Three U.S. NHL Non-Playoff Teams That Should Make Them Next Season
These three American NHL teams missed the playoffs in shocking fashion. That said, they have the potential to bounce back next season.
The NHL playoffs are underway with significant turnover from last year. The Buffalo Sabres , Pittsburgh Penguins , Philadelphia Flyers , Boston Bruins , Anaheim Ducks , and Utah Mammoth all clinched spots this year after missing out in 2025. That meant some teams disappointed and missed the playoffs.
However, next season will offer a clean slate for those clubs, and they will be looking to take advantage. Because of this, let's look at three U. S.
non-playoff teams that should bounce back and make the post-season next year. Florida Panthers After winning back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, the Panthers finished this season third-last in the Eastern Conference with a 40-38-4 record. Significant injury troubles were to blame for Florida's struggles this season.
Aleksander Barkov missed the entire season due to a torn ACL and MCL. Star left winger Matthew Tkachuk was also out until mid-January, so the Panthers were shorthanded for much of this campaign. Other key players, such as Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Seth Jones, also missed a decent chunk of the season.