How 8 Western Conference teams can get back into Stanley Cup Playoffs

NHL.com continues its preview of the 2024-25 season.

For the eight Western Conference teams that missed the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, their goal since the regular season ended has been determining how to extend their season into June, like the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers did.

So how can those teams take the next step? As training camps continue, NHL.com today examines why fans of the eight teams can hold onto their playoff hopes (teams listed in alphabetical order):

ANAHEIM DUCKS

Last season: 27-50-5, 39 points out of second wild card

How it ended: The Ducks lost 13 of 14 games (0-13-1) from Nov. 15-Dec. 15, dropping them to last place in the Pacific Division, and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth straight season.

Biggest offseason change: The Ducks are expected to move two of their top prospects into full-time roles this season. Forward Cutter Gauthier had an assist in his NHL debut April 18 after he led NCAA players with 38 goals and was second with 65 points in 41 games as a sophomore at Boston College last season. The 20-year-old could start the season as a top-six left wing. Defenseman Olen Zellweger tied for third among American Hockey League rookie defenseman with 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 44 games with San Diego last season and had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 26 NHL games. The 21-year-old left-handed shot should be a key part of the power play.

Why they could get in: The Ducks' young players took solid steps last season, including forward Leo Carlsson, the No. 2 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old dealt with injuries but averaged 0.53 points per game, sixth among rookies to play at least 50 games last season. There was solid progress from forward Mason McTavish, 21, and defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, 20, as well as still young but experienced forwards Trevor Zegras, 23, and Troy Terry, 27. The Ducks have smartly added solid veterans around them, including forwards Alex Killorn, Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, and defensemen Radko Gudas and Brian Dumoulin, who was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Kraken on July 2. It might be a stretch for it to happen this season, especially with goalie John Gibson expected to miss the start of the season recovering from an appendectomy Sept. 26. But if that young talent continues to progress and bring energy on a nightly basis, there's a chance the Ducks could compete for a wild card.

CALGARY FLAMES

Last season: 38-39-5, 17 points out of second wild card

How it ended: The Flames managed to stay close to a wild card spot for most of the season but finished 9-14-0 and missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

Biggest offseason change: Anthony Mantha signed a one-year contract July 1, with the hope that he can build on the 23 goals he scored in 74 games with the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights last season. It was the third 20-goal season of Mantha's NHL career, but first since 2018-19. Calgary tied for 18th in scoring (3.09 goals per game) and tied for 25th on the power play (17.9 percent) last season, areas Mantha should be able to improve. Mantha played 1:39 on the power play last season but averaged 1.48 power-play goals and 3.95 power-play points per 60 minutes.

Why they could get in: The Flames are trying to reset on the fly following the trades last season of defenseman Nikita Zadorov and forward Elias Lindholm, and the offseason trades of goalie Jacob Markstrom and forward Andrew Mangiapane. But there's still a good amount of talent in Calgary. Forward Yegor Sharangovich broke out with 31 goals and Andrei Kuzmenko scored 14 goals in 29 games last season after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in the Lindholm trade. Nazem Kadri led Calgary with 75 points and offseason acquisitions Mantha and forward Ryan Lomberg, who won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers last season, make them even deeper. Dustin Wolf's potential as a No. 1 goalie made Markstrom expendable. The 23-year-old was the best goalie and most valuable player in the American Hockey League in 2022-23 and finished last season in Calgary, going 6-4-0 with a .902 save percentage in 11 games after being recalled from the AHL on March 12. If Wolf can maintain that level and the scoring picks up with Mantha, a full season with Kuzmenko and the potential emergence of young forwards Connor Zary 23, and Matt Coronato, 21, the Flames could be in the hunt for a wild card, or even a top-three spot in the Pacific Division.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

Last season: 23-53-6, 46 points out of second wild card

How it ended: A rough start to the season (11-23-2, .333 points percentage) got worst after the calendar flipped to 2024 (12-30-4, .304 points percentage) and Chicago finished last in the Central Division for the second straight season.

Biggest offseason change: The Blackhawks invested heavily in experienced players to support center Connor Bedard and their young core. That includes signing free agent forwards Teuvo Teravainen (three years) and Tyler Bertuzzi (four years), who could step into top-six roles. Teravainen won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks as a rookie in 2015 and returns after scoring an NHL career-best 25 goals last season, his fourth 20-goal season in eight with the Carolina Hurricanes. Bertuzzi scored 21 goals with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. On defense Alec Martinez, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, signed a one-year contract and TJ Brodie signed a two-year contract.

