Mike’s Drive For 5

For this week’s column, we’ll look at the teams that might already be done. The saying goes that you can’t win a title in the first month but you can certainly lose one. These five might have done that. 

5. New York Islanders

The past week can be summarized with anything that could go wrong for them did. The New York Islanders saw the injury bug bite them big with Alexander Romanov, Mathew Barzal, and Adam Pelech all sidelined. 

This would have been bad enough but then the losses started to pile in. They suffered a 6-3 defeat to the Florida Panthers, a game that they led 3-0 early on. Then they lost back-to-back games to the Anaheim Ducks and the Columbus Blue Jackets where they scored only one goal in the two games. 

The Islanders are near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and the outlook isn’t great. They have to climb out of a hole that is starting to become insurmountable.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins needed a great start and they’ve had anything but one. They were 3-2 five games in but then lost six games in a row and even worse, they looked awful doing so. 

This team looks like an aging group that is carried by a few stars. Even worse, they can’t defend from the net out. They can’t hold on to a lead and opponents are running up the score on them with ease. 

If they don’t turn things around, they could be looking at some big changes in the offseason. They sit at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and the only way up is by moving on from some key skaters.

3. Philadelphia Flyers

The last Metropolitan Division team to make this list. The Flyers have a promising rebuild but it’s anything but to begin this season. They have only won four of their first 12 games and the outlook isn’t that promising. 

The offense is awful outside of Matvei Michkov and Travis Konecny who have combined for nine goals and 10 assists early on. Then there’s the defense which isn’t that bad but the awful goaltending makes it a weakness. 

The Flyers were looking to take a step forward this season after missing the playoffs by a few points. Instead, they took a big step back and unless things turn around, they are sure to be sellers at the trade deadline.

2. Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks were another team that was hoping to take a big step forward. The four-game skid didn’t help the cause. They can turn it around but the roster build makes it hard for them to do so.

Yes, they have Connor Bedard who is the next generational talent in the NHL. However, a lot of the roster is veteran-heavy with key skaters on the decline. Then there are the young skaters who are still developing and not ready to win at the NHL level.

Pair the two parts of the roster together and there’s a team at the bottom of the Central Division. They will steal a few games down the stretch but don’t expect them to make noise in the standings. 

1. San Jose Sharks

The Sharks have three wins this season. They were the worst team in the NHL last season and once again look that way. It’s going to be a long rebuild for this team.

To be fair, a lot of their young skaters aren’t available early on this season. Macklin Celebrini is week-to-week with an injury and the 2024 number one overall pick isn’t providing that spark to the offense as a result. Likewise, Will Smith has only started to make an impact.

The Sharks have the pieces to contend in the future. Just not this season and it makes the outlook moving forward a bleak one.