Oh, Canada
We have not won the Cup
Since 93, when it was in Montreal City
With saddened hearts, we watch and pray
Hoping that it will change
From far and wide, Oh Canada
Every year it is the same
Bust after bust, playoffs so far away
“Maybe next year” is what all the Canadians say
“Maybe next year” is what all the Canadians say…
Ahem. You may now sit down and put your hats back on.
In all seriousness, this stat is just becoming depressing. Now that the Montreal Canadiens are no longer in the running for Lord Stanley, that means that it has been 21 years since a Canadian team has hoisted the Cup. That is unacceptable!
As the featured image shows, the last team to win the cup was the Canadiens back in 93, and the most recent team to make it to the cup finals were my Vancouver Canucks in 2011 (The pain still feels fresh). When you look at the teams that play North of the border, do any of them truly strike you as a team that can contend with the powerhouse teams that are currently dominating the league?
Yes, I know that Montreal made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but I also know they were vastly outplayed for the majority of that series, en route to losing in 6 games to the New York Rangers. Was it the series against Boston that tired them out? Did not having goalie Carey Price ultimately doom them? Who knows. All that is for certain is that successful teams have to be able to battle through anything and everything to get to the end of the line. Something that the Canadiens just couldn’t do. I’m not knocking them for their performance this post-season, they were a ton of fun to watch and I know the population of Vancouver whispered a collective “thank you” to the Habs as they knocked out the Bruins.
All that being said, we still are waiting for the Stanley Cup to come home to Canada. Which team has the greatest chance of bringing it home first? Let’s take a skate across the country and find out!
Vancouver Canucks
2013/2014 Regular Season Record – 36-35-11
Did They Make The Playoffs? – No
Most Recent Playoff Appearance – 2012/2013, lost in 1st round to the San Jose Sharks, 0-4
The Vancouver Canucks are at a crossroads right now. They are a team desperately trying to reclaim their identity as one of the NHL’s premier teams, but as their core gets older, it will become tougher and tougher to get back to that “elite status”. This previous season was not kind to the Canucks, as the new format of the conferences saw them lose their previously almost guaranteed spot in the post-season, simply by virtue of getting to play teams like Edmonton and Calgary all season long.
This off season will be one of the biggest in Canucks history, and will really shed some light on whether or not the Canucks are playing for now, or for the future. Something tells me that because the core is getting older, and new GM Jim Benning believes that this team can be turned around rather quickly, that this off season will be spent trying to accommodate our existing group of players. Unfortunately for the Canucks, Vancouver doesn’t seem to be a choice destination for players anymore, and this means that next year will probably be the same outcome as this season or 2013. An early playoff exit or missing the playoffs entirely. If they decide to do a complete rebuild, look forward to another 4-5 years of mediocrity before they have a legitimate chance at a cup run.
Odds of bringing the Cup back to Canada – Low, with a chance of rebuild
Edmonton Oilers
2013/2014 Regular Season Record – 29-44-9
Did They Make The Playoffs? – No
Most Recent Playoff Appearance – 2005/2006, lost in the SCF to the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-4
One of my recent Post-Mortem articles explains just how poorly the Edmonton Oilers played last season. Year after year this team gets an incredible draft pick, and nothing to show for it in the long haul. It baffles my mind how a team with this much talent up front can’t make moves in order to round out their team! Year after year they sit near the bottom of the standings, and year after year you think that “this could finally be the year that the Oilers do something”.
It never happens.
I think the entire hockey World knows this, but in case you are the one person who is unaware, the Oilers need a top pairing of defensemen. Other pieces may help, but their obvious needs come from their own end of the rink. It will be interesting to see who they draft in this years entry draft, as they occupy the 3rd overall pick. Do they trade away a budding forward and try to pick up a defenseman? Who knows. What I can tell you is that unless the Oilers beef up their blue line, be prepared to stay in the basement.
Odds of bringing the Cup back to Canada – Basement level low
Calgary Flames
2013/2014 Regular Season Record – 35-40-7
Did They Make The Playoffs? – No
Most Recent Playoff Appearance – 2008/2009, lost in the 1st round to the Chicago Blackhawks, 2-4
A strong second half push from the Calgary Flames had the league on notice. They were putting away top contending teams left right and centre, but just couldn’t do enough throughout the entire season to solidify a playoff spot. However, I really like the direction that the Flames are going. As our Post-Mortem article suggests, the Flames hard work throughout last season is definitely going to help them in becoming a more well rounded team and to compete for a playoff spot next year.
Putting the now famous “Hartley vs Tortorella” aside, I believe that Bob Hartley did a great job in getting the most out of his team. It will be fun to watch these guys next year, as all of their up and coming young stars now have that extra year of experience behind them. I’m just throwing it out there (for the “I told you so” bragging rights later on), but look for Calgary to be sitting right around that 7th or 8th seed and fighting for a playoff spot come April next year. I think they squeak in and finally get a chance at the Stanley Cup. Will they be the Canadian team to break the curse..?
