We have reached the time of year where swings in playoff races happen on a nightly basis. Teams in the hunt battle desperately for position and a hot streak or bad bounce can make the difference between a postseason berth and watching from home in April. But that only applies to about two-thirds of the NHL. The other third is trying to end the season strong or get a look at some inexperienced players.
With so much parity in the league, there is an argument to be made that each one of this year's non-playoff teams could have been in the race if a few things had gone their way. There's also a case that they will bounce back in 2018-19. And if you don't think it's possible, look no farther than the Colorado Avalanche, who finished in last place in 2016-17 and now sit in a playoff spot.
What went wrong for this year's non-playoff teams? How will they turn things around next year? Let's have a look:
Atlantic Division
Montreal Canadiens
What went wrong in 2017-18:
Last offseason, the Habs believed they found the game-changing dynamic offensive player they had been missing in Jonathan Drouin. Montreal sent young defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to Tampa Bay for the former No. 3 overall pick. Drouin has the potential to become a top-notch scorer, but his results this season -- 37 points in 67 games -- have been nowhere near expectations.
The same goes for Montreal's other key players. Defenseman Shea Weber, who scored 37 goals combined during the previous two seasons, figured to guide an above-average power play as he did in 2016-17, but injuries have kept him to just 26 games this season.
Even with disappointing offensive production, the Canadiens would be able to hang around in the race with great goaltending. Instead, Carey Price had a disastrous season, posting a .904 save percentage in 42 games.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
A down year might spark some needed change in the front office and potentially prompt a rebuild. It would be difficult to tear down the entire roster, especially with virtually untradeable players like Weber and Price, but the Habs can find ways to reshape their team and build a new core for the future. That might mean making franchise-changing trade like dealing Max Pacioretty or Alex Galchenyuk. Both players would have high demand on the market and could allow the Habs to change up a group that has come up short, and that could include making a play for John Tavares.
Unless something is critically wrong with Price, he should bounce back next season. The last time he had a save percentage this low, the All-Star netminder's save percentage jumped by 22 points the next season.
Ottawa Senators
What went wrong in 2017-18:
It was only a year ago that the Senators were in the Eastern Conference finals, so it was fair to put them back in the conversation heading into this season. A strong top six featuring scorers Derick Brassard, Mike Hoffman and Mike Stone combined with Erik Karlsson's dominance and quality goaltending from Craig Anderson should have carried them into the postseason again. An early-season trade for Matt Duchene could have jolted a turnaround.
Instead, the Sens' defense and special teams struggled mightily, and they did not have the depth to make up the difference. Anderson's save percentage plummeted to .902 (backup Mike Condon was not much better, at .906) and Ottawa ended up dealing Brassard at the deadline.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
You shouldn't expect many prognosticators to pick Ottawa to make the playoffs in 2018-19, but keeping Karlsson and Duchene rather than dealing them at the deadline gives the Sens a shot to get back in the hunt. Since the All-Star game, Duchene has gotten comfortable playing in Ottawa, scoring 24 points in 24 games, while Karlsson remains the premier defenseman in the NHL. Young players like Thomas Chabot and former first-round pick Colin White could make an impact next season to make up some of the gap left by Brassard and Dion Phaneuf.
It will still be a serious uphill climb. Ottawa is not a coveted free agent destination, and both struggling goaltenders are under contract through 2020.
Detroit Red Wings
What went wrong in 2017-18:
A wild-card berth is the best Detroit could have hoped for this season with a core of of past-their-prime veteran players and inconsistent goaltenders, but it wasn't out of the question if either Jimmy Howard or Petr Mrazek had a strong season or elder statesmen Henrik Zetterberg, Mike Green and Niklas Kronwall found the fountain of youth.
The Red Wings could have still had a positive outcome without a playoff berth if they had seen a huge jump from young scorers Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha.
Unfortunately, not much has gone their way. Both Howard and Mrazek have posted save percentages under .910 and Zetterberg has just 10 goals. And while Larkin and Mantha rank first and third, respectively, on the team in points, neither has made significant gains in point production from last season.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
Detroit has painted itself into a corner with no-move and no-trade clauses for eight different players, six of whom are older than 30. Trading winger Tomas Tatar to Vegas for draft picks marked the first step in a retooling that could get a huge jump if the Red Wings win the lottery. Next season can be better for Detroit if they commit to the rebuild path by moving as many players as possible who aren't part of the long-term plan and picking up picks and prospects wherever they can. It is likely going to take several years for the Wings to be truly competitive again.
