The 2024 Stanley Cup playoff picture in the Eastern Conference was similar to 2023 aside from a few changes to the seeding of the eight teams. The only team switch was the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils with the former making it in as the final wild-card team in the Conference on the last day of the regular season. The 2024-25 season will bring similar hypotheticals as any new season in which teams will ultimately find themselves in the group of 16.
New Jersey may be the early favorite to return to the playoffs after an impressive summer. The team added a salary-retained Jacob Markstrom in an early-summer swap with the Calgary Flames while handing out big-ticket contracts to Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon. That trio should help the team dramatically improve upon their 3.43 GA/G (28th) from last season with the offense still as staunch as ever. The only concern that may carry over from last season is the organization’s recurring injury concerns. Only four players are returning from last year that played in 75+ games and New Jersey will need to keep a much healthier lineup if they want another shot at the Stanley Cup.
There has been an informal race throughout the last several years as to which of the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, or Ottawa Senators will return to the playoffs the quickest in the Atlantic Division. Detroit came close last year by tying in points with the Capitals on the final day of the regular season but ultimately losing on the tiebreaker of ’Regulation Wins’. The Sabres made a point to strengthen their bottom six this summer while the Red Wings largely added around the edges. Ottawa made the biggest splash by bringing in goaltender Linus Ullmark in a trade with the Boston Bruins and should have center Joshua Norris around for much of the season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be another team to look out for as they’ve missed each of the last two postseasons by a combined four points. None of the other teams in the Eastern Conference have the benefit of deploying Sidney Crosby making Pittsburgh an immediate threat to qualify for the postseason. The Metropolitan Division is arguably the toughest in the NHL but the Penguins could capitalize should other divisional opponents get off to slow starts.
Other teams in the Eastern Conference could make a surprise run to the postseason but the abovementioned group serves as the favorite candidates at this point. Which one of these teams do you think has the best chance of returning in 2025?
Two weeks ago, I would have said Columbus..
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Devils for sure.
One of PGH, OTT or BUF gets another spot.
Isles and Caps come out.
I’d have a heck of time thinking the Devils would miss again.
;)
I’m a NYR fan and even though I’d love to see them fail, the answer is NJ…..BUF deserves it, but I feel like BUF fans are cursed :)
I can’t help it but I can’t stop thinking the Sabres will do something for a change. C’mon guys make me right for once!
If NJD can stay healthy they can win it all
Devils for sure. Detroit is next man up after that. Metro going to be NYR, NJD, Carolina in the top 3 for the next several years, with the Flyers as the first team waiting if somebody slips on a banana peel.
Can’t believe Flyers were not an option. Wake up.
Yeah I don’t understand why the Flyers aren’t listed. They finished one whole point behind Pitt and have a healthy amount of young, developing talent. They appear to have far more room for growth than Pittsburgh. They are also adding what could be a significant offensive piece in Michkov.
Two from the Metro, NJD, and one of PHI/PIT replacing NYI and WSH.
Devils for sure, then probably the Penguins. Islanders and Caps probably backslide a bit.
Devils is based on health, Penguins based on goaltending. If not those two I’d probably say the Red Wins.
Have the Sabres started their HC search yet???