Which NHL Teams Will BREAKOUT Into the Playoffs In 2026?

Which NHL Teams Will BREAKOUT Into the Playoffs In 2026?

This year, we saw teams like the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadians breaking out to make the NHL playoffs with teams like Columbus and Calgary not too far behind. Every single year, there are teams that miss the playoffs that make the playoffs the next season. So, I want to go through every single team that missed the playoffs this year to see who’s the most likely to break out next season. So, make sure you watch till the end as we talk about all the non-playoff teams here today and their playoff chances for next year. And make sure you hit that subscribe button if you’re new for more hockey content just like this all throughout the hockey season. Now, let’s start out today with the team that had the most points that missed the playoffs, tying with the St. Louis Blues, but ultimately just being shy of that wild card spot in the West in the Calgary Flames. A team that is fascinating to talk about. Coming into the season, the Flames were an interesting one because they had come off really an entire year of a retooling mode, a retooling direction, a ton of trades over the past year, selling off different assets on the team, and even in the offseason, selling off players like Jacob Marstrom, who were big-time players for that roster and one of the better goalenders in the league. Personally for me, I didn’t really think the Flames would have that good of a year. I thought, especially at this year’s NHL trade deadline, we would have saw saw them maybe even selling a little bit more than that. But it was obvious that this Flames team had just so much respect for themselves. They knew what they were capable of and they made themselves competitive not just for the start of the year, but the entire season. And of course, the performances of players like Dustin Wolf, especially Matt Coronado, some of the younger pieces on this team really did help. For the Flames, there’s a few things to be optimistic about. First of course, and I think the main one is Zane Bret coming out as a rookie. He’s something that I think is going to be really interesting and a pretty high CER candidate I would say for next season. Plus, you’re going to have sophomore seasons out of players like Dustin Wolf as well. But I feel like for this Flames team, they’ve reached their ceiling in terms of this mix of veteran and younger talent. They’re in again this kind of weird mode where they’re still competitive, but still trying to rebuild just a little bit. But I feel like for that, the 96 point range is about the most they’ll ever get until those younger guys get even bigger roles and that prospect pool continues to come up onto the main roster. For the Flames, I’m going to give them still though a 50% chance in making the playoffs next year because they have really shown how competitive they can be, how solid that core is already, that younger core especially. I think again, especially a couple players like Zay Perk, Coronado, Dustin Wolf, they’re going to be showing what they’re really made of again next season. But I still think for that Western Conference specifically and those wild card spots, we saw how hard it was for Calgary to continually be competitive and actually make the playoffs. I think next year it’s going to be a similar story, especially as I think the Pacific Division gets a lot better. Now, let’s go on to another team in the Pacific Division and the team that had the second most points that didn’t end up making the playoffs in the Vancouver Conucks. And I have really no idea what to expect for this Canucks team next year. Obviously, we’ll have to see how the coaching situation handles itself, what happens with this team going forward, especially this off seasonason, how many different moves and how aggressive they actually are. But I feel like for this team, they are all over the place right now, especially in the four group. And especially with some of the players that we will likely see go off the team like Brock Besser. I think they need to be aggressive or else next year could be more of the same type of disappointment. You still have one of the best defenseman in the NHL in Quinn Hughes. Hopefully that demob more healthy next season, but of course got Kevin Lincoln in there as the fringe guy to come up whenever he’s needed. The big thing though that I think will really hinge Vancouver season next year is just how much Elias Person is able to rebound. Because you look at the center situation now and even if they do keep a player like Pia Sudter and maybe Philiped is healthy, it’s still I would say a pretty strange center group. It’s not exactly ideal for them. But if Elias Person isn’t back to that elite level that I think for Vancouver, you’re going to be running into some massive offensive problems. They already were running into it this last year. But especially without a full a full season of JT Miller and Brock Ber of course as a big one there, I think the growing pains could grow even worse. But I feel like for Vancouver, an aggressive offseason could help. But as of right now, I’m going to give them a 35% chance of making the playoffs. They’re a team that I really want to see a lot done this off seasonason, though, because I think it could really make or break their season. Let’s go to a team in the Western Conference that I think has a much better chance of making the