ETA for Every NHL Team to Contend for the Stanley Cup
As the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks battle for NHL supremacy, the rest of the teams in the league are already plotting their course for the coming season—and at least a handful beyond that.
Some teams are just a tinker or two away from a realistic shot at the Stanley Cup. Others are just starting rebuilds and focusing more on the draft than the free-agent pool in order to improve. There are teams nearing the end of their window to make a deep run based on aging players, declining skills or the loss of a key free agent.
Those trapped in rebuilds can't realistically expect to compete anytime soon but are creating road maps looking down the road for three or more years.
Tweeners have a mix of veterans and youth but a lack of telltale signs suggesting they are clearly headed in one direction or another. In those cases, hard decisions must be made.
Click ahead to find out where your favorite team lands as we assess each team's closest window to win, excluding your 2015 Stanley Cup Final competitors.
All stats via NHL.com unless otherwise noted. Salary-cap numbers from GeneralFanager.com
Washington Capitals
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Where they are now: The Washington Capitals won the Presidents' Trophy with a 120-point season and the league's best plus-59 goal differential. They fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round but boast one of the best overall rosters in the league with top scoring, stellar goaltending and a deep defense.
Where they are going: With head coach Barry Trotz, the Capitals are a huge threat in every aspect of the game. The core group is locked up, and there shouldn't be any regression in their play next season.
Reasons to hope: Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, T.J. Oshie, Justin Williams, Braden Holtby, Marcus Johansson, John Carlson, Matt Niskanen—the list is long when it comes to extremely talented players in Washington.
ETA: 2017
Dallas Stars
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Where they are now: The Dallas Stars were knocked out of the playoffs by the St. Louis Blues in the second round a year after missing the postseason altogether. Led by Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, they have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league and a very much improved roster of defensemen that could be further bolstered by a prospect or two this year.
Where they are going: As far as the goaltenders can take them. Which as it stands, seems to be just shy of the Western Conference Final. If they keep the expensive tandem intact and run with Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, they will have to hope one of them gets hot in the playoffs to carry the team further.
Reasons to hope: GM Jim Nill is smart enough to know his goaltending plan fell short and he needs to rectify the situation sooner than later to ensure success. Having a healthy Seguin might have made a difference on the offensive support side of things, too. Nill won't rest on his laurels getting the Stars this far.
ETA: 2017
St. Louis Blues
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Where they are now: The St. Louis Blues continued to perform strongly in the regular season, finishing just two points behind the Dallas Stars atop the Western Conference standings. They got to the conference final against the San Jose Sharks, but their bid for the Cup final appearance fell just short. The Blues re-signed head coach Ken Hitchcock for another year as a show of faith.
Where they are going: They got the proverbial monkey off their backs after three straight first-round losses, but there are key unrestricted free agents to deal with—including their best playoff performer and captain David Backes. Scoring winger Troy Brouwer is also an unrestricted free agent, and either of those players would be tough to replace.
Reasons to hope: All the pieces are there for a Stanley Cup run, including the return of one of the best coaches in NHL history. Vladimir Tarasenko will only improve with the experience, as will other young players like Robby Fabbri, Jaden Schwartz and Colton Parayko.
ETA: 2017
Tampa Bay Lightning
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Where they are now: The Tampa Bay Lightning fell just short of a second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance when they dropped Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final. Incredibly, they did it without captain Steven Stamkos until the final game.
Where they are going: New star Nikita Kucherov is a restricted free agent who will get a huge raise. That likely means a new deal for Stamkos—a pending UFA—could be hard to swing for the Bolts. They also have to deal with new financials for Alex Killorn and Vladislav Namestnikov. The run without Stamkos was a great litmus test looking at life after he's gone.
Reasons to hope: Both goaltenders Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy were stellar in the playoffs, and they could turn one of them into another strong asset if they feel the need. Most of the key performers the past couple of years remain locked up, and it looks like the Jonathan Drouin situation resolved itself.
