Six NHL Players Who Have Had Unlucky Starts To The Season

There are times when luck just does not seem to cooperate. Now, over three weeks into the 2026–2027 NHL season, several players have found themselves in unfortunate circumstances and are just unlucky.

With no need to hit the panic button yet, here are players whose campaigns have not gone according to plan so far.

The New Jersey Devils right winger has had high-quality chances but has been unable to convert on them. Through his first 10 games played, Meier has had one goal on 43 shots, going goalless through his first seven games.

The 30-year-old still logs top-six minutes, averaging 16:22 of ice time. His shooting percentage is 2.3 percent, which is well below his 10.5 percent career average across 708 games.

The encouraging sign for New Jersey is that Meier is still generating offence and getting opportunities despite his unlucky finishing rate so far. When on the ice at 5-on-5, the Devils heavily outshoot their opponents and have more chances than their opponents, with a 54.7 percent Corsi percentage, meaning they still control a greater share of shot attempts than their opponents.

After being traded from the Vegas Golden Knights this past off-season following a career-best 64-point year, the expectations have never been higher for him.

Through 12 games, Dorofeyev has two goals on 37 shots, trying to establish himself offensively in his first season with the New York Rangers. While his early production may not yet reflect his previous season, his shot volume and the adjustment to joining a new group show that he is working towards establishing a rhythm in New York.

The 25-year-old's shooting percentage has fallen from 16.1 percent to 5.4 percent early in the season, and with a seven-year, $77-million contract, comes expectations that bring more attention to his overall production.

Averaging 12:40 of ice time per game across eight games played, Conor Garland has been pointless. The right winger has a proven track record of offensive production, recording 50 points in 81 games during the 2024–2025 season with the Vancouver Canucks.

Since opening the 2026–2027 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Garland has changed line combinations at least five times, with his role changing almost game by game, sometimes period by period.

With seven shots in total this season, the 30-year-old seems to be struggling not only with finishing opportunities but also with generating them. His bad luck to begin the season may not stem solely from being in front of the net but also from finding his place in Columbus. It's difficult when he is sometimes used in the top six and on the power play, only to be relegated to the fourth line at other times, in his first full season with the Blue Jackets.

It has been a combination of bad luck for both the Carolina Hurricanes captain and the team. Jordan Staal recorded 36 points in 75 regular-season games just last year, when the Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup.

However, to start this season, the veteran went without scoring in his first six games, with just six shots on net despite averaging 15:34 of ice time. His early scoring troubles were then compounded by an injury when Staal tore a calf muscle, causing him to miss one to two months.

Despite his absence, Carolina still sits one point above the Edmonton Oilers for first in the league, going into the weekend with an 8–2–2 record. His unlucky start goes beyond a scoring drought, considering his eight goals and 12 points in 19 playoff games just last season.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson established himself last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs after a 39-point campaign across 78 games, providing offence from the blueline.

However, frustration has hit during the 2026–2027 season, as he has recorded just one assist and has yet to score a goal in his first 12 games. He has moved from the second power-play unit to none at all during this opening stretch.

His opportunities have been limited, with just 19 seconds of power-play time per game, which is a notable reduction from the 1:50 per game he logged last season. Ekman-Larsson has had only six shots so far, and his reduced role has made it more difficult for him to replicate the previous year he had. He is a prime example of how changing circumstances affect a player's start to the season.

Another case of a breakout season with his team last season, Cutter Gauthier scored 41 goals and 69 points in 76 games with the Anaheim Ducks. Leading the team in both categories that year, the 22-year-old has now played nine games with only two goals, despite having 30 shots.

He is looking to establish himself as one of the most dangerous offensive players and was on track to continue that momentum, recording four points in his first four games until an upper-body injury abruptly stopped his momentum.

His disrupted momentum speaks more to his bad luck than his production. With an injury potentially interrupting an exciting run, Gauthier has still had struggles finding the scoresheet since returning.

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