A Look Ahead: Four Teams to Watch This 2025-26 NHL Season
- Mayline Ruiz
- Aug 11
- 5 min read
San Jose, CA. — We’re just two months shy of the National Hockey League's 2025-26 season starting, and there have been some exciting trades as well as some interesting signings throughout the season and even during free agency. Let’s take a look at some hockey teams we need to keep our eyes on.
San Jose Sharks
Even though last year the Sharks finished last in the league with a record of 20-50-12, they are a team you need to look out for this upcoming season. With young players getting their rookie season out of the way, they’re going to help pave the way for the Sharks' future.
Macklin Celebrini, who debuted last season, averaged 63 points from 25 goals and 38 assists. Will Smith, who also debuted last season, accumulated 45 points from 27 assists and 18 goals. Even though they were rookies, they stepped up and found their footing quickly. There were also a lot of veterans who helped guide these players through trial and error, such as Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund. Toffoli garnered 54 points from his 30 goals and 24 assists, while Eklund scored 17 goals and assisted in 41, totaling 58 points.
The Sharks are also known for their draft picks, such as the second overall pick in the 2025 draft, Michael Misa. However, they have also made a lot of off-season moves that will bring the Sharks different perspectives. On July 11, the Sharks signed left wing Jeff Skinner, who scored 16 goals and 13 assists this past season. By having Skinner, you’re getting an increase in offensive production while helping players increase their shooting percentage. The Sharks also signed defenseman John Klingberg to a one-year contract. While Klingberg only played in 11 regular-season games this past year, his career stats speak for themselves. On average, he has assisted in 20 goals almost every year, which will benefit the Sharks by getting more offensive production.
Hockey fans need to keep an eye out for the Sharks because with the young talent that they have, they’re getting hungry. Following their rebuild, they have started to improve in different aspects. They have younger players who are still in the minor leagues, developing while receiving guidance from veteran players. It’s also important not to count them out of playoff contention. While they may still be a few years away from finishing their rebuild, they’re nearly there.
Florida Panthers
While we love to hate the Florida Panthers, we can’t deny the talent they have. They are a team that makes blockbuster moves, such as trading away a conditional second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft for Brad Marchand. Marchand played a pivotal role during the Stanley Cup Playoffs as he played in 23 games where he scored 10 goals and 10 assists, totaling 20 points.
The Panthers are known for having talented veteran players who have a lot of offensive production. Another pivotal player on the Panthers is Sam Reinhart, who led the team in points with 39 goals and 42 assists during the regular season. Something that I thought was interesting was that on the 2024-25 roster, every player but Tobias Bjornfot had scored at least one goal. That’s insane, and it just goes to show how dominant they are offensively.
Even with veteran players, they also have rookies who have proved that they belong there. Mackie Samoskevich, who signed his entry-level contract in 2023, played for the University of Michigan. During his time with the University of Michigan, he garnered 43 points from his 20 goals and 23 assists. With 7 games played during the 2023-24 season, this past year was where he shone. He scored 15 goals with 16 assists, equaling 31 points. That’s impressive for a rookie year, especially when you have so many teammates who score consistently. They’re a gritty team that is always in playoff contention, and it will be interesting to see if the Florida Panthers can go for a three-peat. How can you not keep an eye out for them?
Washington Capitals
Many people had their eyes on the Washington Capitals this past season due to Alexander Ovechkin passing legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky's 894-goal record. On April 6, Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal and ended the year with 897 career goals. The Capitals ended their season with a record of 51-22-9. To top it all off, the Capitals even made a Stanley Cup Playoff appearance against the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Capitals faced the Montreal Canadiens in Round 1 and advanced to the second round after winning the series 4-1 in 5 games. Once they made it to the second round, they were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in 5 games, losing the series 4-1.
With Ovechkin having one more year left on his contract, it will be exciting to see how he can end his final year with the Capitals. Could he make it to 900 goals, and how will his season look? On top of their veteran talent, the Capitals have young players who are hoping to make their mark with the team. Ryan Leonard, who played 17 games during the regular season and playoffs, scored 1 goal and 1 assist. This upcoming season, Leonard will get the opportunity to play a full year with the Capitals and show that he belongs. By incorporating players such as Justin Sourdif and Declan Chisholm, we will get to see a young group make an appearance with the Capitals this year.
Vancouver Canucks
Now, the Vancouver Canucks are an interesting team to keep an eye on. At the start of the season, many people had high expectations for the Canucks as they made an appearance during the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After beating the Nashville Predators in six games, 4-2, they were eliminated in the second round against the Edmonton Oilers after seven games, losing 3-4. People were expecting them to play great the next year and continue their momentum, especially with star players such as Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson.
Very quickly, there were rumors surrounding the Canucks regarding certain players not being good teammates. While we never got the full story, it’s safe to say there was tension in the locker room. J.T. Miller was eventually traded to the New York Rangers, and the Canucks received Victor Mancini, Filip Chytil, and a 2025 first-round pick.
The Canucks finished their season placing fifth in the Pacific Division, missing out on playoff contention. However, it didn’t stop there. Rumors were swirling that there could be a potential trade for Captain Quinn Hughes. People were confused as to why he would get traded since he had played such a great role in the Canucks organization.
As fans were enjoying the offseason, a trade announcement was made by the Canucks, saying that they would be trading away Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2028 Draft fourth-round pick. The trades didn’t stop there as the Canucks also sent Arturs Silovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Chase Stillman and a fourth-round pick in the 2027 Draft. This move came as a shock since he had played a pivotal role with the Abbotsford Canucks and helped them win the 2025 Calder Cup. Silovs had played in 24 playoff games, where he won 16 and only lost 7. While the Canucks already have their main goalies, such as Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen, it would’ve been great for them to have a younger goalie who could remain with the Abbotsford Canucks while he continues to develop his skills.
With so much speculation surrounding the Canucks, it’s critical to keep an eye on how they manage the organization this upcoming season.
With there being so many teams, do you think we should take a look at other teams and how they have played in previous years? How do you think these players and teams will pan out this upcoming season? Let me know what you think!
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