Non-Playoff Teams with the Best Chance to Make a Run in the 2015-16 NHL Season

The NHL playoffs will take on a fresh look in 2014-15.

Seven teams that were watching from the sidelines one year ago are now set to play for the Stanley Cup—nearly half of the bracket.

The seven new arrivals include four teams from Canada—the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators—as well as the Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and New York Islanders.

Among the 14 teams watching from the sidelines this spring are none other than the 2014 Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings and 2014 Presidents' Trophy-winning Boston Bruins. There are no more hockey dynasties in these days of NHL parity.

The good news for the non-playoff group? Their time outside the playoff bracket might not last too long at all. Much like we've seen this season, several teams could make the jump back to respectability as early as next year.

Here's a look at the underdog teams from each conference that are most likely to surprise and impress in 2015-16.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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Length of Current Playoff Drought

One season. The Columbus Blue Jackets finished fourth in the Metropolitan Division with 93 points last season and were defeated in six games by the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 1.

2014-15 Results: Fifth in Metropolitan Division: 42-35-5, 89 points

What Held Them Back This Season? 

One word: injuries.

The Blue Jackets stand proud at the top of the NHL heap with a stunning 390 man-games lost to injury through April 11, according to Man Games Lost. Over an 82-game season, that's an average of nearly five players per game who were unavailable to coach Todd Richards—nearly a quarter of his roster on any given night.

Why They'll Be Better Next Year

Once the Blue Jackets got healthier, they went on an impressive hot streak toward the end of the season—winning nine straight games from March 18 to April 4 and going 15-2-1 in their last 18 games of the year.

With a good young core and all their key players locked up for next season, expect to see Columbus back in the Eastern Conference playoff mix in 2015-16.

Florida Panthers

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Length of Current Playoff Drought

Three seasons. The Panthers last reached the playoffs in 2011-12 after finishing first in the old Southeast Division. They fell to the New Jersey Devils in seven games in the first round.

2014-15 Results: Sixth in Atlantic Division: 38-29-15, 91 points

What Held Them Back This Season? 

Losing two goalies to injury on March 3.

The surprising Panthers had climbed to within two points of a playoff spot in early March when a bizarre series of events saw them lose both starting goaltender Roberto Luongo and backup Al Montoya to injury during the same game.

Luongo missed six games due to his sprained right shoulder, while Montoya has just returned from a 16-game absence with an upper-body injury.

With third-stringer Dan Ellis gamely stepping between the pipes, Florida went 3-2-1 while Luongo was sidelined, but by the time he returned on March 19, Florida had fallen seven points behind the surging Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot. The Panthers had also been passed in the standings by the tenacious Ottawa Senators, who ultimately secured a postseason berth at Boston's expense.

Why They'll Be Better Next Year

The future looks bright in Florida, just one season after the team finished 29th overall.

Florida's young stars like Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Huberdeau and Brandon Pirri will all have another year of experience on their resumes next season.

Roberto Luongo, when healthy, has given the Panthers a chance to win most nights with the team's most stable goaltending situation in years.

Veteran superstar Jaromir Jagr appears to have discovered the fountain of youth in Florida, tallying 16 points in 19 games after joining the Panthers. The 43-year-old may well return to mentor the group next season—and will most likely score a few goals of his own along the way.

With its intriguing mix of youth and experience, expect to see Florida take another step forward in 2015-16.

Buffalo Sabres

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Length of Current Playoff Drought

Four seasons. The Buffalo Sabres haven't appeared in the playoffs since 2010-11 and have finished 30th overall in the NHL for the past two years.

2014-15 Results: Eighth in Atlantic Division: 23-51-8, 54 points

What Held Them Back This Season? 

Their rebuilding plan.

There are no tears in Buffalo for a last-place finish. The Sabres accomplished their goal of wrapping up the 2014-15 season in 30th place—not only securing the best possible odds in the 2015 draft lottery, to be held April 18, but guaranteeing that they can't fall below the second overall pick.

It's virtually guaranteed that the Sabres will add either Ontario Hockey League phenom Connor McDavid or Boston University star center Jack Eichel to their roster. Both players are considered to be generational talents who should be able to contribute at the NHL level as early as next season.

Why They'll Be Better Next Year

In addition to this year's big prize at the draft, the Sabres can bring in their 2014 second overall pick, Sam Reinhart, next season. Fans will also see power forward Evander Kane pull on the Buffalo jersey for the first time. He was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets back in February and then had season-ending shoulder surgery.

After trading away most of their high-salaried veterans over the past two seasons, the Sabres should have some money to spend on free agents this summer. The crop of high-end young talent and the hockey-mad market in Buffalo could make chilly northern New York a more desirable destination than it's been in years for players who are looking to be part of something special going forward.

