Dallas and then a bunch of losers*, same as every year. If forced to name some...
2. Edmonton. After the dumpster fire start to last year, changing coaches, mass hysteria, to come from that and end up where they did just shows how much fight this team has in it.
3. Las Vegas. Hate the shenanigans, recognize the talent.
4. Florida. Because I will never admit that any team with a Tkachuk is actually good. Probably should be 2, but I don't even know what a Tkachuk is. Is it some sort of a bus or something? I dunno. Sounds fake.
5. Carolina. Perennial "should make the finals" team for a reason.
6. Toronto. Because I can't get enough Canadian heartbreak but also can't wait to see the bender you bastards go on when any of the teams win a Cup again. Rivers may be set on fire.
7. Rangers. As long as they can continue getting healthy, DeGrom is fire when he returns, Jung keeps being Jung, they still have much of th... oh, wait, wrong Rangers...
7. New York Rangers. They'd probably be better if their Lurch could figure out how to play and stop wasting time taking penalties but whatever.
8. Nashville. The Music City Piss Kitties are the dark yellow horse.
*Definition of loser ignores win/loss records and instead relies on a binary logic test of whether or not a team is the Dallas Stars. If Dallas Stars then NOT loser. If NOT Dallas Stars then loser.