Contenders #5 and #6
The Boston Bruins have been the model NHL franchise for over a decade now. Though they only have one Stanley Cup, they’ve been to one other final and have been contenders, seemingly, forever.
The Bruins are getting older, and they probably won’t be gifted the incredible goaltending they got last season, but as long as they’ve got the Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak line (currently the best in the NHL) they’re going to be a good team.
Plus they’ve got leadership and experience, however much that counts. The Bruins look like they could fall off, but I won’t predict it, I’ll just assume they’re going to be great until they aren’t.
Still, last year I would have put them in the top three, and this year I’m putting them at six.
At #5 its the Carolina Hurricanes.
They have the NHL’s best defenseman, and they arguably have the AHL’s best defenseman too (though I’d give Sandin the nod over Jake Bean). They may or may not get the requisite goaltending, but they’ve got the best defenseman, one of the best centres (Aho), one of the best up and coming players (Svechnikov) and one of the best all-round and most underrated players (Terro Terravainen).
The Carolina Hurricanes could easily win the Stanley Cup this season, and so too could the Bruins.