Weekly Power Rankings: Most fascinating teams; more confusion from the Flyers

The teams I am most fascinated by this season and checking in with more madness from the Philadelphia Flyers

In this week’s Power Rankings I take a look at the most fascinating teams for the 2022-23 NHL season.

So what exactly makes a team fascinating? Honestly, it could be anything. How their new additions will work out, their style of play, what’s at stake for them, and anything else that just seems interesting. Is that a rather broad, subjective, and arbitrary thing? Yes. Yes it is. But so are power rankings to begin with.

This is not a ranking of team quality or anything close to that. Just which team’s storylines I am most intrigued by.

Also today: I continue to not understand anything about the Philadelphia Flyers.

For now, though, to this week’s 32-team Power Rankings

1. New York Rangers. I have said this before, and I will keep saying it, but this team fascinates me so much because I can see such a wide range of possibilities for them, and it all depends on what their young players do. They could win the whole thing and it would not shock me. They could also miss the playoffs and it would not shock me.

2. Calgary Flames. I want to see if a team can lose its two best players and actually come out of it better than before. They might.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs. I envision chaos here. Everybody is on the hot seat — or should be on the hot seat — and every little thing is going to be put under the microscope and exaggerated to unbelievable levels. A lot of that always happens in Toronto, but this year, after yet another postseason disappointment and not making many significant changes, is going to be a thousand times more incredible. They also have a completely chaotic goalie situation that could be a season-long storyline.

4. Vegas Golden Knights. Will Jack Eichel still be an elite player and get to the playoffs? Will they bounce back from last year’s meltdown? Will Logan Thompson be good enough in goal? What happens if none of those things work out? Their owner and front office might be the most volatile and unpredictable in the league. So many things to follow here.

5. Ottawa Senators. They had one of the best offseasons in the league in terms of adding talent (Alex DeBrincat, Claude Giroux, Cam Talbot) and keeping their young players in place long-term. They may not be good, but can they at least be fun? They should be.