Odds of bringing the Cup back to Canada – Low, but heating up
Winnipeg Jets
2013/2014 Regular Season Record – 37-35-10
Did They Make The Playoffs? – No
Most Recent Playoff Appearance – None Since Moving From Atlanta
The Winnipeg Jets never really stood out to me this past season as a team that would be competing for anything but tee times come the end of the year. Aside from their lack of goaltending (lead by Ondrej Pavelec), guys like Evander Kane who are supposed to put the puck in the net didn’t really show up this year. Yes I know injuries decimated this lineup throughout the season, but it happens to every team and can’t be relied on as the sole reason why you blew it (Just ask Canucks fans).
That being said, Paul Maurice being brought on as the new head coach was a great move by the Jets organization, and I think he is a great leader for this team. Dustin Byfuglien is always a force and has done well with the Jets. There are some bright spots for this team, but they need to make some moves in order to start competing. A starting goalie is their most obvious need, and it just so happens that there are quite a few of those on the market this offseason.
Odds of bringing the Cup back to Canada – Not clear for takeoff
Toronto Maple Leafs
2013/2014 Regular Season Record – 38-36-8
Did They Make The Playoffs? – No
Most Recent Playoff Appearance – 2012/2013, lost in the 1st round to the Boston Bruins, 3-4
Ah, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The last time this team made the playoffs, they ended up becoming the laughing stock of the entire hockey planet. Their 3rd period collapse against the Boston Bruins is now infamous in the World of hockey, but one could ask, was the 2012/2013 playoff collapse, or the 2013/2014 regular season collapse worse? Ending off the season 3-13 took them right out of playoff contention this year, when it seemed like they were primed to make another playoff appearance. It was truly the biggest collapse of any team this season, and one that will have the Leafs organization (as well as it’s fans) scratching their heads.
However, there were a couple bright spots for the Leafs this season that could have fans looking forward to next year, however. James Van Riemsdyk played remarkably well, as did Jonathan Bernier and Mason Raymond. I feel as though the Leafs have the potential to make a push for the playoffs again next season, but I say so with limited hope. This must be like what a San Jose Sharks fan feels like, but only after they make the playoffs. I think there needs to be a couple minor changes to this team to make them truly competitive, but with some massive contracts to some underwhelming players (ahem, David Clarkson), they may have to work some cap magic to add whatever is necessary.
Odds of bringing the Cup back to Canada – Moderate, but prone to collapse
Ottawa Senators
2013/2014 Regular Season Record – 37-31-14
Did They Make The Playoffs? – No
Most Recent Playoff Appearance – 2012/2013, lost in the Conference Semifinals to Pittsburgh, 1-4
The Ottawa Senators finished 11th in the Eastern Conference, but saw them finish the season with a strong 8-2 record to at least make a push for the playoffs. They ended up missing the 8th and final spot by 5 points. Ottawa is another one of those teams that you always think will do well when the season begins, and since the 96/97 season have only missed the playoffs 3 times. This year, however, saw their 2 year playoff streak end.
Captain Jason Spezza, alongside Kyle Turris, Bobby Ryan, Erik Karlsson, and goalie Craig Anderson all had moderately good seasons, and one has to think that maybe this team was just a bit unlucky in not making the playoffs this year. it will be an interesting offseason to see whether or not Ottawa decides to ship Spezza, and the makeup of the team will vastly change if that happens. You’d like to see as many Canadian teams as possible crack the playoffs each year, and Ottawa is my bet to be one of them for the 2014-2015 season. Whether they are the next Canadian team to bring the cup home? Well..
Odds of bringing the Cup back to Canada – Moderate, a bad bounce away from low or high
Montreal Canadiens
2013/2014 Regular Season Record – 46-28-8
Did They Make The Playoffs? – Yes
Most Recent Playoff Appearance – 2013/2014, lost in the Conference Finals to the New York Rangers, 2-4
The only Canadian team to compete for the Stanley Cup this year, and they put on a damn good show while doing it. The Montreal Canadiens finished 4th overall in the Eastern Conference, and were a dominant force throughout the entire regular season. With goaltender Carey Price as the teams MVP, and alongside players like P.K. Subban, Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher, Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty, the Habs have a core group that will be competitive for years to come.
Their playoff run came to a disappointing end as they were ousted in the Conference Finals by the New York Rangers, and you could tell that they were gassed by the end of it. The series against Boston was almost like their Stanley Cup, and was amazing to watch as not only a fan of Canadian hockey, but hockey in general. Losing Carey Price did not help matters, but backup Dustin Tokarski played admirably in Price’s absence and most definitely can’t be blamed for their series loss. I don’t really know what the Canadiens need in the offseason to improve, except maybe a bit more size. I would be wary of breaking up their group however just to add a bit of size, as what they have currently seems to be working.
Odds of bringing the Cup back to Canada – Our best chance
Let me know who you believe the next Canadian team to win the Cup will be!
You can follow James on Twitter: @hashtagswag604
