THN.com/podcast. From THN On The 'E': The Ultimate ECHL Team Nickname Rankings Andreas Athanasiou scores the eventual game-winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 11, 2023. Chicago's win eliminated the Penguins from playoff contention. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk5NjgzNjE0NTM4MDE2Mzg0/usatsi_20444982.jpg] Andreas Athanasiou scores the eventual game-winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 11, 2023. Chicago's win eliminated the Penguins from playoff contention. Summer is a time when hockey fans can be optimistic about their favorite team. Every NHL club has a perfect record as hope springs eternal for millions of hockey fans who believe that this year is their year – or at least that this year is their year not to end up disappointed in their team by the end of the season. Speaking of disappointment, here’s how your favorite NHL team will disappoint you in 2023-24. Anaheim Ducks: It’s been a miserable five years for the Ducks, who have been stuck in the basement of the league’s standings since they last made the playoffs in 2018. Goalie John Gibson’s been on the trade block, but the disappointment will be the return they get for the 30-year-old netminder when they finally move him. Arizona Coyotes: On the ice, the Coyotes should make improvements, but their young core isn’t quite playoff-ready yet. The disappointment will come off the ice as the franchise's arena situation is still up in the air. Boston Bruins: Boston sports fans know that Father Time is undefeated. He even beat Tom Brady in 2023. Patrice Bergeron has retired, and David Krejci still hasn’t decided on his future. Father Time has caught up to the Bruins as they’ll fall from grace in 2023-24. Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres are on the upswing and ready to take the next step – as long as Devon Levi (or anyone for that matter) proves he’s a No. 1 goalie. Calgary Flames: If the disappointing return for 73-point winger Tyler Toffoli is a sign of things to come, it’ll be the trade market that disappoints Flames fans in 2023-24. Carolina Hurricanes: Close but close doesn’t cut it has been the story of the Hurricanes in the playoffs. Another year of not getting over the hump in the post-season will leave the Caniacs disappointed. Chicago Blackhawks: If Chicago runs it back with the goalie tandem of Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom – both of whom had .894 save percentages last season – fans will be left disappointed knowing Connor Bedard won’t be able to outscore the Blackhawks’ goaltending woes. Colorado Avalanche: It’s hard for fans to be disappointed when you’re a little more than a year removed from winning the Stanley Cup, but last spring, the Avalanche were bounced in the first round, losing Game 7 to Seattle. Last year, the Avs battled injuries and will be without captain Gabriel Landeskog for all of 2023-24 – the injury bug could be what disappoints Avs fans this season. Columbus Blue Jackets: Mike Babcock’s tenure in Toronto ended in disaster. The former Team Canada bench boss hasn’t coached in the NHL since the Leafs fired him in November 2019. That didn’t stop the Blue Jackets from hiring him on July 1 after the eight-year deal he signed with the Leafs in 2015 expired. If Babcock hasn’t learned from his mistakes in Toronto, then there’s a list of reasons for Blue Jackets fans to be disappointed. Dallas Stars: The Stars have elite forwards, an elite netminder in Jake Oettinger and an elite defenseman in Miro Heiskanen. The Finn will contend for the Norris Trophy, but the blueline is thin behind him. Will it cost them a Cup? Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings will be fun to watch this year after adding Alex DeBrincat to a good young core. Unfortunately, Moritz Seider won’t be able to carry the defensive load on his back, and Wings fans will have to wait just a bit longer for their playoff return. Edmonton Oilers: The playoffs are all that matters for the Oilers. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will do incredible things, but anything short of a Stanley Cup is a disappointment. Florida Panthers: The Panthers had a worse record than the Flames in 2023-24 but showed anything can happen in the playoffs. Matthew Tkachuk, Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad all sustained significant injuries in the playoffs, and the last two are expected to miss opening night. The Atlantic Division is strong enough that last season’s magical run will come at the cost of a disappointing 2023-24. Los Angeles Kings: The Kings have a prolific offense and rock-solid defense, but they lack a No. 1 option in net, which could be their downfall in 2023-24. Minnesota Wild: The dead cap from the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts is still on the books, and the Wild didn’t do anything significant this off-season. Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear, as Dallas, Arizona and even Chicago have all improved this summer. Montreal Canadiens: The rebuilding Habs enter their third season removed from making it to the Stanley Cup final. In Kent they trust, but if the Canadiens spend another year in the league’s basement, will their fans become impatient? Nashville Predators: The Preds missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2014. Much of the core from the run to the 2017 Cup final is gone, and while additions of Ryan O’Reilly and Luke Schenn will help establish a new culture, the on-ice product may be worse than expected. New Jersey Devils: The Devils have an elite forward group loaded with young talent. But starting goalie Vitek Vanecek will need to drastically improve his career .834 save percentage in the playoffs if the Devils want to accomplish something memorable. New York Islanders: The Islanders are stuck in the middle and haven’t made any notable additions to their roster in free agency, although savvy GM Lou Lamoriello may be hiding things from us. Fans will be disappointed as the Islanders continue falling from their final conference grace. New York Rangers: Tick tock, Manhattan. It’s time for Alexis Lafreniere to perform to the expectations of a first overall pick, for his and the Rangers’ sake. Fans will be disappointed if progress isn’t made in his development. Ottawa Senators: GM Pierre Dorion and coach D.J. Smith return despite the Senators missing the playoffs for their sixth straight season. They added Vladimir Tarasenko, Dominik Kubalik and Joonas Korpisalo this summer, but in a stacked Atlantic Division, the Sens may still disappoint their fans and extend this drought to seven seasons. Pittsburgh Penguins: The Penguins are in win-now mode but disappointed their fans last season by missing the playoffs for the first time since Sidney Crosby’s rookie campaign. Kyle Dubas made some additions this summer, but will the stench left from the Ron Hextall and Brian Burke Era still linger? If so, it could be a disappointing 2023-24 for Pittsburgh. Philadelphia Flyers: Fans should probably think of the returns they’ll get for some of their players on the trade block because the on-ice product won’t be pretty in Philadelphia. San Jose Sharks: Erik Karlsson had a career resurgence in 2022-23, and the Sharks are expected to get a good haul for the reigning Norris Trophy winner. If the Sharks overplayed their hand and Karlsson’s performance declines this season, fans should be furious if the Sharks get a diminished return. Seattle Kraken: The Kraken surprised many by making the playoffs and upsetting the Avalanche in the first round. Now that fans have had a taste of post-season success, it could spell disappointment if Seattle takes a step back. St. Louis Blues: The next time the Blues get into a line brawl, fans will be disappointed again when Jordan Binnington throws fake punches and robs them of another goalie fight. Tampa Bay Lightning: The Lightning have done an excellent job replacing their depth players while keeping the core intact. This summer, they lost Alex Killorn and Ross Colton, and if they can’t catch lightning in a bottle with their replacements, it won’t be the same Lightning as years past. Toronto Maple Leafs: They’ll be great in the regular season, they’ll make the necessary additions at the trade deadline, and all the signs will point to this year being different. Naturally, it’ll be the same cycle for Leafs Nation as in previous years. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks’ front office believes they are good enough to make the playoffs in 2023-24. Fans will be disappointed when they finish sixth in the Pacific. Vegas Golden Knights: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas – except the Stanley Cup, which will head elsewhere in 2023-24. Washington Capitals: The Capitals missed the playoffs in 2022-23 and haven’t won a playoff round since they won the Stanley Cup in 2018. The Caps could see more of the same disappointment in 2023-24, but at least Ovechkin is chasing Gretzky’s record. Winnipeg Jets: The Jets moved on from Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois this off-season, and this year might be when they completely pull the chute on their core, especially with Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck as pending UFAs.
