NHL Power Rankings: How Likely Is Your Team to Be in the Finals in 2012-13?

In a matter of weeks we will know which team will be crowned Stanley Cup Champion.

My guess is it’s going to be either the New Jersey Devils or Los Angeles Kings (just a hunch).

Still, neither of these teams dominated in the regular season.

The Devils, to be fair, played in the Eastern Conference’s toughest division and tend to get overlooked because they have to compete for attention with the popular Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.

They finished the year on a hot streak, winning six straight, but still remained with less points than the three aforementioned teams.

Florida gave them a run for their money, but otherwise the Devils ran over the Flyers and Rangers in the playoffs and should give the Kings a challenge for the Cup.

And the Kings, well, where to start?

They’re an eight-seed.

They haven’t been to the Cup since 1993.

They’re that team that isn’t the Lakers that plays in the STAPLES Center.

And still, there they are: the team most likely to bring LA a championship this year (although the Dodgers are having a great season as well).

The Kings made easy work of their opponents, winning 12 of 14 games to get to the Finals.

Whether they’ll make easy work of the Devils has yet to be seen.

Despite all that, we’ve got a six- and eight-seed in the Finals and there’s no guarantee they’ll be back next season.

The following is an examination of each team’s likelihood to represent their conference in the Stanley Cup Finals next year.

I have separated all 30 teams into four categories: teams that will miss the playoffs, teams on the playoff bubble, playoff teams and Stanley Cup contenders.

Teams are ranked 30-1 based on their likelihood to compete in the Finals next season.

30. Columbus Blue Jackets

2011-12: 5^th Central, did not qualify

Projection: Miss Playoffs

Bye, bye Rick Nash.

He’s not going to be in Columbus next year.

And, well, it’s going to be a while before this club sniffs the playoffs again, let alone competes for a Stanley Cup.

29. Calgary Flames

2011-12: 2^nd Northwest, did not qualify

Projection: Miss Playoffs

The Flames have missed the playoffs for the past three seasons primarily because management refuses to undergo a youth movement.

This team has been too old since the 2008-09 season. They compete every night and tease their loyal fans into thinking that they are a playoff team.

But in the end this team doesn’t have enough left in the tank to come through on a late-season postseason push.

Until this team receives a makeover, the Flames will remain outside the playoff picture.

28. Montreal Canadiens

2011-12: 5^th Northeast, did not qualify

Projection: Miss Playoffs

It’s a tough time to be a Habs fan.

Montreal imploded this year, accruing 75 points a year after they finished the season with 96 and a second-place finish in their division.

There are a lot of holes that need fixing before the Canadiens contend again.

27. New York Islanders

2011-12: 5^th Atlantic, did not qualify

Projection: Miss Playoffs

For five straight seasons the Islanders have sat at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and missed the postseason.

It’s hard to see another result for this moribund club next season.

The Flyers, Rangers, Devils and Penguins should all be good again next year.

26. Minnesota Wild

2011-12: 4^th Northwest, did not qualify

Projection: Miss Playoffs

Since winning their division in 2008, the Wild have yet to qualify for the playoffs.

The fanbase is getting restless, but patience is the key for long-term success in Minnesota.

Wild management needs to take a good, hard look at the people that draft and develop their players and ensure that there will be a homegrown core for years to come.

Until then Minnesota will remain in the Northwest Division cellar with Edmonton and Calgary.

25. Edmonton Oilers

2011-12: 5^th Northwest, did not qualify

Projection: Miss Playoffs

The Oilers have yet to qualify for the playoffs since losing to the Hurricanes in the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals.

This year’s draft will mark the third time this team has picked first and it’s bound to pay off.

The question is when?

24. Toronto Maple Leafs

2011-12: 4^th Northeast, did not qualify

Projection: Playoff Bubble

Projecting the Leafs to be in the playoff bubble may be a stretch.

They haven’t made the postseason since the lockout and management appears to be dysfunctional.

Still, it seems like the law of averages would eventually put Toronto in the playoffs.

Then again, it hasn’t yet.

23. Winnipeg Jets

2011-12: 4^th Southeast, Did not qualify

Projection: Playoff Bubble

The zombie Thrashers had a good first season in Winnipeg.

They didn’t make the playoffs, but, hey, they’ve got a honeymoon period and they were, fittingly, on jets all season traveling to various southeastern locations to play divisional games.

Next year should be a different story.

22. Florida Panthers

2011-12: 1^st Southeast, Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

Projection: Playoff Bubble

Maybe the Florida Panthers should get more respect for making the playoffs this season.

Then again, it was the franchise’s first time in the postseason since 2000 and there is little reason to believe that they’re a sure-fire playoff team next year.

The Cats backed into their division title despite the Southeast being the weakest division in the East.

They put up a fight, taking the Eastern Conference Champion Devils to seven games.

Still, it seems like a blind squirrel found a nut last season (or a blind cat caught a mouse, I guess) and there’s no promising it will happen next season.