ETA: 2017
Anaheim Ducks
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Where they are now: The Anaheim Ducks overcame a rocky start to the 2015-16 campaign to win the Pacific Division title on the final night of the regular season. They took a big step backward in the playoffs, however, falling short in the first round at the hands of the Nashville Predators—a team that finished seven points shy of the Ducks' total. Disappointing is an understatement.
Where they are going: The team loaded up with supporting components for what was expected to be a deep playoff run. Many of those contracts are expiring, and the top offensive players are nearing a point in their careers where the window to compete quickly closes. There is a lot of work to be done to round out the depth up front, and next season will determine whether the team's trajectory is going down or the spring failure was an anomoly.
Reasons to hope: Stars Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf are not going anywhere and are still capable of carrying the team back into the playoffs without a great deal of help. With a young group of defensemen on the rise and stable goaltending—assuming the Ducks can re-sign pending RFA Frederik Andersen—there is a lot of potential that only a few tweaks will keep them in the contender category.
ETA: 2017
Chicago Blackhawks
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Where they are now: The Chicago Blackhawks lost a first-round battle against the St. Louis Blues. The series was worthy of being the Stanley Cup Final, and the Hawks put up a heck of a fight in the seven games. As usual, they sit in salary-cap uncertainty. They have more than $65 million committed to 17 players for next season, according to generalfanager.com.
Where they are going: It's quite likely the Blackhawks will have to get creative again to get some cap relief. That may mean a buyout of Bryan Bickell's ugly $4 million, trading someone like Andrew Shaw or one of the younger prospect defensemen in order to improve that area.
Reasons to hope: All they've needed in the past is the core of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Corey Crawford in goal to lead the team to successful springs. They're going nowhere. Neither are the Blackhawks.
ETA: 2017
New York Islanders
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Where they are now: The New York Islanders won a playoff round for the first time since 1993 and are a team on the rise, qualifying in three of the last four years. The Isles have solid depth at every position and one of the game's biggest stars in John Tavares.
Where they are going: Although they may have to let one of their top forwards walk in free agency, the Isles can overcome the loss of Kyle Okposo thanks to the wealth of young and offensively gifted forwards who remain both on the current roster and prospect list.
Reasons to hope: Tavares turned a lot of heads with his play in the playoffs and deserves to be mentioned among the top franchise faces in the league. The experience of losing in the second round will be a big one to draw from for the Isles players.
ETA: 2017
Los Angeles Kings
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Where they are now: The Los Angeles Kings returned to the playoffs this season but fell quickly in the first round to the San Jose Sharks—winning just one game. It was disappointing, but when all are healthy and the team is playing with structure, the Kings have all the elements needed to succeed.
Where they are going: Choices will have to be made this offseason. The Kings really need another top-shelf defenseman because of the demands put on Drew Doughty, but they may not have the money to add one of those and also retain power winger Milan Lucic, who was a nice fit in his one year with the Kings so far.
Reasons to hope: Motivation shouldn't be a problem for the Kings after the way they went out. Their core pieces are all still intact, and if they can manage to address the defensive depth and keep or add another scoring winger, they should be right back in the hunt.
ETA: 2017
Florida Panthers
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Where they are now: Jaromir Jagr bumps up the team's average age significantly at 44, but the team has a young core that helped the Florida Panthers claim their second division title in team history and make a trip to the playoffs for the second time in the last 15 years. Goaltender Roberto Luongo has shown he still has elite skill, and the defensive group is collectively strong and affordable.
Where they are going: As long as Luongo can continue to play at a high level, the Panthers have enough skill and depth to remain competitive. The top six at forward is potent, and the experience the group gained in a tough first-round loss to the New York Islanders will make it more aware of what it takes to take the next step in coming years.
Reasons to hope: On top of young stars Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, the emergence of Vincent Trocheck and Reilly Smith in this year's playoffs bodes well for the team's ability to score at a high rate.
