The most important day in the American calendar is finally here: Black Friday.
It’s a day to celebrate consumerism in all its glory with epic deals on TVs, toasters and coffee makers. At Power Rankings HQ, we wanted to join in on the festivities of this very important holiday.
We scoured the books for this week’s rankings to find the best Black Friday deals for each team. A guy scoring at a 40-goal pace making a million bucks? What a bargain! A top-five goalie for $2 million? What a steal!
Here are the 32 best values around the league this season.
1. Carolina Hurricanes, 16-5-1
Last week: 2Sean’s ranking: 1
Dom’s ranking: 1
He’s not the cheapest Hurricane ($6.5 million AAV), and Carolina is getting plenty of value from defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jalen Chatfield, but we can’t say anyone other than Martin Necas. Is that because he took over first place leaguewide in points heading into Thanksgiving? Perhaps.
Even if he’d stayed in second place, Necas would still be locked in as the league’s foremost breakout star. He’s not just racking up points, either — he’s doing it more efficiently than anyone else in the league (5.58 per 60). With him producing at this level, Carolina’s top six makes a whole lot more sense.
2. Winnipeg Jets, 18-5-0
Last week: 1Sean’s ranking: 2
Dom’s ranking: 2
It’s not often that a team’s best deal belongs to their highest-paid player and the Jets certainly have other options, but the answer right now has to be Connor Hellebuyck. He is once again carrying Winnipeg to incredible heights and is looking like the Vezina front-runner. Hellebuyck’s consistency at such a volatile position is a marvel and when you compare what he’s doing to what others being paid roughly $8 million are doing, it’s not even close. It can be risky paying goalies big bucks, but that’s not the case for Hellebuyck. Year after year, he’s worth every penny and then some.
3. Minnesota Wild, 14-4-4
Last week: 3Sean’s ranking: 3
Dom’s ranking: 3
For one more season, the Wild have Brock Faber on an entry-level deal and they’re certainly getting the most out of that forced bargain. Faber has leveled up from a strong rookie season to prove he’s every bit the elite No. 1 stud he looked to be in flashes. He’s dominating in a shutdown role, an impressive feat for such a young defender.
4. Washington Capitals, 15-6-1
Last week: 7Sean’s ranking: 4
Dom’s ranking: 5
The Capitals have a ton of great choices thanks to several players taking a big step forward, but we have to give the nod to Connor McMichael. He signed a two-year extension this summer worth $2.1 million per season and it’s safe to say he’s been worth way more than that to the Capitals. In 22 games he already has 13 goals, just five off last year’s career high of 18 with 60 games to go. He’s managed that while tilting the ice heavily on Washington’s shutdown line. McMichael looks like the real deal.
5. Vegas Golden Knights, 14-6-3
Last week: 10Sean’s ranking: 6
Dom’s ranking: 4
No Golden Knights defender has been on for a higher goals percentage than Brayden McNabb; Vegas is outscoring opponents 23-10 in his minutes, plenty good enough for a player who makes less than $3 million this season and a necessary bit of economy on a top four that, aside from McNabb, counts more than $21 million against the cap.
6. New Jersey Devils, 15-8-2
Last week: 8Sean’s ranking: 5
Dom’s ranking: 6
Nothing says “value” quite like a right-shot defenseman who can crush matchup minutes, and that’s what New Jersey has gotten from Johnathan Kovacevic this season. New Jersey’s goal share, expected and actual, are both above 60 percent when Kovacevic is on the ice, and plenty of that has to do with his ability to suppress offense. No defenseman in the league with at least 100 minutes played has been on the ice for fewer expected goals against per 60 than Kovacevic’s 1.59. That’s big-time stuff for anyone, let alone a player who cost the Devils just a fourth-round pick over the summer.
Mason Marchment has been a bargain for the Stars. (Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
7. Dallas Stars, 13-8-0
Last week: 5Sean’s ranking: 7
Dom’s ranking: 8
Mason Marchment was a revelation in his last season with the Panthers. He scored at a 73-point pace and dominated puck possession to an incredible degree. It was the kind of breakthrough that put him on the map, enough to figure any team signing him was about to get a real steal. That didn’t happen for Dallas immediately, but in Year 3 of his deal, the Stars are getting a massive return on their investment. Marchment is right back at that ridiculous level we saw in 2021-22 scoring at a point-per-game pace and once again dominating the shot clock on a nightly basis. His line with Matt Duchene (also a steal!) and Tyler Seguin has easily been the team’s best and at $4.5 million, Marchment has been a bargain.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs, 13-7-2
Last week: 9Sean’s ranking: 9
Dom’s ranking: 7
Ask any Leafs fan who the team’s best defenseman is and a large majority will likely give you the same answer: Jake McCabe. His shutdown game is underrated and he’s taken that to another level this season with Chris Tanev, another defensive ace, to form one of the league’s stingiest pairs. McCabe has been a rock for the Leafs and an absolute bargain at only $2 million this season (with Chicago retaining 50 percent of his salary). Say what you will about Kyle Dubas’ tenure with the Leafs, but he seriously cooked with that deal.
