The objective within the NHL is to win the Stanley Cup. A number of groups come shut, however those who win the Cup or put collectively nice seasons worthy of profitable it, typically regress or crumble the following season.

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In 2021, the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Vegas Golden Knights all reached the Stanley Cup Semifinal and even the Remaining solely to overlook the playoffs the next season. The Canadiens specifically had a historic collapse as they reached the Remaining however then completed the 2021-22 season with a 22-49-11 document which was the worst within the NHL. The Colorado Avalanche received the Cup in 2022 after a outstanding season however are a borderline playoff group within the Western Convention this season. Except they flip the season round, the Avalanche might change into the primary group to win the Stanley Cup and miss the playoffs the following yr because the Los Angeles Kings in 2014-15.

Colorado Avalanche coaches and Gamers pose for a photograph after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Sport Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Remaining (Photograph by Christian Petersen/Getty Pictures)Collapses are commonplace within the NHL, however the query is why do groups wrestle to duplicate Stanley Cup-caliber success?

NHL ParityTeams change greater than they did 30, 20, and even 10 years in the past largely due to the wage cap and free company. The Islanders and Edmonton Oilers of the Eighties wouldn’t maintain the identical success in right now’s sport in the event that they needed to make selections about key gamers and their salaries. Particularly, groups have much less management over their star gamers who can check the free company market within the prime of their careers and infrequently signal with the groups keen to supply them the most effective deal.

For the Avalanche, minor losses have affected the group’s success this season. Within the 2022 offseason, they misplaced Nazem Kadri, the most effective facilities within the sport, and Andre Burakovsky, Darcy Kuemper, and Jack Johnson to free company. The latter three have been integral to rounding out the lineup and making the Avalanche the most effective groups within the league. Administration was hopeful that some gamers would step up, with Alex Newhook rising as a top-six heart and Bowen Byram changing into a starter on protection. Like many groups that take a step again, they underestimated the gamers they misplaced and overestimated the gamers who have been anticipated to step up and play main roles.

Nazem Kadri, Colorado Avalanche (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Equally, the Canadiens, a group constructed on depth, misplaced a handful of precious gamers after reaching the Stanley Cup Remaining. Two-way heart Phillip Danault signed a six-year take care of the Kings and has since helped them change into the most effective groups within the Pacific Division. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who was the most effective younger forwards on the 2020-21 group, signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, whereas Tomas Tatar signed with the New Jersey Devils. Each Kotkaniemi and Tatar weren’t star gamers however have been important as depth gamers, and made the Canadiens one of many extra full groups throughout their Cup run.

Newest Information & HighlightsAlong with NHL free company leveling the taking part in discipline, groups are all the time modeling themselves after championship-caliber groups. The Avalanche, after profitable the Cup, appeared just like the group of the longer term, taking part in at a quicker tempo and permitting their defensemen to play a pivotal position within the offense. In addition they performed a extra aggressive model, with a larger emphasis on offense, setting the tone in a league the place objectives have been up. This season, groups haven’t solely countered high-octane offenses with defensive schemes which might be quicker and depend on possession however they’re additionally constructing their groups in a mirror picture of the Avalanche. Across the league, groups are looking for puck-handling, two-way, and fast-skating defensemen like Cale Makar and Devon Toews. Likewise, they’ve been on the lookout for forwards who can create in area and on the frenzy like Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog.

Growing old CoresThe Islanders in latest seasons have been Cup contenders with a veteran-heavy roster however their age ultimately caught as much as them. They reached the Stanley Cup Semifinal in 2020 and 2021, making them look destined to take the following step. As an alternative, they took a step again in 2021-22 and missed the playoffs. Their common age was 30.1 years outdated and 16 of their 34 gamers have been 30 years outdated or older. Particularly, a few of the greatest gamers on the Islanders have been exiting the prime of their careers, together with Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, and Josh Bailey.

Brock Nelson, New York Islanders (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)Just like the Islanders, the San Jose Sharks have been a perennial contender within the 2010s. They reached the playoffs in eight of ten seasons through the decade and reached the Stanley Cup Remaining in 2016, dropping to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six video games. Sadly, after the 2018-19 season once they misplaced to the St. Louis Blues within the Western Convention Remaining, the roster had reached its restrict. Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, and Joe Pavelski have been all 33 years outdated or older, and Thornton was 39 by the top of the yr. By the beginning of the 2019-20 season, they have been an aged roster with a 29-36-5 document, which was the worst within the Western Convention. In the end, the Sharks needed to blow up their group and rebuild with a youthful core.

