6 NHL Teams Most Likely to Disappoint During the 2023-24 Season
The 2023-24 NHL schedule got underway Tuesday. As with the start of every new season, there's excitement and anticipation among the fans of the 32 clubs that their favorite team will be better than the previous year.
Some of those teams, such as the Ottawa Senators, hope to reach the playoffs following several seasons of rebuilding. Others, such as the Minnesota Wild, are postseason contenders hoping to take the next step and challenge for the Stanley Cup.
Those two teams, however, face significant obstacles that could prove insurmountable this season. They are among our six NHL teams most likely to disappoint in 2023-24.
We've chosen three for each conference, listing the factors that will likely frustrate their efforts to achieve their goals.
Do you agree or disagree with our listing? Are there other clubs that belong here? Let us know in our app comments.
Boston Bruins
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A letdown is inevitable for any team coming off an NHL record-setting season. The Boston Bruins would be hard-pressed to match or exceed their 65-win, 135-point performance in 2022-23. After finishing comfortably atop the standings last year, however, the Bruins could find themselves sitting closer to wild-card contention.
The biggest factor facing them is the lack of top-flight depth at center. With the offseason retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí, salary-cap limitations prevented management from finding suitable replacements via the trade or free-agent markets.
As a result, the Bruins head into this season with Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle centering their top two forward lines. Zacha, 26, spent most of last season skating on the wing, while Coyle usually filled their third-line center role. Both will undoubtedly play their best, but they don't have the same skill level as Bergeron and Krejčí.
Salary-cap constraints also led to the offseason departures of playmaking winger Taylor Hall as well as trade-deadline acquisitions Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitry Orlov. Hall was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, Bertuzzi signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Orlov inked a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Bruins still possess several notable stars who make up their roster core. They have scoring punch in sniper David Pastrňák and new captain Brad Marchand, while their defense corps features Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. They also have their award-winning goaltending tandem of Jeremy Swayman and 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark.
With those players leading the way, the Bruins should remain in playoff contention. However, their depleted overall depth means they won't be dominating the league during the regular season. As a team going through a transition, they're more likely to finish in a wild-card berth than atop the standings.
Florida Panthers
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After winning their first-ever Presidents' Trophy in 2021-22 with a franchise-best 58 victories and 122 points, the Florida Panthers squeaked into the 2023 playoffs with a 92-point performance. However, they surprised the hockey world by marching to the Stanley Cup Final before falling in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights.
With Hart Trophy finalist and playoff hero Matthew Tkachuk, team captain Aleksander Barkov, 40-goal scorer Carter Verhaeghe and promising forwards Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen on the roster, the Panthers will be a competitive club. However, several issues could prevent them from rising above wild-card status this season.
The biggest factor is the ongoing absence of Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Both defensemen remain sidelined recovering from offseason surgeries to repair shoulder injuries suffered during the playoffs. According to general manager Bill Zito, they're unlikely to return until sometime between November and January.
Starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was outstanding during the Panthers' postseason run, but he's been inconsistent in recent years. It was their now-former third-string backup Alex Lyon who got them into the 2023 playoffs before Bobrovsky regained his form. It's doubtful that the 35-year-old netminder can repeat that effort over a full season.
Limited salary-cap space made it difficult for Zito to bolster his roster during the offseason. It also forced him to trade former 31-goal winger Anthony Duclair in a cost-cutting move to the San Jose Sharks. That lack of cap space will hamper Zito's efforts to make any significant additions to improve his club's chances of clinching a playoff spot.
Minnesota Wild
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Entering their 23rd NHL season, the Minnesota Wild have advanced past the second round only once, reaching the Western Conference Final in 2003. Since 2012-13, they missed the playoffs once and advanced to the second round only twice. They could find it tough to break that streak this season.
Led by superstar Kirill Kaprizov and young forward Matthew Boldy, the Wild shouldn't have much difficulty reaching the playoffs. However, they're saddled with $14.7 million in dead cap space from buying out the contracts of aging stars Zach Parise and Ryan Suter two years ago. That's hampered general manager Bill Guerin's efforts to add skilled depth.
The critical factor is their lack of star power among their centermen. Ryan Hartman and Joel Eriksson Ek currently fill those roles on their top two lines, with promising Marco Rossi slated for third-line duty. None of them, however, have the skills to match up well against clubs carrying more talented centers.
