Sleeper Contenders: Teams Set to Shake Up the Playoff Picture

We have seen multiple teams push and shove for a playoff spot this season. Teams we never expected to be this good are playing out of their minds. Four teams have been eliminated from playoff contention so far—the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, and Seattle Kraken—and we will be seeing more of them throughout this week.

For those playoff sleeper contenders fighting for their spot, we’re going to summarize how their seasons have gone and what we’re expecting.

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St. Louis Blues: A Potential Dark Horse

The Blues have been on a tear recently, riding a nine-game winning streak. They currently sit 13th in the league and hold the second wild-card spot in the West, led by key players like Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, and Pavel Buchnevich.

Last season, the Blues finished 16th in the league, and with few notable additions in free agency, expectations weren’t much higher coming into this year. However, they did acquire Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from the Edmonton Oilers via offer sheets, and the team has been thriving ever since. With every player meeting or exceeding expectations, the Blues could be shaping up for another surprise playoff run—perhaps even reminiscent of their 2019 Stanley Cup victory.

Minnesota Wild: Hot Start but Struggling with Injuries

The Wild started their season red hot, going 17-4-4 in their first 25 games, which was good enough for first place in the league. However, the Wild have shifted off course and are now 12th in the league and battling for a wild card spot.

With a record of 41-28-5, they are still good, but they just can’t seem to find a way into the top three. They have injuries to some of their key players, like Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek, which have severely hurt their scoring abilities. If the two can find a way to get healthy before the playoffs, the Wild have a good shot this year.

Ottawa Senators: A Force with New Faces

The Senators hold the first wildcard spot in the East. They have a 39-28-6 record with a +2-goal differential. Led by Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, and newly acquired Dylan Cozens, the Senators are an offensive powerhouse. Outside of their offense, they are surrounded by superstar defense and Vezina-caliber goaltending.

Defenseman Thomas Chabot leads the way in Ottawa with 35 points and a +12 +/-. Linus Ullmark is getting back to his Vezina ways and is putting up a 909 SV% and a 2.76 GAA with three shutouts. They are 6-3-1 in their last ten games, one of the best in the Atlantic Division. With the addition of Cozens, Ottawa’s fate has changed, and they are looking to be a threat.

Montreal Canadiens: Led by Young Guns

The Canadiens have looked unbelievable since their addition of Lane Hutson. Hutson, 21, has 59 points (5g and 54 assists) in 73 games. He has fueled the offense with players like Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki lighting the lamp. Their addition of Patrik Laine has also boosted their offensive game. He has 15 power-play goals this season and is looking to add more.

Rookies Kaiden Guhle and Emil Heineman have brought young energy to the locker room. With the introduction of a much younger core, the Canadiens have a better shot at keeping up with their opponents.

Next: Looking Back at the Sam Reinhart Trade 4 Years Later