The Sabres might not get all the way back to the playoffs next year, but their days as NHL doormats are quickly coming to a close.

Dallas Stars

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Length of Current Playoff Drought

One season. After missing the playoffs for five straight years, the Dallas Stars finished in the second wild-card spot with 91 points last season and then fell to the Anaheim Ducks in six games in the first round.

2014-15 Results: Sixth in Central Division: 41-31-10, 92 points

What Held Them Back This Season? 

A slow start, poor team defense and subpar goaltending.

Though the Stars entered the season riding a wave of high hopes after reaching the playoffs in 2014-15, they couldn't keep the puck out of their own net.

By mid-December, Dallas was already nine points out of a Western Conference playoff spot and ranked 29th in the league in goals against. Normally-reliable netminder Kari Lehtonen allowed three goals or more in 14 of 21 appearances between October 18 and December 13, when Dallas posted a 9-12-3 record.

Why They'll Be Better Next Year

Despite being well out of the playoff race, the Stars have been on fire since March 1, going 14-5-0.

Jamie Benn finished his season with 15 points in his last six games to become the surprise winner of the 2014-15 Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's top scorer—an award that Tyler Seguin was also contending for before suffering a knee injury in mid-February. 

Lehtonen also got better as the year went on, though it was backup Jhonas Enroth who backstopped the Stars to wins in their final four games of the year.

With plenty of firepower up front supported by a little more structure on the back end, the Stars should be a dynamic Western Conference force next season.

Los Angeles Kings

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Length of Current Playoff Drought

One season. The Los Angeles Kings won two Stanley Cups in the last three years, accomplishing that feat from the eighth seed in 2012 (95 points) and the sixth seed in 2014 (100 points).

2014-15 Results: Fourth in Pacific Division: 40-27-15, 95 points

What Held Them Back This Season? 

Lack of offense and tougher competition.

When the Los Angeles Kings went on their first Stanley Cup run in the spring of 2012, they finished their regular season with an identical regular-season record to the one they posted this season—40 wins, 27 losses and 15 ties.

That year, 95 points earned the Kings eighth place in the Western Conference—good enough for a date with the first-place Vancouver Canucks under the old playoff system.

This time around, improved play by the Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames meant Los Angeles' 95 points were only good enough for ninth place—on the wrong side of the playoff cut line.

Though the Kings struggled to score again this season, finishing the year ranked 18th overall, they've made positive strides over the past three seasons. When it won the Stanley Cup in 2012, Los Angeles finished the regular season ranked 29th in goals.

Why They'll Be Better Next Year

With two long Stanley Cup runs sandwiching a second-round exit in 2013, no team has played more hockey over the past three seasons than the Kings.

Los Angeles' core is strong and, for the most part, signed to long-term deals. Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll are the only key players headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, while Robyn Regehr has announced his retirement, according to The Associated Press via CBC.

The Kings' early offseason will give them time to rest, and the summer should also finally offer some resolution to Slava Voynov's legal situation: His trial on domestic violence charges has now been delayed until July, per Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times.

Next fall, we'll see a familiar-looking Kings team get back to work with renewed energy—and a point to prove.

Colorado Avalanche

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Length of Current Playoff Drought

One season. The Colorado Avalanche snapped a three-year playoff drought when they finished first in the Central Division with 112 points in 2013-14. They lost their seven-game first-round series in overtime to the Minnesota Wild.

2014-15 Results: Seventh in Central Division: 39-31-12, 90 points

What Held Them Back This Season? 

Not being prepared to play like a top-ranked team.

Wrapping up a disappointing year, general manager Joe Sakic offered his take on what went wrong for the Colorado Avalanche to Rick Sadowski of NHL.com:

"

We weren't expecting how other teams were going to play against us. The pressures, the expectations, they were up there this year whereas last year we created that with how we played. Just not being ready for what that took, we had a tough start, faced a lot of adversity and it took some time for our core guys to learn to deal with that.

"

Colorado struggled to a 4-8-4 record in the first month of the 2014-15 campaign, which quickly eroded any sense of confidence that might have carried over from the previous season. 

Why They'll Be Better Next Year

There wasn't much reason for hope until mid-February, when the Avs went on an 11-4-0 run to prove they still have what it takes to win hockey games. When healthy, goaltender Semyon Varlamov remains one of the best in the game; Colorado also boasts a balanced offensive attack thanks to a savvy mix of veterans and youngsters.

The only key players coming up for free agency on the roster are veteran forward Daniel Briere and defensemen Jan Hejda and Ryan Wilson. Patrick Roy and his group will get the chance to prove that they've overcome the challenges they've faced when the puck drops next season.

All stats courtesy of NHL.com.