The Chicago Blackhawks and the Kings have been the 2 most profitable groups of the earlier decade. They received 5 of the six Stanley Cup titles between 2010 and 2015 and have been seen as probably the most profitable franchises within the league. Nonetheless, gamers retired or declined by the top of the last decade. When the Blackhawks received their third Cup title in 2015, a number of integral gamers have been previous the 30-year-old mark, together with Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya, and Duncan Keith. The identical was true for the Kings, who ultimately needed to rebuild round a number of star gamers like Jonathan Fast, Anze Kopitar, and Drew Doughty whereas buying and selling away plenty of the opposite veterans on the group.

With profitable groups, age catches as much as them and together with the age comes accidents, which take a toll on veteran-heavy roster. Particularly, when older gamers get harm, it’s more durable for them to recuperate and return to the ice. Accidents are an inevitable a part of the sport, however older rosters are likely to wrestle. Final season, the Islanders, who had the oldest roster within the NHL had a troublesome time when their veteran gamers have been harm they usually ultimately missed the playoffs.

Senators Fall ApartThe Ottawa Senators have been one objective away from reaching the Stanley Cup Remaining in 2017, dropping in double additional time of Sport 7 to the Penguins. Whereas the loss was heartbreaking, the group appeared poised to contend for years to return. The ahead unit consisted of Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Kyle Turris, whereas the protection had Cody Ceci and two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. Nonetheless, regardless of the star-studded roster, the Senators failed to succeed in the playoffs the following season and spiraled into one of many worst groups within the league within the following seasons. They’ve missed the playoffs in every of the final 5 seasons and solely eclipsed the 30-win mark as soon as.

Erik Karlsson (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)The Senators, in contrast to different groups which have collapsed in recent times, fell aside largely due to their tradition, beginning with proprietor Eugene Melnyk. He had a historical past of clashing along with his gamers and the fanbase, however in 2018, all of it unraveled. As an alternative of paying Karlsson, the Senators traded him to the Sharks within the last yr of his contract, resulting in a rebuild. By the 2019 commerce deadline, that they had traded away Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, and Stone. A part of the explanation for that was to assist the group rebuild and open up wage cap area. Nonetheless, underneath Melnyk, the group had a popularity for not paying their star gamers.

Anthony Duclair scored 23 objectives within the 2019-20 season, second most on the group, however he wasn’t re-signed within the offseason. As an alternative, he signed a one-year take care of the Florida Panthers and has since change into a star. Nick Paul began to change into a precious top-six participant in 2021-22, scoring 11 objectives in 59 video games, however he was traded on the 2022 commerce deadline.

In the end, the Senators didn’t pay gamers their value and prevented giving their stars top-value contracts, making it tough to draw free brokers. When Brady Tkachuk signed a seven-year contract in 2021, he grew to become the primary participant within the franchise’s historical past to earn over $8 million per yr. Melnyk handed away in March and the group is up on the market, however gamers being pushed out of the group for years underneath his possession resulted in a depleted roster for years to return.

Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Together with the possession points, the Senators’ collapse was kickstarted by the Duchene commerce in 2017. Considered one of many worst trades in latest seasons, they acquired him however despatched Turris to the Nashville Predators and gave the Avalanche two gamers and three draft choices. The Avalanche’s return helped them win the 2022 Stanley Cup with Byram, who grew to become their first spherical decide within the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, and Samuel Girard (the Predators despatched Girard within the deal). Nonetheless, the transfer depleted the Senators of belongings, together with a excessive draft decide that would have helped them rebuild, making a disappointing 2018-19 season worse. The Duchene commerce was supposed to place them excessive however, as an alternative, left them empty-handed and in disarray a number of years later.

