How confident are you in your team’s front office? That’s the question we ask every summer, a necessary heat check on each team’s management group and how their decisions are perceived by not only their own fan base, but the public at large.There can be irrational year-to-year movement, recency bias and other weird results that happen any time you ask a group of passionate fans to rate what their team is doing. It can be fueled by results more than process, struggle to find the balance between short- and long-term, and have too much optimism or pessimism depending on where a team is in its contention cycle. Still, it works as a way to showcase the general perception around a team’s brain trust.Each front office is graded in six categories: roster building, cap management, drafting and development, trading, free agency and vision.This is the 11th annual version of this project, with this year’s edition seeing over 10,000 responses from fans grading their own favorite team and nearly 500 responses grading every team. The contrast between the two is always fascinating.According to the collective opinion of our well-informed subscribers, here’s how much confidence each team’s front office currently inspires.1. Carolina Hurricanes2025 ranking: 3“The Hurricanes front office truly fires on all cylinders. Often you look at a strong team and notice certain blemishes in their operations. You’ll see a head scratcher contract given to a defenseman in his late 30’s for example. With the Canes though they’re really good at avoiding falling into traps and always keep the future in mind.”“The management team (Dundon, Tulsky, Brind’Amour) are fully aligned on building a roster that fits Rod’s system. They have a plan and execute it to the hilt. They are able to see ‘hidden’ value in players who may not have fit their previous team, K’Andre Miller being a prime example.”“I have learned very quickly to not second guess what Tulsky is doing. I wasn’t sure about trading for K’Andre Miller or giving Jackson Blake 8 years after one year. I’d say both of those look very good a year later.”Now that the Hurricanes have added a Stanley Cup to their mantle, who else could it possibly be?There were some lingering doubts before that happened for varying reasons depending on who you asked. There are none left after a dominant run through the playoffs that proved Carolina was building something seriously special.Everything the Hurricanes touch seems to turn to gold and the recent run over the last years culminated in this moment. Adding Nikolaj Ehlers and K’Andre Miller, the Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake extensions, the Mikko Rantanen arbitrage — all of it not only led to the 2026 Stanley Cup win, but a potential era of dominance. The roster building has been meticulous, the player pricing has been second-to-none and the overall vision of continued excellence is what every other franchise should strive for.The Carolina Hurricanes are the model NHL franchise, and while that’s arguably been the case for a few years, they now have the Cup to prove it.2. Montreal Canadiens2025 ranking: 5“A smart front office that exercises patience and makes prudent, calculated moves. You can see that they don’t panic and they have a clear plan that they’re adhering to. The fruits of this plan were seen with a trip to the conference finals this past season, so the plan is working and fans can see that the team’s best years are ahead of them.”“I like how Hughes has avoided overpriced UFA’s and focused on drafting, developing and trading. He has signed multiple team friendly deals and keeps making smart choices. While he watches other teams handcuff themselves with bad contracts, he continues to build something that keeps evolving into a contender. He has earned my trust.”The Canadiens proved they were here to stay last spring, making the playoffs again and this time advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference final. While their date with the eventual champions proved there’s still a long way to go, there is little doubt regarding Montreal’s future place in the league. The Canadiens are still early in the process and are already knocking on the contending door. That’s a big deal.What’s especially scary is the sheer potential of what the Canadiens can build thanks to an immaculate cap sheet. Montreal has its young core locked up for a long time on some bafflingly strong deals and with an exploding cap, the Canadiens will have all the space in the world to build around them.There aren’t many (if any) better places to win it all than Montreal. What Kent Hughes and co. have done to make that such an attractive proposition both now and in the future makes it feel like it’s a matter of when, not if, the Canadiens will bring home their 25th Stanley Cup. They’re doing everything right to get there.3. Tampa Bay Lightning2025 ranking: 4“JBB’s approach and reluctance to go ‘all-in’ for miniscule cup odd improvements might not endear him to our fans, but for me it means we’ll continue to have a shot at a cup every year instead of going the way of the Penguins or Blackhawks.”