Buffalo Sabres
What went wrong in 2017-18:
After a change at coach and general manager, it appeared the Sabres were finally ready to get back into the postseason mix for the first time since 2011. They added defenseman Marco Scandella along with wingers Jason Pominville and Benoit Pouliot to a group of high first-round picks in Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen. If veteran Kyle Okposo had performed at his career-average levels and netminder Robin Lehner provided above-average goaltending, the Sabres' top six and special teams could have made them a fringe playoff contender.
Instead, the Sabres rank 30th in scoring -- which was not helped by an injury to Eichel that forced him to miss significant time -- and Lehner failed to provide backbone they needed, posting a .911 save percentage.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
At some point, the Sabres' years of struggling will pay off. Buffalo has picked in the top 10 five years in a row. Eichel is already an established star, while Reinhart and Ristolainen are still coming into their primes. Both 2016 and 2017 first-round picks Alex Nylander and Casey Mittelstadt need further development, but could be in play next season. The Sabres will have to put their trust in patience, along with GM Jason Boterill's ability to find a reliable goaltender and a number of under-the-radar role players who can act as upgrades on Buffalo's very poor bottom six.
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes
What went wrong in 2017-18:
It seems that every year the Hurricanes head into the season with hopes of young players rising to the task, and a new goalie taking over the job from Cam Ward. And every year, those players underachieve and Ward ends up back in net.
This season, Carolina fans had a better case for optimism after the signing of goalie Scott Darling and the presence of exciting young wingers Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen, who appeared set to carry the offensive load with support from veteran Justin Williams. Meanwhile, the blue line was stacked with budding talent like seventh overall pick in 2014 Haydn Fleury and 2015 No. 5 overall pick Noah Hanifin.
The wingers kept up their end of the bargain, but Darling has been a disaster, posting an .889 save percentage. In addition, neither Fleury nor Hanifin has become a franchise defenseman.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
Carolina might be in for a coaching change this offseason after years of similar results. As usual, the Canes have dominated the shot counter, ranking No. 1 in Corsi for percentage, but rank 25th in even-strength goals. A new coach may be able to provide better support to the club's goalies, maximize some of the team's offensive talent and find ways to unlock the young D-men.
They aren't as far away from a playoff berth as it may seem. If new Canes owner Thomas Dundon decides to be aggressive this summer, they have the ammo to swing a major trade to bring in proven talent.
New York Rangers
What went wrong in 2017-18:
After the signing of Kevin Shattenkirk, it seemed the Rangers would be right back in contention for the Metro title despite dealing top center Derek Stepan to Arizona. Adding the league's top power-play defenseman in points per 60 minutes should have been the boost the Blueshirts needed, but they received sub-par goaltending early in the season and struggled mightily on defense, ranking dead last in the NHL in Corsi for percentage. At the deadline, the Rangers were one of the more active teams, selling off parts in exchange for future assets.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
With Henrik Lundqvist in the later stages of his prime, the Rangers will have to either find a way to trade him and his $8.5 million cap hit (if he agrees to waive his no-trade clause) and go into a full rebuild or take a swing at a quick turnaround. Considering Rick Nash is off the books, money will be available to spend in free agency if they so choose. Either a spending spree or full-rebuild approach are both better options than being stuck in the middle.
New York Islanders
What went wrong in 2017-18:
Entering the final season of John Tavares' contract, the Islanders appeared to have a strong enough offensive attack to balance out defensive shortcomings. It looked like all they would need is some big performances from their new forwards and league-average goaltending to make some noise in the Metro.
The Isles got one of those things. Rookie Mathew Barzal has exploded onto the scene with 73 points in 72 games, and offseason acquisition Jordan Eberle contributed an additional 50 points in 71 contests. But New York's defense and goaltending collapsed. They rank dead last in goals allowed per game and penalty kill percentage.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
In the best-case scenario, the Islanders re-sign Tavares and begin the process of stocking up defensive prospects while searching for a solid goalie in his prime. The Isles' story isn't much different from the 2016-17 Dallas Stars, who were very poor on defense and in net before hiring Ken Hitchcock and signing Ben Bishop last offseason; the Stars got right back to contending this season.