Why the Lightning Appear UnfazedWhile groups across the league have issue sustaining success, the Tampa Bay Lightning stay the most effective groups within the NHL. They’ve reached the Stanley Cup Remaining in every of the final three seasons and received back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021, establishing themselves as a contemporary dynasty and a mannequin franchise. The Lightning are spectacular, contemplating their dominance in an period when success appears inconceivable to take care of. Regardless of a wage cap, league parity, and particular to them, the toll of Cup run on a roster, they’ve remained a dominant group.

To elucidate how the Lightning have remained a fantastic group, it helps to have a look at their latest historical past, together with the collection that fueled the dynasty. After profitable the Presidents’ Trophy in 2018-19, they have been swept within the first spherical by the Columbus Blue Jackets in one of many largest upsets in NHL historical past. Lydia Szyjka, who covers the group at The Hockey Writers, argued it was a defining second within the group’s historical past:

“With all the success the Lightning have had prior to now few years, it’s typically forgotten that that they had one of many largest post-season collapses in NHL historical past in 2018-19. What I really like about basic supervisor (GM) Julian BriseBois is that he didn’t dismantle the group after they have been swept by Columbus. As an alternative, he added gamers like Pat Maroon, who enhances the group…and provides some grit.” The group used the sweep as gasoline within the subsequent playoff runs, permitting them to win the Stanley Cup twice.

Julien Brisebois, Common Supervisor, Tampa Bay Lightning (Photograph by Andy Devlin/NHLI by way of Getty Pictures)As well as, the sweep confirmed them methods to construct a Stanley Cup-caliber group and which kinds of gamers are wanted for a playoff run. Together with Maroon, BriseBois acquired Blake Coleman, Barclay Goodrow, and David Savard as depth additions, serving to put together the Lightning for the playoffs. They didn’t look to make splash additions however tried to construct a group with little to no weaknesses. The Lightning have made it a precedence to not solely discover elite gamers in essential positions but in addition to construct round them.

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, defensemen Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev, and top-six forwards Steven Stamkos, Brayden Level, and Nikita Kucherov are the constructing blocks. With these 5 star-caliber gamers underneath contract, it’s a better job for BriseBois to construct a Cup contender. Moreover, a core in place permits them to switch gamers like Yanni Gourde and Ondrej Palat once they go away the group.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Szyjka added, “One different factor that they could have discovered from their 2018-19 loss to Columbus, is to tempo themselves. It’s an extended season, and also you wish to avoid wasting gasoline for the postseason. There’s no glory in profitable the Presidents’ Trophy in the event you don’t convey house the Stanley Cup too!” The NHL common season is an extended 82-game marathon adopted by the playoffs, which is a dash to the end line. The Lightning are constructed to make it to the playoffs yearly after which make a deep playoff run to win the Stanley Cup with a ready roster.

Different Notes on NHL CollapsesWhile playoff expertise is effective, championship hangovers can restrict a group each mentally and bodily. Groups that have deep playoff runs have a shorter offseason and infrequently aren’t ready for the following one. Furthermore, gamers that win the Stanley Cup have lastly achieved their lifetime objective and, afterward, it’s onerous to muster the identical drive and motivation.

Being the reigning champions additionally makes them a goal. Opponents circle the calendar when the defending champions are on the schedule – not simply because they wish to beat them, but in addition to make use of them as a measuring stick in opposition to their very own talents.

Lastly, there’s the fact that even the most effective entrance places of work make poor selections and strikes that backfire. Even the most effective groups within the NHL can’t be excellent on a regular basis, they usually’ll make a transfer that units them again. Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney received the Jim Gregory Common Supervisor of the Yr Award in 2019 however notably had a tough 2015 NHL Entry Draft, lacking out on Mathew Barzal and Kyle Connor. Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello received the award in 2021 regardless of buying and selling Toews to the Avalanche the offseason earlier than. One of the best executives within the league ultimately fail and, equally, the worst GMs within the NHL often make nice selections to make their groups aggressive. In the end, it’s what makes the NHL one of many extra competitively balanced leagues in all sports activities with success being tough to acquire after which maintain.

Mike Fink joined The Hockey Writers in November 2020 and covers the New York Islanders. Along with protecting the Islanders, Fink writes concerning the NHL at massive, basic matters from potential cities for NHL relocation to area traditions all through the league. Comply with Mike on Twitter @Finks_thoughts for extra Islanders and basic hockey insights.

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