playoffs, and that is the newly named Utah Mammoth. And they’re a fascinating one to me because they were a team I predicted to make the playoffs this last year. And they got close, but not quite close enough in that Western Conference Wildard race. They were in that race for a while there, but started to cool off a little bit more in the second half, which isn’t the most surprising thing for an extremely young team here. But I’m still a big believer in that young group, especially the forward selection here. Players like Logan Culie, Clayton Keller, Schmaltz, Dylan Gunther, a lot of really great weapons. The big thing that I think will maybe change the fortunes for Utah is their offseason aggressiveness. I mean, we already saw them going after a ton of different guys last offseason to try to upgrade that defense especially, but we’ve heard again that Utah is going to be very active, especially in free agency, trying to improve this group. And I think there is real opportunity to do so. I think for Utah, especially with the yoke they have already, adding a couple of solid veterans, maybe another one onto that defense, I think is all you really need. I don’t think they need to be crazy this off season, but a few moves I think could really help them on top of a great young pool they already have. My question mark really comes down to the goalending because it’s either Connor Ingram or Carol Velca that has a good season and it feels like the other just cannot at any given time. So I feel like for Utah especially having two goalenders that can play up to their best standards is going to be important because again it feels like they switch off pretty much every single year at this rate. I’m going to give Utah a 70% chance making the playoffs this year. I think especially among the eliminated teams they have one of the best chances of really improving. But again, a lot of that comes down to the offseason and what they could potentially go after this summer. Now, let’s go on to the Eastern Conference. Another team that just barely missed the playoffs this year in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Now, I am fascinated to see the direction of this team next year because they are a team that has really proved themselves in so many ways this season, especially when it comes to the offense and how electrifying that team was in multiple games this year. They really show what the talent and the ceiling is for this roster. And I for one cannot wait to see how it improves on next season. My main concern though really does come down to the goalending yet again. It was a situation that continued to blow up in their faces this season with Terasov with verse Leakans not being it. You did have Jet Greaves though at the end of the season getting called up and looking absolutely incredible. I don’t think for Columbus they should rely on him being the guy next season, but I would like to see Columbus maybe trading for a starter and having Greavves maybe as the backup for next year. Really changing that goalending position. And I really don’t think the Mercleans or Terasov should be on this Blue Jackets team next year. If they are able to change that goalending, give me a little bit more hope there, then honestly, I think for Columbus, their chances really do rise. I think for Columbus, especially in a division like the Metro that has so many teams potentially regressing. I think they’re in a position to really take some steps once again. I’m going to give them a 60% chance of making the playoffs, but again, that’s with the assumption that they do trade for a goalender. We’ll have to wait and see what happens this offseason, but they got a ton of cap space to work with and they can go in a lot of different directions with that. I would love to see though a goldening upgrade because that I think is the main main issue with this quarter here. Another team in the Eastern Conference that came close but not close enough was the Detroit Red Wings. Another disappointing missed season of the playoffs for them. And I’m really fascinated to see what they actually do this offseason. How aggressive and hopefully creative they get because I think there is an opportunity for this Red Wings team to be a playoff team. But again, the continual disappointments, especially from free agency, continue to hold them back. I’d like to see them going after a top six wing, especially on the left side. I think that is a necessity at this point, but I think the big continual issue is the defensive game and how they put themselves out there. I mean, you have some great players, you have some great talents like Edmonson, Marit Cider, and of course, next season, Axel Sanica coming on the roster, which I think will be massive for them, but it’s the it’s the cast around them. It’s the supporting cast with players like Ben Sherro, Justin Hull. They just haven’t been getting the job done. And I think for Detroit, they need to get a lot more creative here, a lot more experimental. And I know for Steve Eisman, that hasn’t been the the motto with his free agent signings. But I think for the Red Wings, they’ve been really shooting themselves in the foot where they really shouldn’t have. And then the goalending, I think, continues to be an issue. I mean, it feels like for Detroit, they’re just kind of waiting for Kosa and Augustine to be ready, but obviously they aren’t quite in that position yet. I mean, Alex Land has had some moments. Cam Talba had his