ETA: 2017
Nashville Predators
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Where they are now: The Nashville Predators pulled off a major upset over the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the playoffs after locking up the top wild-card slot during the regular season. They have two of the best defensemen in the game and went a long way to solidifying the forward group with the addition of Ryan Johansen. Pekka Rinne showed in the postseason he still has legs.
Where they are going: The emergence of Colin Wilson bodes well for the future for a team that has long been identified with solid goaltending and defense but little to show offensively. Growth of the young players like Wilson, Filip Forsberg, Craig Smith and Johansen, along with sniper James Neal, are key to striking the balance that can make them a legitimate competitor capable of a deep run.
Reasons to hope: They may not be the most exciting team in the league, but the team philosophy has worked well for the Preds in the past, and this spring's results are encouraging advancements.
ETA: 2017
Philadelphia Flyers
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Where they are now: A gutsy effort in the first round of the playoffs against the Washington Capitals after a 96-point regular season showed the Philadelphia Flyers are capable of competing with the best despite a suspect defensive group—as long as they get great goaltending.
Where they are going: A return to the playoffs is likely if they get the kind of performance from goalie Michal Neuvirth they received in the postseason. They also had better play from the back end over the second half of the season thanks to rookie Shayne Gostisbehere's emergence. Front-end firepower is there with a solid top six.
Reasons to hope: There are some really strong defensive prospects in Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim who could help solidify the blue line without costing much for a team that has little breathing room under the salary-cap ceiling. Neuvirth looks like a legitimate No. 1 goaltender and could snatch the job away from Steve Mason.
ETA: 2017
Montreal Canadiens
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Where they are now: The Montreal Canadiens are clearly not as good a team as most thought they were. They crumbled when starting goalie and defending Hart Trophy winner Carey Price went down with an injury in early December and finished 14 points out of a playoff position.
Where they are going: With a healthy Price, this is a different team, but the weaknesses in the offensive areas became even more glaring without the star goaltender, and they can't compete for a Cup without improvements there.
Reasons to hope: Price hides a lot of flaws, so even one or two improvements that can boost forward depth, along with a healthy star goaltender could be enough to bump the Habs back in the contender category.
ETA: 2017
New York Rangers
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Where they are now: After a couple of deep playoff runs, the New York Rangers winning just one game in the opening round against the Pittsburgh Penguins is disappointing, to say the least. Especially after ponying up for pending UFA Eric Staal at the trade deadline. They're also facing the potential departure of two of their best offensive defensemen in Keith Yandle and Dan Boyle.
Where they are going: Their window of opportunity may be closing, but there is a lot of depth at the forward position and the core of the defense is very good as well. Their results may depend on how veteran goalie Henrik Lundqvist is able to perform over the course of the coming season and into the playoffs. He finished with an awful save percentage of .867 through five games.
Reasons to hope: The Rangers may be ready to make a big move to bulk up and keep things moving forward as a retool as opposed to a rebuild. There is lots of chatter that Rick Nash could be on the move at the NHL draft (via Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman).
ETA: 2017
Boston Bruins
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Where they are now: A tiebreaker with the Detroit Red Wings led to a second straight season without playoffs for the Boston Bruins. The team has a lot of holes to fill with some key players hitting the free-agent market.
Where they are going: The Bruins are keeping head coach Claude Julien, so the roster may get a bit of a shakeup to try and spark more success from the core group. It's very possible this team has missed its winning window following the Cup win in 2011. It might take a rebuild mentality to make this team a true contender again—with Zdeno Chara and even goalie Tuukka Rask potential bargaining chips.
Reasons to hope: They had a playoff-worthy point total and are built tough enough for the grind of the postseason, so a bounce-back year from Rask and Chara and a couple of key moves through free agency or the trade route might be enough for a quick turnaround.
