The Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators snapped significant playoff droughts last season, with the Senators particularly ending a long one, making the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Heading into this season, there are a few teams on the cusp and ready to snap long droughts of their own.
The four longest playoff droughts are the Buffalo Sabres (with the longest dating back to 2011), the Detroit Red Wings (2016), the Anaheim Ducks (2018), and the San Jose Sharks (2019). Then there are four teams that made the playoffs in 2020 who haven’t made it since (Arizona Coyotes, now Utah, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Philadelphia Flyers).
So, there are eight teams with significant droughts. The question is which one ends this season, or which teams are most likely to return to the playoffs? Let’s take a look.
8. Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks seem like the farthest team in the NHL from the playoffs. They thought they were taking a step forward last offseason when they acquired Alec Martinez, Tyler Bertuzzi, and a bunch of veterans, but they took a step back. This offseason, they didn’t do much.
So, this looks like another development year for Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and the prospect group they have. It’s going to be a rough season but the hope is they are at least making progress.
7. Sabres
The longest drought in the NHL looks poised to continue for another season. There are some stars in place that can make this team exciting, notably Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. Otherwise, the Buffalo Sabres are a poorly-coached team with forward depth issues, goaltending question marks, and a defense with good pieces on an individual level but not as a collective group.
If there’s a bright spot, it’s that their prospect system is great. If there’s a downside, it’s that their farm system has been great for a while, and the team fails to do much with their surplus of prospects. Maybe this is the season where that changes?
6. Red Wings
There’s a lot of pressure on Steve Yzerman to get the Detroit Red Wings to the playoffs. This is the fifth season of the “Yzerplan” and the team has not only continued to miss the playoffs, but two teams in their division have passed them by.
The big-picture issue with the Red Wings is that they have a lot of good players leading them, and not great ones. Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, and Moritz Seider are good but not star players who will take over games. The other issue has been goaltending, and despite Yzerman’s best efforts, they haven’t found a reliable starter (maybe that all changes with the John Gibson addition).
5. Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are starting to show progress. Macklin Celebrini is starting to make strides and become a difference-maker, and Michael Misa is poised to take the forward unit to the next level as the “Robin” to Celebrini’s “Batman.”
There’s a lot of hope for the future with the Sharks, something they haven’t had in a while. However, they are still far away from the playoffs. Their best hope is that their prospects overachieve and their young goaltender, Yaroslav Askarov, is already an NHL-caliber starter. Both things are big ifs and unlikely, at least this season.
4. Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks, like the Sharks, are starting to inch closer to the playoff discussion. They were only 16 points (8 wins) out of a playoff spot last season, and their young core keeps getting better. With Joel Quenneville behind the bench, they become an intriguing team.
The problem is the Ducks, aside from their young core improving, are still the same team from last season. They were expected to make a big move in the offseason and made none. They looked like the team that would close the gap on the other teams in the Pacific Division but are still a tier below both of them.
3. Flyers
This appears like a high ranking for the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that has plenty of question marks and is still rebuilding. Their center depth is still in question, and the same can be said about their goaltending, despite moves to help both positions.
That said, Matvei Michkov, who already proved to be a difference-maker last season, looks to make some big strides this season. Additionally, Rich Tocchet was hired, and for the first time in a while, the Flyers have the right head coach behind the bench to get this team back in the playoff discussion. Lastly, the prospect pool has a few names, notably Alex Bump and Jett Luchenko, who can add a few wins as well.
The Flyers are still a tier below the other teams in the Eastern Conference. However, in a weak Metropolitan Division, they can be the surprise team that, like the Washington Capitals last season, sneaks up on everyone and makes the playoffs.
2. Utah
Among the rebuilding teams, the Utah Hockey Club is the closest to the playoffs. Their young core is already making a significant impact, and the JJ Peterka addition seems like the cherry on top. They have a team with no glaring weakness, and it’s why they might take that next step and make the playoffs.
There are two big obstacles. The first is the division, which had five teams make the playoffs last season and is only getting better. The other obstacle is their roster, which has a lot of good players, but doesn’t have that star who can take over games, and it’s what might ultimately leave them short of a playoff spot. Otherwise, this is one of the deeper teams and a well-rounded one that can earn a playoff spot in its second season in Salt Lake City.
1. Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets had all the reasons last season to be one of the worst teams in the NHL. Instead, they battled to the end and only came a few points shy of a playoff spot. It spoke to the team’s fight but also the progress they’ve made as a franchise in one season under GM Don Waddell and head coach Dean Evason.
This team enters this season with all the pieces in place to not only return to the playoffs but make noise as well. It starts with Zach Werenski, a defenseman who impacts the game in all three zones and has established himself as one of the elite blueliners in the game. Then the forward unit is only getting better, notably with Adam Fantilli making strides as he enters his third season in the NHL.
Goaltending is still a question mark as Elvis Merzlikins isn’t a primary starter, and Jet Greaves must prove he can split time in the net at the NHL level. Otherwise, look for this team to be in the playoff discussion next season with a young group and a mix of veterans leading the way.
“Additionally, Rich Tocchet was hired, and for the first time in a while, the Flyers have the right head coach behind the bench to get this team back in the playoff discussion.”
While the jury is still out as to whether Tocchet is the “right head coach”, it is refreshing to see a coach that actually sounds like a modern NHL head coach and not have media trying to explain away Torts horrible actions/decisions are the greatest thing since sliced bread because Comcast demands it.
Torts was marketable and made Comcast money, as a hockey coach/GM though he was bad but that didn’t matter to the Flyers. He didn’t believe that what system you played mattered, he couldn’t evaluate players properly, despite his mythical “accountability” he played favorites a lot but was always excused.
My point is that the Flyers didn’t want to hire Tocchet, they wanted to run back Torts. They didn’t have a light bulb moment that they needed a coach who had more than 1 tool in his limited tool box but provided entertainment to the media, who didn’t believe in analytics. Torts coached the Flyers exactly as long as he wanted to coach the Flyers. He fired the Flyers, they didn’t fire him. Briere is even on record that if there was any way he could’ve, Torts would’ve been coming back.
Just some context if Toch works out and DB/Jones get credit for moving on from Torts. They were both prepared to ride the Torts train to the end until Torts jumped off the train and left them holding the bag.
Guess it could be the best thing to happen to them in the end, if Toch is their next great coach who can turn things around.