Why they could get in: Bedard lived up to the hype surrounding his entrance to the NHL, leading the Blackhawks and NHL rookies with 61 points (22 goals, 39 assists) in 68 games and winning the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. With another season of experience and physical development, the 19-year-old should push his offensive production even higher. And now he'll have more help around him, especially with Teravainen, Bertuzzi, Patrick Maroon and Craig Smith joining Nick Foligno and a healthy Taylor Hall, who is returning from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee sustained in November. Defenseman Artyom Levshunov (6-foot-2, 208 pounds), the No. 2 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, has NHL-ready size and strength after he led NCAA freshman defensemen with 35 points (nine goals, 26 assists) in 38 games at Michigan State. Levshunov, Martinez and Brodie add depth to a defense group that includes Seth Jones, Alex Vlasic, Connor Murphy and Kevin Korchinski, who tied for third among NHL rookie defensemen with five goals last season. The Blackhawks might still be a season or two away from returning to playoff contention, but if the veterans play to their previous levels and Bedard and the other young players take a step forward, Chicago could be a surprise contender.

MINNESOTA WILD

Last season: 39-34-9, 11 points out of second wild card

How it ended: The Wild lost 14 of their first 19 games (5-10-4), including seven straight when coach Dean Evason was fired Nov. 27 and replaced by John Hynes. They went 34-24-5 after the coaching change but the early deficit was too much to recover from.

Biggest offseason change: A full training camp for Hynes to implement his systems could be the difference between watching the playoffs and participating in them. After Hynes took over the Wild scored more (3.05 goals per game, up from 2.95) and allowed significantly less (2.94, down from 3.95). Kirill Kaprizov, who scored six goals in his first 19 games, had 40 in his final 56; Matt Boldy had one goal in 12 games when Evason was fired, then scored 28 in his final 63. The most significant changes on the ice were to the bottom-six forward group, where Jakub Lauko was acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins and free agent Yakov Trenin signed a four-year contract. They are expected to add speed and physicality, with Lauko finishing second on the Bruins last season with 176 hits despite averaging 9:49 of ice time in 60 games, and Trenin finishing third among Nashville Predators forwards with 170 hits in 60 games.

Why they could get in: The Wild had the seventh-most points in the Western Conference after the coaching change, and with a core group that includes Kaprizov, Boldy and forwards Mats Zuccarello and Joel Eriksson Ek, plus defensemen Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin and Brock Faber, Minnesota looks like a team that could halt its playoff drought at just one season. The play of goalies Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury could determine if the Wild are able to compete for a top-three spot in the Central Division or a wild card.

SAN JOSE SHARKS

Last season: 19-54-9, 51 points out of second wild card

How it ended: The Sharks lost their first 11 games (0-10-1) and finished with the worst record in the NHL.

Biggest offseason change: The Sharks' future will be on full display this season with Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, and Will Smith, the No. 4 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, set to make their NHL debuts. Celebrini was third among NCAA players with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games as a 17-year-old freshman (he turned 18 on June 13) at Boston University and won the Hobey Baker Award as the outstanding NCAA men's hockey player. He is expected to center the Sharks' top line this season, and Smith could be alongside him after he led NCAA hockey with 71 points (25 goals, 46 assists) in 41 games as a freshman at Boston College. The 19-year-old has played center and wing and is expected to skate in the Sharks' top six. Celebrini and Smith should provide a significant injection of offense for a team that finished 31st in scoring last season (2.20 goals per game).

Why they could get in: The youthful energy and high-end skill that Celebrini and Smith will bring will be supported by some shrewd offseason moves. Tyler Toffoli, who scored 33 goals for the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets last season, signed a four-year contract and could begin the season on the top line with Celebrini. Alex Wennberg signed a two-year contract to add depth at the center position to take pressure off Celebrini and Smith and handle more difficult defensive matchups. The Sharks also got deeper on defense with trades for Jake Walman (Detroit Red Wings) and Cody Ceci (Edmonton Oilers). And San Jose believes it found its long-term answer at goalie with the acquisition of 22-year-old Yaroslav Askarov from the Predators. The newcomers will join some talented holdovers including forwards William Eklund, Mikael Granlund and Fabian Zetterlund and defensemen Jan Rutta and Mario Ferraro. There's also hope for the return of a healthy Logan Couture, who played five games because of a lower-body injury. It would take a lot for the Sharks to rise from the bottom of the standings into playoff contention, especially with a first-time NHL coach in Ryan Warsofsky, but with the talented younger players and a healthy Couture, there's an outside chance the Sharks could push for a wild card.

SEATTLE KRAKEN

Last season: 34-35-13, 17 points out of second wild card

How it ended: A nine-game winning streak got the Kraken tied for the second wild card Jan. 13, but they won just two of their next 10 games (2-7-1) and fell six points out of a playoff spot by Feb. 12. After going 19-14-9 in their first 42 games, Seattle finished 15-21-4.

Biggest offseason change: The Kraken focused on adding Stanley Cup experience during the offseason, signing forward Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Brandon Montour each to a seven-year contract July 1. Stephenson is a two-time winner, with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 and is coming off his third straight season with at least 50 points. Montour won the Cup last season with the Florida Panthers after helping them reach the Cup Final in 2023. He had 73 points (16 goals, 57 assists) in 80 games in 2022-23, and was second among Panthers defensemen during the playoffs last season with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 24 games. They'll also have a Stanley Cup winner behind the bench with coach Dan Bylsma, who won it with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. Bylsma had coached Coachella Valley, Seattle's American Hockey League affiliate, the previous two seasons before being hired May 28 to replace Dave Hakstol.

