Until anyone proves capable of dethroning the Pittsburgh Penguins, it's their Stanley Cup to lose next spring, but several teams are well positioned to prevent a three-peat.

One of those clubs came close to knocking off the Penguins last season, while another would have been capable of a lengthy Cup run in 2017 if not for a major injury to its captain.

Elsewhere, a certain Western Conference squad will be looking to build on an encouraging return to the playoffs with the Hart Trophy winner and his talented teammate in tow, while a promising Eastern Conference team could accelerate its rebuild in a major way with a long awaited title.

Here's who we project will hoist the ultimate prize in 2018:

Gold-Smith: The Predators came oh, so close to forcing Game 7 against the Penguins in the 2017 Cup Final, and they're ready to avenge that defeat.

Nashville lost some scoring punch this summer when James Neal was claimed in the expansion draft, but the Predators have plenty of firepower with the likes of Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen, plus Kevin Fiala, the promising, young forward who's healthy again.

The Predators' biggest strength is obviously their elite top four on the back end, and while Ryan Ellis will probably need a few months to recover from his injury, he'll be back for the stretch run.

Pekka Rinne turns 35 in November, and that's concerning, but Juuse Saros will be waiting in the wings if the veteran falters. Nashville added Nick Bonino, who'll replace the retired Mike Fisher, and also brought back Scott Hartnell, so one of the NHL's deepest teams is in position to get over the hump.

Hagerman: The Tampa Bay Lightning nearly squeaked into the playoffs last season. A blazing final few weeks saw them ultimately finish just one point out despite having two more wins than the Toronto Maple Leafs. This all while missing Steven Stamkos, who managed 20 points in just 17 games. With their captain back in the fold and likely playing alongside a budding Nikita Kucherov, the club could do some real damage.

Last season Stamkos finished with the third-best points-per-game total behind only Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. Meanwhile, Kucherov finished just four goals shy of Crosby who picked up the Rocket Richard Trophy and Victor Hedman cemented himself among the best defenders in the league.

The Lightning have all the pieces, and health permitting, there is no reason why they can't go the distance.

Livingstone: The Oilers were only a few favorable bounces short of a Western Conference Final berth this past spring. And now, with the long-term futures of franchise cornerstones Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid solidified, Edmonton is ready to take the next step.

While replicating last season's 103-point regular-season showing won't be easy, they have the talent required to be the last team standing come June. Aside from its two superstars in McDavid and Draisaitl, Edmonton boasts a deep lineup that includes the likes of Milan Lucic, Ryan Strome, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Factor in that Cam Talbot solidified himself as a bona fide No. 1 netminder last campaign, and the Oilers have become a legitimate Cup threat.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

McLaren: A few years ago, the Lightning looked like a potential dynasty in the making.

In 2015, they pushed the Chicago Blackhawks to six games in an eventual Stanley Cup Final loss. The next year, they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final by a single goal and then watched as Pittsburgh won its first of two straight championships.

Last season's campaign was interrupted early and often by injuries - most notably a season-ender suffered by Stamkos in November - and still they only missed the playoffs by a single point.

But lest we think their window is closed, consider the emergence of Kucherov in Stamkos' absence, the growth of Victor Hedman into a Norris contender, the rise of Andrei Vasilevskiy to the ranks of elite netminders, and a roster that is as deep and talented at both ends of the ice as any other.

Finally, Lightning will strike.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

O'Leary: The Lightning have every piece they need to avenge last season's wasted opportunity.

Kucherov has become one of the premier scorers in the league, Hedman has become become the dominant defender he was expected to be as a prospect, Vasilevskiy finally has the net to himself, and most importantly, Stamkos is healthy.

After they capture the Atlantic Division title and work their way through the Eastern Conference bracket, the Lightning - rich in playoff experience - will meet McDavid and the Oilers in the best final in recent memory. Tampa won't let another chance at glory slip away.

Wegman: The Leafs have more depth up front than any team in the NHL. They have a 20-goal scorer in Connor Brown on their fourth line. Don't anticipate any sort of sophomore slump from superstars Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, or William Nylander - expect them to grow.

Questions remain on the back end, but Jake Gardiner is one of the game's best puck-movers, Morgan Rielly looks poised to take a huge step this season, and Nikita Zaitsev should make strides in his second year.

The addition of Ron Hainsey gives them a stable, veteran presence. However, the biggest surprise on the blue line will be Travis Dermott. The calm and cool 20-year-old may not make the team out of camp, but when he get's his call, he will prove to be mature beyond his years.

Frederik Andersen isn't an elite netminder, but Chris Osgood and Antti Niemi have shown teams don't need an elite goaltender to win the Cup. Andersen is, however, capable of standing on his head when needed.

To round it out, the Leafs have the league's best motivator behind the bench in Mike Babcock. He will assure that this young team never gets too far ahead of itself, and that it continues to buy into whatever he's preaching.

Wilkins: Steve Yzerman has constructed arguably the NHL's deepest roster, with no weaknesses throughout the lineup. That's why the Lightning will win the Stanley Cup in 2018.

While they didn't qualify for last year's postseason, no team was hampered by injuries quite like they were. Stamkos was limited to just 17 games after suffering a torn meniscus in November. Key contributors like Tyler Johnson, Ryan Callahan, and the since-traded Valtteri Filppula also missed time due to the injury bug.

But with a healthy Stamkos in tow, continued progression of the team's young players, like Brayden Point, and valuable contributions from summer additions, including four-time Cup champion Chris Kunitz, the Lightning are ready to deliver.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.