The Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche were true success stories last year. Both finished at the bottom of the NHL in 2013 and by the same time next year had nominees and winners of three NHL awards and both teams had returned to the playoff picture. The Avs finished first in the Central Division and had the rookie of the year in Nathan Mackinnon and coach of the year in Patrick Roy. The Bolts took second in the Atlantic, tied their franchise record for wins and survived through the loss of superstar Steven Stamkos. While we may not find similar results this year, there are several teams who possess the potential to have newfound success next year. Here are five likely candidates:
1. Nashville Predators:
The Predators lost one of the best goaltenders last year when Pekka Rinne left due to a hip surgery followed by a hip infection which lead him to miss time from late October to early March. While the Preds found suitable replacements in Carter Hutton and Marek Mazanec, Nashville failed to qualify for the playoffs and made some big moves in the offseason. They fired Barry Trotz, the only head coach the Predators organization had ever known and replaced him with former Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette. They also traded Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling to the Pittsburgh Penguins for James Neal who could become a team leader as far as points go next year. They also acquired Olli Jokinen, Derek Roy and Mike Riberio which means the team will be stocked up on centers. A new coach along with a new group of forwards along with a healthy starter in Pekka Rinne makes the Predators a legitimate playoff contender.
2. New Jersey Devils:
This past year was rough for Devils fans as they said goodbye to both franchise icon and future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur and their hopes of any postseason games. But Devils fans shouldn't be discouraged for long. The team has improved very much from where it was just two years ago or even a few months ago. They now have a starter in Cory Schneider who, now that Brodeur is gone, can finally claim the starting job as his own. They have capable and experienced defensive group in players like Marek Zidlicky and should have no trouble when it comes to offense. New Jersey still has ageless superstar Jaromir Jagr who, although he's been playing for more than 20 years is still an excellent player. He lead the Devils in points with 67 and was one goal behind Adam Henrique for the team lead in that category as well. But Jagr will now have another big point earner in his company. Mike Cammalleri was signed by the Devils and he brings with him the ability to score goals, something the Devils need. With veteran point earners, an experienced defense and an excellent starting goaltender who has a career .925 Regular Season Save Percentage, the Devils will no doubt be in the race for a playoff spot next season.
3. Washington Capitals:
The breakup of the Southeast Division may have affected the Capitals worse than the other four teams that left. No longer able to feed off of the poor play of teams like Florida or Winnipeg, the Capitals struggled to achieve the same marks that they had in years past like contending for the Eastern Conference. But things have changed since the end of last season. The Metropolitan Divison has changed drastically and with a very different Pittsburgh team, the Capitals could find a way back into the postseason. They addressed their defensive needs by adding Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen and gave Brayden Holtby a good backup by adding Justin Peters who left Carolina. Holtby can play extremely well and could backstop the Capitals to the playoffs. Alex Ovechkin presents a problem though. He'll have to play more defensively and also needs to have a consistent season as far as his goal scoring is concerned. Consistency is the key if Washington is to return to the postseason.
4. Arizona Coyotes:
Changing their name may quiet some unhappy fans, but to really prove they mean business, the Coyotes will have to do more than update their shoulder patches. The Coyotes will have to prove to the hockey world that they can stand up to the best of the west (especially the LA Kings) and they can do that by winning in the playoffs. The closest they came in recent years was in 2012 when they went to the Western Conference Finals but lost in five games to the Kings. They have a great goaltender in Mike Smith, but they'll need him to both stay healthy and perform like he did in 2012 when the Coyotes took the top seed in the Pacific Division. They hope that new additions like Sam Gagner will help them up front but will also lean heavily on their defense. But as long as the Coyotes can play well in their own zone and Mike Smith shows why he was added to Team Canada's Olympic roster, the Coyotes could prove to be a threat next season.
5. Edmonton Oilers:
This is a crazy prediction, but the new looking Oilers could have newfound success next season. While they're unlikely to return to the playoffs, especially in the tough Western Conference, they could have a better season then they're used to. They have the offense, that's not a concern. With players like Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle, Teddy Purcell and Benoit Pouliot, the Oil could prove to be a threat. Purcell and Pouliot were former teammates in Tampa Bay two seasons ago and will help stabilize Edmonton's bottom six. Nail Yakupov, who had a less-than-stellar season on a less-than-stellar team could rebound and play more like he did in his rookie season when he was one of the top rookies in the NHL. Should Leon Draisaitl make the team (which he likely will), the young German could also prove to be a big help, especially since he's a center. On the blue line, Andrew Ference will continue to provide veteran leadership and Edmonton will hope that players like Justin Schultz and newcomer Kieth Aulie can help in that department. Darnell Nurse could also make the team, which would be another boost to Edmonton. They've got potential starters in both Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth. Scrivens is often noted for both his relief of Jonathan Quick in his stint with the Kings and his 59-save shutout for the Oilers in a game against the Sharks. And starting next season with the same coach they had last year will no doubt make the players more comfortable. All of this could push the Oilers to a place they haven't been in years: a team on the edge of the playoffs.