Why they could get in: Two seasons ago the Kraken tied for fifth in the NHL in scoring (3.52 goals per game) and reached the second round of the playoffs. Last season the scoring dropped off (2.61 goals per game, 29th), but most of the same players that were part of the jump in scoring were there for the downturn. Can they get closer to what they were two seasons ago? Adding Stephenson and Montour should help at 5-on-5 and on the power play, as should a healthy season for defenseman Vince Dunn, who was limited to 59 games last season in part because of a neck injury that sidelined him for 19 of the final 21 games. Bylsma’s more offensive approach also should have a positive effect, especially for forward Matty Beniers, who should be closer to the player who won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 2023 than the player who slumped to 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 77 games last season. If the offense rebounds closer to its 2022-23 levels, it’s easy to see the Kraken competing for a top-three spot in the Pacific Division or a wild card.

ST. LOUIS BLUES

Last season: 43-33-6, six points out of second wild card

How it ended: A 10-3-2 run from March 11-April 10 got the Blues within three points of a playoff spot, but a 5-2 loss to Carolina April 12 and a Vegas victory against Minnesota ended St. Louis’ postseason hopes.

Biggest offseason change: The Blues made arguably the most discussed move of the offseason when they signed restricted free agents Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to two-year contracts that the Edmonton Oilers opted not to match. Holloway, a 23-year-old forward, had nine points (six goals, three assists) in 38 games for Edmonton last season but scored five goals in 25 playoff games, including two in Game 4 of the Cup Final; his contract has an average annual value of $2.29 million. Broberg, a 23-year-old defenseman, averaged 15:48 of ice time in 10 playoff games, up from 11:37 in 12 regular-season games; his contract averages $4.58 million per season. The cost to get them was second- and third-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft and represents significant raises for two players who spent portions of last season in the American Hockey League. But clearly the Blues believe they are getting two young players ready to reach their prime seasons.

Why they could get in: The Blues had a .602 points percentage (30-19-5) after Drew Bannister replaced Craig Berube as coach Dec. 14, the seventh-best in the Western Conference, and now he'll have a full training camp to install his systems. Bannister showed last season he was able to help forwards Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas emerge as offensive dynamos, and there's more young talent ready to join them as core players, including Holloway; Jake Neighbours, 22; Alexey Toropchenko, 25; and potentially top prospects Zack Bolduc, 21, and Dalibor Dvorsky, 19. There's also a strong veteran presence led by captain Brayden Schenn, one of four players remaining from the 2019 Stanley Cup championship team. With Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer, the Blues appear set in goal; Binnington's .913 save percentage last season was his best since the Stanley Cup season. If the Blues can play 82 games the way they played in the 54 after Bannister took over, they should be in the race for a top-three spot in the Central Division.

UTAH HOCKEY CLUB

Last season: 36-41-5, 21 points out of second wild card

How it ended: The former Arizona Coyotes ended the 2023 portion of the schedule in a wild card spot. But they won two of their first eight games (2-5-1) to start 2024, then lost 14 in a row (0-12-2) from Jan. 24-Feb. 29 and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. The franchise was sold and moved to Utah on April 18.

Biggest offseason change: Relocation has brought new opportunities, new enthusiasm and some big additions to the roster. That includes two new top-four defensemen in Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino. Sergachev was acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 29, for defenseman Janis Moser, forward prospect Conor Geekie and two draft picks. A two-time Stanley Cup champion, the 26-year-old will play in all situations as Utah's No. 1 defenseman. Injuries limited him to 34 games last season, but in 2022-23 he had an NHL career-best 64 points (10 goals, 54 assists) in 79 games. Hours after acquiring Sergachev, Utah traded two draft picks to the New Jersey Devils for Marino. The 27-year-old matched his NHL best with 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) in 75 games and averaged more than 20:00 of ice time for the fifth straight season. Utah also signed Ian Cole, a two-time Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2016, 2017) who has reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs 11 times in 14 seasons, including a trip to the second round with the Vancouver Canucks last season.

Why they could get in: For the first half of last season the Coyotes were in a playoff spot, and the team only got better and deeper during the offseason, starting with the acquisitions of Sergachev and Marino. Cole adds Stanley Cup experience on the back end, as does forward Kevin Stenlund, who was part of the Florida Panthers' championship last season. Young forwards Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Lawson Crouse are emerging as cornerstones, and Dylan Guenther, Logan Cooley and Josh Doan could be right behind them. If the goalie tandem of Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka can play for an entire season the way they did the first half of 2023-24 (.912 save percentage through Dec. 31), they'll have a good chance of celebrating their Utah debut with a wild card berth.