Top 10 teams with the darkest future 2018

[Critical13]

I'm not really sure what your point is here. You started this thread.

And I'm telling you that if teams like NYR, NYI and DET aren't back in the playoffs within 5 years, then their rebuilds are considered failures. I think NYR and NYI look better in that regard than DET, but that doesn't change the fact that a lot of this discussion seems out of touch with the realities of roster construction in the league.

Not really making a point, just saying it's not worth the time to overthink this because it's more of a fun exercise than actual analysis. Something to get us through the doldrums of summer.

For interest sake, what would your list look like, based on your understanding of roster construction?

It would be fun to come back in a few years and point and laugh if you are right. Otherwise, it might prove that the hivemind is not so bad, even with the thousands of unforeseen variables.

Winnipeg isn't an option in the poll

I voted:

Montreal: starting a rebuild, only 1 real bluechip prospect, needs a new GM
Ottawa: management running them further and further underground
Detroit: weak prospect pool, beginning of a rebuild
Chicago: trying to relive the past, moved Hossa, but still too much cap taken up and not many good prospects to build around
Anaheim: their forward core is screwed going forward, Kesler (if he'll play again) and Perry are shells of their former selves and Getzlaf is only getting older
San Jose: core is really old, Jones and Couture are in their primes, but they can't do it all + no bluechip prospects
Minnesota: team is getting older, stuck to some pretty lengthy and bad contracts, don't seem to be really improving = recipe for stagnation
Vancouver: have some great prospects in the pipeline, but I don't see them going far in the next 5 years
NY Rangers: came out and straight up said they're rebuilding
NY Islanders: their all-star player just left for nothing, will need time to recover

Ya, the forum has a 30 option limit

Nice list! Pretty close to mine, the reasoning as well.

 

[SillyRabbit]

Benning has handicapped the Canucks for at least the next 4-6 years.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

My votes:


Anaheim - Forwards aren't getting any younger. Though the Defense still looks strong I'm not sure its enough to keep them afloat in the league.

Los Angeles - Again, aging core. Carter, Kopitar, and Quick are all into there 30s. And a lot of money tied up in just a couple of players.

Minnesota - Probably the team I expect to have the sharpest decline soon. Once Suter starts to decline it will snowball quick. Between Staal, Dubnyk, Suter, Parise, and Koivu they have a lot of aging players and no great replacements on the way.


Montreal - Bad team now and will only get worse over the next few years. They literally have Carey Price and nothing else.


Islanders - Losing Tavares sucks. They got a couple decent prospects in the 2018 draft but they likely wont have significant impacts for another 2-3 years. I expect them to fall into the bottom of the league by then and as we've seen countless times even with good prospects its difficult to get out of the basement once you're in.


Rangers - See Islanders. Decent prospects but not much of an NHL roster currently, and still a lot of holes for the future without solutions to be solved currently.


Ottawa - Literally, a dumpster fire on wheels right now. Until Melnyk is out that team will be the laughing stock of the league.

Pittsburgh - With Malkin and Crosby both well into there 30s now, they should start to see a slow decline very soon. And since that team essentially runs through the two of them, when they start to slow down even just a little bit, so too will the Pens. Probably not in the first 2-3 years but by year 4 or 5 I expect them to be a bubble playoff team or worse.


San Jose - Not nearly as sold on the young players in San Jose as others. Burns, Vlasic, Thornton, Pavelski are all getting older. On Defense I dont think they have anyone ready to take the workload of Burns/MEV. Up front the only young player I have high expectations for is Meier but he alone wont offset the losses of Thornton and Pavelski. Also dont know how I feel about Martin Jones as a starter. Too inconsistent IMO.


Chicago - Aging core and a prospect pool that isn't good enough to replace that aging core anytime soon. And with some truly awful contracts on the books, as well as a manager that still seems hell bent on trying to remain competitive in the cutthroat Central division I think poor management decision will further hurt the Hawks in the next few years.





If I were to rank those 10 team from the worst outlook to the best I'd probably have them as:


Ottawa
Montreal
Chicago
Rangers
Minnesota
Islanders
Anaheim
Los Angeles
San Jose
Pittsburgh

 

[JaegerDice]

Chicago.

And honestly, we're fine with it.

I'd have happily accepted a decade of **** for ONE cup.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Voted Anaheim, SJ, Pittsburgh, Chicago, LA, Minny, Calgary, Detroit and Vancouver.

Im looking five years down the road, Detroit and Vancouver are there to troll ******** fans.

Why are you looking 5 years down the road when the OP asks over the next 5 years, not in 5 years time? They're two completely different things.

Anyone listing the Penguins is being silly because their core is still going to be effective for at least the next 4 or 5 years, the exact time frame of this poll.

Maybe if the question was about who will have a dark future in 5 years, picking them makes sense. Right now it looks like typical HF fascination with young players/teams and thinking anyone over 30 is over the hill as a player.

 

[34]

Why are teams like Toronto and Washington on the list but Winnipeg is not?

 

[Kelly]

Chicago.

And honestly, we're fine with it.

I'd have happily accepted a decade of **** for ONE cup.