“Even if the playoff results haven’t been there for them over the past 4 seasons, Julien BriseBois and company have managed to keep the team looking like a Stanley Cup contender despite everybody rushing to say their window has closed. I have faith they will be rewarded and bring another Stanley Cup back to Tampa Bay in the near future.”As other past contenders fade, the Lightning have managed to stick around the contender’s circle for years thanks to a hunger to extend this window for as long as possible. It helps that several core pieces are still playing at a high level, but Tampa Bay’s ability to augment that group with Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel and J.J. Moser over the years has been admirable. The latter two being on terrific contracts and coming into their own as high-end pieces certainly helps.That’s what keeps Tampa Bay’s fan base perennially optimistic despite repeated playoff failures. There’s still a lot of hope that the current group can squeeze one more Stanley Cup out of this window, and that the current management group has pulled all the right strings to make it happen.Hard to disagree with that given the current state of Tampa Bay’s roster, but we’re going to need to see the Lightning actually make it count when it matters this year. Five straight first-round losses, or a playoff miss, wouldn’t be pretty.4. Florida Panthers2025 ranking: 1“It’s been five years and Bill Zito is still ahead of the game. I’m surprised that more general managers haven’t followed his strategies — mainly not putting the value of futures (picks and prospects) at an untradeable premium. He has consistently turned potential value into current value.”“Bill Zito is the embodiment of what makes a great GM today. Never complacent and always willing to make a move.”The one downside of trading every pick? Getting a tough grade for drafting and developing. No worries — the Panthers have figured out that when the window is wide-open, talent now is better then talent tomorrow. That’s been the strategy for many of the team’s big-ticket adds to support the core and the latest Tkachuk trade, for Matthew’s brother Brady, is right in line with the team’s ethos.Even after missing the playoffs, it doesn’t feel like the Panthers can do much wrong. Bill Zito and co. have a strong vision of what a championship-caliber team looks like and have proven it twice with a team that fits that identity to a tee. That stylistic execution still feels second-to-none.5. Utah Mammoth2025 ranking: 7“They clearly have a lot of ambition, but have also shown discipline. Not overpaying for Trocheck or Weegar. Talking Anders Lee into joining. The test will be how they shepherd Iginla, Desnoyers, Simashev, Hrabal, But and now Belchetz into the team.”“It’s so refreshing to have a team whose front office you completely trust. These guys know how to draft and develop players. Bill Armstrong gives out great contracts to set them up for the future. It feels great to be a Mammoth fan right now.”The Mammoth front office has entered the top five after finally taking the next step into playoff contention last season. And it feels like that was just the beginning for an on-the-rise team that’s finally blooming.The main reason for optimism is the budding core coming into its own while also already being locked in at reasonable prices. Early extensions for Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley are already paying dividends and should only look better as the cap continues to grow.Their growth and those deals have afforded Utah the opportunity to significantly add over the last couple of years. While JJ Peterka didn’t work out, John Marino and Nate Schmidt have been great and there’s optimism for what Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee can bring to the table.Now it’s time to see if this management group can push the Mammoth even further to go the distance.6. Washington Capitals2025 ranking: 9“Very good at finding reclamation projects, à la Chychrun, Dubois, and hopefully Kyrou. Ross Mahoney has been unreal at finding high end talent in 2nd and 3rd rounds, such as Cole Hutson, Ilya Protas, Andrew Cristall, and, going back a little further, Aliaksei Protas and Martin Fehervary.”“You can’t overstate how impressive it is to actually make a ‘retool’ work. It’s commendable that the Caps managed to thread the needle when it came to not only staying competitive during Ovi’s swan song years, but also setting themselves up as a strong contender in the post-Ovi era.”Whenever a team pitches a retool, it’s hard to imagine it working because it usually just means delaying the inevitable. The Capitals are working to be the exception to that rule, and they’re making a damn good case that it can actually work. After years of winning trades, signings and picks, Washington’s front office has managed to assemble a team with genuine contender possibility.That is no small feat, especially for a declining club without a clear succession plan, and it didn’t happen overnight. Every summer the Capitals have taken a swing on a buy-low option and they’ve usually nailed it. This summer’s latest, Jordan Kyrou, looks like he can be another winner too.It’s an unconventional build and the lack of high-end talent at the moment could limit their ultimate ceiling, but it’s hard not to be impressed with the way Washington is currently operating. The front office has earned a ton of respect.7. San Jose Sharks2025 ranking: 8“Mike Grier has consistently attacked this rebuild with the best available players at the top of the draft and filling the gaps with free agency & trades. Some of the veteran’s contracts may have a higher number than I would have liked to see in AAV or years by a bit, but overall they addressed a need.”