More disappointing season: VGK, MTL, NYI

[Crow]

Vegas - expected to be a contender, ended up a bubble team

NYI - expected to be a playoff team, maybe even bubble team and ended a bubble team

MTL - expected to be a bubble team ended up the worst team I’ve seen in a long time

I’ll take MTL as most disappointing. I think people are just hating on Vegas for fun which is fine. Knock yourself out. Don’t see the argument for picking Vegas. I guess Vegas ended on a low note and MTL on a high note with MSL but looking at the whole season, it’s MTL.

 

[centipede2233]

Vegas - expected to be a contender, ended up a bubble team

NYI - expected to be a playoff team, maybe even bubble team and ended a bubble team

MTL - expected to be a bubble team ended up the worst team I’ve seen in a long time

I’ll take MTL as most disappointing. I think people are just hating on Vegas for fun which is fine. Knock yourself out. Don’t see the argument for picking Vegas. I guess Vegas ended on a low note and MTL on a high note with MSL but looking at the whole season, it’s MTL.

Was Montreal really expected to be a bubble team though? Montreal was the 24th ranked team in the “bubble” play offs that included the top 24. Montreal was the 18th ranked team in the nhl by playing solely in the weakest division in decades. Then it was announced Weber was basically done before this season began and price was nowhere to be seen. How could anyone think Montreal would be a bubble team this year. And I didn’t even mention losing danault, if anyone thought Montreal was a bubble team heading into this season you were delusional in thinking so.

 

[Crow]

Was Montreal really expected to be a bubble team though? Montreal was the 24th ranked team in the “bubble” play offs that included the top 24. Montreal was the 18th ranked team in the nhl by playing solely in the weakest division in decades. Then it was announced Weber was basically done before this season began and price was nowhere to be seen. How could anyone think Montreal would be a bubble team this year. And I didn’t even mention losing danault, if anyone thought Montreal was a bubble team heading into this season you were delusional in thinking so.

Must have been a lot of delusional MTL fans out there posting then.

I was pretty far off thinking my own team was a bubble team. Actually on that note, Chicago is probably the most disappointing considering the off-season they had trading away two firsts and a prospect just to get much worse and nothing out of it.

 

[centipede2233]

Must have been a lot of delusional MTL fans out there posting then.

I concur. the good news is you need to draft well in the top 5 so let the top 5 picks begin for the next few years anyway.

 

[Captain97]

Why is Montreal an option, did anyone actually expect them to be good?

I don't get why we are here either. Most of us thought the Habs would be a bubble team with a healthy price I think our own board poll had us missing the playoffs.

No price plus the most injured team in a single season in history. Last place sounds like a likely outcome.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Habs for sure, they were just at the SCF last year and there was expectations from some to make it back to the cup final again this year.

 

[AvroArrow]

Why is Montreal an option, did anyone actually expect them to be good?

Yes, for some weird reason people ignored that they lost all their best players in the off-season and had them ranked top 4 in the Atlantic. Most of us sane people knew they'd have a poor year with all the guys they lost. Price, Weber, Danault, Perry, Staal were all massive pieces and cannot be replaced that easily.

Vegas is the answer though, supposed to be a cup contender and now they're missing the playoffs after trying to cap circumvent. NYI just had a very unfortunate start to the year, so many guys had covid, league never postponed any of their games. When it spread like wildfire to other teams, they got games off. Kinda feel bad for their fans a bit, but then I remember how much shit they give pajama boy so I don't feel as bad. But yeah, Vegas ainec.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

A lot of people saw the wheels of MTL falling off after their run last year and disastrous offseason, but a lot didn't. This poll is suffering a bit from recency bias I think as it was clear Montreal was headed for bad times very early into the year, Montreal had a nightmare season.

 

[Weztex]

Montreal fans all told us how "legit" they were last season, when they had their super lucky run to the Finals, so it has to be them. They went from a "legit" cup threat, to team with the worst finish in NHL history, in one season.

No. Before the season started most Montreal fans had them fighting for a playoff spot with a healthy roster. Expectations were pretty low. Let’s not fall into revisionism.

Habs for sure, they were just at the SCF last year and there was expectations from some to make it back to the cup final again this year.

I don’t remember reading or hearing a single hockey fan expecting this.

 

[heretik27]

I don't really get the Montreal option, they stunk last year and the east is a bloodbath this year. The Islanders decline came maybe a year or two early, but if memory serves me right they had injuries and a slow start this season. Vegas is the only team that was expected to be a contender, especially in the western division this year with the Pacific having so many rebuilding teams. To lose out on a top 3 spot in that division is just embarrassing for a team expected to contend. I don't want to hear about injuries either, just look at the Kings injuries over the season.