9. Florida Panthers, 13-9-1
Last week: 6Sean’s ranking: 8
Dom’s ranking: 9
Is it Sam Reinhart? It might have to be Sam Reinhart. The same Sam Reinhart who signed a $69 million contract in the offseason. When you’re leading the league in goals and scoring on nearly 28 percent of your shots, the salary number barely matters. (Florida will need someone outside of its very talented, very expensive core to step up, but that’s another issue for another time.)
10. Colorado Avalanche, 13-10-0
Last week: 14Sean’s ranking: 11
Dom’s ranking: 10
It’s Cale Makar, and we have two points to make. The first, and we’re breaking some ground here — man, this guy is really good. He’s 10th league-wide in scoring (30 points, more than Connor McDavid and seven ahead of the second defenseman), and the Avalanche are winning his minutes to a degree comparable to his Norris season in 2021-22. Back then, his on-ice expected goals plus/minus per 60 was 0.72. Currently, it’s at 0.66, 28th in the league among D-men with at least 100 minutes played.
The second: As good as Makar’s contract may be, it’s not a great sign that the Avs’ top value makes $9 million a year. Someone down the lineup needs to step forward.
11. Los Angeles Kings, 12-8-3
Last week: 12Sean’s ranking: 10
Dom’s ranking: 13
The Kings have used a by-committee approach to replacing Drew Doughty on the blue line, and they’ve gotten plenty of production from rookie Brandt Clarke along the way. Clarke leads the Kings’ blue line in points (15, six more than anyone else), on-ice goals for per 60 (3.48) and expected on-ice goals for per 60 (3.36).
12. Edmonton Oilers, 11-9-2
Last week: 15Sean’s ranking: 12
Dom’s ranking: 11
If you’re looking for a place for Evan Bouchard slander, you’ve come to the wrong spot. While Bouchard isn’t quite scoring at his usual rate, no one is for Edmonton. Everything else under the hood is business as usual for Bouchard, whose on-ice numbers are just as good as they were last season when he emerged as a Norris contender. His pair with Mattias Ekholm has officially been elevated to shutdown duties and have done a damn good job with that considering their current goaltending circumstances. Bouchard has more to give, but he’s still been really good — and at $3.9 million he’s still the best bargain on the team.
13. Tampa Bay Lightning, 11-8-2
Last week: 11Sean’s ranking: 15
Dom’s ranking: 12
Future Team Canada member Brandon Hagel signed a massive eight-year extension last year priced at $6.5 million per season, a deal that gave a lot of folks some sticker shock. “Hagel? $6.5 million?” There’s no shock these days with what he’s bringing to the table. After quietly scoring 75 points last season, Hagel has taken another leap with 26 points in 21 games this season which is second to only Nikita Kucherov on the Lightning. Yes, he’s got more than Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel while also soaking up matchup minutes on a fantastic shutdown line with Anthony Cirelli. Hagel is a helluva player.
14. Vancouver Canucks, 11-7-3
Last week: 13Sean’s ranking: 14
Dom’s ranking: 14
Flying way under the radar this summer was the Canucks adding Kiefer Sherwood at just $1.5 million. That’s looking like one of the best bargains of the offseason with how he’s started, scoring 2.9 points per 60. Sherwood has been so good that he’s earned a spot next to Elias Pettersson over the last six games, a stretch where he has three goals and five points while dominating at five-on-five.
Dustin Wolf is a big reason for the Flames’ good start. (Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images)
15. Calgary Flames, 12-7-4
Last week: 16Sean’s ranking: 13
Dom’s ranking: 16
Calgary is getting a top-10 goaltending season, in both save percentage (.921) and goals saved above expected (8.43), from Dustin Wolf. Really good stuff from a 23-year-old rookie. He’s a big reason the Flames are up this high.
