Mike Brophy

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy writes Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday on Sportsnet.ca and appears regularly on Hockeycentral.

Mike Brophy believes the Canucks are the likeliest Canadian team to hoist the Cup soon.

For the 15th consecutive season the Stanley Cup will reside in the United States.

The Montreal Canadiens were Canada's last team standing this year, but did anybody - even the most ardent Habs' fan - really believe they had a shot to win it all? Kind of makes one wonder when we'll see a Canadian-based championship team again?

It has to happen sometime, doesn't it?

Here's a look at the six Canadian teams and their Cup chances down the road.

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks are probably the closest thing Canada has to a bona fide Stanley Cup contender. But because they play in the tough Western Conference, even getting to the final is a tough task. The Canucks have one of the best 1-2 punches in the NHL in the Sedin twins, and they also have a very strong supporting cast up front. The defence and goaltending, however, are a question mark. When the Canucks lost Willie Mitchell, they were exposed as being very thin on the blue line. And while Roberto Luongo was in net when Canada won the gold medal at the Olympics, his inconsistency is a huge concern.

Edmonton Oilers

It's funny; the Oilers finished 30th this season and yet I really like their chances of making a drastic improvement next season. That is based on the fact the Oilers will enjoy an influx of young talent; players who will come to the aid of a club that was riddled with injuries this season. When you add Jordan Eberle, Magnus Pajarvi-Svensson and one of Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin to a mix that includes Ales Hemsky, a much-improved Dustin Penner, Sam Gagner, Ryan Potulny, Gilbert Brule and Andrew Cogliano, things suddenly look very bight. It will be interesting to see if the Oilers and veteran defenceman Seldon Souray kiss and make up or what the team can get for him in a trade.

Calgary Flames

The Flames might have been the most disappointing Canadian team this season based on what they accomplished versus expectations. The failure to re-sign Michael Cammalleri was a huge mistake, and the outcome of the big player swap with the Toronto Maple Leafs that saw defenceman Dion Phaneuf leave town is still being debated. One thing is certain, this team does not have enough quality forwards to be a serious contender to make the playoffs, never mind win a championship. Jarome Iginla showed signs of slowing down and now needs help on his line more than ever. If the Flames think Matt Stajan is the answer for Iginla, they are dreaming.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens overachieved this postseason, largely because goalie Jaroslav Halak stole games for them and the players bought into coach Jacques Martin's defence-first system. Moving forward though, this is a team that still has holes, particularly on defence. It didn't help matters that the club's best player, defenceman Andrei Markov, suffered a few injuries that put him on the shelf for long stretches. The big question facing the Habs in the off-season is what they will do with their goaltenders, Halak and Carey Price, both of whom are restricted free agents. Price may be traded. Also, will they re-sign unrestricted free agent Tomas Plekanec? He led the team in scoring during the regular season, but was invisible in the playoffs. Plekanec is a good player, but he's not a star and if the Habs cough up big money for him, they are nuts.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators seem to be moving in the right direction, so it will be interesting to see what becomes of Jason Spezza. It's clear he didn't like being made the scapegoat for the team's failure to advance beyond the opening round of playoffs. Spezza did not have a strong year statistically, largely because he was injured for most of the first half, but he did make huge strides toward becoming a well-rounded player who provides offence and is less of a defensive liability. The Sens also need to re-sign or replace centre Matt Cullen, who had a solid playoff with three goals and eight points in six games. One player worth keeping an eye on next season is teenage defenceman Erik Karlsson. His confidence grew tremendously late in the year and he looks like he could b a star in the league.

Toronto Maple Leafs

GM Brian Burke insists teams don't have to hit rock bottom before showing improvement, but that could be because he has traded away the team's No. 1 draft choice for the next two NHL entry drafts. Burke, instead, has hitched his wagon to Phil Kessel, a gifted young scorer, and Phaneuf, who will be the Leafs' next captain. Only time will tell if those two players can lead a team to glory, but the odds are stacked against the Leafs. Toronto simply does not have enough quality forwards to make a serious charge at making the playoffs.