For years, people called the Florida Panthers the “sleeping giants” of the NHL, where once that giant woke up, nobody would stop it. Once the Panthers learned how to build a contender and attract talent, they became the team known for having the tax-free advantages and warm weather, the ideal destination for any star. Fast-forward, and they are the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions on pace to win a third in a row.
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The truth is that the NHL’s history is filled with “sleeping giants,” where once a team puts it all together, they become tough to stop. The Chicago Blackhawks in the 2010s, the Detroit Red Wings in the early 1990s and 2000s, the Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s, and many other teams that became dynasties.
So, who might be the next team to become what the Panthers are? Two teams, ironically in the Panthers’ division, come to mind: the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators. They are both set up after making the playoffs last season to become juggernauts in the Eastern Conference, especially if they play their cards right.
Canadiens Are Young & Only Getting Better
The Canadiens were the final team to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference last season, making them the team many are picking to miss out this time around. They are a team on the rise, and it starts with arguably the best top line in the NHL. Nick Suzuki with Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky on the wings gave them a perfect combination of playmaking, scoring, and physicality as the trio is only expected to get better. If rookie Ivan Demidov is as good as promised, the Canadiens will have an elite offence.
The Noah Dobson trade was the cherry on top. The Canadiens acquired an elite two-way defenceman who allows them to come at teams in waves from the point, with Lane Hutson already being the anchor on the top pair. Looking at the Canadiens this season, they don’t have any weaknesses. Even goaltending is great with Jakub Dobes and Samuel Mountembeault as a good enough duo.
The Canadiens also have a great farm system, which helps twofold. They will continue adding young skaters to the lineup, and better yet, general manager (GM) Kent Hughes isn’t afraid to flip some of those prospects for NHL-ready players, which is something he might do at the trade deadline.
Senators Have a Core in Place for the Playoffs
The Senators have an elite core that checks all the boxes, especially for a run at the Stanley Cup. Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle lead the forwards, Jake Sanderson is one of the elite two-way defencemen in the game, and Linus Ullmark is an elite goaltender capable of leading them on a run.
The core is what will lead the Senators, but this team has plenty of depth as well. Dylan Cozens, Claude Giroux, and Drake Batherson round out the forward unit, while Thomas Chabot, Tyler Kleven, and Jordan Spence add depth to the defence. They don’t have any glaring weaknesses, and their young core is starting to enter its prime, giving this team a perfect combination to compete for the Cup.
The Senators are also one of the teams willing to make a big move at the trade deadline to set themselves up for a run. They will head into the playoffs looking to add skaters who can help eliminate the Panthers or the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team that beat them last season, and they’ll add that depth forward or hard-hitting defenceman if needed.
Why the Canadiens Might Take a Step Back
The big thing that can prevent the Canadiens from making the playoffs is injuries, something every team inevitably faces. Otherwise, the Canadiens are a young team that’s only getting better. Sure, the other teams in the Atlantic Division can leapfrog them, but they aren’t regressing and might take a big step forward as well.
It’s also worth noting that the Canadiens might have a big-picture issue. They can make the playoffs, but once they are in, do they have the players capable of taking over games? Their star players, aside from Slafkovsky, don’t play a physical game, and it could be an issue when they face a team like the Panthers.
Why the Senators Might Take a Step Back
There’s plenty of optimism, yet there are still some issues with the lineup. The Senators can use another top-six winger and ideally a scoring presence to play alongside Giroux. Likewise, the defence won’t have Nick Jensen to start the season, and the lack of a stay-at-home option could be their undoing.
The Senators are also the type of team that’s unproven when it comes to the playoffs. The first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs was promising but a small sample size. If they play the Maple Leafs again or the Panthers or even the Tampa Bay Lightning, it’s hard to see them as the team to beat.
So, Which Team Is More Likely to Become a Cup Contender?
By the looks of it, the Canadiens are the closest team to the Cup of the two. They have all the pieces in place and are only getting better. Plus, Hughes will make a splash at the trade deadline to get this team to the same level as the Panthers. It’s been three decades since the Canadiens won the Cup, yet they look like a team ready to be in the conversation every season.
That said, looks are often deceiving. The Canadiens, as promising as they are, remain a young team, and rarely do young teams win the Cup. The hockey cliche is that teams must learn how to lose before they learn how to win, and for the Canadiens, they still don’t know how hard it is to win a playoff series, much less four of them.
It’s why the Senators have a good case for being closer, even slightly. Their core, while also young, is in its prime. On top of that, they have the goaltender they can lean on in Ullmark. While the Canadiens duo is good, it’s hard for them to trust either to carry them in the playoffs.
Which team do you think is the sleeping giant in the NHL? Let us know in the comments section below!