moments this year, but I just don’t think for Detroit they can continue to just put out these mediocre goalenders wishing that they can be so much better than they quite frankly are. For the Red Wings, I hope that we’ll see some pretty massive changes to this team in this off season. And I really don’t hope that they’re a team that gets passed up by some of the younger cores. I mean, we already have seen it happening with teams like Ottawa and the Montreal Canadians specifically. I think for Detroit there is a possibility here to get back into the fight and to become respectable once again, but really it’s all up to Steve Eisman. As of right now, I’m going to give them a 40% chance, but again, a lot of that rides on the offseason they might have. Onto another Eastern Conference team that really disappointed this last year. Going on to the New York Rangers, they’re a team that I don’t think honestly needs to do too much to somehow become a playoff team next year again because they still have a good core and players like Timmy Paner and Adam Fox if he is 100% is still one of the best defenseman out there. And there’s a possibility where the Rangers still are just complete garbage next year, but Igor Sherkin is able to carry them enough to make them a playoff team yet again. It’s kind of a sad joke that the Rangers are in the position they are because they could be so much better if they actually got a lot more creative. But I think the big thing will be Sullivan coming into the team as the head coach. I think he’s going to do a lot of great things there. And I do think Sheriken will rebound in a massive way next season and once again prove himself as one of the best goalenders out there. He had his moments and stretches throughout this year, but it was a little bit inconsistent. I think for the Rangers, they’ve still could have so many glaring problems with with the roster and still make the playoffs next season. As of right now, I’m going to give them a 60% chance of making it just because the core again had so much to like still, but even though I don’t like the makeup of this Rangers team, even though I think they should go in a much different direction to make the playoffs, I don’t think they need to, especially in that Metro Division that just has so many inconsistencies. Now, going on to the other New York team here in the New York Islanders, they’re a team that I think has a much lesser chance of making the playoffs next year. But it also could depend on who they are to choose first overall in this year’s draft class. Because if you do go for a player like Matthew Schaeer, I don’t think there’s really much of a possibility that he plays in the NHL next year. I don’t think he should. Quite frankly, not playing a lot of OHL games this year, being one of the youngest players in the draft, I don’t think he should be in the NHL immediately. But if it is a player like Michael Misa, then I think he could immediately come in as a middle six center and put up some pretty big results, which I think for the Islanders would be a massive shift. As of right now, how I’m feeling with this draft, it seems like the Islanders will be taking Matthew Schaefer in the end. And I think that does lessen their odds, but the core around them still has a lot of ways to go, especially with some of the top forwards, especially the some of the top prospects in that pool not even being close to making the NHL yet. And I think for the Islanders, they’re just kind of in this middling mode, a transition period for themselves and most likely will miss next season. So even with Amisa, I still think they have around 10 15% chance making it next year unless I roen goes absolutely off next season. I don’t see the Islanders having much of a chance, at least as of right now. Then going on to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and I think they are in a similar spot to the Islanders, at least when it comes to the odds and chances for next year. The Penguins were pretty much exactly where I thought they were going to be at the end of the season. And I think I predict for them to get around 78 80 points. They were right around that range. And the Penguins position, they’re a in a spot where they should be a lot more creative. They should be a lot more experimental, but they aren’t quite as much as I’d like them to be. They’re still trying their best to put a competitive team around Crosby, Malcolin, Chris Leang. But at this point, I just think it’s coming becoming harder and harder to do so. For the for the Penguins especially, it seems like they’re going in a more youthful direction, which is great to see out of them. But I still think again they’re in that transition period as of right now. So, I’m going to give them a similar range to the Islanders. 