If the Islanders cannot keep Tavares, it will be much harder for Islanders fans to feel good about their playoff chances heading into 2018-19.
Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks
What went wrong in 2017-18:
While the focus will be around the Blackhawks' cap situation and the lack of depth talent they have because of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews' salaries, the results are pretty clear that Chicago should have been a playoff contender this season if not for Corey Crawford's extended absence.
The Hawks are No. 4 in Corsi for percentage, and 13th in even-strength scoring rate, but sit 25th in even-strength save percentage. When Crawford was sidelined, he had an outstanding .929 save percentage in all situations.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
A break from the playoffs gives Chicago a chance to grab a highly coveted player in the draft for the first time in a long time. They haven't selected in the top 10 since taking Kane No. 1 overall in 2007. They also own the Predators' first-round pick, which came over in the trade for Ryan Hartman. The Blackhawks will be hoping to follow the Boston Bruins' model of bringing up young players on entry-level deals while Toews and Kane are still in their prime. Next season will be a step towards that. And if Crawford returns to form, Chicago can be right back in the fold.
Pacific Division
Edmonton Oilers
What went wrong in 2017-18:
Coming off a season that saw Connor McDavid win the Hart Trophy and his team win a playoff round, the expectations were set at a Stanley Cup finals appearance. The Oilers had reason to believe their megastar, combined with a solid goalie and improved blue line, could take them deep.
McDavid did what he was expected to do -- but he was the only one. Cam Talbot has a .908 save percentage, down 11 points from the previous season, and players who were brought in as the supporting cast, like Milan Lucic and Ryan Strome, have been disappointments.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
This season's epic disappointment may force change in the front office -- although whoever takes over will have quite a bit of work to do.
More than anything, Edmonton needs to find scoring depth on the free agent market. Next season, they could see a big jump from former top pick Jesse Puljujarvi and will hope for better goaltending and health luck on the blue line.
Vancouver Canucks
What went wrong in 2017-18:
At the end of 2016-17, the Canucks were perfectly in line for a bottom-out season and an opportunity to draft and the top in 2018. But some peculiar signings of Thomas Vanek, Sam Gagner and Michael Del Zotto helped push Vancouver just ahead of the league's worst teams like Buffalo and Arizona for much of the season. A recent ice-cold streak has helped them slide back into strong draft lottery position.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
The Canucks have a star scorer to build around in Brock Boeser, with 29 goals in 62 games this season, and former first-round pick Bo Horvat is a solid two-way player who should be a staple in Vancouver's top six for a very long time. Outside of those two, everything else needs to be reworked over the coming years -- including a big decision to be made on the Sedin twins this summer.
Next season will probably not be much better in terms of the quality of hockey being played in Vancouver, but as long as they don't sign a slew of free agents, the Canucks are in line to build through high draft picks.
Arizona Coyotes
What went wrong in 2017-18:
Arizona was a hot pick to make a run at the playoffs this season after acquiring Derek Stepan along with defensemen Niklas Hjalmarsson and Jason Demers. It was also fair to believe that 2015 No. 3 overall pick Dylan Strome would make the jump, and Max Domi would take a big step forward.
Nothing went the way we expected, aside from an impressive rookie season by 2016 first-round pick Clayton Keller, who is the team's leading scorer. Stepan has only 12 goals, Hjalmarsson missed chunks of time and has played only 46 games, and Strome managed one goal in 11 games.
To make matters worse, Arizona's recent streak of solid goaltending from Antti Raanta has boosted them to a 6-3-1 record in their past 10 games. With Vancouver and Buffalo falling fast, the Coyotes will drop in the lottery odds if they keep winning.
How it can get better in 2018-19:
Arizona could be a major player this offseason, especially if they elect to trade Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is a free agent after next year. He will have lots of interest, which could help the Coyotes continue to stockpile assets. They could also keep OEL, and look to take on other teams' bad contracts in exchange for draft capital, as they've done in past seasons. And of course, the best-case scenario involves landing the No. 1 pick and the chance to draft Rasmus Dahlin.
While it doesn't appear their go-for-it year was a success, Arizona may have found its goalie in Raanta and still stands in line to build through the draft. Progress is on the horizon.