NHL Teams That Are Facing Brutal Upcoming Schedules

We're in the very early stages of the NHL season, and for some teams, there's a big mountain to climb in the coming weeks. Between now and the end of October, the schedule is going to put the squeeze on certain clubs.

It can have an enormous impact on an organization, and in some cases—such as it was for Davis Payne and the St. Louis Blues in 2011-12—a coach may not survive a tough early-season schedule with a lot of away games. Payne was fired 13 games into the season after going 6-7-0 with a strong team.

It's especially difficult if the tough part of the schedule arrives after a slow start. Here are six NHL teams facing a big test in the early part of the 2015-16 season.

Calgary Flames

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The Season so Far: The Calgary Flames have a win and two losses in their first three games this season. They are No. 4 in the Pacific Division.

The Schedule in October: The Flames face the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators on the road—all of those teams offer a substantial challenge. Calgary also has a home-and-home against the Edmonton Oilers and home games against the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens.

Possible Impact on the Season: There aren't many easy games in October for Calgary. The Pacific Division has a few strong teams off to a slow start—including the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks—and that could help the Flames keep pace during a tough month.

Carolina Hurricanes

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The Season so Far: The Carolina Hurricanes lost their first three games of the season and are fifth in the Metropolitan Division. It's been a tough start to the year, but it's early enough to recover. 

The Schedule in October: The Hurricanes are on the road until October 30. They play the Detroit Red Wings twice, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and the New York Islanders before November. The only potential soft opposition is the Colorado Avalanche, with whom they have a home-and-home.

Possible Impact on the Season: Carolina's slow start and tough schedule has been compounded by a long-term injury to James Wisniewski. The team made an effort to improve the roster over the summer, but early returns and the schedule are going to make October difficult for the Hurricanes.

Edmonton Oilers

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The Season so Far: The Edmonton Oilers are 0-4-0 early in the 2015-16 season and are tied for last in the Western Conference. 

The Schedule in October: The Oilers face a flurry of teams that made the playoffs a year ago, and a home game against the Los Angeles Kings isn't a soft game despite their struggles. Edmonton is at Rexall Place against the Kings, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals and has a home-and-home with the Calgary Flames. They are also on the road to the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild.  

Possible Impact on the Season: Edmonton has new management and a slew of new faces, but the slow start and schedule could mean another season lost before Thanksgiving in the U.S. The next few weeks are very important for Todd McLellan and his troops.

Minnesota Wild

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The Season so Far: The Minnesota Wild are 3-0-1 and in a good place, fourth, in the tough Western Conference early in the year.

The Schedule in October: The Wild have an unusual schedule through to the end of October. They have some soft games against the Edmonton Oilers and possibly the Columbus Blue Jackets—although that's a team that could be desperate—but also face some tough tests. Among them are two games against the Anaheim Ducks and single games against the Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues.

Possible Impact on the Season: Minnesota is in a tough division, and any stumble could be catastrophic. The Wild dug a hole last season before Devan Dubnyk was acquired to help save the day. Winning consistently before November arrives is important for Minnesota.

San Jose Sharks

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The Season So Far: The San Jose Sharks are one of the pleasant surprises early this season. They sport a 4-0-0 record and sit on top of the Pacific Division. 

The Schedule In October: The Sharks are full value for their fast start but will need to sustain their success to keep a quality record through October. San Jose plays the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Dallas Stars on the road and faces home games against the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators.  

Possible Impact On the Season: The New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes are also on the schedule, but the weeks before the end of October are going to be an extreme test. If the Sharks can survive the next them, it sets up the first half of the season very well.

St. Louis Blues

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The Season So Far: The St. Louis Blues have a 3-1-0 record and are among several teams near the top of the Western Conference standings. 

The Schedule In October: The Blues have had a mostly easy schedule—including two games against the Edmonton Oilers—but things get tougher before October is out. The Canadian road trip continues with stops against the Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens. Once home later in the month, St. Louis will face the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild.

Possible Impact On the Season: St. Louis is running a lot of youth early in the season, including rookie defender Colton Parayko, who is turning some heads. If they can stay near the top of the Western Conference during a difficult period, we might see the Blues win the Central Division this year.