Right now, every NHL team and their fans are thinking about one thing, winning a Stanley Cup.
Obviously only one team can win the Cup, but right now, every team feels as though they can be that team to accomplish that goal.
When the regular season begins, however, the contenders will separate themselves from the rest of the pack, and there are a number of teams that haven't made the playoffs in a while that hope this is they year their drought will end.
Going into the season, there are a lot of stats and numbers for hockey fans to know and we wanted to add some more info to your plate that you might find interesting.
Here are the five teams with the longest current playoff droughts as we head into the 2017-18 NHL season.
5. Colorado Avalanche, Last Playoff Appearance - 2013/14 Season
If not for Colorado's postseason appearance during the 2013-14 season, the Avalanche would have the second-longest current playoff drought in the NHL.
4. Arizona Coyotes, Last Playoff Appearance - 2011/12 Season
The Coyotes made the playoffs in three straight seasons (2009-10 to 2011-12), but ever since their run to the Conference Finals in 2012, they haven't been able to bring playoff hockey back to the desert.
3. New Jersey Devils, Last Playoff Appearance - 2011/12 Season
The Devils had a streak of 13-straight playoff appearances snapped in 2011, but the following season they made it to the Stanley Cup final and it seemed as though a new streak had begun.
Unfortunately that wasn't the case and New Jersey hasn't been back to the playoffs since losing in the Cup final.
2. Buffalo Sabres, Last Playoff Appearance - 2010/11 Season
With just four playoff appearances since 2001, the Sabres have been struggling in the 21st century to say the least.
That said, with Jack Eichel now leading the way, fans are hopeful he'll be able to lead Buffalo back to the postseason for years to come.
1. Carolina Hurricanes, Last Playoff Appearance - 2008/09
The Hurricanes are the owners of the longest current playoff drought in the NHL, but based on some of the moves they made this summer, that could change this season.
(H/T: Hockey Reference)
