There are a lot of dark horses in the NHL going into the next season but just a few that really stand out to me. In this article we will take a look at three of the teams that might fly under the radar but can be considered contenders for the Stanley Cup.
New York Islanders
There is no doubt that they are a very young and talented team. John Tavares had one of his his best seasons in the NHL posting team highs in goals and points this year. He was also nominated for the Hart trophy as NHL MVP. Matt Moulson is another top player for the Islanders. He had a great season, scoring 15 goals and adding 29 assists. Evgeni Nabokov returns in net for the Isles. The 13-year veteran may be past his prime but can still steal a game or two. Travis Hamonic is by far their best defender, doing a decent job in the opening round of the playoff series shutting down Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. If this team can make the playoffs again but as a higher seed, there is no doubt they could make a run in next year’s playoffs. The Islanders are very dangerous and certainly a team to watch in the 2013-14 season
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets came very close to making the playoffs last year for the second time in franchise history. They signed Nathan Horton in the offseason for seven years but he’s going to be out after having shoulder surgery until December. They still have offensive firepower in Marian Gaborik, Artem Anisimov, and Brandon Dubinsky. On defense Columbus has Jack Johnson who is one of the top two-way defenders in the NHL. The Blue Jackets goaltending is the strength of the team. Sergei Bobrovsky won the Vezina Trophy last year due to his great play. He led his team all year long and almost singularly pushed them into the playoffs. He should be outstanding again this year and this time he will lead the Jackets into the playoffs!
San Jose Sharks
This team is truly for real! They have arguably some of the best offensive scorers in the game such as Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, and Joe Pavelski. Their goaltending is great too. Antti Niemi was nominated for the Vezina Trophy this year for the first time in his career. He posted career numbers this year (.924 save percentage and 2.16 GAA) and was a huge part of the Sharks for making it into the 2nd round of the playoffs. This team will make the playoffs next year and should win their division too. With goaltending and offense will leading the way for them the Sharks will make the Western Conference Finals next year. I guarantee it!