NHL Power Rankings: Each team's best newcomer

This is the third in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2024-25 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.

In this edition, we look at the best new addition for each team so far.

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1. Winnipeg Jets (15-3-0)

Previous rank: 1

Scott Arniel. He's been with Winnipeg for a while, but elevating Arniel to head coach was a great choice. The Jets are as complete as any team in the league in the early going.

2. Carolina Hurricanes (13-4-0)

Previous rank: 4

Jack Roslovic. We had to go with the guy who has nine goals - all at even strength - in his first 18 games with the Hurricanes. He's under contract for just $2.8 million this season.

3. Florida Panthers (12-5-1)

Previous rank: 2

Nate Schmidt. The reigning Stanley Cup champions understandably didn't shake things up much this offseason, but let's hear it for Schmidt. He joined the Panthers after the Jets bought him out, and the veteran defenseman has since posted six points in 17 games while averaging 14:24 minutes of ice time.

4. Washington Capitals (12-4-1)

Previous rank: 7

Logan Thompson. The Capitals shored up their goaltending by acquiring Thompson for cheap over the summer, and he's only lost one of eight starts. His hot start comes in a contract year and with Canada needing someone to take the reins in goal at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

5. Dallas Stars (11-5-0)

Previous rank: 8

Ilya Lyubushkin. The rearguard has been a pleasant surprise for the Stars, munching up 17:28 minutes of ice time per game as a pillar of Dallas' penalty kill, which ranks fifth in the league with an 85.4% success rate. Lyubushkin also already has five points through 16 games. His career high is 15.

6. Minnesota Wild (11-3-3)

Previous rank: 6

Yakov Trenin. It was slim pickings over here simply because the Wild barely have any cap space. Trenin has exactly one assist in 17 games, but he ranks second on the team with 49 hits.

7. Vegas Golden Knights (11-5-2)

Previous rank: 5

Tanner Pearson. Vegas didn't bring in many new names over the summer after a huge trade deadline, but Pearson has provided reliable depth with seven points across 17 games in a limited role.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (11-6-2)

Previous rank: 13

Anthony Stolarz. This honor also could have gone to someone on the Leafs' revamped blue line, but Stolarz has been brilliant as their No. 1 goaltender. The veteran owns a 7-3-2 record and sparkling .927 clip while ranking second in goals saved above average (9.61) and third in goals saved above expected (10.22).

9. New York Rangers (11-4-1)

Previous rank: 3

Sam Carrick. He isn't the flashiest name, but he's been a reliable fourth-line center for the Rangers. Carrick has four points in 16 games while averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time, and he's won 57.4% of his faceoffs. He also owns an expected goals rate of 58.5%, and New York has outscored opponents 7-3 with him on the ice at five-on-five.

10. New Jersey Devils (12-7-2)

Previous rank: 10

Stefan Noesen. He was supposed to be a depth signing, but the 31-year-old has chipped in nine goals and seven assists for the Devils so far.

11. Los Angeles Kings (10-6-3)

Previous rank: 12

Warren Foegele. We went with him over Darcy Kuemper largely because the goalie is facing his second injury absence. The Kings faced criticism in the offseason for not doing enough to add a scoring touch to their forward group, but Foegele has been solid with 10 points in 19 games on the third line.

12. Vancouver Canucks (9-5-3)

Previous rank: 11

Kevin Lankinen. The goalie has been something of a lifesaver for the Canucks, who are still without Thatcher Demko. Lankinen is responsible for all but one of Vancouver's nine wins and owns a .902 save percentage to go along with a 2.71 goals against average. Not too shabby for a September bargain pickup.

13. Tampa Bay Lightning (9-6-1)

Previous rank: 9

Jake Guentzel. The Bolts' marquee addition has come as advertised, fitting in seamlessly on the top line while contributing 17 points in 16 games.

14. Edmonton Oilers (9-7-2)

Previous rank: 14

Jeff Skinner. We were tempted to put Matt Savoie, but he hasn't played an NHL game this season. The Oilers brought back a host of familiar faces last summer, so Skinner is one of our very few options. He has three goals and six points in 18 games.

15. Seattle Kraken (9-9-1)

Previous rank: 24

Brandon Montour. Seattle's major blue-line addition is settling in quite well. The 2024 Stanley Cup champion ranks second on the Kraken with 11 points in 17 contests while averaging a team-leading 23:45 minutes of ice time.

16. Colorado Avalanche (9-9-0)

Previous rank: 17

Calvin de Haan. The Avalanche have used dozens of new players this season due to injuries, but De Haan, an under-the-radar signing on July 1, earns the nod thanks to an impressive 56.38% expected goals rate at five-on-five.