21. Phoenix Coyotes

2011-12: 1^st Pacific, Lost in Conference Finals

Projection: Playoff Bubble

It’s hard to determine the future of the Coyotes.

For one thing, it may not be in Glendale due to financial issues.

Secondly, they are hard to analyze.

On one hand, they look like they’ve got something going. Dave Tippet’s squad has qualified for the playoffs for three straight years.

On the other hand, they look like they’ve gotten lucky. They were eliminated in the first round twice before going on a miraculous run to the Western Conference Finals this season.

Odds are it’ll be tough for them to hold down their conference crown next year with the Kings, Sharks and Stars all looking like potential playoff teams.

20. Carolina Hurricanes

2011-12: 5^th Southeast, did not qualify

Projection: Playoff Bubble

It may seem absurd to put a team that has missed the postseason the last three years and finished last in their division last season as a borderline playoff team.

The Canes locked up Tuomo Ruutu and Tim Gleason, however, and appear to have a plan in place to get their franchise back into the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2008-09.

Jeff Skinner and Jamie McBain will be a year older and franchise players Eric Staal and Cam Ward remain on the team.

The pieces are there. It’s a matter of execution at this point.

19. Tampa Bay Lightning

2011-12: 3^rd Southeast, did not qualify

Projection: Playoff Bubble

A year after earning 103 points, taking a run at the division title and going to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Lightning were expected to be competitive in 2011-12.

They fell flat.

Even in a putrid division, Guy Boucher and his boys were unable to make a second consecutive playoff appearance.

Tampa has enough proven high-end talent: Steven Stamkos, Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Victor Hedman, etc. The question is whether or not the team can build a contender around them.

18. Ottawa Senators

2011-12: 2^nd Northeast, Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

Projection: Playoff Bubble

By taking the Rangers to seven games this season, the Senators have proven that they’re close to becoming a perennial threat like they were in the days of the CASH Line.

Dany Heatley may be long gone and Daniel Alfredsson may be aging, but the Senators appear to have enough talent on their team to take an honest run at the postseason next year.

17. Colorado Avalanche

2011-12: 3^rd Northwest, did not qualify

Projection: Playoff Bubble

This team has underachieved for quite a while now.

Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly, Erik Johnson, Peter Mueller and Semyon Varlamov have not played up to their potential.

That should change with another year of experience under their belt.

Add promising young players Gabriel Landeskog and Jamie McGinn and experienced skaters Milan Hejduk and Paul Stastny to the mix and this team should make a serious playoff push next season.

16. Dallas Stars

2011-12: 4^th Pacific, did not qualify

Projection: Playoff Bubble

All. Most. There.

The Stars looked like they might break their playoff spell, which dates back to 2007-08, this season, but were beat out by the underachieving Sharks and the red-hot Coyotes and Kings.

There is enough talent on this roster—Mike Ribiero, Loui Eriksson, Brenden Morrow, Jamie Benn (presumably), Alex Goligoski, Stephane Robidas and Trevor Daley—for Dallas to compete for a playoff spot.

The question is whether or not they can come through at the end.

15. Anaheim Ducks

2011-12: 5^th Pacific, did not qualify

Projection: Playoff Bubble

It’s hard to determine where the Ducks will end up next year.

They struggled in the beginning of the season, which cost Randy Carlyle his job, but played well under former Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau and made a playoff push late in the season.

Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry will be playing on the final year of their deals next year and Cam Fowler, an outstanding young defenseman, will become a RFA in 2013.

This means the pressure is on for Anaheim to make a run next year.

While Bobby Ryan remains locked up until 2015, the team is aging and Jason Blake and Teemu Selanne are currently UFAs.

A poor season could result in a complete overhaul for the Ducks.

14. Buffalo Sabres

2011-12: 3^rd Northwest, did not qualify

Projection: Playoff Team

Buffalo was expected to be competitive this season. They had new ownership that was willing to spend and went out and got Ville Leino and Christian Ehrhoff to compliment the core they were left with.

Unfortunately for fans in Buffalo, the season ended sooner than expected.

With established stars Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Tyler Myers, Christian Ehrhoff and Ryan Miller locked up past next season, the Sabres should develop into the team they were expected to be last season.

This squad should make the playoffs next year. The question is whether or not they can go anywhere once they get there.

13. Nashville Predators

2011-12: 2^nd Central, Lost in Conference Semifinals

Projection: Playoff Team

The Predators are making progress.

They have made the playoffs seven of the past eight seasons and have progressed to the second round in the past two years.

If they can retain Ryan Suter and Shea Weber (a big if), the Preds should be able to build off of their recent success and vault to the next level.

Then again, if they can’t, it may be a long season in Nashville.

12. New Jersey Devils

2011-12: 4^th Atlantic, Stanley Cup Finalist

Projection: Playoff Team

I mean no disrespect to the Devils. They are in the Stanley Cup Finals and deserve to be.

