Your pick for worst team in the league this season?

[Michoulicious]

If Bergevin is allowed to continue to make trades then Montreal will be bottom 5 for years. He's been that bad. I'm having a hard time remembering a deal where he hasn't downgraded the talent of the team.

I think he actually made a few good trades in the last few months.

M. Reilly looks like a great value addition to that blueline for a 2019 5th round pick, and I'm quite a fan of the return he got for Pacioretty, especially when we factor what the other "big names" (Hoffman, Skinner, O'Reilly and Karlsson) traded this summer brought back.

Domi for Galchenyuk could go either way, but it was obvious Galchenyuk would not resign and he got a player with more team-controlled years (Domi will be RFA at the end of its current deal, Galchenyuk will be UFA).

I have always been a big fan of Drouin (the guy is pure skill), and I would have made that deal as well at the time of the trade (as would have the vast majority of the HF Boards posters if I recall correctly). I still think it is a bit early to judge the trade (Drouin is still only 23 y old), even if Sergachev had a terrific rookie year.

He got great returns for Eller (2 x 2nd round picks), Weise and Fleichmann.

The big only obvious mistakes were Shaw and Subban trades, and it was clear at the time of the trades as well. There were other bad ones (Ott, Martinsen, Matteau, etc.), but the pieces traded away were not of major value.

The biggest issue with the Habs is their recent past (last 7-8 years or so) inability to draft/develop high-end NHLers. The trades have not been a major factor IMO.

 

[Bedards Dad]

If Bergevin is allowed to continue to make trades then Montreal will be bottom 5 for years. He's been that bad. I'm having a hard time remembering a deal where he hasn't downgraded the talent of the team.

They are still miles above Ottawa. MTL isn't a playoff team, but they arent last place material with Price in net.

 

[IceNeophyte]

And that calculated risk looks incredibly dumb rn with them losing two of their 4 best players almost directly after and after they took a good but safe pick like Tkachuk. If they picked one of the super high ypside players it’d be a lot more easy to defend

Not necessarily....They could have the most lottery balls and draw #6. You never know, a bird in hand.....

 

[RangerDoggo]

Ottawa’s gotta be the worst team in the league by a mile. My dark horse is the Islanders. Their defense is among the worst in the league, they have the Barzal line plus three legitimate fourth lines, and their goaltending should be bad again.

I won’t put the Blackhawks down that low, but they might compete for worst in the West.

 

[missionAvs]

Vancouver, easily.
They'll essentially have 70% of their roster as either castoffs, overpaid 4th line vets and rookies.

People forget they were like a 70-74 point team with the ghosts of the Sedins in their lineup. They lost 2/3 of their top scorers from last season

It's them or the Sens IMO. Sens finished 30th last season and have lost EK and Hoffman (both probably better players than last years Sedins). Not to mention that Pageau is out for over half the season....

 

[valeriammm]

I'm not saying it's the Hawks, but it could be the Hawks.

Over Habs and Sens? Im curious as to why you say that?

 

[GoJetsGo55]

Gotta be the Sens

 

[Red Piller]

Sens, Montreal

Vancouver will be competitive if Petterson makes the team

You think so? In my view not a chance. We have zero goaltending, our defense is awful, and we have 3 good players up front and the rest are awful. We have also lost 2 guys that scored 50 plus points last year, and replaced them with Roussel, beagle, and schaller. We are going to be brutal.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Habs, Sens, Rangers, Wings, Islanders, Coyotes are my best guesses

 

[Habs 4 Life]

I can guarantee the Habs will not be dead last
Much different approach this season and they've finally stopped playing a passive game
I don't think were a playoff team, but we will be a lot more competitive than most think
And finally we are a future to look forward too!!!!

My bet is on Ottawa right now, Duchene will be moved in the next few weeks and I'm sure Stone will probably want out as well

 

[sabremike]

Ottawa’s gotta be the worst team in the league by a mile. My dark horse is the Islanders. Their defense is among the worst in the league, they have the Barzal line plus three legitimate fourth lines, and their goaltending should be bad again.

I won’t put the Blackhawks down that low, but they might compete for worst in the West.

No chance in hell the Isles finish worst, their top 2 lines alone (And the coaching) are going to make them like the 19th or 20th best team. The sad thing is they could've absolutely been a real contender for a playoff spot with the right moves, instead Lou did almost nothing but make terrible mistakes.

 

[Deen]

I think Anaheim is gonna be the suckiest sucks that ever sucked.

 

[Leafs87]

I think the Habs will surprise some teams. Not nearly as bad as some say or think. The Galchenyuk for Domi trade though is horrible

 

[stampedingviking]

Thanks for your opinion and input.

You say "easily", is there any chance in your mind that you may be wrong?

Not easily, Canucks will give them a close run for their money.

