It is very reasonable to expect a team to compete for a cup after a 5 year period being built through free agency or trades .. The current Champions 2016 and 2017 Penguins In a time frame between June 2014 -
The signed as free agents Cullen , Fehr , Sheary , Then acquired in trades Hornqvist , Kessel , Bonino , Hagelin , Dumoulin , Cole , Lovejoy ,Daley , Schultz , Hainsey , Streit that's over only a 3 year period. Montreal can become a contender if the correct trades are made. It was before 2014 but , Dupuis , Kunitz were also acquired in trades .