jury is still out on the transition from Doug Armstrong to Alexander Steen as GM, but Blues fans are cautiously optimistic about the handoff. Last year’s Justin Faulk and Brayden Schenn trades were a master stroke from Steen and the regime at large earns high praise for the dual offer sheets. Landing Jimmy Snuggerud at No. 23 in 2022 could prove to be a major win too.

Still, there are some quizzical decisions that keep the Blues out of the top 10. Extensions for Pavel Buchnevich and Cam Fowler immediately aged poorly while this summer’s Ross Johnston signing was a head-scratcher from Steen specifically.

The main headline from the summer was the acquisitions of Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael; how they fare will likely dictate where Steen and co. grade out next season.

15. Philadelphia Flyers

2025 ranking: 19

“Solid moves overall but lacking the star power at important positions. They refused to fully tear it down accumulate top picks like other teams have & now that’s a glaring hole. They thought they could address this in free agency but teams are keeping their guys, liked the try on Carlsson, will be interesting to see where they go from there.”

“The Flyers’ approach has a fundamental flaw: it heavily relied on free agency and drafting/development excellence from the beginning. Free agency is virtually nonexistent, and the drafting component has been average. As a result, the team seems destined to be a dark horse contender at best, and some might even consider that overly optimistic.”

Loved the swing on Leo Carlsson, but it goes to show how difficult it will now be to solve a self-inflicted problem. Star power is most easily found at the top of the draft and Philadelphia’s refusal to bottom out to that level has cost them dearly on that front. Finding it now is going to be a challenge. Reaching on certain prospects in the first round in past drafts only makes matters worse.

To Philadelphia’s credit, the Flyers brass has done some good work over the last year that culminated in a surprise playoff berth. Dan Vladař and Trevor Zegras were home runs while Rick Tocchet offered the team serious stability. Porter Martone feels like a true gem too.

The Flyers’ rebuild — if you can truly call it that — will be defined by the decision to not bottom out. It could work, but right now the faith that it will is as middling as the current roster. A legit star might change that.

16. Minnesota Wild

2025 ranking: 17

“I love how Billy handles business and building a team. Very straight forward and honest. Care’s about the players and sticks to his plan. But at the same time will adjust if opportunities present themselves. He wants to win and I truly believe he is constantly looking to improve the team to win a cup.”

“I generally think Billy has a decent vision for the team, but am often lost by the supporting moves made around the superstars. We seem to consistently overpay in both trades and contracts, internal and external.”

It’s no question that the Quinn Hughes trade was an absolute home run. If Bill Guerin can get an extension done, the decision to go all-in on the superstar defenseman will look even better. It’s the main thing that gives the front office high trade confidence. Extensions for Matt Boldy and Brock Faber aging well don’t hurt either. When it comes to the core, the Wild are firing on all cylinders — even if Kirill Kaprizov ended up a little overpaid.

It’s the supporting cast where things fall back a bit. Minnesota’s ability to surround the core with capable support is largely in question and the cost paid to do so feels like another issue on top of that. Minnesota has the core to go the distance. It’s the rest of the team that separates the Wild from the league’s best both on the ice and here.

17. Ottawa Senators

2025 ranking: 11

“Brady leaving sucked but they kept it under wraps and got decent value. They’ve otherwise built a sneaky good group with strong underlying numbers and rebuilt trade assets. Feel like they’ve done a pretty admirable job for a high-tax, cold-weather market we are constantly reminded nobody wants to play in.”

“The results aren’t as good as a number of other teams but given the constraints the Sens face (tax rates, budget, etc) I think the front office has done a very good job of fielding a competitive team that’s fun to watch.”

The constraints of the Ottawa market were apparent this summer with the exodus of captain Brady Tkachuk.

The Senators played their cards well amidst that debacle, though, extracting full value from the Florida Panthers and then flipping one of the picks for underrated forward William Eklund. He’s no Brady, but Ottawa’s ability to make lemonade is commendable. The Senators have made some sneaky good moves over the last year with Jordan Spence and Dylan Cozens that suggest they’re a team worth trusting.

Still, they aren’t without their mishaps. Moves made for Samuel Ersson and André Burakovsky this summer were puzzling to say the least, and the sting of the Jakob Chychrun and Alex DeBrincat trades still linger within the fan base.

18. Calgary Flames

2025 ranking: 18

“The Craig Conroy tenure has been marked by mostly positives… but scar tissues still remains from GMBT and the organization’s historic refusal to fully rebuild. Hoping this one doesn’t flounder or have the plug pulled too soon, but I’m optimistic and happy overall!”

