It’s a long shot for a team to win the Stanley Cup one year after missing the playoffs. It’s not impossible. The Vegas Golden Knights missed the playoffs in the 2021-22 season and won the Cup the next season, and it can happen again.
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There are a few Cup hopefuls from the 16 teams that missed the playoffs last season. There’s a group that looks to bounce back and return to form, and there are also a handful of teams on the rise that can take a big leap this season.
5. Utah Mammoth
This is a team that’s made significant strides with their rebuild. After coming close to the playoffs last season (seven points out of the final wild card spot) and adding JJ Peterka in the offseason, they look to make noise in their second season in Salt Lake City.
The two questions are the star power and their goaltending. Their core is filled with good players, but not the superstars who can take over games. Then there’s the goaltending issue where Karel Vejmelka is the primary starter but needs a backup, and it’s unclear if they have the answer on their roster (Vitek Vanecek was brought in just in case).
That said, they still have a forward unit that is talented enough to come at teams in waves. It’s also worth noting that Logan Cooley is the star they can build around, and his passing helps him take over games. It also helps that with prospects on top of prospects, they have the assets to make a splash at the trade deadline, and they might get this team into the Cup conversation.
4. Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks have a young core that’s hitting its stride. Not only do they have stars, but they also have young elite talent at the key positions from Leo Carlsson at center to Jackson LaCombe on defense, and most importantly, Lukas Dostal in the net. With the Joel Quenneville hire, the Ducks have a coach who can get them into the playoff conversation and, in a seven-game series, give them an edge.
The question is whether the veterans and the youth will mesh together this time around. In the past, it hasn’t as over the hill players like Radko Gudas and Alex Killorn have set them back. This time around, the Ducks are hoping Mikael Granlund, Chris Kreider, and Jacob Trouba, three veterans they brought in since the start of last season, will work well with the young skaters. If they do, it makes this team a Cup-caliber one.
3. Columbus Blue…
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