17. Ottawa Senators (8-8-1)

Previous rank: 15

Travis Green. The Senators have shown structural improvements at five-on-five under their new head coach, ranking fifth among all teams in shot attempts for (53.8%) and sixth in expected goals for (53.9%). There have been some hiccups - Ottawa's .896 team save percentage is 26th - but Green is helping right the ship.

18. Boston Bruins (8-8-3)

Previous rank: 16

Cole Koepke. The Bruins made two major acquisitions in Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, but we're going with the fourth-liner instead. Koepke has four goals and eight points (all at even strength, tied for the second most on the team) in 19 games while averaging only 11 minutes of ice time.

19. Buffalo Sabres (8-9-1)

Previous rank: 28

Ryan McLeod. There were plenty of critics of Buffalo's decision to give up prospect Matt Savoie in the McLeod trade, but McLeod ranks third on the Sabres with six goals and has added six assists.

20. Philadelphia Flyers (8-8-2)

Previous rank: 31

Matvei Michkov. The Russian rookie came with plenty of buzz, but he's lived up to the hype. The 19-year-old is the current Calder front-runner with six goals and 15 points in 16 games.

21. Calgary Flames (9-6-3)

Previous rank: 21

Kevin Bahl. Honorable mention goes to Justin Kirkland here, but Bahl has been solid on the top pair with Rasmus Andersson. The Flames have outscored teams 13-10 with the duo on the ice at five-on-five, and Bahl has chipped in offensively with six assists in 18 games.

22. New York Islanders (7-7-4)

Previous rank: 25

Maxim Tsyplakov. The Islanders lured Tsyplakov from the KHL over the summer, and he's fit well in New York's top six. He's contributed 10 points and 50 hits in 18 games.

23. Utah Hockey Club (7-7-3)

Previous rank: 22

Mikhail Sergachev. Utah's blue line has been obliterated by injuries, but luckily Sergachev has remained in one piece. He's tied for third on the team with 12 points in 17 contests while leading with 25:31 minutes of average ice time.

24. St. Louis Blues (8-10-1)

Previous rank: 18

Philip Broberg. Yes, he's currently hurt, but the defenseman has been a breath of fresh air for St. Louis. The 23-year-old has two goals and nine points in 12 games and was averaging 20:25 minutes of ice time before suffering an apparent leg injury Nov. 2.

25. Detroit Red Wings (7-9-1)

Previous rank: 19

Cam Talbot. He's the primary reason Detroit isn't further down the standings, posting a .927 save percentage in his first 10 games.

26. Pittsburgh Penguins (7-10-3)

Previous rank: 23

Joel Blomqvist. Pittsburgh isn't making the rookie's life easy, but he's logged a .904 save percentage in eight games and is the only Penguins goalie to post a positive GSAA (1.26) and GSAx (0.92) at all strengths this season. Not bad for a guy who's just starting his career.

27. Columbus Blue Jackets (6-9-2)

Previous rank: 27

Sean Monahan. His impact on and off the ice in Columbus is immeasurable. Monahan is tied for the team lead with six goals and second with 13 points in 17 games, and he has undoubtedly been key in helping the Jackets and their fans through the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.

28. Anaheim Ducks (6-8-2)

Previous rank: 26

Brian Dumoulin. The veteran defenseman has posted five assists in 16 games while averaging 19:16 minutes of ice time. He's also a team-leading plus-5 on the season, which is no small feat given Anaheim's minus-11 goal differential. At the very least, Dumoulin can fetch the Ducks a decent return in the coming months if he keeps it up.

29. San Jose Sharks (5-10-4)

Previous rank: 32

Tyler Toffoli. Macklin Celebrini is the main reason to watch the Sharks, but limited availability bumped him out of top spot on our list. Toffoli just flat-out produces everywhere he plays and ranks second on San Jose with 14 points in 19 games.

30. Montreal Canadiens (6-10-2)

Previous rank: 29

Lane Hutson. Technically he isn't a stranger to the Habs as he got into two games late last season, but we'll make an allowance. Patrik Laine hasn't played a regular-season game yet, OK? Hutson has racked up 11 assists in 18 outings while averaging 23 minutes of ice time as a rookie defenseman.

31. Nashville Predators (6-10-3)

Previous rank: 20

😬. OK, we have to choose someone. None of Nashville's splashy acquisitions are playing up to expectations, but we'll pick Jonathan Marchessault because he has ... three goals and 10 points in 19 games. Sure.

32. Chicago Blackhawks (6-11-1)

Previous rank: 30

Teuvo Teravainen. Yes, this is his second stint with the Blackhawks, but his first ended all the way back in 2016. Chicago's offense has slumped lately and head coach Luke Richardson is frequently changing his lines, but Teravainen showed some chemistry with Connor Bedard earlier in the campaign.