6 NHL Teams That Will Likely Disappoint During the 2025-26 Season
NHL training camps are underway in preparation for the 2025-26 regular season.
With the preseason set to begin on September 20 and the regular season commencing on October 3, there is growing excitement and anticipation among NHL fans.
The approaching start of a new season also brings about expectations of improvement for the 32 NHL teams.
Some, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, will be trying to end a long Stanley Cup drought. Others, such as the New York Rangers, hope to rebound from their poor performance last season.
However, these two teams are among the six (three from each conference) that will likely disappoint this season. Read on as we examine the reasons why they could fall short of their goals in 2025-26.
Calgary Flames
1 of 6
Expected to miss the playoffs entering last season, the Calgary Flames exceeded expectations by narrowly missing the 2025 postseason, tying the St. Louis Blues with 96 points but having three fewer wins. That has raised the bar for 2025-26, but this retooling club could still stumble.
Rookie goalie Dustin Wolf was the biggest reason why the Flames overachieved. His solid play made him runner-up for the Calder Memorial Trophy, earning the 24-year-old netminder a seven-year contract extension. However, he could have difficulty adjusting to the heightened scrutiny in his sophomore campaign.
Meanwhile, promising Connor Zary got a three-year bridge deal worth an AAV of $3.8 million. However, he could continue to be hampered by injury and inconsistency. Meanwhile, the jury remains out over whether forwards Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost will reach their potential.
Long-time Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson is UFA-eligible next July and could be moved before the March 6 trade deadline, hurting their blue-line depth. Center Nazem Kadri turns 35 on Oct. 6 and his performance could decline, while veteran winger Jonathan Huberdeau is well past his former 115-point form.
Detroit Red Wings
2 of 6
Over the past two seasons, the Detroit Red Wings were expected to emerge from years of rebuilding into a playoff team. Young players like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond blossomed into stars, and they added veteran talent like Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat.
During those seasons, the Wings would enter March holding a playoff berth, only to stumble and fall out of contention down the stretch. Looking at their current roster entering this season, it could be another disappointing campaign in Motown.
The Red Wings added veteran goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks, but his injury history is a cause for concern. Other offseason additions (James van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton, Ian Mitchell, and Jacob Bernard-Docker) provide depth, but not the kind that suggests this club is a contender.
Assuming Gibson and aging netminder Cam Talbot remain healthy, their blue-line depth beyond Seider and the promising Simon Edvinsson is questionable. It could prove to be their Achilles heel as they try to end nine years of postseason futility.
Los Angeles Kings
3 of 6
After four consecutive first-round playoff exits at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings hired former Oilers general manager Ken Holland as their new GM. Whether he can find a way to crack the code and get the Kings over the first-round hump remains to be seen.
Team captain Anze Kopitar is entering his final season with the Kings after announcing his retirement on Thursday and will undoubtedly be a massive hole to fill when he leaves. But that's not the only issue.
Losing defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to the New York Rangers via free agency wasn't a good start, and trading promising blueliner Jordan Spence to the Ottawa Senators was a headscratcher. Holland replaced them with veterans Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin, which seems like a downgrade.
Holland must get scoring winger Adrian Kempe re-signed before his UFA eligibility next July. Assuming he does, the Kings' GM must find another reliable scoring winger to boost the club's offense. Failing to address that need could see them become first-round roadkill once again.
New York Rangers
4 of 6
Since last December, the New York Rangers have been among the busiest teams when it comes to player movement in the trade and free-agent markets. Unhappy with the club's poor start last season, general manager Chris Drury made several notable trades as he attempted to retool his roster.
Gone are Jacob Trouba, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, Reilly Smith, Chris Kreider, and K'Andre Miller. Their replacements include J.T. Miller, Vladislav Gavrikov, William Borgen, Carson Soucy, Urho Vaakanainen, and Juuso Pärssinen.
Miller, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and emerging power forward Will Cuylle will provide the offensive skill, energy, and leadership. Elite goaltender Igor Shesterkin gives them a chance to win in every game, and former James Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox will anchor the defense corps.
However, questions remain whether forward Mika Zibanejad can regain his high-scoring ways, while winger Alexis Lafreniere's long-awaited breakout has yet to happen. Their checking lines and bottom-three defense lack the skill and experience to match up well against deeper clubs.
Toronto Maple Leafs
5 of 6
Long-suffering Toronto Maple Leafs fans have high expectations that each new season will be the one when their club's long Stanley Cup drought finally ends in triumph. However, this season will likely conclude with more disappointment and frustration.
The Maple Leafs bid farewell to first-line winger Mitch Marner this summer, but they still possess superstar forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Veteran center John Tavares had a 38-goal performance last season, and winger Matthew Knies has emerged as a power forward.
However, they haven't found a suitable replacement for Marner's two-way game. Offseason acquisition Matias Maccelli had a disappointing performance with the Utah Mammoth last season. Two other additions, Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy, bring grit and checking-line depth but not much offense.
Goaltenders Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz had good numbers last season, but haven't carried a team on a deep playoff run. Top defenseman Morgan Rielly lost a step or two last season, while the rest of the blue line doesn't measure up compared to other Eastern Conference contenders like Florida, Carolina, and Tampa Bay.
Winnipeg Jets
6 of 6
The 2024-25 season was the best regular-season performance in franchise history for the Winnipeg Jets. They finished with a league-leading 116 points, winning the Presidents' Trophy for the first time. However, they foundered in the playoffs as the Dallas Stars eliminated them in the second round.
Most Presidents' Trophy winners usually regress to various degrees in the following season. While the Jets should be a playoff team again, it's unlikely they'll finish atop the overall standings for the second straight season.
The Jets lost a valuable part of their second line when winger Nikolaj Ehlers departed for the Carolina Hurricanes via free agency. They didn't find a suitable replacement from outside the organization, meaning they'll need forward Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Perfetti to step up and offset that missing production.
Team captain Adam Lowry is expected to miss the opening month of the regular season after recovering from hip surgery, and it could take more time for him to regain his solid defensive form. The Jets must also fend off the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Minnesota Wild in the tough Central Division.
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