ESPN sorts all 32 NHL teams into tiers of Stanley Cup contenders

ESPN has organized every team in the National Hockey League into one of six tiers assessing their chances of competing for the Stanley Cup during the 2026-27 season, according to the outlet's preseason analysis.

The ranking places all 32 franchises somewhere on a spectrum from top championship contenders down to teams seen as further from title contention, without ESPN specifying in the excerpt which teams landed in each group.

A preseason gauge of the field

Tier-based previews of this kind are a common tool used by sports outlets ahead of a new season to give readers a quick sense of the competitive landscape across an entire league, rather than ranking every team individually.

The full breakdown, including which franchises ESPN considers the top challengers for the championship, is detailed in the outlet's original article.

The tiers are presented as a snapshot ahead of the 2026-27 season, with rosters, coaching changes and offseason moves all factoring into how each team was assessed before puck drop.

As with any preseason projection, ESPN's groupings are subject to change once games begin and teams' actual performance can be measured.