“I think Conroy is on the right track, next year will be a proving year to see if our prospects grow and prosper into the future core. He’s done very well to give us a chance in 3-4 years. No more holding onto expiring contracts.”

I like the optimism, but this is probably going to take longer than three to four years. At the very least, fans are very excited about the Flames finally tearing things down and doing it properly. It’s a breath of fresh air for a team that’s never picked in the top three and just once in the top five (Sam Bennett in 2014). The fan base was particularly stoked about the hauls the team received last year for Rasmus Andersson, MacKenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri.

The public is a lot less enthused, mostly because the Flames are still in the infancy of a rebuild where caution is paramount. There’s also some concern over the risk on Šimon Nemec’s deal; the tools are there, but he needs to figure things out without the puck.

19. Nashville Predators

2025 ranking: 31

“Chris MacFarland has been a big upgrade over Barry Trotz and David Poile. His moves so far have been very impressive. Now he needs to address the Predators inability to draft and develop forwards into top six NHL players which has plagued the franchise since its inception.”

“The change from Trotz to MacFarland is a massive improvement. I’m still waiting to see what the overall vision for this team is though. The moves MacFarland has made are mostly good but the bigger picture is still a bit unclear to me.”

The Predators were a big mover despite another poor season and that all stems from a change in leadership. Barry Trotz wasn’t quite cutting it in a management role and there’s significantly more excitement surrounding Chris MacFarland. Giving the keys to the guy who helped shepherd one of the league’s premier teams will have that effect.

That’s led to a lot more optimism regarding Nashville’s decision-making within the fan base, with one of the largest changes in confidence compared to last season. The Predators having a decent offseason where the middle six noticeably improved probably adds to that.

The big question, though, is what the overall plan is. The Predators have been stuck for a while in the limbo of the mushy middle and while the offseason acquisitions were nice, they also make it more likely the Predators stay in that lane. We’ll have to wait and see as MacFarland’s plan materializes in his first season, but Nashville fans are hungrier for more than the usual “sneak into the playoffs and pray” approach.

20. New York Islanders

2025 ranking: 15

“I am less enthused about Darche’s front office than I was when he took the job last year. I was encouraged by the 2025 draft and obviously, Matthew Schaefer is an absolute gem. The in season trades concerned me and I am less sure of what the vision for the team is.”

“Darche doesn’t seem to have a clear plan. At least not one he’s willing to stick to. He talks a good game about building with youth, but then trades for Palat & Schenn, and signs Pageau to an extension, rather than dealing veterans for picks/prospects.”

Islanders fans were singing Mathieu Darche’s praises last summer, but reviews are far more mixed this time around. While they liked the Noah Dobson trade and the subsequent selections made with the picks from the deal, Darche’s in-season work left a lot more to be desired.

Trades for Ondřej Palát, Carson Soucy and Brayden Schenn didn’t seem to match the team’s overall vision, and the decision to re-sign Jean-Gabriel Pageau felt short-sighted. Being in the playoff hunt all year made for a tough balancing act, but many fans weren’t thrilled regarding the lack of prioritization for the long term.

Overall, there’s a lot of excitement on the basis of having Matthew Schaefer on the roster; he looks like he’ll one day soon be the best defenseman in the world. But Darche and co. will have to prove they have the ability to properly build around him with a cohesive vision. Right now, things feel murky.

21. Toronto Maple Leafs

2025 ranking: 24

“The Leafs under Treliving were a disaster. Chayka at least seems willing to DO things, but it remains to be seen whether 1) he is any good at it or 2) how much the new corporate overlords interfere. I am feeling much more positive, in an addition by subtraction kind of way.”

“The jury is still out with Chayka. His Arizona track record was not good. That’s the only frame of reference we have. So far, my confidence is MUCH higher than with Treliving, but it all comes down to on-ice performance this season. This is now very much Chayka’s roster.”

If there’s one overarching theme from Leafs Nation regarding the contentious-from-the-outside John Chayka and Mats Sundin combo, it’s this: at least it’s not Brad Treliving. Had the Leafs kept Treliving (and by extension Craig Berube) in the fold, it’s likely the front office would’ve ranked a lot closer to 32nd after the disastrous season they just had.

Chayka has been busy enough that an overarching vision has begun to form, but it’s still far too early to see how that vision manifests.

On the good side, fans mostly liked the bet on Darren Raddysh, especially after seeing subsequent pricing for other defenseman. Expensive and risky? Sure. But if he’s making Jacob Trouba money after the season he had, it’s worth it to a team like the Leafs, who need offensive puck-moving talent on the back end. Adding Emil Andrae and punting Simon Benoit is also another win in the same vein. Add the short terms for every UFA acquired, and fans are mostly on board with the plan.