ETA: 2018
Winnipeg Jets
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Where they are now: The elation a year ago of the Winnepeg Jets' first playoff appearance since returning to the city of Winnipeg has quickly worn off, thanks to a disappointing season that saw them finish 25th out of 30 NHL clubs. The team is a blend of competitive veterans and a growing core of skilled youngsters.
Where they are going: The Jets were sucked down in the standings by some awful goaltending as a group, finishing with the 29th-ranked save percentage at .903, according to Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com. They missed the playoffs by nine points and could make that difference up with just a few more wins in close games over the course of the season. The defensive group is solid, especially if they re-sign RFA Jacob Trouba.
Reasons to hope: Lady Luck was on the Jets' side in the draft lottery. They drew the second slot and will land a franchise forward—likely 6'4" Finnish winger Patrick Laine—who could make an immediate impact along with last year's top pick Kyle Connor and young roster players Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Scheifele. To improve the critical goaltending numbers, the team could turn to 22-year-old Connor Hellebuyck.
ETA: 2018
Buffalo Sabres
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Where they are now: It might not have seemed like it considering their finish in the third-last spot in the Eastern Conference standings last year. But the Buffalo Sabres had a 27-point improvement and are on the upswing with a nice core young players being developed through the draft.
Where they are going: That upward trend should continue this year with rookies Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel having a season of experience. A concussion kept one of their more skilled wingers, Tyler Ennis, to just 23 games last season and he could help make the team's top six forwards a real challenge. Adding an experienced goaltender would go a long way in helping this group take another leap forward.
Reasons to hope: Strength down the middle is something the Sabres have in spades with Eichel, Ryan O'Reilly and Reinhart. They had a breakout performance from defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and performed competitively given the lengths they went to sell off every piece of value the previous season.
ETA: 2018
Calgary Flames
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Where they are now: After a surprising run to the second round of the playoffs last spring, the Calgary Flames took a step back this season and missed the playoffs in spectacular fashion. Awful goaltending and possession numbers combined with a scoring structure heavily reliant on the top line led to the decline. They're currently searching for a new coach after firing Bob Hartley.
Where they are going: There are some very nice pieces both up front and on defense, but there are major holes to fill between the pipes—and how quickly they can solve that issue may determine when they're ultimately able to compete for a Cup. They need to re-sign two-thirds of the top line with both Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan restricted free agents.
Reasons to hope: Gaudreau is a game-breaker, and the sixth overall pick may be able to join the young core quickly and add more depth to the forward lines. The team made the coaching change to address the style of play that led to low possession numbers, so it understands what needs to take place for it to move forward. The defense is an impressive group.
ETA: 2018
Colorado Avalanche
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Where they are now: The Colorado Avalanche were the NHL's worst possession team again last season, according to Puck on Net. They took another step backward in the standings after a 112-point year in 2013-14 and have been disappointing considering the amount of talent on the roster—especially up front.
Where they are going: It's hard to imagine the team improving under guidance of the same coaching staff, led by Patrick Roy, unless they make a switch in style. The defensive group also still needs a great deal of attention in order for the Avs to improve. The Avs seem like a team that is on the cusp of bigger things but may need a big move on the staffing front to spark it.
Reasons to hope: There is such a wealth of talent up front that the team has options on the trade front to add in other areas. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov has proved to be a strong presence capable of a heavy workload. The Avs are just a couple of pieces away.
ETA: 2018
Columbus Blue Jackets
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Where they are now: The Columbus Blue Jackets sacrificed a true No. 1 center in Ryan Johansen in a trade to upgrade the defensive group with the addition of Seth Jones. The result didn't pay immediate dividends, and they now seek answers about how to upgrade the forward ranks after finishing with the NHL's fourth-worst record.
Where they are going: The pace may be slow, but the team has the kind of young core talent and depth to grow together and gradually peak for a real legitimate run at the Cup in a few years. The Blue Jackets have seven regulars who are 25 or younger.
