5 NHL teams that missed the 2019 playoffs but will clinch in 2020
By Kyle McKenna
While the 2019-20 NHL campaign is still young, find out which teams that missed the Stanley Cup playoffs last season will clinch come April 2020.
If you head over to the NHL’s standings, fans might be surprised to see a few teams that are currently in the top eight for the Eastern and Western Conferences. While some clubs may fizzle out of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoff picture, there are a handful of teams that are contenders and will clinch a berth in the playoffs after failing to bid for Lord Stanley last spring.
With that in mind, let us here at FanSided list the five teams that missed the playoffs last season, but will clinch in 2019-20.
5. Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers have only clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs once since they advanced to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final. Connor McDavid and company stunned the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, but were ousted in six games by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round.
While Western Canada is used to major disappointment with their underachieving Oilers year after year, this season’s team is poised to not only clinch a berth in the postseason, but potentially make a run at the Cup for the first time in over a decade.
For starters, McDavid is healthy (knock on wood), while playing alongside Leon Draisaitl and a rejuvenated Zack Kassian. No. 97 is flying at full force and is hungry to get back into the big dance this spring. The 2015 No. 1 overall draft-pick has recorded 17 points (5g-12a) in just nine games, while the Oilers are off to an impressive 7-1-1 start.
It’s different this time around in Oil Country, we promise.