The NHL is already littered with surprises and disappointments, and Thanksgiving is fast approaching.
Here are the four most disappointing teams to start the season:
Nashville Predators
Preseason expectations: The Predators began the season with high expectations following the free-agent signings of forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei.
Results so far: Things haven’t gone to plan. After Thursday’s 5-1 loss at home to Edmonton (another disappointing team), the Predators are 3-6-1 and seventh in the eight-team Central Division.
“We weren’t ready to play,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said of the loss, per NHL.com.
What has gone wrong: They’ve struggled to score, averaging 2.40 goals per game (30th in the league), and usually elite goaltender Juuse Saros has just a .896 save percentage. For Nashville to make the playoffs, it must improve its defense, too. Its goals-against average is 26th in the NHL (3.60).
Chances they will turn it around: 50/50. The good news is star forwards Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly are producing, tallying nine and eight points, respectively. However, in a tough division that features the Jets, Stars and Wild, who are among the league’s top teams, they face an uphill battle to make the playoffs.
Edmonton Oilers
Preseason expectations: Edmonton came into the season as the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, per FanDuel. Coming off a Stanley Cup Final loss, they added forwards Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson to beef up their already great offense.
Results so far: Edmonton has stumbled, sporting only a 5-5-1 record.
What has gone wrong: The Oilers lost superstar center and captain Connor McDavid for two to three weeks because of an ankle injury suffered Monday versus Columbus. Forward Zach Hyman, who scored 54 goals last season, has one goal and an assist in 11 games.
Overall, Edmonton has only 27 goals in 11 games. With McDavid out, Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (four points in 11 games) and star Leon Draisaitl must carry the weight.
Chances they will turn it around: Pretty good. Even with McDavid out, Draisatl has eight goals and 11 points in 11 games. According to MoneyPuck, Edmonton’s expected goals are third in the league. Couple that with a Pacific Division that may feature bottom-five teams in Anaheim and San Jose, and Edmonton will most likely turn things around.
Boston Bruins
Preseason expectations: The Bruins came into the season looking for their ninth straight postseason appearance. In June, Boston dealt goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators, but Jeremy Swayman seemed poised to become the Bruins’ starter in nets. Free-agent additions Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm also seemed to add needed depth.
Results so far: With a 4-6-1 record, they’ve fallen way below expectations and are tied for last in the Atlantic Division.
What has gone wrong: As is typical for struggling teams, goal scoring seems to be an issue; Boston is ranked just 25th overall with 2.64 goals per game. The Bruins must improve offensively to continue their playoff streak.
Chances they will turn it around: Decent. Although they arguably play in hockey’s toughest division, the Atlantic looks pretty wide open, with the last-place teams within six points of first-place Florida. Look for Swayman to find his groove as well. He’s still trying to find his form after missing training camp and preseason because of a contract dispute. If things start clicking, don’t be surprised if the Bruins go on a run.
Philadelphia Flyers
Preseason expectations: After a surprising near-playoff bid last season, the Flyers hoped to build on that momentum for 2024-25. Although it was mostly a quiet offseason for Philadelphia, they added Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov and Russian forward Matvei Michkov, who are considered among the league’s top prospects.
Results so far: The Flyers have not had the start they envisioned, with a 4-6-1 record and only nine points.
What has gone wrong: A big reason for that is goaltending. Philadelphia is 31st in the league with an .872 save percentage:
Chances they will turn it around: Unlikely. To turn things around in a Metropolitan Division that features the New Jersey Devils (16 points), Washington Capitals (14), Carolina Hurricanes (14) and New York Rangers (13), they need better results in net. So far, none of their goaltenders has shown he can stop the puck efficiently.
“We have to outwork teams,” Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler said, per Nick Tricome of the PhillyVoice following Thursday’s 2-0 road win at Boston. “We have to block shots. We have to play, sometimes … an ugly game.”
They may need much more than that to see the postseason again.