I would too as a Leafs fan.

I've (not happily) accepted the last 27 years of shit, if they win a cup it'll all be worth it

 

[Critical13]

Why are teams like Toronto and Washington on the list but Winnipeg is not?

Site only offers 30 poll choices

 

[Tkachuky]

Voted Anaheim, SJ, Pittsburgh, Chicago, LA, Minny, Calgary, Detroit and Vancouver.

Im looking five years down the road, Detroit and Vancouver are there to troll ******** fans.

How? Look at the core players and their ages. We may not have the deepest pipeline right now but the Flames have very good defensive prospects. I'm confident they will focus on replenishing the forwards in the next couple of drafts too.

Curious to see why you think Calgary will have one of the darkest futures in the league.

 

[Mrb1p]

How? Look at the core players and their ages. We may not have the deepest pipeline right now but the Flames have very good defensive prospects. I'm confident they will focus on replenishing the forwards in the next couple of drafts too.

Curious to see why you think Calgary will have one of the darkest futures in the league.

To me, a bright future is winning the cup. Being a bubble team is the worst possible outcome, I feel thats what the Flames are. Gaudreau is the only elite player... the rest are good to very good and I dont see them drafting much better because theyll stay competitive.

 

[Mrb1p]

Why are you looking 5 years down the road when the OP asks over the next 5 years, not in 5 years time? They're two completely different things.

Anyone listing the Penguins is being silly because their core is still going to be effective for at least the next 4 or 5 years, the exact time frame of this poll.

Maybe if the question was about who will have a dark future in 5 years, picking them makes sense. Right now it looks like typical HF fascination with young players/teams and thinking anyone over 30 is over the hill as a player.

Welp, if thats not a text book example of why its important to not be lazy and read the OP...

 

[Critical13]

Welp, if thats not a text book example of why its important to not be lazy and read the OP...

It's okay you're not alone :'(

 

[34]

It is comical that Toronto even got 1 vote. They have the best young core in the NHL, period!

Goes to show the haters love it!

 

[Critical13]

It is comical that Toronto even got 1 vote. They have the best young core in the NHL, period!

Goes to show the haters love it!

We're still sitting at around 3rd overall in the summary thread so that negates the homer votes.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Lots of Flyers fans picking Pittsburgh. Wishful thinking, perhaps?

 

[major major]

How in the hell are people picking Detroit NYR NYI Vancity etc..?? They suck now but building to be competitive teams. Dont really see a dark future for those teams AT ALL

Anyways i voted for 7 teams tho Minny may be a stretch to be included

Detroit and NYR don't have the elite young pieces. Chytil and Buchnevich is not enough. Zadina might be something special but it's too early to tell. They also have garbage bluelines. Barzal alone, and the combination of Boeser and Pettersson give NYI and Vancouver the edge. I like the future in those cities.

Anaheim: After Getzlaf falls off, they’ll be relying on a lot of young D to step up. Not a whole lot in the way of promising forwards coming up.

The young D are pretty damn good, and Gibson can carry a team. I see them being decent even if the forwards drop off a cliff.

Arizona: I just don’t see how they have a promising future, despite some decent young pieces.

They were good down the stretch last year. The blueline and G are good, and the attack with Keller and company should be good too. I think they'll be on the playoff bubble this year and only getting better from here on.

Columbus: When Panarin leaves their offense will likely take a huge hit. They have Jones and Werenski on D which is awesome, but their forwards are all pretty underwhelming, though that’s not to say they don’t have some good pieces, just nothing that really stands out.

The Jackets have the deepest young core in the league. Most of the team is under 25, including Jones, Werenski and Dubois. They're already a good team and will get better. With the D scoring and 4 lines, they could lead the league in scoring even without anything that "really stands out."

Dallas: Admittedly this one is assuming Seguin leaves, as I was running out of options. Only if Seguin leaves, I think their forward core is pretty weak outside of a couple guys, and I don’t think Heiskanen and Klingberg can carry their D.

They're just woefully thin even with Seguin. I have them in the bottom ten going forward.

Detroit: While I actually like a lot of their picks in recent years, I don’t know how much of an impact they’ll have in the next five seasons. I don’t think they’ll be out of the playoffs much longer than five years though.

Montreal: What a mess.

New Jersey: Hall is great, Hischier is awesome, but I don’t see the rest of their pieces standing out enough to make them a perennial playoff team in the next five seasons.

New York Rangers: Aging core, some decent prospects and young guys, not enough to be perennial playoff contenders in the next five seasons.

Ottawa: What a disaster.

San Jose: Aging core, impending UFAs or retirements, lackluster prospects.

Agreed on all of these.

Just my opinion, don’t mean to offend any fans by it.

My comments are bolded.

 

[Flameshomer]

Edmonton needs to be higher on the list. 1 successful season in the last 10, with no real indication that anything has changed.

 

[Mr Positive]

I'm a bit of an outlier here, in that I think Pittsburgh qualifies.

Crosby: almost 31 years old
Kessel: almost 31
Malkin: 32

Forwards age quicker than other positions.

