It has been greater than 30 years since a Canadian NHL franchise has lifted the Stanley Cup, a drought that continues to irk hockey followers north of the border.
But when that drought goes to come back to an finish anytime quickly, the 2023-24 season is likely to be their greatest likelihood for it.
Not solely are 4 of the league’s seven Canadian franchises able to make the playoffs — Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Toronto — they’re all among the many league’s greatest groups.
Coming into play on Tuesday the Canucks, Jets and Oilers ranked first, fourth and seventh within the league standings by factors share, whereas the Maple Leafs ranked simply exterior the top-10 within the eleventh spot.
All of them have sturdy rosters that ought to put them within the Stanley Cup dialogue.
The Oilers entered play on Tuesday driving a 16-game successful streak that was only one wanting matching the NHL document set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins. They boast two of the most effective offensive gamers within the league in forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and a doubtlessly deadly energy play.
Their massive query mark shall be whether or not or not their goaltending shall be constant sufficient come playoff time.
The Canucks is likely to be essentially the most stunning workforce within the league as a result of they’ve the NHL’s greatest document after lacking the playoffs fully a yr in the past. They’ve famous person expertise on the high of their roster, together with defenseman Quinn Hughes who’s the mid-season favourite to win the Norris Trophy because the NHL’s greatest all-around defenseman.
Together with having the league’s greatest document, they’re additionally one of the vital thrilling groups within the league and are averaging a league-best 3.78 objectives per sport. They’re additionally permitting the second-fewest objectives per sport at simply 2.54 per sport.
Winnipeg has one of many NHL’s greatest goalies in Connor Hellebuyck and are the one workforce within the NHL permitting fewer objectives per sport than the Canucks.
The Jets and Canucks additionally each made important in-season commerce additions over the previous week with the Jets getting middle Sean Monahan from Montreal and the Canucks getting Elias Lindholm from Calgary.
Then we now have Toronto. The Maple Leafs have been a constant postseason disappointment lately, successful only one playoff sequence up to now seven seasons regardless of having an especially costly core led by Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander.
Matthews is the most effective goal-scorer within the league proper now and all 4 of their core forwards are enjoying nice hockey. However they should certain up their protection and goaltending to make a critical run on the Cup.
The actual fact the Canucks, Jets and Oilers all play within the Western Convention definitely will increase the chances that considered one of them can get by way of to the Stanley Cup Remaining.
The Montreal Canadiens (1993) have been the newest Canadian workforce to win the Stanley Cup.
Vancouver (1994), Calgary (2004), Edmonton (2006), Ottawa (2007), Vancouver (2011) and Montreal (2021) have all reached the Stanley Cup Remaining and misplaced since then.
Winnipeg and Toronto are the one two Canadian franchises that haven’t reached the Stanley Cup Remaining throughout that stretch.
