Every team is always assessing just how close or far they are from contending for the Stanley Cup, especially as the trade deadline nears. Where a team stands relative to “contenders” may determine how they proceed: should they be buyers, sellers or just stay on their current path? And if you do need to take action, the question becomes just how much to buy or sell.



With those questions in mind, we sought out to project each team’s expected lineup down the stretch and then explore how it stacks up to the average contender.



For our evaluations, we collaborated with The Athletic’s team of NHL beat writers to identify 12 forwards, six defenders, and two or three netminders depending on that team’s goaltending rotation who are likely to be in the lineup for the balance of the season. We allowed for the consideration of players who will likely return from injury, while also explicitly not trying to figure out what trades may come.