It's Vegas AINEC.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Everyone is numb to it by now because it's been all season but NYI are absolutely the answer. Both were seen as sure fire cup contenders, 1 just missed the playoffs, the other was one of the worst teams in the league.

 

[sr edler]

It's definitely Vegas.

Both Montreal and NYI looked weakened by what happened in the off-season, especially Montreal (who were already mediocre and a Cinderella team).

Islanders have a decent team and can bounce back next year and surpass Washington.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Habs for sure, they were just at the SCF last year and there was expectations from some to make it back to the cup final again this year.

What are you talking about ?

 

[Ignite111]

Everyone is numb to it by now because it's been all season but NYI are absolutely the answer. Both were seen as sure fire cup contenders, 1 just missed the playoffs, the other was one of the worst teams in the league.

Have 2 questions

1)Who is both???
2)Who is numb???

The Islanders and Vegas were expected to be good for sure but the Islanders were sure fire cup contender?

Vegas signed when healthy at top 10-15 players in the league. Islanders didn't do much to get better. There were certainly higher expectations for Vegas.

Out of Vegas and the Islanders, not many were saying Islanders would be better. Las Vegas sportsbooks had Vegas with the second best odds to win the cup and had a higher point total than the Islanders. Funny enough Vegas point total was 7-8 points higher than the Islanders. What is their point total difference now???? With an Isles win would they be 6 points apart???

Another question. Is 6 points really the difference between what one would call " just missing the playoffs" to "one of the worst teams in the league"??? Seems like a pretty interesting take.

Personally, I would say one of the worst teams in the league is one that finished 30+ points out of the playoffs or 20 games under .500. Not a team that had some issues early on and finished with a winning record and 3 games over .500. A team that should finish 13 or 14th from the bottom.

Last question.

With 32 teams in the NHL how many "worst teams in the NHL" are there??? Are the Islanders at the cut-off at 13 or 14th from the bottom? Or is it 16 teams? or more? Are half the teams in the NHL "one of the worst teams in the NHL"?? Would love for you to clear that up a little.

To me, it seems like someone is very upset at the Islanders. Are you an upset Islander fan? Or hating Ranger fan? Did you lose a lot of money on them? Would love to hear more

 

[DomBarr]

This poll is way closer than I thought it would be...I guess its because I never thought the Islanders/Habs were as good as they thought they were.

 

[shadow1]

Vegas.

They were supposed to be cup contenders and had a strong start; they were 1st in the western conference on New Years Day. The Eichel trade was supposed to put them over the top. Due to a combination of injuries and shooting themselves in the foot, they're not even in the playoffs.

Dishonorable mention to the New York Islanders. Very good team the last few seasons. They lost some key pieces last off-season, and I think we all thought the Trotz coaching voodoo would cover up for those losses. We were wrong.

Montreal was always going to be mediocre. It felt like half their team changes from last year's post-season run, and that team over performed.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

VGK should dominate this poll

 

[notDatsyuk]

Interesting question. Depends to an extent on what you consider disappointing.

I expected Montreal to do not quite as well, probably just miss the playoffs. Disappointing, but considering they set a record for games lost to injury not really surprising, but last place overall is disappointing.

I expected the Islanders to, as usual, make the playoffs as a lower seed but do well once they started. With the killer road trip and covid fiasco, I'm not surprised they didn't make it, but I'm much more disappointed in the league's mishandling and subsequent easing of requirements for everyone else.

I expected Vegas to make the playoff, and do reasonably well, maybe winning two series. Admittedly I haven't watched the West as closely, but I'm not aware of a good reason for their not living up to expectations. Because of that, despite their only being a few points shy, I would say they are most disappointing.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

I'd say the most realistic optimistic outcomes for the Habs preseason was before Price announced late summer his hiatus from playing. Once Price called in sick, nobody really thought the Habs would do well.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

It's been a freaky, COVID, asterisk, fairy-tale season, both good and bad, throughout most of the NHL this season, just like during last season.

 

[DFF]

Vegas

The Habs at least the favorite for the lottery

 

[thadd]

Islanders schedule at the start of the season was not fair. That shouldn't be possible
Montreal was supposed to suck. So many key players gone.
Vegas.... they spent like drunken sailors to make a mega team and.... they never made the playoffs.
If Injury Bug was an American citizen he'd be working in Vegas.