 

[PumpkinBombX]

Vancouver easily.

I mean, it has to be right?

With all the other bad teams in the east it's the only possible outcome. They're not even the worst team, but with Detroit, Ottawa, Rangers, montreal etc splitting points with each other Van doesn't have a lot of competition out west, although i'm not as high on the Coyotes as a lot of people.

 

[Scott Stevens]

I'm picking Vancouver. Without the Sedins they're young blue chip forwards are going to struggle and the others are just garbage. I know a lot of their fans want to tank and get the best chance at Hughes, caution from a Sabres fan, blue chip prospects put into a cycle of losing without much GOOD veteran support get damaged, their development is stunted. All they have to guide the kids is Edler, Tanev and Sutter and both Tanev and Edler most likely don't play full seasons. Their goaltending is crap as well.

Ottawa obviously will give them a run for their money.

Do you think if you tried again you could use there/their/they’re properly? Dig deep in those generational eye sized pigman nostrils.

 

[WJCJ]

They are still miles above Ottawa. MTL isn't a playoff team, but they arent last place material with Price in net.

I agree but I think Bergevin might continue to make bad moves that will hurt them.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

Ottawa, Detroit, NYR, Vancouver MTL are easily the worst 5. It's tough to pick from them. I'll go with Detroit.

 

[Silver Tuna]

Ottawa for me
Only team I get the feeling sold play like they've given up on the team from day 1

 

[Holymakinaw]

I'm picking Vancouver. Without the Sedins they're young blue chip forwards are going to struggle and the others are just garbage. I know a lot of their fans want to tank and get the best chance at Hughes, caution from a Sabres fan, blue chip prospects put into a cycle of losing without much GOOD veteran support get damaged, their development is stunted. All they have to guide the kids is Edler, Tanev and Sutter and both Tanev and Edler most likely don't play full seasons. Their goaltending is crap as well.

Ottawa obviously will give them a run for their money.

A good choice, to be sure. Vancouver & Montreal will be in the mix for worst overall.

But I'll go with Ottawa.

 

[WJCJ]

I think he actually made a few good trades in the last few months.

M. Reilly looks like a great value addition to that blueline for a 2019 5th round pick, and I'm quite a fan of the return he got for Pacioretty, especially when we factor what the other "big names" (Hoffman, Skinner, O'Reilly and Karlsson) traded this summer brought back.

Domi for Galchenyuk could go either way, but it was obvious Galchenyuk would not resign and he got a player with more team-controlled years (Domi will be RFA at the end of its current deal, Galchenyuk will be UFA).

I have always been a big fan of Drouin (the guy is pure skill), and I would have made that deal as well at the time of the trade (as would have the vast majority of the HF Boards posters if I recall correctly). I still think it is a bit early to judge the trade (Drouin is still only 23 y old), even if Sergachev had a terrific rookie year.

He got great returns for Eller (2 x 2nd round picks), Weise and Fleichmann.

The big only obvious mistakes were Shaw and Subban trades, and it was clear at the time of the trades as well. There were other bad ones (Ott, Martinsen, Matteau, etc.), but the pieces traded away were not of major value.

The biggest issue with the Habs is their recent past (last 7-8 years or so) inability to draft/develop high-end NHLers. The trades have not been a major factor IMO.

I'm not a Canadiens fan so admittedly I do not know every single transaction, but, I thought the Sergachev/Drouin trade was not a good move at the time because I had watched Drouin and while I see talent, I also see that he is missing something from his game that I think would allow him to get to the next level and now I think it is just very bad. Galchenyuk/Domi is also another talent downgrade in my opinion. The higher profile deals all seem to be bad and leave the Habs less talented than they were before. Sometimes those types of deals may be necessary but I do not think that the majority of Bergevin's bad deals were necessary.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

Tampa Bay

 

[tyhee]

Have you seen Vancouver's defense? (And goaltending)

Everybody can answer yes to that-the Canucks' defence is unchanged from that stellar group that dominated play last season.

The goaltending is probably unchanged as well, though there are still three goalies on the roster so it could change.

As for the main question, while there's a decent chance the Canucks will start really badly for the season as a whole I'll go with the Sens. They were bad last year, lost Karlsson and Hoffman and one has to expect morale to be low.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

anybody mentionned the Islanders or Devils yet?

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Ottawa’s gotta be the worst team in the league by a mile. My dark horse is the Islanders. Their defense is among the worst in the league, they have the Barzal line plus three legitimate fourth lines, and their goaltending should be bad again.

I won’t put the Blackhawks down that low, but they might compete for worst in the West.

Devils fan. The Isles "highest" fourth line may have Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, and Brock Nelson on it. Legitimate grinders all.
Admit it, you are afraid you will slip back and finish behind us.
LOL!