Where do Canadian teams stand amid Stanley Cup drought?
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The Stanley Cup drought for Canadian teams reached 32 years after the Edmonton Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers in a second consecutive final on Tuesday.
What about next year? Here's a look at where each of the seven Canadian clubs stand heading into next season — and which might be closest to ending the skid.
Calgary Flames
After narrowly missing the playoffs, the Flames will try to strike a balance between developing around their emerging young talent and punching a little higher next season. The Stanley Cup? Probably not happening.
Dustin Wolf was Calgary's MVP in his rookie season and appears to be a franchise goalie. Young wingers Matt Coronato and Connor Zary also represent hope for the future, while top defence prospect Zayne Parekh could enter the fray.
Calgary also has quality veterans like Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau pushing to end a three-year playoff drought, but the Flames are still firmly in a "retool" period.
Edmonton Oilers
Spearheaded by superstar duo Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers should be best-positioned to fight for the Stanley Cup again. Edmonton dominated the Western Conference playoffs for two straight seasons before running into a deep and relentless Panthers team both times.
The Oilers need to sign star defenceman Evan Bouchard to run it back. The pending restricted free agent is due a massive raise from his US$3.9 million cap hit after producing 55 points in his last 47 playoff games. McDavid has one year left on his contract, adding potential stakes to next season. The Oilers captain is eligible for an extension on July 1.
Also, will the Oilers make a move for a true No. 1 goalie after inconsistent performances from Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard?
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal's future is bright, but the Canadiens are likely a few seasons away from fighting for a Stanley Cup.
The Canadiens boast a young core of captain Nick Suzuki, winger Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson, a shifty defenceman who won the Calder Trophy. Dazzling forward Ivan Demidov could contend for rookie of the year himself next season.
Montreal was the youngest team in this year's playoffs, where they lost a first-round series to the Washington Capitals in five games, and could be even younger next season as more players from the franchise's deep prospect pool graduate to the NHL.
Major off-season additions — particularly a second-line centre — are possible, but general manager Kent Hughes is taking a patient approach to build a sustainable winner.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators took a major step with a playoff berth last season, signalling the end of a long, painful rebuild.
Led by captain Brady Tkachuk, centre Tim Stutzle and defenceman Jake Sanderson, the Senators are young, talented and trending in the right direction. Much like the Canadiens, however, are they close to making the leap from playoff contender to Stanley Cup contender?
Ottawa has a solid supporting cast, but still has holes to fill. General manager Steve Staios could be active in his search for a top-four defenceman and a top-six winger this off-season. Veteran forward Claude Giroux also needs a contract.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs have only won two series in their "Core Four" era despite reaching the playoffs nine straight years. Now the DNA, as GM Brad Treliving put it, looks like it's about to change in Toronto.
Star winger Mitch Marner is a pending free agent and could leave his boyhood club, former captain John Tavares also needs a contract, and Treliving appears ready to make bold moves.
Then again, the Leafs led the Stanley Cup-champion Panthers 2-0 in their second-round series and pushed them to a Game 7. They also won the Atlantic Division with a smothering defensive style in their first year under coach Craig Berube.
No matter how the off-season shakes out, the Leafs should return to the playoffs. But will it be any different once they get there?
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks looked like a contender last year in a seven-game second-round series against Edmonton. That feels like a long time ago.
Vancouver's follow-up went off the rails in a past season marked by off-ice drama between star forwards Elias Pettersson and since-traded J.T. Miller.
Many uncertainties now surround the Canucks. Will Pettersson, once viewed as a top No. 1 centre, rediscover his 100-point form? Can goalie Thatcher Demko, elite when healthy, get through a season injury-free?
Head coach Rick Tocchet left Vancouver for Philadelphia, with Adam Foote taking over behind the bench. Forward Brock Boeser might also exit in free agency.
Canucks management will be desperate to get the franchise back on track with superstar defenceman Quinn Hughes due for a new contract in two years, but the path to the Stanley Cup, at least for next season, feels steep.
Winnipeg Jets
No team has won more than Winnipeg over the past two regular seasons, but the Jets are rarely mentioned as a Cup favourite.
Star goalie Connor Hellebuyck, defenceman Josh Morrissey, and forwards Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele helped lead a deep and well-rounded team to the Presidents' Trophy last season.
Winnipeg, however, fell in the second round to Dallas after needing a miracle to scrape past St. Louis. Hellebuyck's sensational regular-season play — earning him this year's Hart and Vezina trophies — also hasn't translated into the playoffs.
The Jets might lose winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who's one of six unrestricted free agents on the roster. Most other key pieces should return to the Manitoba capital. The question is: How much further can this group go?
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