from Gary Lawless of TSN,

No Stanley Cup playoffs in Canada. That’s the scene this spring in the country that considers itself the leader in all things hockey.

There will be great representation of the Canadian-based NHL teams at the world championship coming up in Russia, and there’s also the World Cup coming this fall.

But for NHL fans, May and June are supposed to be all about the pursuit of the Stanley Cup. Those hopes are dead for yet another season, making it 23 years and counting since the Stanley Cup was captured by a team based in Canada. Woe Canada, indeed.

It’s no stretch to say that streak won’t come to an end next season. There are no championship contenders in Canada right now, nor will there be in the near future. Rebuild is the most popular catchphrase in a lot of Canadian front offices right now.

Since the chances of all seven Canadian teams missing the playoffs in the same year are, according to Elias Sports Bureau, one in 600, let’s assume it won’t happen again next year. The question is: Which team(s) is most likely to be on the road to respectability?

1. Montreal Canadiens: Getting a healthy Carey Price back for the beginning of next season gives the Habs a chance to be back in the playoffs as early as next spring. This is factor No. 1.

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