Stanley Cup contender tiers: Champion Panthers in trouble as NHL play resumes

Following a whirlwind of world-class hockey on the Olympics, which culminated with the United States sweeping the men’s and women’s tournamentsit is time for the NHL to renew play. As the house stretch of the season begins, it is time to refocus on the race towards the Stanley Cup. Which teams are real contenders to elevate hockey’s biggest prize in June?

If you want a refresher, or should you’ve determined to leap on the NHL bandwagon after the Olympics, this train ought to serve as a fast refresher for the place each workforce stands as the common season resumes on Wednesday night time.

For a lot of the season, two groups have been head and shoulders above everybody else. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche are the very best groups in the NHL, and that is one thing the attention check and the underlying numbers agree with.

Beyond these two, there are a handful of Stanley Cup contenders who look poised for deep playoff runs. It’s a fairly wide-open race with just a few groups, just like the Ottawa Senatorswho’re sturdy in many areas however possess one or two flaws. Then, there are the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. They have to kick it into excessive gear simply to make the playoffs. But in the event that they do, everyone knows they’re able to grinding down their opponents.

Let’s check out the place every workforce stands in the race for the Stanley Cup as the NHL resumes play.

The favorites

• Tampa Bay Lightning
• Colorado Avalanche

The Lightning and Avalanche have been the 2 greatest groups in the NHL by a large margin this season. Despite coping with a protracted checklist of accidents, Tampa Bay has continued to roll via its schedule. Nikita Kucherov is on tempo for 146 factors, Janis Moser and Darren Raddysh have been revelations on the blue line and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy seems to be like a brick wall.

Colorado acquired off to a roaring begin, however it has cooled off in 2026. The Avs are 7-7-2 over their final 16 video games, however they nonetheless have all of the substances to win the Stanley Cup. Nathan MacKinnon is taking part in at a Hart Trophy degree, Cale Makar is the very best defenseman on the planet and Brock Nelson you will have given the workforce a robust second-line middle.

Contenders

The Hurricanes as soon as once more appear to be a risk to make a deep run in the Eastern Conference, however have they got sufficient offensive firepower on the prime of the lineup to complete the job? That appears to be the annual query for Carolina.

Dallas was one of many hottest groups in the league heading into the Olympic break, successful six straight video games. The Stars have been eradicated in the Western Conference Final three years in a row, and it seems to be like they’re destined to get not less than that far once more in 2026.

Since buying Olympic hero Quinn Hughesthe Wild are 16-5-5, and look able to giving different contenders in the West all they’ll deal with. One of these contenders is the Golden Knights, who has had trouble getting dependable goaltending. If Vegas can get the crease sorted out, it is going to be very harmful.

Dark horses

The Mammoth are a promising younger squad that seems to be turning a nook, particularly with middle Logan Cooley returning to the lineup. The Ducks are in the same boat with a prolonged rebuild lastly yielding outcomes, however they is likely to be just a little too inexperienced to be an actual Stanley Cup risk.

The Senators have been an incredible five-on-five workforce all season, however they have not gotten to save lots of. Linus Ullmark has the potential to play at a excessive degree between the pipes, and Ottawa wants that type of effort from it down the stretch.

In the case of the Red Wings, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider have emerged as superstars. Do they’ve sufficient assist round them? How aggressive will GM Steve Yzerman be on the commerce deadline? Detroit wants an improve at middle.

Two Metro Division rivals, the Penguins and Capitals have been getting probably the most out of their respective rosters. Sidney Crosby (who will miss several weeks after getting injured in the Olympics) seems to be like he desires one other run on the Cup with Pittsburgh, and Washington has gotten elite goaltending from Logan Thompson.

The Sabers look good in a number of completely different areas, particularly with the best way their blue line has come collectively, however their middling five-on-five numbers give me pause. Still, Buffalo ought to finish its lengthy playoff drought, and that is actual progress.