They don't have a truly great group of young players to replace Crosby and Malkin in particular, who I believe are propping up that team. They have Guentzel, Rust, Sheary. This isn't like with Washington for instance, who has someone like Kuznetzov coming up as Ovechkin ages, and Carlson still quite young too.

It reminds me of Chicago of a couple years ago. It seemed like they would be contenders forever, and maybe just had to wait for the cap to raise a bit, but what brought them down arguably was a couple players aging, notably Keith and Seabrook, who are older than those Pittsburgh core forwards, but Dmen decline later.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I'm a bit of an outlier here, in that I think Pittsburgh qualifies.

Crosby: almost 31 years old
Kessel: almost 31
Malkin: 32

Forwards age quicker than other positions.

They don't have a truly great group of young players to replace Crosby and Malkin in particular, who I believe are propping up that team. They have Guentzel, Rust, Sheary. This isn't like with Washington for instance, who has someone like Kuznetzov coming up as Ovechkin ages, and Carlson still quite young too.

It reminds me of Chicago of a couple years ago. It seemed like they would be contenders forever, and maybe just had to wait for the cap to raise a bit, but what brought them down arguably was a couple players aging, notably Keith and Seabrook, who are older than those Pittsburgh core forwards, but Dmen decline later.

When is the last elite forward who declined to the point they were no longer top line players in their early 30s? Keep in mind I'm saying elite, on Crosby and Malkin's level, not just a decent top line guy.

Look at the all-time greats down the middle like Sakic, Yzerman, Messier, and recently a guy like Thornton. None of them suddenly fell off a cliff because they turned 31 or 32.

Sure, they won't be as good as they were (or currently are). But barring a major injury that really hampers them, I see no reason why they can't continue to be PPG+ players for the next 4 or 5 seasons.

 

[Mr Positive]

When is the last elite forward who declined to the point they were no longer top line players in their early 30s? Keep in mind I'm saying elite, on Crosby and Malkin's level, not just a decent top line guy.

Look at the all-time greats down the middle like Sakic, Yzerman, Messier, and recently a guy like Thornton. None of them suddenly fell off a cliff because they turned 31 or 32.

Sure, they won't be as good as they were (or currently are). But barring a major injury that really hampers them, I see no reason why they can't continue to be PPG+ players for the next 4 or 5 seasons.

In 5 years, their top 2 players will still be great, but in decline, and I believe they are propping up that team. I also don't think the young upcoming core has what it takes to replace what they bring. Someone like Yzerman was a lesser talent than Crosby and was still heroic, leading his team to great things, but that team had crazy young talent streaming in as he aged. Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg. Same with those other guys. I'll say that Guentzel in particular is really good though, and could even develop further into a high end player to cover the loss, but it's not enough imo.

And btw, I think Pittsburgh was one of my last choices, so they are in that mid area to me, not a team with a massive problem in the next few years at all.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

In 5 years, that forward core will still be great, but it will still be in decline, and I believe they are propping up that team. I also don't think the young upcoming core has what it takes to replace what they bring. Someone like Yzerman was a lesser talent than Crosby and was still heroic, leading his team to great things, but that team had crazy young talent streaming in as he aged. Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg. Same with those other guys. I'll say that Guentzel in particular is really good though, and could even develop further into a high end player to cover the loss, but it's not enough imo.

And btw, I think Pittsburgh was one of my last choices, so they are in that mid area to me, not a team with a massive problem in the next few years at all.

I'm a bit confused. The poll is asking which teams will have the darkest time within the next 5 years. It's not asking who will five years from now.

If you're looking at how they'll be 5 years from now, that's not answering the OP question.

 

[nowhereman]

Benning has handicapped the Canucks for at least the next 4-6 years.

Lol, how? By signing a few fourth liners?

Not sure how Vancouver has so many votes. They have some really nice pieces and a potential franchise player or two (and possibly more) in the wings. Pettersson, Boeser, Horvat, Demko, Hughes and Juolevi is a pretty decent core. They'll be pretty decent in about 2 years or so.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Its because right now people are more focused on what the NYI just lost this offseason rather than what remains.

Yep. Outside of Tavares, I think everything they did this offseason was a possitive. I mean, Tavares isn't that big of a loss.

 

[Mr Positive]

I'm a bit confused. The poll is asking which teams will have the darkest time within the next 5 years. It's not asking who will five years from now.

If you're looking at how they'll be 5 years from now, that's not answering the OP question.

Everything I wrote was with the OP in mind. I say that within 5 years they will be in decline, but the decline will have started well before that. They will still be good enough to lead a great team in the playoffs, but my problem with that is that they lack the young talent to make up for their decline. That's why I compared them to Chicago. All it would take for the Penguins to have massive problems is for Crosby or Malkin to take a step back like Keith and Seabrook did for the Hawks. They are still good players for the Hawks, but just not as dominant as they once were. The big loss for them is the slight downgrade in Keith. The problem is no one to take the pressure off of him

 

[34]

Edmonton needs to be higher on the list. 1 successful season in the last 10, with no real indication that anything has changed.

Exactly, Edmonton is awful.