5 dark horse NHL teams that can win the Stanley Cup: Connor McDavid's Oilers, Utah and more

This NHL season has been full of surprises. Some teams are off to hot starts, while others are still seeking momentum. Some have performed better than expected, and others worse.

If your favorite team is someone like the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, or Winnipeg Jets, who are currently dominating every game, there is a high chance that by the end of the regular season, they will be sitting comfortably in a playoff spot. If you are a fan of some other franchise, and they haven't been starting as well as you hoped, you might be feeling a little stressed.

In a sport as unpredictable as hockey, it is hard to gauge who could end up making the postseason, but here are five teams that could surprise the entire league by making it to the Stanley Cup finals. Some of these teams have shocked the whole league with how good (or not as good) they have been performing. Some teams on this list played well last season, but could have started this better.

5 dark horse teams that can win the Stanley Cup

5. Washington Capitals

Nobody thought that Washington was a playoff team last season. They made the postseason by squeaking into the playoffs in the slimmest of chances and were swept in the first round by the Rangers. The Capitals took that as a teachable moment on how to rise to the occasion. Being swept hurts, but with their offseason acquisitions of some stars including Jacob Chychrun and Logan Thompson, the Caps have been off to a start that no one really expected.

At their core, the Caps have always been a strong team. However, one of the most significant pieces that Washington was missing for some time was a coach who understood the type of hockey they played, who the people on the roster were, and, most importantly, how to win. Spencer Carbery has had many doubters, but he has proven that he can help Washington win another cup, with this hot start to the season as proof.

Currently, with a record of 10-4-1, Alex Ovechkin's hot pursuit of Gretzky's goalscoring record, and getting the "band back together" by bringing in Jakub Vrana and Lars Eller, the Capitals are playing some of their best hockey since their 2018 Stanley Cup-winning season.

4. Utah Hockey Club

It's hard to believe that when we watch Utah play, it's the same Coyotes roster from last year.

We are watching the same Coyotes team that finished seventh in the division last year and had an under-.500 record and played in a college hockey arena, playing some of the best hockey the franchise has seen in decades.

The change of scenery may be good for the roster of the NHL's newest team. They came out with a hot start, beating the Rangers in their second game and going on a three-game win streak.

Since then, though, they have been 3-6. Still, there is hope for Utah. They have a talented group of young stars that anchor this team to success, and they have brought in some talented players who have playoff experience, which a majority of the roster lacks (because the Coyotes only made the playoffs nine times in 27 seasons.)  However, they are streaky. Some nights, they are hot, and others, it looks like they didn't even show up to work. It's a long season, and even though they might be fifth in the Central Division right now, there is time to move up.

3. Ottawa Senators

This is the best Ottawa has looked in some time. They finally have all the pieces they have been missing for so long-- a good goalie, a few solid defensemen, and a decent forward core, particularly on the fourth line.

Ottawa's most significant off-season acquisition was trading for goaltender Linus Ullmark from Boston. A former Veznia and Jennings Trophy winner, Ullmark brings stability to a Senators team who have been looking for a goaltender to carry them. Additionally, Adam Gaudette is on pace to have his best season yet after moving around from different organizations and levels throughout his career. He is arguably the most efficient fourth-liner in the league, helping the Senators to be a complete team.

There is room for improvement, but they have the foundations to grow as the season continues. Even if they aren't there this year, they are on a path to reach the top of the league sooner rather than later.

2. Detroit Red Wings

The Yzerplan is starting to actualize.

The Red Wings have steadily risen in the last few seasons but are searching for their breakout. In the past, Detroit has missed a few critical elements of their game, primarily on defense. The offensive acquisitions over the last few years have been stellar. Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko have bolstered the forward core.

Defensively, they have re-signed Moritz Seider to a long-term deal and signed Erik Gustafsson to bolster the blue line and William Lagesson, who will be between the Red Wings and their AHL affiliate. After just missing the playoffs last season in a tie-breaker to the Capitals, their time to make the postseason is unbelievably close.

However, they have a small profit window from their recent success. They have one of the oldest rosters in the NHL and while they have some good prospects in their pool, the likelihood of them playing with Kane or Tarasenko seems small. Detroit is in win-now mode, and there is a chance that this is the year they make a run.

1. Edmonton Oilers

It might seem strange for a team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals last year to be considered a "dark horse," but here is why they are on the list: They lost Dylan Holloway, Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, Phillip Broberg, and a handful of other players crucial to their Stanley Cup run last season.

They lost their opening three games, and Connor McDavid was hurt for a bit. It was starting to look like the season was over before it began.

The Oilers have since rallied and typically perform the best in the latter parts of the season. They are also a win-now franchise. Their time to hoist the Cup must happen sooner rather than later so the window doesn't close on them.

Edmonton's biggest hurdle is the expectations. Those standards primarily come from having McDavid on their roster, but the pressure of being labeled as such a talented team makes anything short of a Stanley Cup seem like a failure, which is why when they had such a rough start to the season, people started to worry. They have it in them, as they made it almost all the way last season, and that experience alone could help spark the return to the top.