5 NHL Teams on the Cusp of Being Cup Contenders Next Season

As the NHL and NHLPA work toward opening the 2020-21 season Jan. 13, fans and pundits will soon begin the annual guessing game over which of the 31 teams will be crowned the Stanley Cup champion.

A handful of teams, such as the Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars and the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning, will enter the season considered the favorites. Former champions such as the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals will attempt to keep their windows of opportunity open.

However, several other clubs appear to be on the verge of becoming Cup contenders. One of them could be the Colorado Avalanche, who have risen in recent years to become a Western Conference power. Another could be a promising club emerging from a period of rebuilding like the Philadelphia Flyers.

Here's a look at several teams on the cusp of becoming Cup contenders. We'll evaluate their strengths and weaknesses to explain why they are in that position.

Carolina Hurricanes

Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press

After nine seasons as a non-playoff club, the Carolina Hurricanes returned to the postseason in 2019, reaching the Eastern Conference Final before the Boston Bruins swept them. They bounced the New York Rangers in the qualifying round of the 2020 playoffs but fell again to the Bruins in the first round.

Despite that disappointment, the Hurricanes have Cup-contending potential. Their defense corps, led by the top four of Jaccob Slavin, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, is among the league's deepest. First-line forwards Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov are blossoming superstars. They also have two skilled, underrated wingers in Teuvo Teravainen and Martin Necas.

Goaltending remains a concern. Petr Mrazek and James Reimer helped guide the Hurricanes to a respectable 2.84 goals against per game last season. However, they have yet to establish themselves as starters capable of backstopping a team to championship glory. Management could keep an eye on the trade market for any potential upgrades between the pipes.

Like any promising team, the Hurricanes still have some rough edges to smooth out. Nevertheless, they have got the blue-line depth and a powerful scoring line that's already proved capable of a deep playoff run. They will only get better this season.

Colorado Avalanche

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Following several seasons of rebuilding under general manager Joe Sakic, the Colorado Avalanche steadily developed into a Stanley Cup contender. They rose from last place overall in 2016-17 to finish second overall in the Western Conference last season.

The Avalanche have one of the league's best scoring lines in superstar center Nathan MacKinnon and wingers Mikko Rantanen and captain Gabriel Landeskog. They possess solid secondary scoring in Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky and recently acquired winger Brandon Saad. Offseason acquisition Devon Toews brings additional depth to a defense featuring Cale Makar, Erik Johnson, Ryan Graves and Samuel Girard.

Injuries to goalies Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz contributed to the Avalanche's second-round elimination from the 2020 playoffs by the Dallas Stars. Grubauer and Francouz cannot be faulted for getting hurt, but they will face pressure to step up and deliver championship-caliber goaltending.

The Avalanche possess All-Star scoring punch, a deep defense and a solid supporting cast. If their netminders stay healthy and rise to the occasion, the Stanley Cup could head to Colorado for the first time since 2001.

Philadelphia Flyers

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In the seven seasons prior to 2019-20, the Flyers missed the playoffs four times and were eliminated from the first round three times. Last season, however, they finished among the top four in the Eastern Conference and reached the second round before falling in seven games to the New York Islanders.

Heading into 2020-21, the Flyers have a good mix of veterans and youngsters. The forward lines consist of established stars such as Claude Giroux and Selke Trophy winner Sean Couturier and a promising scorer in Travis Konecny. Defensemen Ivan Provorov, Philippe Myers and Travis Sanheim are under 25 and steadily improving. Young goaltender Carter Hart enjoyed a solid sophomore performance last season.

The Flyers do have some issues to address. Many of their top scorers, including Giroux, Couturier and Konecny, struggled during the playoffs. Matt Niskanen's retirement left the blue line devoid of championship experience and leadership. Despite the 22-year-old Hart's development, he was inconsistent in against the Islanders.

Head coach Alain Vigneault brought out the best in his club during his first season behind its bench. With his guidance, the Flyers possess sufficient depth of skill, experience and promising youngsters to become a serious contender for the Stanley Cup.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

It's been a long time since the Toronto Maple Leafs won their last Stanley Cup in 1967. Despite a talent-rich roster, they have endured their share of disappointments over the past three seasons. Thanks to their offseason moves, however, they might finally be ready to take their place among the serious Cup contenders.

Led by Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander, the Leafs finished third last season in goals per game (3.39). Goalie Frederik Andersen will finally have a capable full-season backup in Jack Campbell. Offseason acquisitions TJ Brodie and Zach Bogosian brought veteran stability to the blue line, while veteran forwards Joe Thornton and Wayne Simmonds bring experience and leadership.

The Leafs, however, must still improve their defense. Campbell must get more playing time to avoid burning out Andersen, especially in back-to-back games. Thornton and Simmonds are well past their best-before dates. Despite the additions of Brodie and Bogosian, the Leafs still lack a first-pairing defenseman on the right side.

Even after the disappointments and growing pains, the Leafs remain a skilled club. Head coach Sheldon Keefe will have a full season to work with the roster and shape it into a contender. If everyone buys in, the Leafs could become Canada's best hope to bring the Stanley Cup north of the border for the first time since 1993.

Vegas Golden Knights

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

The Vegas Golden Knights shocked the hockey world by advancing to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. Their elimination from the opening round a year later suggested that first-year success was an anomaly. However, they marched to this year's Western Conference Final before falling in five games to the Dallas Stars.

The signing of defenseman Alex Pietrangelo in October provided a big boost to the Golden Knights defense, as does the steady improvement of Shea Theodore. Vegas also possesses a solid goaltending tandem in Robin Lehner and Marc-Andre Fleury, while the offense is powered by Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault.

The Golden Knights' championship hopes would be helped by a bounce-back season from winger Alex Tuch. They're also lacking experienced skill at center after trading Paul Stastny to the Winnipeg Jets in a cost-cutting deal. The absence of Nate Schmidt, another cost-cutting casualty, could also be felt.

Despite those factors, the Golden Knights are built to contend. They're a durable team that has garnered an impressive playoff record over a short period of time. They also quickly regained their focus after hiring Peter DeBoer as head coach Jan. 15. Pietrangelo's addition could be the final piece of their championship puzzle.

Team stats via NHL.com.