The NHL is so often focused, for good reason, on the races at the top of the standings, but the NHL Sour Rankings looks at the bottom.
With the regular season complete, we now have the final standings and can examine their NHL draft lottery odds and what they might do moving forward.
San Jose Sharks, 20-50-12
Lottery odds: 18.5 percent
First-overall odds: 25.5 percent
The Sharks finished last in the NHL for a second straight year, which means they have the best odds for first overall once again. They won the first-overall pick last year, taking likely Calder Trophy finalist Macklin Celebrini, giving them a top-line center for the next decade and more.
The vibes were high this year despite their unfortunate results, and that can be attributed to the success of the rookies, the fun that the team had on and off the ice and an understanding that they weren’t expected to be great this year.
If they get another top pick, blueliner Matthew Schaefer seems like the obvious choice for San Jose. He would give them a defender to build around and slot other prospects, such as Sam Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni, into spots that better fit their skill set.
NHL Rumor Roundup: Blackhawks To Target Mitch Marner? Sharks To Shop First-Overall Pick?This was a difficult season for the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks. They improved marginally over their 2023-24 campaign amid concerns of growing frustration from franchise star Connor Bedard.
Chicago Blackhawks, 25-46-11
Lottery and first-overall odds: 13.5 percent
While the vibes were high in San Jose, the opposite was true for Chicago.
Connor Bedard had 67 points this season, six more than his rookie year, but his points per game were down from 0.9 to 0.82. Frank Nazar looked good when he got into the lineup, and Artyom Levshunov had some bright moments when he got to the NHL.
Chicago’s issue is it had so many injuries and plenty of underwhelming performances from the veterans. They just didn’t take the step they were expecting to take this year. You could see the frustration on the faces of players on a nightly basis, and the team was just down in the dumps from October to April.
If they get the first-overall pick, pairing Michael Misa with Bedard would give them a one-two punch down the middle that opposing teams would envy, but they still need to surround them with steadying vets, something they were unable to do last summer.
Nashville Predators, 30-44-8
Lottery and first-overall odds: 11.5 percent
No matter how many times we’ve checked in on the NHL Sour Rankings, seeing Nashville down here continues to be perplexing, at least until you watch the Predators play. They have a talented roster, and the lack of a full teardown at the deadline likely means the organization believes this season was a blip on the radar.
They won last off-season when they signed Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. They have a lot of talent with goalie Juuse Saros, left winger Filip Forsberg and defenseman Roman Josi, but getting everyone healthy and ready to go next season will be key.
If they win the lottery, adding Misa or Schaefer would be a great addition, as they could start building the future while competing immediately next season. The Preds are a wild card going into the summer.
Philadelphia Flyers, 33-39-10
Lottery and first-overall odds: 9.5 percent
After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, the Flyers finished last in the East this season. They did, however, bring in high-flying rookie Matvei Michkov, who lived up to expectations, reaching the 60-point plateau in his first season and delivering on the promise of a future star immediately. Management traded several former key pieces, and they have their eyes set on the future.
They won’t have John Tortorella behind the bench because, despite the moderate success he had last season, he was outwardly frustrated with the team, which led to his firing. His rants and raves in the media were enough.
The team is looking to usher in a new era centered around Michkov, and a top-five pick this summer would be a big piece in building toward a better future.
Pluses And Minuses: What The Flyers, Blackhawks And Bruins Must Consider With Their Interim CoachesThe Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago
Blackhawks have more in common than their lackluster seasons.
Boston Bruins, 33-39-10
Lottery and first-overall odds: 8.5 percent
As much as everyone outside of Boston seems to be enjoying the downfall of the once-strong Bruins, they moved on from the old guard and are focused on building around Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak. It also means the Bruins are slated to get a top-five pick and have a decent chance at first overall.
If the Bruins were to draft Misa or Schaefer, they’d get a new top prospect who sets them up for another run at being a contender for a very long time. The Bruins have been a contender for over a decade, and this year was a true fall from grace, but with the players they sold and the young players coming, they shouldn’t be down here long.
Seattle Kraken, 35-41-6
Lottery and first-overall odds: 7.5 percent
The Kraken seem to understand where they are, and they did a good job this season of making the right moves at the deadline to help set themselves up for the future.
They have some very solid young players, such as Matty Beniers and Shane Wright, and their prospect pool is solid, but they need a true difference-maker and a centerpiece to build around. Misa or Schaefer could be that player. The Kraken would benefit from a lottery win, but they’re in a good spot to get another solid young player regardless.
Buffalo Sabres, 36-39-7
Lottery and first-overall odds: 6.5 percent
Why are you still here? That’s the question everyone, Sabres fan or not, has been asking this squad, which sits at the bottom of the standings once again.
It’s tough to gauge what Buffalo needs. They have some solid forwards, some studs on the back end and a couple of good goalies. Obviously, adding Misa, Schaefer or any other top-end talent in this draft will be a good thing, but the Sabres need to figure out how to get out of the basement, period.
Anaheim Ducks, 35-37-10
Lottery and first-overall odds: 6.0 percent
The Ducks were an interesting team this year. They have a lot of young talent up and down the roster, with more on the way. They have some crafty veterans as well. Anaheim seems to be on the rise, and it had a better second half of the season as its young players continued to improve and get more comfortable at the NHL level. It’s going to be interesting to see what they add at the draft and how they rise next year.
