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The case for the Minnesota Wild as a top Stanley Cup contender
Don’t let their last two games fool you. The Minnesota Wild are for real. And they’ve been pretty spectacular. The Wild had been on the NHL’s hottest run through early December, winners of eight straight games before closing out their recent road trip with back-to-back defeats at L.A. and Vegas. Minnesota’s loss to the Kings […]
Continue readingNHL Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, plus the best new addition for every team
After another week of the 2021-22 NHL season, we’ve had more changes in the top 5 of the power rankings. Here are our updated rankings of all 32 teams, plus the newcomer — either a free-agent signing, trade addition or rookie — that has made the biggest impact thus far for each club. How we […]
Continue readingNHL Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, plus early takeaways for every team
We’re two weeks into the 2021-22 NHL season, and there have been many surprises in the early going — both positive and negative. Here is our updated ranking of all 32 clubs, plus the key takeaways that stand out most for each. How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors […]
Continue readingViewers guide to Minnesota Wild at Anaheim Ducks on ESPN+
Tonight is the first game of the 2021-22 NHL season that will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu, and it should be a great one. We’ve got a captivating early-season matchup as reigning Calder Trophy winner Kirill Kaprizov and the Minnesota Wild head out west to take on the feisty Anaheim Ducks at 10 […]
Continue readingSeattle Kraken expansion draft protected lists, available players
The Seattle Kraken are joining the NHL for the 2021-22 season and will play in the Pacific Division. The front office and coaching staff have taken shape, and Climate Pledge Arena is on track to be ready, but the team needs players. The Kraken will select one player each from 30 NHL teams, as the […]
Continue readingNHL Power Rankings: 1-31 poll, plus the biggest offseason need for every team
Usually, it’s a pretty straightforward exercise of determining which free agents to re-sign and which to let explore the market, along with tweaks to be made via trade, and additions to the pipeline courtesy of the draft. This summer, however, there’s the added wrinkle of the Seattle Kraken expansion draft — and any side deals […]
Continue readingNHL Power Rankings: 1-31 poll, plus a key positive or negative trend for every team
How we rank: The ESPN hockey editorial staff submits selections ranking teams 1 to 31 — taking into account game results, injuries and upcoming schedule — and those results are tabulated in the list featured here. Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to our Week 6 edition, published on Feb. 24. Points percentages are […]
Continue readingNHL Power Rankings: 1-31 poll, plus the biggest disappointment for every team in the 2021 season
The 2021 NHL season has officially begun to take form, as the February schedule gets rolling. For this week’s Power Rankings, we identified the biggest disappointment so far for every team. How we rank: The ESPN hockey editorial staff submits selections ranking teams 1 to 31 — taking into account past results and offseason additions […]
Continue readingMinnesota Wild postpone games through Tuesday
Minnesota postponed Thursday night’s game at the Colorado Avalanche, two games at home against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday and Sunday, and its home game against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. In total, 22 games in the NHL have been postponed since the season started Jan. 13. About 90 players have appeared on the […]
Continue readingNHL free agency 2020: Winners, losers and other big takeaways
The NHL free-agent frenzy was unprecedented this offseason — and not just because it took place when the regular season is usually scheduled to start. The new collective bargaining agreement kept the salary cap flat at $81.5 million. Otherwise, it would have plummeted, just as team revenues have during the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial landscape […]
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