That said, they may lose superstar Zach Parise to free agency next season and, due to their rocky financial situation, may not be able to replace his production.

If they can keep Parise, they should be a contender. If not, well, we’ll see.

11. Detroit Red Wings

2011-12: 3^rd Central, Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

Projection: Playoff Team

There may be some outrage from residents of Michigan over this one, but it’s hard to call the Red Wings a contender anymore.

Yes, the Wings, along with the Canadiens, may be the most storied franchise in NHL history and, yes, they do make the playoffs every year.

But they appear to be moving in the wrong direction.

Since winning the Cup in 2008 they’ve gone from Conference finalists, to semifinalists (twice) to quarterfinalists in four years' time.

There are many great players on this roster. The question is if the old guard can still compete for the Cup.

10. Washington Capitals

2011-12: 2^nd Southeast, Lost in Conference Semifinals

Projection: Playoff Team

Since the 2007-08 campaign you could pencil in the Capitals as a division winner and Stanley Cup contender.

But something’s wrong with Washington.

This year they relinquished their chokehold over the Southeast to a mediocre Florida team and almost missed the playoffs.

They have the players they need to compete next year. It’s a matter of execution for the Caps.

9. San Jose Sharks

2011-12: 2^nd Pacific, Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

Projection: Playoff Team

For years the Sharks could be penciled in as Pacific Division winners and were considered a perennial contender.

That all changed last year when they were eliminated by the Blues in the quarterfinals. They were simply overmatched.

The trouble is that GM Doug Wilson traded away young talent Devin Setoguchi to the Wild and Jamie McGinn to the Avalanche, in order to build this year’s team.

In hindsight, he may want to have those trades back.

8. St. Louis Blues

2011-12: 1^st Central, Lost in Conference Semifinals

Projection: Playoff Team

For years the Blues had a talented, but underachieving, young core.

Ken Hitchcock changed all that.

David Backes, TJ Oshie, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brian Elliot and co. dominated the Sharks in the first round, but proved to be overmatched by the Kings in the second.

The Blues have enough of a core to start another playoff streak. The question is if they can win it all with what they have (it’s always been that way in St. Louis, hasn’t it?).

7. New York Rangers

2011-12: 1^st Atlantic, Lost in Conference Finals

Projection: Contender

The right combination of homegrown players and free agent imports has turned the Rangers into a bona fide contender.

They missed the Finals this season, but should be around for another shot at it next season.

6. Vancouver Canucks

2011-12: 1^st Northwest, Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

Projection: Contender

Until the Northwest Division catches up with them, the Canucks are going to have a free pass to the playoffs every year.

The question is, as always, if they can win it all once they get there.

5. Philadelphia Flyers

2011-12: 3^rd Atlantic, Lost in Conference Semifinals

Projection: Contender

In the past five years, the Flyers have lost to the Eastern Conference Champion in the Conference Finals, lost to the Stanley Cup Champion in the quarterfinals, lost in the Finals, lost to the Stanley Cup Champion in the semifinals and lost to the Eastern Conference Champion in the semifinals.

This team is always there. Perhaps next year is the year they break through and make a run at the championship.

4. Los Angeles Kings

2011-12: 3^rd Pacific, Stanley Cup Finalist

Projection: Contender

For the first time since the 1993 season, when some guy named Wayne Gretzky played for the Kings, Los Angeles will be hosting the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Kings were an eight-seed, which make this Cup run look like a fluke at first appearance.

Don’t be fooled.

This team was projected to compete with the Sharks for the Pacific (I know the Coyotes took the title, but who saw that coming?) and make a playoff run.

With Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty locked down for all of eternity and Anze Kopitar under contract for the next four years LA has the pieces to make a deep playoff run an expectation, not a surprise, for years to come.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins

2011-12: 2^nd Atlantic, Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

Projection: Contender

The Penguins have been bounced in the quarterfinals in the past two seasons, but signs indicate that this team is still a contender.

Since 2006-07, Pittsburgh has earned 100 points in all but one season.

In 2008-09, the year they only got 99, they won the Cup.

Despite an early exit, Pittsburgh should be back next year.

2. Chicago Blackhawks

2011-12: 4^th Central, Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

Projection: Contender

It cannot be ignored that the Hawks have been eliminated in the Conference quarterfinals in the past two years since winning it all in 2010.

Still, this team the core from that championship season—Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith—all locked up.

The biggest question mark for Chicago is goaltending.

If they can lock up a big-time free agent in net they should be in good shape.

1. Boston Bruins

2011-12: 1^st Northwest, Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

Projection: Contender

Fans in Boston are going to be upset about the Bruins’ exit in the quarterfinals, but this team is only a year removed from winning it all and has most of the pieces that got them there.

Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Nathan Horton, Brad Marchand, Tyler Seguin, Tim Thomas and co. all should remain on the roster next season.

Tom Schreier is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. He covers hockey and baseball.

Follow him @tschreier3.