Reasons to hope: Boone Jenner may internally be the answer to the top center question. The 22-year-old had a career-high 30 goals in his third season and could rank ahead of Brandon Dubinsky and Alexander Wennberg at that spot. With the third overall pick in this month's draft, they're going to get a player who can compete for a role in the NHL immediately.
ETA: 2018
Minnesota Wild
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Where they are now: The Minnesota Wild are a team that has made the playoffs for four straight seasons but hasn't been able to escape the second round. They have a new head coach in Bruce Boudreau after a midseason change and seem to be struggling to find an identity.
Where they are going: Most of the core players are getting up in age, with Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, Ryan Suter, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek all over 30. There are some younger pieces of importance, but the team hasn't seen signs of any of them emerging into top roles. It will be key to see what kind of impact Boudreau has after helping the Anaheim Ducks become a force in the Western Conference.
Reasons to hope: Devan Dubnyk's play dropped off from the stellar second half he had a year ago, but he was still an above-average goaltender this season. And as long as the Wild get strong play at the position, they have the talent on the roster to stay in the playoff hunt. There's time to allow the young players to grow into more consistent performers.
ETA: 2018
Ottawa Senators
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Where they are now: The Ottawa Senators have missed the season in two of the past three years, and only a miraculous late-season run qualified them for a brief postseason berth last spring. They have an elite defenseman in Erik Karlsson, along with some nice forwards, but depth is a question mark.
Where they are going: We may need a year or so to figure out what the plan is going forward for this group. It will be dictated by the moves of new general manager Pierre Dorion, who takes over for the ill Bryan Murray, along with new coach Guy Boucher and his staff. If they continue to add through the draft and allow the young core to grow together, they could be a couple of years away. If they use free agency to improve the depth, maybe they can gel sooner.
Reasons to hope: Jean-Gabriel Pageau is one of the young players with promise who could dictate the quickness of their competitiveness. He earned a big role in the second half of the season, scoring 27 points in his last 32 games.
ETA: 2018
Edmonton Oilers
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Where they are now: The Edmonton Oilers were the NHL's second-worst team last year, just one point higher than the Toronto Maple Leafs. Goaltending and defense continues to be the team's shortcoming after years of drafting top offensive talent ahead of other needs.
Where they are going: It seems like the Oilers have been on the brink of being better for years of rebuilding, but at some point that has to actually happen. The collection of top talent keeps growing and the Oilers will add another highly skilled player at fourth overall this month. The front-office shakeup last year in an attempt to change the culture could have more of an effect this year.
Reasons to hope: Connor McDavid for a full season will be something special to see. He's a franchise player who makes others around him better. If some of the young defensemen begin to improve and the team can add a legitimate star on the back end via trade or free agency, we could see that giant leap forward we've been expecting for years.
ETA: 2018
Detroit Red Wings
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Where they are now: The Red Wings are as consistent as it gets when it comes to qualifying for the playoffs, but that doesn't make them a contender for the Stanley Cup. The Wings have made the postseason for 25 straight seasons but lost in the first round for the third straight spring this year.
Where they are going: Things are about to change in Detroit with the likely departure of the team's biggest talent in Pavel Datsyuk—who is considering a two-year deal with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg, per Luke Fox of Sportsnet.ca. That decision will have major impact. There's no replacing a player of his caliber. The playoff streak is definitely in jeopardy.
Reasons to hope: Henrik Zetterberg is still a star, and soon-to-be sophomore Dylan Larkin looks like a born leader. The Red Wings have shown in the past they are able to keep producing at a high level by filling in the blanks behind the top players.
ETA: 2019
Carolina Hurricanes
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Where they are now: The team finally parted ways with longtime captain Eric Staal at the trade deadline in order to add some young assets. The new direction comes after a seventh straight season without playoff hockey for the Carolina Hurricanes. On a positive note, the team was still in the wild-card hunt before the trade deadline, which made dealing Staal a little more difficult.
