Earlier this summer we asked our readers which non-playoff team would make the jump this year and get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning easily paced the pack, with each receiving more than 18% of the votes. They were easy choices after both experienced one-year power outages, but made moves to right the ship in the offseason.
But, if teams like Dallas and Tampa Bay are to climb back into the postseason tournament, someone will have to drop out. After the first couple nights of the season, some teams have celebrated huge wins while others are still trying to figure out what went wrong. One game doesn’t mean much, but it was sure a fun way to start the year.
So now, we’ll ask you the opposite question. Which teams are most likely to fall out of the playoffs in 2017-18? Will it be a division leader, plummeting to the bottom of the standings like Dallas and Florida last season, or a bubble team who just can’t quite hold on to their spot? A former champion, struggling with cap issues or a young team who is struck by the sophomore slump?
Check any and all teams that you think will miss the playoffs this year, and make sure to explain your choices in the comments below. Tell us who you think will jump in, and where they’ll finish.
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I’d say Montreal will for sure. Boston might since they’re still relying on some pretty old guys. Ottawa and Toronto will if none of their young defencemen like rielly, Claesson, Ceci and Zairtsev don’t take steps forward. St. Louis might simply because they’ve already been decimated by injuries. Everyone else really has to have drastically bad seasons to fall out.
As a fan of another team, what are your thoughts about the Red Wings? I am trying to see what another fan thinks about the Wings. Legitimate question for Goat or anyone else.
Debrusk and McAvoy looked good yesterday. Boston will make it this year.
Pittsburgh is going to feel the effects of losing Bonino and Cullen. They will make the playoffs but they won’t win it again.