Whether you’re deciding to start a new franchise with a team or trying to beat other players online in versus games in NHL 23, it’s important to know who the best teams in the league are this season. While it’s easy enough for anyone to look over the list of teams in the game and see which ones have the highest ratings, those numbers don’t really tell the whole tale about a squad. With different strengths and weaknesses feeding into those NHL 23 team ratings, some of the best teams might be more or less appealing depending on your own personal preferences. You are likely also more or less killed in certain areas of NHL 23, and any given team’s roster might be able to compensate for shortcomings in areas or accentuate your positives.
Here’s a look at five teams that NHL 23 feels have a legitimate shot at hoisting the Stanley Cup at the end of the season and why they’re considered to be cream of the crop. Let’s discuss how these teams can best be used to your advantage and where you might need to be careful when you’re trying to come out on top with them.
NHL 23 Team Ratings – Best Teams
Colorado Avalanche
There’s no better place to start than with the defending champion Colorado Avalanche, who have picked up right where they left off last year. The team had a few question marks coming into this season, perhaps the biggest being how new starting goalie Alexandar Georgiev would fare replacing Darcy Kuemper. Though the team currently has just an 85 rating in NHL 23 when it comes to their goalies, their net-minding has been respectable so far this year. Georgiev is 8-2-1 with a 2.45 goals against average and back-up Pavel Francouz has been just about as good.
The Avalanche defense, led by Cale Makar, is still the foundation of the team, which is reflected in the 97 rating for the team’s defense in NHL 23. The offense may have been hampered by the loss of Nazem Kadri in the offseason, and the 88 rating on offense could scare some people away who insist on giving the scoreboard operator a workout. Colorado hasn’t struggled too badly to put pucks in the net so far though and that rock-solid defense can really help to make up for any lack of scoring on off-nights.
Toronto Maple Leafs
With the new year fast approaching and the Maple Leafs sitting near the top of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, their fans are somehow starting to build hope again despite the traumatic memories of perennial disappointment from years past serving to caution them against it. The one huge question mark that’s currently bogging down the team’s ratings in NHL 23 is between the pipes, where they only have an 82 rating. Key offseason acquisition Matt Murray has recently returned from injury, and the hope is that he can add some stability to a position that’s plagued the franchise for years now.
Fortunately, the Leafs have plenty of firepower to keep them in any potential shootouts, with a 92 rating on offense in NHL 23 at the moment. Though Auston Matthews is off to a slightly slow scoring pace by his gaudy standards, other forwards like John Tavares and William Nylander have helped to pick up the slack. When they have lit the lamp, it’s likely been with an assist from Mitch Marner, who already has 19 in just 20 games played. The defense, rated at 92 as well in NHL 23, has been decent to this point, but they will have to continue to shut teams down without Jake Muzzin, who’s out indefinitely with a cervical spine injury.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes were considered by many prognosticators to be favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference this season and their blazing start seems to affirm those beliefs. They’ve had some setbacks since then though and are suffering through some struggles of late, but there’s still plenty of reason for optimism. Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho are logging points at an impressive clip while Brent Burns continues to be a steady force at the blue line.
Some of the team’s recent struggles at least can be attributed to an injury to starting goalie Frederik Andersen, who’s hampered by one of those mysterious lower body injuries and there’s no clear timetable for his return. If they do continue to flounder, it’s easy to imagine the Boston Bruins becoming a better option as a team to use than the Hurricanes. Their ratings haven’t exactly caught up to their record yet, but the Bruins have only lost a league-best two games to this point.
Calgary Flames
Compared to the rest of the teams on this list, the Calgary Flames are off to a bit of a slow start to the season. Sitting at just over .500 at the moment, they might only remain a viable option if they can turn things around and live up to the impressive ratings that NHL 23 has attached to them for the time being. They have plenty of talent to get the job done, with the aforementioned free agent signing Nazem Kadri at least largely living up to expectations so far.
Offense is still the team’s biggest concern though, as it’s been harder to replace the scoring of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk than perhaps expected. The goaltending of Jacob Markstrom was outstanding last season and a big reason why the team has a high rating in that department. Markstrom hasn’t been able to find that same form yet this season though (and backup Dan Vladar hasn’t been any better), which could eventually lead to a ratings dip if that continues.
New Jersey Devils
Since the glory years of capturing a few Stanley Cups while playing the trap back in the 1990s and 2000s, the New Jersey Devils and their fans have endured some dark years. That has all changed this season though, as the team is off to a red-hot start where they ripped off a 13-game winning streak on the way to the top of the Metropolitan Division standings. With young stars like Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Jack Hughes leading the way, they’re one of the more balanced teams you’ll find in NHL 23.
If there’s one weakness when using them within the game, it’s that they don’t have someone quite as reliable as Martin Brodeur serving as the last line of defense these days. Vitek Vanacek and Mackenzie Blackwood have been solid enough in splitting the job at goalie so far, but they will need to keep that up to warrant a bump in their ratings.