Where they are going: The Hurricanes have some nice pieces in place and posted their best point percentage since the 2010-11 season this past year. With room to spend under the salary cap, a top free-agent addition or savvy trade could help the Hurricanes get back into the playoffs as early as this year. A couple of more campaigns are probably needed to become true contenders in the East, but there is potential if they can find consistent goaltending.
Reasons to hope: Jeff Skinner seems to be over the concussions that delayed his rise to stardom, and the blueline is loaded with talent thanks to Justin Faulk's emergence, along with Noah Hanafin's and Jaccob Slavin's potential. Behind Skinner up front, both Victor Rask and Elias Lindholm have shown signs of becoming reliable top six players. There is room to grow for this team.
ETA: 2019
New Jersey Devils
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Where they are now: The New Jersey Devils made it all the way to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final but have not returned to the playoffs since then. Major moves were made last year with the departure of Lou Lamoriello and addition of general manager Ray Shero, who has a lot of work still to do in order to overhaul a roster with massive gaps.
Where they are going: At the moment, they're barely into a rebuild and have a lot of work to do to replenish the prospect pool. At the same time, the majority of their best players are upward of 30 years old, so they may have to dip heavily into their salary-cap resources to manufacture a team capable of competing before the draft pays dividends because the window for existing players to remain difference-makers may be dwindling.
Reasons to hope: Having a franchise goalie like Cory Schneider is a great building block that can hide a lot of the holes and have the team in a more competitive situation quicker than one with a better roster of skaters but a giant deficit in net. There are some decent young players on the back end, and with a couple of good draft selections up front and some smart additions on the trade or free-agent market, the Devils could surprise people sooner than projected.
ETA: 2019
Vancouver Canucks
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Where they are now: The Vancouver Canucks are coming off their worst season of this century, finishing with the NHL's third-lowest point total. Their minus-52 goal differential was the league's worst. The team has now missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.
Where they are going: Downhill. And fast. Stars Henrik and Daniel Sedin are not as dominant as they once were, and the collection of complementary players has declined as well. Although general manager Jim Benning has tried to replenish the prospect pool, the timing of their emergence may not coincide with the window for the current core, including goaltender Ryan Miller, who is more suited to platooning at this point of his career.
Reasons to hope: Another high pick when they draft fifth overall will add to the list of prospects that could be productive at the NHL level within the next few years. The Sedin twins even at less than their peak form are better than the majority of NHL players and they could be key pieces even as they approach 40.
ETA: 2019
Arizona Coyotes
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Where they are now: The Arizona Coyotes have missed the playoffs for four straight seasons, have closed the door on playing at their current home in Glendale and hired a 26-year-old stats guru to be their general manager. They've got just two NHL defensemen under contract, three forwards locked up on one-way deals and one aging and overpaid goalie. Things are up in the air, to say the least.
Where they are going: Straight into a brand-new rebuild. They're trying to sign captain Shane Doan but have a lot of other holes to fill on the roster with a new GM at the helm attempting to develop a long-term plan. They have some good young prospects and will draft another solid player up high again later this month.
Reasons to hope: Max Domi is an electric future star, and he showed good chemistry with Anthony Duclair early this season. Prospect Dylan Strome and Christian Dvorak may be ready to make the jump, and Louis Domingue showed promise in net when forced into the role. At least they've made some big changes to try and turn things around.
ETA: 2021
Toronto Maple Leafs
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Where they are now: The league's worst team wound up with the top pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft. They finished with just 29 wins and 69 points through 82 games. They've blown up the team and are heading into the second year of a rebuild under head coach Mike Babcock.
Where they are going: The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to the draft with high hopes, likely to pick up a franchise center in Auston Matthews. Even with that kind of impact addition, however, the Leafs are looking at a lengthy re-stock with many more years of growing pains.
Reasons to hope: Some of the young prospects who got a chance to play late in the season looked promising as future NHL regulars, and a payer like Matthews should be able to come in and have an immediate impact. The team's core will grow together, and that should pay off down the line.
ETA: 2021
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