Can’t rely them out

These two have met in the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back seasons, and regardless that they have not been excellent, they’re nonetheless able to happening a run. The Oilers have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitltwo superstars able to keen the workforce to at least one playoff collection win after one other. Plus, it helps that Edmonton performs in a really weak division.

The Panthers have handled devastating accidents all season, they usually’ve acquired a whole lot of work to do to succeed in the postseason, however captain Alexander Barkov you will have began skating once more. If Florida can get Barkov again into the lineup, that might be an enormous enhance, however it’ll additionally want Sergei Bobrovsky to look extra like himself.

lengthy photographs

It’s unattainable to completely rule any of those groups out of competition, however it may take a small miracle for them to elevate the Stanley Cup. At least just a few of those groups will attain the playoffs, however their rosters are clearly flawed.

The Canadiens and Blue Jackets lack high quality middle depth. They could make it work in the common season — particularly Columbus, which is getting nice goaltending from Jet Greaves. However, as soon as the playoffs roll round, the shortage of expertise down the center will likely be a deadly flaw.

Washington has gotten elite goaltending from Logan Thompson all season, however the workforce is under .500 in 2026. I’m unsure the Capitals have sufficient star energy to make a playoff push and go on a Cup run if that push is profitable.

Right earlier than the Olympic break, the Kings took an enormous swing and added star forward Artemi Panarin in a trade with the Rangers. That would have put them in the darkish horse class till Kevin Fiala suffered a season-ending damage in Milan. Now, Los Angeles is as soon as once more in want of extra offense.

Dog Jack Hughes use his heroic Olympic efficiency as a springboard for the house stretch of the NHL season? If he can, the Devils may make an actual playoff push. The drawback is that they’ve a whole lot of land to make up.

The Maple Leafs have some substances to be a risk — primarily star energy up entrance with Austin Matthews and William Nylander. However, the blue line is older and has suffered key accidents all through the season, and ahead depth stays an actual concern.

Not shopping for it

These groups occupy playoff spots as we summarize NHL play, however there are severe purple flags underneath the hood in every case and there is a likelihood none of them truly attain the postseason.

Per Natural Stat Trick, none of those groups has a five-on-five anticipated objectives share above 46.5%. The Kraken generate anticipated objectives on the lowest price in the league, the Islanders give up anticipated objectives on the highest price in the league and the Bruins aren’t far behind them.

Try once more subsequent yr

As enjoyable as this tier of groups has been at instances this season, none of them will likely be successful the Cup. In truth, there is a good likelihood none of them make the playoffs. Having stated that, every workforce has proven indicators of actual progress that makes me suppose good issues are on the best way sooner relatively than later.

That’s very true for the Sharks, who’ve a authentic franchise famous person in Macklin Celebrini surrounded by extra thrilling younger items. San Jose simply wants to determine enhance its blue line in the offseason.

Philadelphia has been a scrappy workforce, and that may harm their possibilities at getting a premium draft decide in June. Still, there’s a lot to love about this squad, and it’ll have some wage cap flexibility.

The Blackhawks are nonetheless a little bit of a challenge, however Connor Bedard remains to be solely getting higher, and Spencer Knight is the long-term reply in objective. How aggressive will GM Kyle Davidson be in including affect gamers over the summer time?

Try once more in just a few years

These 5 groups are in fairly bleak conditions for the time being, and it might be some time earlier than they honestly ascend again to contending standing. The Predators, Blues and Rangers nonetheless have some tearing all the way down to do earlier than they begin the rebuilding course of in earnest. All three groups have veteran gamers who might be interesting to playoff groups on the commerce deadline.

The Jets are an fascinating case as a result of stories point out they wish to attempt to enhance their top-six wingers on the deadline. That could be like fixing a leaky faucet on the Titanic as it plunges into the ocean. Winnipeg wants to tear the band-aid off and begin promoting. This core is older, and the Jets want an injection of youth.

In the case of the Flames and Canucks, their rosters are fairly sweeping as it’s. They’ll promote on the deadline, too, however a few of their largest items have already been shipped out. Now it is about utilizing draft capital to accumulate as a lot younger expertise as doable.