It’s a long shot for a team to win the Stanley Cup one year after missing the playoffs. It’s not impossible. The Vegas Golden Knights missed the playoffs in the 2021-22 season and won the Cup the next season, and it can happen again.
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There are a few Cup hopefuls from the 16 teams that missed the playoffs last season. There’s a group that looks to bounce back and return to form, and there are also a handful of teams on the rise that can take a big leap this season.
5. Utah Mammoth
This is a team that’s made significant strides with their rebuild. After coming close to the playoffs last season (seven points out of the final wild card spot) and adding JJ Peterka in the offseason, they look to make noise in their second season in Salt Lake City.
The two questions are the star power and their goaltending. Their core is filled with good players, but not the superstars who can take over games. Then there’s the goaltending issue where Karel Vejmelka is the primary starter but needs a backup, and it’s unclear if they have the answer on their roster (Vitek Vanecek was brought in just in case).
That said, they still have a forward unit that is talented enough to come at teams in waves. It’s also worth noting that Logan Cooley is the star they can build around, and his passing helps him take over games. It also helps that with prospects on top of prospects, they have the assets to make a splash at the trade deadline, and they might get this team into the Cup conversation.
4. Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks have a young core that’s hitting its stride. Not only do they have stars, but they also have young elite talent at the key positions from Leo Carlsson at center to Jackson LaCombe on defense, and most importantly, Lukas Dostal in the net. With the Joel Quenneville hire, the Ducks have a coach who can get them into the playoff conversation and, in a seven-game series, give them an edge.
The question is whether the veterans and the youth will mesh together this time around. In the past, it hasn’t as over the hill players like Radko Gudas and Alex Killorn have set them back. This time around, the Ducks are hoping Mikael Granlund, Chris Kreider, and Jacob Trouba, three veterans they brought in since the start of last season, will work well with the young skaters. If they do, it makes this team a Cup-caliber one.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets have the best rebuild in the NHL, so there’s a chance they take a big step. They have questions in the net, and there’s a lot of pressure on Jet Greaves to step up and become the much-needed backup for Elvis Merzlikins. Otherwise, the Blue Jackets are great everywhere else and can become one of the league’s best teams this season.
Zach Werenski burst on the scene last season and looks poised to remain a dominant two-way defenseman to build around. The Blue Jackets also have the emergence of Adam Fantilli at the center position after the second-year skater scored 31 goals last season. With the combination of Fantilli and other young forwards, the Blue Jackets have a group that can make it to the playoffs.
On top of that, there’s a good chance general manager (GM) Don Waddell makes a move to get this team over the hump. He acquired Dante Fabbro last season to unlock Werenski’s game, and he can do something similar if the Blue Jackets are in a playoff position.
2. New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are an aging team with a depleted farm system. Usually, those signs indicate it’s time for a retool, and to some extent, that’s what they did, trading Trouba in the middle of last season and moving Kreider in the summer. That said, the Rangers are still built to compete this season.
The core is still elite with Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Vincent Trocheck in the top six, while Adam Fox anchors the defense. Moreover, Igor Shesterkin is one of the few goaltenders who can take over games. With Shesterkin playing at a high level, the Rangers, by default, have a high floor.
With Mike Sullivan behind the bench, the Rangers also have a high ceiling as their coach can get the most out of this team. They were in the Eastern Conference Final following the 2021-22 season and made it to the conference final in 2023-24 as well, so it would be no surprise if they are back in the Cup conversation again.
1. Vancouver Canucks
There are two ways to look at last season and how it played out for the Vancouver Canucks. Either it was an outlier where everything went wrong, and a bounce back is in the works, or it was a sign that this team isn’t great and has underlying issues keeping them from contending, making the 2023-24 season the odd one out.
If the past season was a wash, they have a great case for being a Cup contender. The goaltending, when healthy, of course, is great, and the defense is strong with Quinn Hughes being the difference maker to build around. The Abbotsford Canucks winning the 2025 Calder Cup proved that this team has a few prospects capable of joining the NHL team and making a significant impact as well.
The question is if the forward unit holds up, and specifically, if Elias Pettersson can look like the top-line center the Canucks paid him to become. With Brock Boeser back and locked into a long-term deal, plus the Evander Kane addition, the forward unit should take that next step.
Better yet for the Canucks is that they finally have stability behind the bench with the Adam Foote hiring. They’ve gone through three coaches in the Jim Rutherford era (a sign of instability in the front office), but Foote understands the team and, particularly, the defense. He can get the Canucks to the next level and make it the team to beat in the Western Conference.
Other Non-Playoff Teams That Can Win the Cup
The New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers have youth movements that can surprise this season. However, it’s hard to see either of them making a deep playoff run, at least not with the rosters they have. The Islanders hiring of Mathieu Darche as their GM and the Flyers bringing in Tocchet as the head coach provide some optimism for both teams, though.
There’s a good case for a bounce back from the Boston Bruins. If David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy play at a high level while Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, and Jeremy Swayman rebound from rough seasons, this team can once again be at the top of the Atlantic.
The Calgary Flames are also a team to watch. They can’t score and didn’t address the need either in the offseason, but they can defend and have an elite goaltender with Dustin Wolf as their starter. It makes them a sneaky team to watch.
Which non-playoff team do you think can win the Stanley Cup? Let us know in the comments section below!
