With NHL rookie camps opening next week and training camps beginning soon after, a clearer picture is available of what teams will look like to start the 2025-26 regular season. There is always a transition from one year to another, with clubs regressing and falling out of one of the top eight playoff spots in each conference, and making progress to earn a post-season berth.
In the Western Conference, there does not appear to be much slippage in the majority of the playoff clubs, with Winnipeg, Dallas, and Colorado in the Central, and Vegas, Los Angeles, and Edmonton in the Pacific seemingly on an even keel or improved after roster additions like Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg), Brent Burns (Colorado), Mitch Marner (Vegas), Corey Perry (Los Angeles), and Andrew Mangiapane (Edmonton).
Minnesota successfully re-signed center Marco Rossi to a three-year deal and added Calder contender Zeev Buium to a club that finished with 97 points last season despite not having star forward Kirill Kaprizov for half the season. The one soft target for clubs hoping to make the playoffs is the St. Louis Blues, who had to win 12 in a row down the stretch to secure the second wild-card slot, and added only Pius Suter and Logan Mailloux during the summer.
Here are three bubble clubs that could make their move this season:
Anaheim Ducks
Positive
The addition of three-time Cup-winning head coach Joel Quenneville to a club that has boatloads of young talent in need of direction might just be enough to put the Ducks in the playoff mix, but the acquisition of winger Chris Kreider and forward Ryan Poehling should help provide them with some veteran depth up front.
Negative
The potential holdout of center Mason McTavish could be a factor if it lasts long into the season, as well as goaltender Lukas Dostal being able to handle the primary starter role with John Gibson heading to Detroit.
Utah Mammoth
Positive
The acquisition of winger JJ Peterka from Buffalo should add some scoring prowess to the Mammoth’s top-six, along with the addition of free agent winger Brandon Tanev and Cup-winning defenseman Nate Schmidt, providing veteran depth.
Negative
There is a question of which version of Karel Vejmelka will show up next season. Will it be the goalie who had a sub .900 save percentage, 3.35 goals-against average and a losing record in 2024, or the one who had an excellent 2025 (26-22-8, 2.58 GAA)? Utah will need the good Vejmelka to battle in the difficult Central Division and challenge for the post-season.
Vancouver Canucks
Positive
The circus has left British Columbia, with Rick Tocchet heading to Philadelphia and Adam Foote taking over as head coach. The departure of J.T. Miller, the lack of an Elias Pettersson trade, the re-signing of Brock Boeser and the extension of Thatcher Demko should calm the waters a bit.
Negative
The continuing saga of Quinn Hughes will be a constant in rumor circles, especially if the Canucks struggle again. Vancouver will need both Demko and Kevin Lankinen to stay healthy to provide solid play between the pipes, and the circus could return very quickly if Evander Kane remains a distraction, as he has been throughout his storied career.
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