Where questions still linger mostly comes down to overall spending, where many of the one-dimensional UFA forwards felt overpriced, especially Colton Sissons. And while some are optimistic about Sergei Bobrovsky, the cost and term after a dismal season still causes some squeamishness.

More good than bad so far, but we’ll have to see how Chayka’s bets pan out in Year 1 for a clearer view. At the very least, some hope has been restored in Toronto.

22. Anaheim Ducks

2025 ranking: 22

“Verbeek’s stubbornness and refusal to lock up his young players early might have stalled the Ducks rebuild out, right when it looked like it had the opportunity to take flight. His old school, hard-nosed tactics have no place in the modern NHL.”

“Verbeek was on a roll until the Leo Carlsson drama unfolded. If he can navigate Gauthier’s new contract and roster construction without going backwards in the standings, he will restore his reputation as the GM we hoped he would be.”

After making the playoffs and winning a round, it was easy to imagine Ducks management climbing the ranks this summer. Anaheim has all the makings of a future beast in the West thanks to a sterling young core, and those types of teams usually boast high marks in this survey. The team’s top-10 mark in drafting and developing speaks to that.

But then the Leo Carlsson offer sheet debacle happened and it’s hard to view Anaheim’s front office and its future the same way. Carlsson is a fantastic player that may one day become a top-10 center, but he’s now on an extremely inefficient contract that may limit the team’s ceiling. It’s hard to build a competitive roster when the top guy gets paid $3-5 million more than he should. That Pat Verbeek let the situation get to that point was an egregious error that may deeply set the team back. It’s one that’s created a significant change in confidence over the last year despite the team’s success.

Selecting Carlsson (and Beckett Sennecke) against conventional wisdom is a point in the team’s favor and the Cutter Gauthier trade was a master stroke. If his next contract can stay reasonable, that might curry some favor back to Verbeek. But the sting of paying Carlsson a lot more than they had to may linger for a long time.

23. Boston Bruins

2025 ranking: 30

“The Bruins won’t become a true Stanley Cup contender until they can start drafting and developing forwards. The free agent and trade acquisitions have been enough to keep them competitive, but it’s not enough to push them into the next tier of teams.”

“A lot of Bruins fans like to blindly trash Don Sweeney but the fact is this team has been a contender for a big chunk of his tenure and as soon as they weren’t he pulled off what looks like a successful retool.”

Bruins fans are notoriously harsher on their own management group than the prevailing view from the outside. Even after a surprise return to the playoffs, fans still view this front office as a bottom-quartile outfit with drafting and developing continuing to be the biggest issue. We’ll see how that changes once James Hagens shows his big-league stuff.

Don Sweeney and the Bruins organization at large feel a bit underrated for their ability to stay competitive for so long across eras. They’ve made some mistakes along the way (like signing Elias Lindholm), but the JJ Peterka trade feels like a good bet and the Brandon Carlo deal was obviously a masterclass.

Whether the Bruins can turn this retool around an elite core into a legit contender is the big test, though, and for now they look well off the mark. That’s what keeps them in the league’s bottom half, even by the more optimistic public.

24. Chicago Blackhawks

2025 ranking: 25

“I think they’re in an okay spot. Some indications they may be trying too hard too quick, but also some indications they are making solid, savvy moves. I’m willing to wait another 1-2 years to see how this plays out, especially with Kane back in the fold.”

“At some point, being a lottery team every year means you aren’t doing it right. None of the moves this off-season indicate any substantial growth other than just hoping it works.”

Tearing it down is always the easy part and fans tend to grade on the curve with the promise of potential. This upcoming season isn’t exactly a make-or-break season for Chicago’s rebuild, but it is time to start seeing some tangible results — especially with the massive bet Kyle Davidson and co. made on Bowen Byram.

While some fans are optimistic about Byram’s chances of becoming a No. 1 defenseman, the cost to trade for him and the cost to retain his services look extremely exorbitant from the outside given he’s not yet at that level. That the Blackhawks spent significant draft capital on defensemen aiming for what they’re now paying Byram to be doesn’t feel great either. It makes the decision to select Artyom Levshunov over Ivan Demidov even more demoralizing in hindsight.

It’s especially odd that the Blackhawks didn’t really do much to satisfy their big needs up front, with some wondering why they didn’t try harder for Pavel Dorofeyev or Mavrik Bourque. Chicago has done some good, like turning Seth Jones into a first-round pick and a budding elite goalie. But there’s been a lot more harm so far that brings questions regarding the efficacy of the rebuild.