“Grier has overpaid for a couple of free agents this Summer, but his asset management during a long rebuild has been stellar. Now the team is set up with not only a superstar talent in Celebrini, but the depth to make some playoff runs.”I’m always wary of lavishing praise on a rebuilding team that hasn’t taken the next step into actual playoff relevancy. But it’s clear San Jose’s rebuild is on the right track with the team’s record at the draft table. That’s where the team’s highest grade comes in, which has added significant hope for the future. It would be a surprise if this rebuild fails.The biggest reason for hope is the presence of Macklin Celebrini, who is now locked up for five years after his ELC expires; that was a big win. So too was the team’s addition of Michael Kesselring as a buy-low bet to shore up the defense.Where fans were obviously much less convinced was the team’s expensive additions of Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse. One of them? Sure. Both? That’s a tough look that has created some genuine concern regarding the team’s cap management.How the Sharks navigate future deals for their budding core with those deals on the books will speak volumes about how strong this management group is. They’ve conquered the easy part and hopes are high because of it. Now the real challenge awaits.8. Dallas Stars2025 ranking: 2“They operate in a smart way. Building a roster that has been competitive for close to a decade is great as a fan. Every season for the last 5 years, I have thought this team has a legitimate chance of going far. Injuries are out of offices control.”“I feel like a lot of small mistakes have started to pile up in regards to cap management and free agent signings/trades.”Dallas’ front office is still extremely well-regarded, but patience is starting to wear thin for a team that has been close but can’t get over the hump. That time should come for a team this good, but the sting of a first-round loss is obviously weighing on a fan base that isn’t as confident as it was a year ago.Fans love the swing for Zach Werenski, similar to how the Stars pulled off the Mikko Rantanen trade. The big-game hunting is what could get this team over the hump and it helps that they have a lot of the core locked up to sweetheart deals. That is, of course, with the exception of Jason Robertson — a situation that has become a little dicey and has added some questions about the team’s overall cap management.While the team’s contract efficiency is strong on the whole, the string of misses filling out the hole at second-pair right defense has caused issues. And the team missed the mark in making Robertson a priority. If the Stars end up losing him next summer while failing to win it all again, they’re in danger of dropping out of the top 10. Figuring out Robertson in an exploding cap world is the team’s top priority.9. Colorado Avalanche2025 ranking: 14“While MacFarland did a good job, having Mr. Sakic back at the helm feels like a hug from an old friend. I think the moves so far this offseason have looked sound, and it seems like Joe gets so much respect around the league that we always get a good deal.”“It will be interesting to see what things look like with McFarland gone, and how the team can try to surround MacKinnon and Makar as Nelson, Kadri, Toews et. al continue to age.”After a brief drop outside, the Avalanche are back in the top 10 thanks to a dominant Presidents’ Trophy-winning season. If not for a brutal conference final loss, they might’ve pushed closer to the top five. While losing Chris MacFarland is tough, going back to Joe Sakic is one helluva safety blanket.The Avalanche have long been considered one of the NHL’s best management groups and earn a lot of trust when it comes to trades. If Colorado is calling, it might be best to hang up; they’ve won a lot of deals. The sting of losing Valeri Nichushkin is tough, but the Avalanche have earned the benefit of the doubt there.The one main concern with the Avalanche year after year is drafting and developing. It’s their worst grade annually and that hasn’t changed this year either; it’s what holds them back from a higher rank. It’s hard to hit on low picks when a team is in full contention mode, but there’s a clear difference in that area between Colorado and other contenders above the Avalanche. It may be what’s held the team back from a second Cup.10. Buffalo Sabres2025 ranking: 32“If we are being honest, this is still (mostly) Kevyn Adams team. But Jarmo has made some solid signings that look like he is responsible. He definitely seems able — and willing — to swing for a big trade. I far more confident in Jarmo than Adams. Now he needs to show us he can manage the team for a whole season.”“Dating back to Kevyn Adams I’ve felt that this front office has been focused on putting together a team that will be challenging for the cup for a long time, not just a sell-everything-for-a-shot. The decisions they made this season were tough ones (Tuch, Byram), but I feel absolutely the right ones.”One year ago, Buffalo was at rock bottom. In the midst of a lengthy playoff drought, the Sabres front office ranked dead last with many fans too angry to trust the team’s potential; the Sabres had to actually prove it for once. That they did, winning the division and making a run to the second round with years of decision-making finally paying off.Much of the fan base recognizes that the team that made magic last year had former GM Kevyn Adams’ fingerprints all over it. Still, there’s an air of legitimacy Jarmo Kekäläinen immediately brought to the table that caused the team to wake up.Since then, he’s got some fantastic deals under his belt for Josh Doan and Zach Benson, and made the bold but correct decisions to move on from both Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram. Every player has a price and the Sabres were wise not to go above that for either, even parlaying Byram into a massive draft-day haul.While the lack of replacements for either has some worried, it’s clear hope has been restored in Buffalo. Now it’s time to build on it and for once, it feels like the Sabres have the right front office for the job. No team jumped higher than Buffalo, going from dead last to the top 10.11. Vegas Golden Knights2025 ranking: 6“I respect the hustle of big game hunting and trading away lottery picks (prospects/picks). No one is guaranteed to work out and having that culture of at least trying to win helped hockey flourish in the desert where very few expected.”