Pittsburgh Penguins, 34-36-12
Lottery and first-overall odds: 5.0 percent
The Penguins are in a downfall. We are seeing the final years of Sidney Crosby’s NHL career come on a team with very little chance of contention unless something drastic changes.
If they wind up with the eighth-overall pick, they aren’t getting a player who can change their fortunes anytime soon. Even if they win the lottery and get their choice of player at the top, they can’t rely on a rookie to be the Robin to Crosby’s Batman and hope for success. They need to decide on what comes next for this team, with or without Sid.
New York Islanders, 35-35-12
Lottery and first-overall odds: 3.5 percent
The Islanders decided to move Brock Nelson, bringing in Calum Ritchie and proving they needed to retool some things at the very least.
They need to add more speed and skill to the roster. They have needs all over the lineup. The Islanders are dangerously close to sitting in the mushy middle for years. A lottery win would be great for this team, but any added skill would help long-term.
New York Rangers, 39-36-7
Lottery and first-overall odds: 3.0 percent
Oh, how the mighty have fallen – and it was ugly.
The Rangers’ season fell off the rails early. After an off-season in which they tried to trade captain Jacob Trouba, tensions were high coming into the year, and things just continued to go south from there. The team traded notable players during the season, including Trouba, Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil, while bringing in J.T. Miller and Will Borgen, among other assets.
It’s been a weird year. They are the last team that could move up into the first-overall selection with the lottery, but with the luck they’ve had this year, I wouldn’t count on it.
Larkin Expresses Frustration with Red Wings Trade Deadline ApproachDylan Larkin is not just the Red Wings captain. He is also the team’s longest tenured player, the only one left with first hand experience of playoff hockey in Detroit, and he grew up 40 minutes northwest of Little Caesars Arena in Waterford. When you put it all together, it’s no surprise that Larkin wears his team’s shortcomings and nine season playoff drought the hardest. At Saturday’s locker clean-out day, Larkin expressed one particular aspect of that frustration.
Detroit Red Wings, 39-35-8
Lottery odds: 2.5 percent (0 percent for first overall)
Forever the bridesmaid and never the bride. Is that comment about the playoffs or the draft lottery? No one knows, but it’s certainly true in both cases for the Red Wings.
The Wings were in a playoff spot for long stretches this season before falling out at the end, just as they did last year. They also weren’t bad enough to even be in the running for first overall as the first team outside of the range to move into the top pick.
Detroit’s best players were its young, homegrown talent. Its worst were the guys it signed to insulate the younger players. Fix the surrounding roster, and the young guys will probably get them to the postseason. It feels that simple, but the Yzerplan is struggling to get it going.
Columbus Blue Jackets, 40-33-9
Lottery odds: 2.0 percent (0 percent for first overall)
The Blue Jackets were the darlings of the season.
They were in the running for a playoff spot up until their last game, and they had so many good things happen to them on the ice. Adam Fantilli’s ascension was fantastic, reaching the 30-goal mark. The duo of Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov elevated their game even more this season. Zach Werenski is a Norris Trophy contender.
The Blue Jackets were legitimately fun this season after an off-season filled with tragedy. A lottery win wouldn’t get them into the top two, but it would help them add another promising young talent for a team on the rise.
Utah Hockey Club, 38-31-13
Lottery odds: 1.5 percent (0 percent for first overall)
In their first season in Utah, the former Coyotes players looked like they were having fun again.
The team was finding some level of success on the ice and plenty more off of it. Utah still has some holes, and its young players are improving, but it could use a few more prospects entering the NHL and making an impact. Thankfully, the Hockey Club has a solid stable of players coming. This team is close to making a push for the playoffs, which could happen as soon as next season.
Vancouver Canucks, 38-30-14
Lottery odds: 0.5 percent (0 percent for first overall)
The Vancouver Canucks were essentially the Rangers-West, which made it all the more entertaining when the Canucks swapped Miller for Chytil and a pick just to flip the pick for more immediate help.
The constant drama around the club, from the Elias Pettersson and Miller saga to the weird pending divorce with Brock Boeser, made the season a drag. This team has elite talent, such as Quinn Hughes, but they need a return to form for Pettersson and a lot of other things to fall into place, or they will become the epitome of the mediocre mushy middle.
Rick Tocchet Sounds Like He Has Unfinished Business With The Vancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are out of the playoffs and moving into summer mode, but 2024 Jack Adams Award winner Rick Tocchet will hold onto the title of NHL coach of the year for a few more weeks.
Calgary Flames, 41-27-14, (Montreal Owns Pick)
Lottery odds: 0.5 percent (0 percent for first overall)
Montreal owns Calgary’s first-round pick, but Calgary has New Jersey’s, so they shouldn’t be too upset with how this season went. They had star rookie Dustin Wolf assert himself as the guy in net, Jonathan Huberdeau quietly had a very good season, and the Flames almost made the playoffs despite many predicting them to sit near the bottom.
Calgary needs to build on what they did this season, and finding a way to continue adding young talent will help ensure that it’s not just a one- or two-season playoff contention window.
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