25. Vancouver Canucks

2025 ranking: 26

“For the first time since Mike Gillis was in charge, the organization feels like it has a plan. There’s still much to see with Ryan Johnson and the Sedins, but they already seem better than Allvin or Benning. They’ve reinstalled a feeling of hope that Canucks fans haven’t had since 2012.”

“I have high hopes for Ryan Johnson and the Sedins and I think if they’re left alone, they could do a proper rebuild and have it turn out great. Problem is the owner can’t get out of the way of himself and that’s what scares not only me but a lot of Canucks fans.”

The Canucks are embracing a full rebuild after the locker room imploded, and that in and of itself has led to hope being restored within the fan base. That the club hired Ryan Johnson and not Pierre Dorion certainly also helps.

There’s currently a wide discrepancy between the public and the fans, one largely driven by the previous regime driving the club to this point. The new guys haven’t done much yet to be fairly graded, but even just admitting defeat and starting over for real is a breath of fresh air for a city that is tired of get-rich-quick schemes. Time will tell if it works, but for now there’s an actual vision in place. For Vancouver, that’s a new and exciting feeling.

26. Winnipeg Jets

2025 ranking: 12

“They never play the young guys, they get frustrated and then leave because they aren’t getting a chance. The front office doesn’t seem to have a vision on what they are doing, whether that be rebuilding or getting assets needed to win right now.”

“Fans exaggerate their drafting and development woes but it’s true it hasn’t been the strength it needs to be. Not every late first/second can be a home run but when you’re Winnipeg, at least one of them needs to be.”

No team has dropped further year-over-year than the Jets. That should come as no surprise given the team’s drop in the standings, their former star playing a feature role in a Stanley Cup win and their superstar goalie’s future looking murky. That’s a tough look one year removed from winning the Presidents’ Trophy.

While the Jets get points for moving on from Logan Stanley and adding Mario Ferraro this summer, there’s too much bad adding up leading to a lot of lost confidence. The Jets are in a precarious position and it’s become tough to trust Kevin Cheveldayoff to get them out of it, especially with a stubbornness to contend with a middling roster.

27. Edmonton Oilers

2025 ranking: 21

“Bowman appears to be operating reactively and without a longer term plan. I get that there is pressure to contend while McDavid is on his two year extension, but several of his panic moves have made the team worse.”

“I’ve never been overly worried about the talk of ‘wasting McDavid’s career’ before, but the tandem of Bowman and Babcock finally has me truly concerned.”

When a team starts with two of the best players in the world and still has no Stanley Cup to show for it a decade later, it’s hard to stay positive. With Connor McDavid signed for only two more years, there’s a real sense of urgency to finally go the distance in Edmonton. There’s just not a lot of faith in the current regime to get them there.

While there are certainly good things happening in Edmonton — like trading Darnell Nurse without retaining salary and signing Ryan Shea at half the cost — there are still the occasional head-scratchers. The Tristan Jarry trade was a debacle and the Trent Frederic deal has already aged horribly. While Jason Dickinson is a nice player, the Oilers spent a lot to get him … and keep him. There’s also still the lingering wound from the dual offer sheets.

The biggest test of faith will come in the bet Edmonton made behind the bench. Mike Babcock was a great coach once, but there’s a reason he was out of the league; bringing him back is a huge risk many aren’t on board with.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets

2025 ranking: 16

“If Werenski and Marchenko end up leaving (they probably will, let’s be honest) then the last five years have been for nothing. Will need to blow the team up. Anything leas than a top three finish in the Metro and there is a 0% chance Z and Marchy stay. Worrying times.”

“Between a brutal summer of rumors (Werenski, Marchenko, no Fantilli extension) and laying off two of the team’s most beloved voices in team media, the front office had a very poor Summer 2026 as far as instilling confidence in the near future.”

It’s been a difficult summer in Columbus and patience is growing thin within the fan base. While the public at large isn’t as harsh on Columbus management, it’s clear the fans aren’t happy. Only Montreal, Toronto and Minnesota had more survey respondents than the Blue Jackets, which speaks volumes about the current level of frustration.

Much of that stems from the trade requests that popped up this summer and how they’ve been handled. But it’s also selecting Cayden Lindstrom over Ivan Demidov; it adds to a culture of irrelevance the franchise just can’t seem to shake.

There is also significant ire regarding the team’s removal of the radio broadcast, which has left a bitter taste in many fans’ mouths. It’s left the fan-management relationship in a very rocky place. Winning can cure all, but there’s not a lot of confidence that this group will be the ones that can get them there.

