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This is the time of the NHL season when it’s clear which teams are out of it, and the season is a lost cause. The only question for these teams is whether they look at this season as a one-off, try to retool on the fly, rebuild, or tear it down completely and start over.
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Every season, there are a handful of teams that fall into the rebuild category, and this time around, it looks like there are a few new teams in the mix. The Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vancouver Canucks all sold at the deadline and might have more work to do before they are contenders. So, which of those teams is in the best spot to become a Cup contender down the road?
5. Toronto Maple Leafs
Just about everything that could go wrong for the Maple Leafs this season did, and that’s why they might look at this season as a one-off and try to keep things intact for another season. That would mean keeping general manager (GM) Brad Treliving in charge while Craig Berube remains behind the bench. However, if someone else takes over, they must look at this roster and wonder what can be done to turn it into a contender.
The added layer to the Maple Leafs is Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Both skaters are in their primes, and Matthews, in particular, is on a clock as he can leave in free agency in two years, and by then, he’ll want to sign with a Cup contender. In short, there’s a lot of pressure for the Maple Leafs to build a competitive team and not enter a three or four-year rebuild.
This leads to their retool problem. Unless they land a top-five pick in the draft and find a way to add young NHL-ready talent in the offseason, they won’t upgrade for next season. It’s why the Maple Leafs have their hands tied and suddenly look further from the Cup than they have been in a decade.
4. New Jersey Devils
The Devils are another team that is in a mess that needs someone else to come in and clean up. They were supposed to become the next dynasty with a young core led by Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt. Instead, they have a roster with too many immovable contracts that became a stale group overnight.
The ceiling, when Hughes and Bratt are the core players, isn’t high. At best, they’ll make the playoffs but they won’t go on a playoff run. It’s one of the reasons they might enter rebuild territory and try to move on from some of their star players.
The only thing that can allow them to retool is a lottery win. The New York Islanders proved last season how a little luck can go a long way as they landed the top pick and took Matthew Schaefer, who turned them around in one season. If the Devils manage to draft in the top three and find a player who can make an impact from day one, it’s what can convince them to keep things together and still have a good shot at the Cup.
3. New York Rangers
The plus for the Rangers is that they have an elite goaltender in the prime of his career. With Igor Shesterkin, the floor is higher, and any headaches other teams would have in a rebuild, they avoid by default.
Everything else for the Rangers is a mess. The young talent on the roster is disappointing, and the prospect pool isn’t promising either. After trading Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings, the Rangers sent the message that they are looking to trade their core players.
The question is whether they trade Adam Fox this offseason or not. Both sides are heading towards a split, and considering the Rangers are heading towards a rebuild, they might look to move the defenseman while he still has value, even if it’s gone down in recent years with his injuries.
2. Vancouver Canucks
For a dysfunctional franchise, the Canucks deserve credit for tearing things down. They traded Quinn Hughes while his value was highest and got back a few key players to build around in the future. Then, they trade Kiefer Sherwood and Conor Garland, adding more future assets towards a rebuild.
The Canucks are starting from scratch and look like the worst team in the NHL. That said, the moves they made get them a head start on a rebuild. The next key is drafting well and developing, which starts with a top-five pick in this year’s draft.
The teardown isn’t complete with Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko still under contract. However, the Canucks are in a better spot in the long run as they can start from scratch and rebuild after kicking the can down the road for a few years.
1. Calgary Flames
The irony is that the Flames are in a better spot than they were a season back. Yes, they only missed the playoffs by one point last season and had a lot working in their favor. However, they had a low ceiling with Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson, and MacKenzie Weeger as their best players. With those players gone, the Flames are going all in on the young talent, and they have plenty of it.
The optimism starts in the net. Yes, Dustin Wolf is having a rough season but he’s one of the best young goaltenders in the NHL and a player they can build around (a plus is that Devin Cooley has stepped up as a backup). Throw in the other young depth players, and all the Flames need is a star forward to build around, which they should find in this year’s draft.
The Flames are always the overlooked team in Albert, and just when it looks like they will take a step forward, they take two back. However, they have a path to contention, which starts with being in a good spot to rebuild.