15%. You can never completely doubt Cindy Crosby, but looking at the roster, man, I can doubt him at least a little bit. Now, going on to the Anaheim Ducks, and this is one of the most fascinating teams to talk about for next year because they’re in a position where I think they could stand to make some major upgrades and potentially make the playoffs next year. I think they could be really aggressive in this year’s free agency. They still got a lot of cap space to use and potentially could upgrade the right side on the wings, potentially some of that defense. But I think the core is pretty solid already and a lot of those younger guys I think are going to have big seasons next year like Cutter Goce, Leo Carlson, Trevor Zris, as long as they do stay healthy. The defense of course will be a question mark, but Jackson Lome coming in has been massive for them and his absolute surge this season as a top pair defenseman is going to be massive. But I think the big thing for them is the play of Lucas Dostel and how much of a bonafide starter he was for this Ducks team this year coming in playing a ton of games and looking great in those games as well. I think for the Ducks as well you got Joel Quinnville coming in. You have a good base of younger players there. If they just add a couple of higherend players especially to the four group I think this Ducks team could be really interesting for this next year. the Pacific division. It’s always a tough one to predict, but I think if there’s any team that really rises in that Pacific, it is Anaheim. If they don’t hold themselves back yet again. One team that I don’t see making a big jump though is the Buffalo Savers. I got burned predicting they make the playoffs this last year, and it’s not going to happen again. Dang it. The big thing that I want to see Buffalo do is upgrade that defense, upgrade the middle six, especially give me some bonafide exciting players to talk about and maybe even upgrade the goal setting if you really wanted to. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. As much as I want to see real upgrades to that defense, they’re probably going to go for another third pair semi-physical defenseman who just doesn’t get the job done and doesn’t skate as well as he should and they’re going to call it a day for the offseason. As much as I want to see those sweeping changes, I just don’t think it’s going to happen. Especially when it comes to the top end players in free agency, as much as we want to see the Buffalo Sabres actually spend their money, it’s just not going to happen. As of right now, I’m going to give them a 10% chance making the playoffs and I will not get duped again. onto the Seattle Kraken here and I think they have a relatively low chance of making next year’s playoffs. I think for Seattle, especially with what we saw this last trade deadline, I think they’ve really settled in and and really realize the position they’re in. They are a really interesting team. They have some good young pieces, but they aren’t quite at the high-end level that they need to be for Seattle to be a routine contender yet. I think they will eventually come. Players like Berkeley Catton especially, I think could make a big difference for this team, but as of right now, they’re just kind of in a wait andsee mode. I don’t think they’re going to be all too aggressive at the offseason this year or in free agency. They were doing that last season and it just kind of had some middling results I would say for them. The big thing that I want to see is a top end player being brought onto this team, but I just don’t think that’s all too likely as of right now. Berkeley Kentton could be that type of player, but I think until he arrives or we’re going to see them kind of in a middling transition mode. As of right now, I’m going to give them a 15% chance, especially in the Pacific with teams like Calie being competitive, Vancouver hopefully being better, teams like Anaheim potentially rising up. I think for Seattle, their chances are a little bit lower than they would have been. Now, on to the Boston Bruins, and I will say I think they have a much lower chance of making the playoffs than we would have said at this point last year. They’re in a position after the incredibly disappointing year they had to maybe improve a little bit. I do think for them, this was about the lowest they would ever be. I do think players like Makavoy with the injuries they had throughout the year, hopefully will be a little bit more healthy this season. player like Jeremy Swayman who just got off to a horrible start to the season, not being in training camps at all, having the contract issues there. Hopefully, we’ll be in a better spot next year. But I still think this Bruins team just has way too many issues. I think they will go to free agency to try to fix some of them, especially in the center position. But they’re in a spot where I think the inconsistencies are just too hard to ignore, especially when you look at the defense. A lot of just mid there in all honesty. Besides players like Lai, maybe players like Maka Boy, it’s just a lot of ifs and may. the goalending might still be a strength for them, but again, it wasn’t this last year. You do hope for a rebound in women’s play. But even with that being factored in, I still think the Bruins have a relatively low chance of making it, especially with how competitive that Atlantic division has become. I’m going to give them a 20% chance. Not nothing, but most likely I think they’ll miss again next season. Next up, we go into the Philadelphia Flyers. And they’re another team like Calgary that has been competitive in the past, but is kind of up and down in their play and their consistency. They’re a team that of course has shown some competitiveness, but this last year really started to bottom out and really started to have some tough stretches where the consistency and the maturity and really the competitiveness was not quite there, at least from what we have come to expect. We’ll see what happens with Philly’s co coaching and how that’s able to transition on next season. But I still think there are too many