Which of theses teams will win their first cup next?
Team Founded SC Finals Appearances
Buffalo Sabres 1970-71 1975, 1999
Vancouver Canucks 1970-71 1982, 1994, 2011
Arizona Coyotes 1979-80 ---
San Jose Sharks 1991-92 2016
Florida Panthers 1993-94 1996
Nashville Predators 1998-99 2017
Winnipeg Jets 1999-00 ---
Minnesota Wild 2000-01 ---
Columbus Blue Jackets 2000-01 ---
Vegas Golden Knights 2017-18 2018
Seattle Kraken 2021-22 ---
Ten years from now, there will be threads about the Buffalo Sabres 20-year playoff drought.
Buffalo.... will get both Wright AND Michkov on top of Dahlin, Power, Cozens...theyll win by 2027
Buffalo.... will get both Wright AND Michkov on top of Dahlin, Power, Cozens...theyll win by 2027
well if they can be a lottery team after getting Eichel an Dahlin, they can do so with Wright in his rookie season (assuming Eichel is gone).They're not gonna get Wright and Michkov. They're incredibly lucky they got Dahlin and Power within 4 years. I mean if they get Wright, it kinda ensures they don't draft Michkov the next year.
Tampa had far from a "bad" offseason given their position. The team knew they were losing depth, so it's no big surprise to see the 3rd line gone(Gourde being the one exception, but Brisebois valued keeping one of the top d corps together more). Florida has a better bottom 6 based on projected line ups right now, which is fine, but Tampa still has a better and much more proven top 6, defense and goaltender. Florida is much improved and a legit contender, but their path is more difficult than a couple other teams in this category(Vegas for sure with the weak looking Pacific). For the next 1-3 years it seems Vegas, Winnipeg and Florida(possibly Minnesota if they can make a move or two) likely have the best shot though of breaking through, after that, harder to say based on prospects/draft results.In these cases you might be tempted to just pick the closest to a cup today, but I disagree with that. You should be allowed to say an awful team like Buffalo just because the current best teams of this class cant beat the best of the cup winners like Tampa, Colorado, Washington, Islanders.
However, I do think a real cup contender had emerged. Florida. With their leap forward last season, and great offseason, and Tampa's bad offseason, I like their odds. The team will do it for Barkov's legacy.
chances of that happening 2 expansion teams in a row is just about 0Ill go with the safe bet and say Kraken. VGK where underdogs in 2017 and nearly destroyed the league.
I'm not saying "bad considering their position". I just mean bad. They did as good as they probably could but at the end of the day they lost important pieces from their cup runs.Tampa had far from a "bad" offseason given their position. The team knew they were losing depth, so it's no big surprise to see the 3rd line gone(Gourde being the one exception, but Brisebois valued keeping one of the top d corps together more). Florida has a better bottom 6 based on projected line ups right now, which is fine, but Tampa still has a better and much more proven top 6, defense and goaltender. Florida is much improved and a legit contender, but their path is more difficult than a couple other teams in this category(Vegas for sure with the weak looking Pacific). For the next 1-3 years it seems Vegas, Winnipeg and Florida(possibly Minnesota if they can make a move or two) likely have the best shot though of breaking through, after that, harder to say based on prospects/draft results.
While Florida has turned a corner I am hesitant to pick them simply because of how strong their division is. That’s a very hard path the trudge through. Could they do it? Sure. But taking a betting mans mind set it wouldn’t be my first choice.
Vegas is an obvious answer so I’ll skip them as other posters have drilled that home. Im going to go with Minnesota. If they can figure out this current contract issue, and add a couple pieces over the next year or so which they could do, they have all their picks except for a 7th rounder next draft, for the next 3 years. They could pick with them all, or use some of the draft capital to tweak and add to the team. If they do it right, that team is going to make a strong push out of the West.