The critical factor is their lack of star power among their centermen. Ryan Hartman and Joel Eriksson Ek currently fill those roles on their top two lines, with veteran Frederik Gauthier and promising Marco Rossi slated for third-line duty. None of them, however, have the skills to match up well against clubs with more talented centers.
Depth could also be an issue for their defense corps. Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin fill the top-pairing spots. Nevertheless, they lack a true blue-line stud who can log big minutes, play well at both ends of the rink and anchor the power play.
The goaltending could also be a question mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, 38, showed his age last season and was outperformed by Filip Gustavsson. If the latter struggles, the Wild could be in trouble between the pipes. Aging forwards Mats Zuccarello, 36, and Marcus Foligno, 32, are at risk of decline this season.
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Ottawa Senators
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After several seasons of rebuilding, the Ottawa Senators enter 2023-24 seemingly poised for a big breakthrough campaign. They added veteran scorer Vladimir Tarasenko and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to boost a roster featuring young stars Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle and promising defenseman Jake Sanderson.
The potential is there for the Senators to emulate the 2022-23 New Jersey Devils, who emerged from a lengthy rebuilding phase into a dominant Eastern Conference team. However, there are several potential stumbling blocks that could hamper those efforts.
Josh Norris' ongoing absence is the main factor. Slated to be their second-line center this season, he was sidelined throughout training camp and preseason with a shoulder injury that kept him out for all but eight games in 2022-23. It continues to cast a shadow over his effectiveness for the coming season.
The absence of Shane Pinto during training camp and preseason due to ongoing contract negotiations could also hurt them at the center position. The 22-year-old enjoyed a 20-goal rookie performance last season. However, his lengthy absence from the lineup could adversely affect his play.
Korpisalo has shown potential as a starting goaltender during his tenures with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings. However, this is his first time having the opportunity over a full NHL season. If he and backup Anton Forsberg fail to get the job done, the Senators will remain outside of the playoff picture.
Seattle Kraken
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In just their second NHL season, the Seattle Kraken qualified for the 2023 playoffs, upset the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche and pushed the Dallas Stars to seven games before bowing out in the second round. However, they will find it challenging to meet or exceed last season's accomplishments.
The Kraken overachieved last season, catching teams by surprise with their improved defensive play and timely offense. However, their opponents will be better prepared for their style of game in 2023-24. That could prove to be a difficult adjustment for their roster and coaching staff.
Goaltending depth could become an issue for the Kraken. Starter Philipp Grubauer was spelled last season by backup Martin Jones, but the latter departed during the summer for Toronto as a free agent. That leaves them with Joey Daccord, who has just 19 games of NHL experience.
Special teams are another potential concern. The Kraken were 21st overall in power-play percentage (19.8) and penalty killing (76.7). It wasn't a significant issue last season but could become a problem if they hope to rise higher in the standings this time around.
Leading scorer Jared McCann could struggle to equal last season's 40-goal output. Calder Memorial Trophy winner Matty Beniers could suffer through a sophomore slump. Time could catch up with 33-year-old winger Jordan Eberle, while defenseman Vince Dunn could feel the pressure to match his career-best 60-point performance.
Winnipeg Jets
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The Winnipeg Jets will seek a more consistent effort this season following their erratic performance in 2022-23. Following a strong first half, they stumbled through the final two months of the regular season and barely made the playoffs. They were subsequently bounced from the opening round in six games by the Vegas Golden Knights.
That sparked offseason speculation of a roster shake-up. Center Pierre-Luc Dubois was traded to the Los Angeles Kings and former captain Blake Wheeler was bought out of the final year of his contract. With a year remaining on their contracts, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele were frequent subjects of trade speculation.
However, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff opted to sign Hellebuyck and Scheifele to seven-year contract extensions. He's betting that they can help his club not just reach the playoffs but also contend for the Stanley Cup. Whether those two can carry this inconsistent roster to greater heights remains to be seen.
Nikolaj Ehlers' health will likely remain a concern. The 27-year-old winger is productive when healthy, but he's been frequently hampered by injuries, including neck spasms that caused him to miss the entire preseason. Their blue-line depth suffered a blow when promising Ville Heinola was sidelined for two to three months with a broken ankle.
With Dubois gone, the Jets will turn to youngster Cole Perfetti to center their second line. The 21-year-old possesses potential with his puck-handling and playmaking skills. However, he'll be taking on significant responsibilities with his new role that could prove overwhelming to the inexperienced youngster.
2022-23 stats and standings via NHL.com. Salary info and line combinations via CapFriendly.
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