holes here for the Flyers to be much of a competitive team next season, especially when you don’t have Torella really being able to boost that team up in a major way. I’m gonna give them a 5% chance. It’s not nothing, but I think especially out of the Eastern Conference teams, they’re still one of the weakest when you factor in the issues on the on the defense, the goalending, and even really the bottom six of the four group. Onto another team that feels relatively cooked at this point. We go into the Nashville Predators, and hopefully, of course, they can have a strong draft this year. Maybe they go crazy in free agency yet again, but this is another team like Philadelphia that I think just has too many issues that will really limit them from making the playoffs or being at least a true competitive team next year. year. I think they will be better than they were this last season because you’ll have players like Stamos actually being fully integrated in that system and not being just as inconsistent as they were hopefully. But I just think there were too many issues in the critical areas of the center situation and especially that defense. And even though Yuzi Sorrowos has had his moments last year, he was kind of all over the place yet again. And I feel like you can’t rely on him to be this elite goalender because he hasn’t been that quite at that level in a couple of seasons now. Nashville is another team that’s kind of in this transition mode I would say for them. They have a strong prospect pool or at least one that’s getting a lot better and especially after this draft will be getting a lot better. But I think for Nashville, they should really stay patient at this point because I think unless they go after a couple of massive players in free agency, I don’t quite see this team having really anything close to playoff aspirations. Oh yeah, I’m going to give them a 10% chance making it. Again, not nothing, but really unlikely in a stacked central. Speaking of a stacked central division, the Chicago Blackhawks are not one of the reasons why it is stacked. I think for them the biggest thing they can hope for is just competency next year. Actually putting in some good stretches and having some of those younger players not look like they’re 100% depressed. It felt like we were seeing that a little bit in the last few weeks of this NHL season as players like Frank Nazar especially were really playing well. Of course, you’re going to have players like Oliver Moore, like Sam Renzelle, they’re fulltime next season, which is going to be awesome to see. I think for the Chicago team, they will improve just because some of those players are going to put a lot of effort onto the back of this team, but there is a story still of course the massive issues on the depth and especially the players running Conor Bard. The defense still has a lot to work out. The goalending is uh interesting to say the least. But before players like Drew Kesso, for example, come on the team before a lot of those younger players are entering this roster full-time, I think they’re still going to be in a transition period. But hopefully next year it’ll be a lot more fun to watch those losses than it was this season. but 5% for Chicago. Then moving on to the worst team in the NHL this last season and we were talking about fun with Chicago and hopefully having some fun next season. San Jose was in a really fun position this year. They were horrible, awful, but dang it, they were so much fun to watch because they were always competitive in those games. Somehow always seemed to make it interesting at the very end. And of course, you had some great performance there performances there in the second half with players like Cabbrini. Will Smith really got going. Ekkund was fantastic all year. A lot to like. Similarly to Chicago, I think they’re going to be in a position where the wins will be hard to come by unless they have a massive off season. It’s still going to be some growing pains, but I think the big things will be Yoscarov hopefully coming in as a full-time starter next season. You’re going to have in some improvements of course on the four group and players coming in hopefully Denil Gushnon that can actually have a bigger impact. Cam Lund as well played and got some points there at the end of things. So I think for San Jose again it’s going to be a pretty rough year to watch. Hopefully not as depressing as Chicago was this last year, but they’re still in a good spot, still have a fantastic future, and hopefully they could just continue to build on that. 5% though for San Jose, very unlikely. But those are my odds for the teams that missed the playoffs this year. Hopefully rebounding in a massive way next season, but I want to know your thoughts down below on all the teams we talked about here today. Who do you see breaking out into the playoffs next year? And of course, share the video with all the hockey fans you guys know online like. Click that like button, click the subscribe button, click that notification bell as well. And if you want some more content, you can click on this card for all my hockey rankings right in one playlist. My name is Nathan though, and I hope you have a fantastic hockey day. Goodbye.

► Hello guys and welcome back! Today we’re talking about EVERY NHL team that missed the playoffs during the 2024-25 season, and which of these teams could BREAKOUT next season!

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