29. Los Angeles Kings

2025 ranking: 27

“Kopi’s gone, Doughty’s cooked, we’ve burned through a rebuilds worth of draft capital with few (if any) star players to show for it, our goalie (and half the rest of the lineup, tbh) will be 37 by the end of the season. Other than that, everything’s great!”

“They’ve had 12 years since the last Cup to rebuild into a contender—yet the team has not won a playoff first round, is old, slow and without a true star, and the minor league talent pool is thin, I love Luc as a player and as a person, but this team now needs a fresh start from the top down.”

Patience has worn very thin in Los Angeles with the current team as the front office’s mission of merging two timelines has led to a low-ceiling team without much hope. If making the playoffs is the only goal, the Kings are right where they need to be. But for fans with higher aspirations, what’s come from the team’s mini rebuild has become difficult to accept.

While fans praised the Artemi Panarin trade and extension for Brandt Clarke, there are a slew of other issues that have added up over the years that make Ken Holland’s crew hard to trust. What they did on the back end — trading Jordan Spence while signing Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin — is still a particular sore spot.

Unless the Kings somehow manage to lure a superstar to a middling team via free agency, it’s difficult to see this going anywhere but another first-round exit.

30. Detroit Red Wings

2025 ranking: 23

“The Wings need to pick a direction. Trading Larkin and resetting the window – regardless of Stevie Y – with younger players to match the rest of their core seems like the best path. They’re no where near a cup with Larkin. Making the playoffs is trivial in Detroit, we want cups.”

“A total dumpster fire right now. Not sure what the next few weeks and months — even hours, maybe! — will bring, but the Wings aren’t stuck in the ‘mushy middle,’ they’re in quicksand and continue to struggle and, of course, just sink deeper.”

A vacant GM chair makes the Red Wings difficult to rate at the moment, so consider this a final grade for the Yzerplan. And folks, it is rough.

There were many moments throughout the years where hope was high in Detroit thanks to Steve Yzerman, so let the Yzerplan serve as another lesson that tearing it down is the easy part. Actually building something is much more difficult. The public caught on to the struggles of Detroit’s front office quicker than the fan base did and it’s why it’s important to gauge how front offices are perceived from both inside and outside the base. But even within Detroit, the tide against Yzerman had already started turning last year.

There are obviously positives from the last decade, namely Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. But everything else on the pro and amateur side was far from ideal. The biggest issue, though, was trying to take the cake out of the oven before it was done rising. What’s left is an underbaked mess for the next guy to clean up. The Red Wings aren’t unsalvageable, but they are in a very unenviable spot post-Yzerplan.

31. Seattle Kraken

2025 ranking: 29

“It is time for a rebuild! Players do not want to play here and there is zero vision for this team. Players that should be superstars are floundering due to the lack of vision and proper development. Giving coaches the boot every year and expecting miracles without addressing the actual issue isn’t going to get the results you want.”

“This front office is still delusional about what they’ve built. For three years, they’ve looked at a bottom-5 roster in the NHL, believed it was a playoff team, and acted accordingly.”

The Kraken genuinely feel like one of the league’s most directionless franchises and rank as the one most derided by the public.

It’s the lack of vision that’s most jarring where the team has positioned itself in rebuild territory with a lackluster roster, but refuses to face that music with a cogent plan. While some fans praised the team’s attempt to land Jason Robertson this summer, the superstar’s rejection speaks volumes about what this franchise doesn’t seem to get: they’re not good enough. And Robertson, as great as he is, wouldn’t have come close to fixing that on his own. The Kraken are not even close to being one player away.

Credit to Seattle for not diving into free agency to add another bad deal to the books this summer, but there’s currently very little faith this ship can be turned around any time soon — or that the folks in charge can make it happen.

32. New York Rangers

2025 ranking: 28

“There seems to be at least some recognition that the prior emphasis on sandpaper at the expense of skill has not worked, but I fear the moves the team has made to pivot (including trading multiple future first rounders) could blow up in their faces unless they turn things around really quickly.”

“At this point Drury will do anything to keep his job, including trading draft capital to put together a team that won’t finish last in the East. Terrible long-term building which won’t result in any success.”

The reputation of the Rangers’ front office has lost a fair bit of luster over the years; this is rock bottom. Short-sightedness, poor prioritization and troubling execution have left a win-now team in the perils of the mushy middle.

While some fans praised the offseason the Rangers just had, they were also quick to counter that the cost to do so was fairly high and could be particularly harmful in the long term. The Rangers are in a tough spot with Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin, two franchise-caliber pieces worth building around. It’s just that what the team has built around them is far from good enough. The fans don’t trust the current regime in charge to fix that.