Rangers, Maple Leafs Voted Among Worst-Run NHL Franchises in 2026 Agent Poll

As the Vancouver Canucks missed the playoffs for the ninth time in 11 seasons, some agents around the NHL believe the organization's problems are wide-ranging.

The Canucks received the most votes (seven) from 22 agents who picked the "worst-run franchise" in a poll conducted by The Athletic's James Mirtle, Chris Johnston and Michael Russo. One respondent simply called Vancouver "a mess."

"They really don't have the infrastructure that the players need to remove excuses," another agent said. "It just seems there's a lot of soap opera stuff going on around there. I just think management needs to do a better job of keeping things in-house."

The New York Rangers were second on the list with four votes.

"Deep down, they forget everybody's a human being," an agent said. "They're too forceful, and I think everything can be worked out one way or the other."

The Toronto Maple Leafs were among the six teams to get one vote. The Leafs' nine-year playoff streak came to an end this season, and one agent believes Toronto is now stuck in a tough position.

"They've mismanaged a lot of things, and in order to do something now, it's going to have to be very bold," they said. "And I'm talking trade a big guy."

The Canucks were also the second-highest vote-getter on the question of the team with the most difficult front office to engage with.

"No alignment with what's happening in the organization. It just can't get going anywhere. Just a discombobulation," one agent said. "Good people, nice guys, but it's just not working. So it makes it difficult for you to manage to bring a free agent there, hypothetically."

Some teams can overcome a hurdle like bad ownership, a general manager who has whiffed on high-profile moves, or a coach who isn't putting his players in the best position to succeed.

But internal dysfunction is often the hallmark of bad teams. Negative reputations are bound to find their way into conversations within the league as well.

In the case of New York and Toronto, that can cancel out whatever advantages a franchise possesses by virtue of its market and past history.

Looking ahead to the offseason, the Rangers and the Canucks are facing an uphill climb as they try to pick up the pieces from a disappointing season. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, are counting on a new general manager to chart the course moving forward.