Rank: Top 10 Stanley Cup Contenders

One of the regular articles you will see posted on the blog is called "Rank". This is a top ten countdown of various topics. Each edition of Rank will focus on a different subject related to a current NHL storyline. Enjoy these countdowns and please use the comments section to give your opinion on what should have been #1.

This edition of rank focuses on the top ten Stanley Cup contenders heading into the 2016-17 season.

10. Florida Panthers

The Panthers were last season's surprise team. They built a team of young super talented players and surrounded them with great veterans like Jaromir Jagr and Roberto Luongo. Even with all of Florida's talent, I am not sure they expected to be able to win the Atlantic Division. Now the Panthers know they are good enough to win and can compete with anyone. Merely winning the division this year will not be good enough for Panthers' fans.

9. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens have been one of the better teams in the NHL for a while now. They have plenty of talent and arguably the best goalie in the league. Montreal has a great balance and that is important for any team that wants to make a run in the playoffs. Their biggest question mark is if Shea Weber is an upgrade or downgrade over PK Subban. If Montreal does make a run in the playoffs it will be because they capitalized on Boston and Detroit declining.

8. Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim has been one of the league's elite teams for over a decade. A team this talented deserves more than winning just one cup over a decade ago. They need to win through their offensive attack. Perry, Getzlaf and Kesler are all great players that matchup well against any team. Their depth forwards give them a great mix of speed and size. The Ducks problem is reliable goaltending. They have added Jonathan Bernier to compete for the starting job, but there is no proof he can be an elite starting goalie in this league. The other option is Jon Gibson, who they have been waiting to breakout as an elite goaltender. If the Ducks get reliable goaltending, they will be a serious contender. If not, they are a fringe playoff team.

7. Washington Capitals

Every year there is a thought that "this could be the Capitals year", and last season felt like it would be. They easily won the President's Trophy, had the league's leading goal scorer and the best goalie. If they could not win the Stanley Cup last year, I am not sure they will during the Ovechkin era. They have more talent than any team in the league, good coaching and are hungry to win. In year's past you could say that Ovechkin simply did not have enough talent around him to win in the playoffs. That is not the case anymore. Evgeny Kuznetsov is one of the best players in the NHL, John Carlson is an elite defenseman and the supporting cast are all excellent players. Their problem is not on the ice, it is in their heads. I don't think this team knows how to win in the playoffs. It takes discipline and mental strength. They do not show this during tough games. That will need to change if they want to be successful.

6. San Jose Sharks

The defending Western Conference Champions surprised everyone with their playoff run last season. They have been one of the league's most talented teams for a long time, but could never put it together in the playoffs. Last year they discovered Martin Jones and he carried them into the Stanley Cup Finals. The Sharks were over matched by a fast Penguins team, but showed they were good enough to win in the deep Western Conference. The combination of size and skill makes them a difficult matchup for their opponents. Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and Brent Burns are elite players. The Sharks retained their top players and are poised for another successful year.

5. Los Angeles Kings

This group of Kings have won two Stanley Cups together, one short of calling themselves a dynasty. They still have as much talent and depth as any team in the league. They play a brand of hockey that is successful in the playoffs. Jonathan Quick is one of the best goalies in the league. It is hard to put a finger on what is holding LA back from being the favorites to win it all. It seems the question is elite offensive talent. Almost every team on this list has great scorers, but the Kings do not. Kopitar and Dustin Brown are special players, but they do not score at a high level. Marian Gaborik and Jeff Carter used to be great scorers, but they are getting too old to keep that up. If Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson can establish themselves as elite goal scorers, then we could see the Kings hoisting the cup again.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning came as close as it gets to playing in the Stanley Cup Finals last season, and they did it mostly without their best player. The Lightning are the complete package; speed skill, size, goaltending and great coaching. A healthy Lightning team may be the scariest team in the NHL. Steven Stamkos was a free agent this summer, he could have gone anywhere. Instead he decided to forego free agency and re-sign with the Lightning because he felt they have the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. Steve Yzerman has built a powerhouse. Players like Tyler Johnson, Hedman, Kucherov, Drouin and Palat are the envy of every team in the Atlantic Division. They even discovered they have two great goalies in Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy. If Tampa Bay can stay healthy, they are the best team in the Eastern Conference.

3. Dallas Stars

Jamie Benn is the best left wing in the NHL. Tyler Seguin is one of the best centers in the league. Beyond that, Dallas has more offensive depth than any team in the league. Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza, Jiri Hudler and Ales Hemsky are second and third line players there. No team has the defensive depth to keep up with them for 60 minutes. The Stars biggest issue last season was defense. They did not have any pairings that would be a top pairing on another playoff team. They did their best to resolve that this offseason by adding Dan Hamhuis. Their goaltending is one of the best combinations in the NHL. Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi split time and both could be starters for other playoff teams. The Stars are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender in 2016-17.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

The defending Stanley Cup Champions sit in second on my list. A great team with virtually no offseason losses. There is probably no team with more star power. Also the Penguins ability to roll three great lines makes them a near impossible matchup. Pittsburgh has won two Stanley Cups in the Crosby era, equalling the Lemieux era. You can bet that Crosby and Malkin would love to one-up their team owner. The problem for Pittsburgh is catching lightning in a bottle twice. Everything came together perfectly for them in the second half of last season. I am not sure they can count on that happening again. Also, goaltending is a huge question mark. Can Matt Murray be one of the league's best goalies again? If not, will Marc-Andre Fleury have the mental strength to overcome being treated as a backup last season?

1. Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago is still in the middle of a dynasty. When there is a dynasty team in the league, you have to put them at #1. They are still one of the most talented, well coached teams in the NHL. Most importantly they know how to win. Last season was an off year for them. They finished third in what was by far the toughest division in the NHL. However, they had their best offensive season as a team during this era. Patrick Kane was the league MVP and they discovered another superstar in Artemi Panarin. Defensively they have to be better. Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are all great players in the defensive zone, but they need improved play from the rest of their centers and defensemen. I do not expect Chicago to match what they did offensively last season, but I do expect their defense to be a lot better. That should make them a better team and put them in a strong position to make another run at a Stanley Cup.