The 2024-25 NHL Season is underway and we are seeing teams that play a certain style of hockey sitting near the top of the standings. These teams know that it matters to start playing playoff hockey now by being patient and to not cheat the game.
There should be no surprise who will be at the top of the list, as NHLRumors.com in this latest post will give you the teams that play their style to perfection as they sit near the top of the standings.
Let’s dive into the list.
Four NHL Teams That Don’t Cheat the Game
Florida Panthers
It is easy to pinpoint and look at the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. But let’s be honest, there is a reason they are the standard on how to play hockey in the NHL. Head coach Paul Maurice has his team buying into a system. No matter what the score is, whether the team is up or trailing, they are playing that system.
Florida Panthers Know They Are the Hunted This Season
The Panthers are not looking to cheat the game and deviate from the game plan. Even if they are losing by several goals, which is rare, but it happens, the Panthers are a tough team to play against. Florida will be physical until the end and make the other team know they have to pay the price until the final buzzer sounds.
There is a reason why the Florida Panthers went to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, winning the Cup in 2024. The players not only buy into what the head coach is preaching, but they execute that plan to perfection. Whatever the coaching staff tells the players to do, they do it, as Paul Maurice said during the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
There is a reason why the Florida Panthers are in a position to win another Stanley Cup this year.
Winnipeg Jets
Right behind the Florida Panthers in NHL teams that don’t cheat the game, are the surprising Winnipeg Jets. The Jets are finding a new style to their game this year. After back-to-back first-round exits, the Winnipeg Jets understand they need to buy into playoff hockey at the start of the regular season, and not as the regular season winds down in the first round of the playoffs.
The Winnipeg Jets Are Legit and Put NHL Teams on Notice
The Jets are a tougher team to play against as head coach Scott Arniel is rolling four lines to perfection. They are getting balanced scoring from all their lines and they are getting back to playing defense-first hockey. Remember this team recorded 110 points last year. They had the best goals against average last season. There is a familiarity with the players and coach.
The Winnipeg Jets players are buying into the system that they must play later on in the year when it matters. Yes, it helps to have Connor Hellebuyck between the pipes, but he can get exposed when the Jets don’t play defense and cheat the game.
Winnipeg is getting to the point where if things don’t go their way, they are happy playing a patient game where they don’t cheat for offense anymore. They know it will come. But it will come on their terms as they become a hardened group for the players.
Carolina Hurricanes
The demise of the Carolina Hurricanes was greatly underestimated. Coming into the season, NHLRumors.com had the Canes finishing third in the Metro Division. Why is that? Because of the style of game they play and who is behind the bench.
NHL Rumors: The Carolina Hurricanes Could Get A Late Season Boost From Their Top Prospect
The Carolina Hurricanes, regardless of player personnel, play the exact same way as their head coach Rod Brind’Amour played in the NHL. They limit the team’s time and space. Carolina has an aggressive forecheck and a sound defensive structure. The only issue was goal-scoring. Could they have enough depth scoring to go along with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechknikov?
The answer is yes they can. Jack Roslovic has been a pleasant surprise and Martin Necas has stepped up his game after signing a two-year bridge deal. There are some familiar faces on the backend and they are getting the goaltending as well. Carolina has won eight straight games.
Similar to Winnipeg, the Hurricanes will be judged on playoff results. That is when the offense runs dry. But to think Carolina was going away, people were sadly mistaken considering the style of game they play.
Dallas Stars
Think what you will about Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer and his failures to win the Stanley Cup, but he gets his teams to play a certain way and they do not deviate from it.
NHL News: Dallas Stars Sign Jake Oettinger To An Eight-Year Extension
You look at the Stars and you see why they went to back-to-back Western Conference Finals. Yes, they have the goalie in Jake Oettinger, but the structure they play is so smooth. Dallas is a tough team to play against once the playoffs come.
That is because they understand to win the playoffs, you have to start building the structure in the regular season. While the Stars will have off nights like most teams do, their structure is there. They do not cheat the game or the style they play.
DeBoer has been using that style since his days with the New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks. Even with the offensive talent on the team, it is about the defensive structure. Stay patient and let them come to you. Players should not go chase the game.
Dallas sticks within their structure and if it fails on a particular play, so be it, they remain true to it because the Stars are never out of any game.
The Vegas Golden Knights Offseason Is A Little Misleading
Honorable Mentions
If you look around the NHL there are a couple of teams that did not make the cut that could be in there. The Vegas Golden Knights under Bruce Cassidy are one of them. They play a mean and physical defensive style. But they have an offensive punch with the talent they have.
In addition throw in the Los Angeles Kings under Jim Hiller and the Tampa Bay Lightning under Jon Cooper. The Lightning learned the hard way they needed to play better defensively and not cheat the game in the four-game series loss to Columbus in 2019.
These are the NHL teams we here at NHLRumors.com feel don’t cheat the game. Can you think of others? Let us know.
