Yes, the thread title sounds like it's asking which current contenders will remain contenders over the next five years. Frankly, the most logical answer is none of them. The next year or two? Sure. Over five years? Doubtful. Which is probably why the conversation has drifted into the more interesting tangent of upcoming contenders.yes, but 5 years from now is very different from "over the next 5 years".
And that's where teams like San Jose, Montreal, Anaheim, Seattle, etc. come in. It's a safe bet that between now and 5 years, at least one bottom team will become a contender, while at the same time many top teams will fall out of the playoffs.