The Best Players on Bad Teams in the NHL in 2015-16

This is a tough time of year for a specific player type in the NHL: quality players on poor teams. Despite their best efforts—and exceptional personal performances—their teams are falling or have fallen off the pace.

In some cases this is a one-time event or short-term issue, but in others quality NHL players are spending their careers in the second division of the league.

Here are the 10 best players in the NHL who are performing for bad teams.

Arizona Coyotes: Oliver Ekman-Larsson

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How Good Is He? Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Arizona Coyotes is a splendid offensive player and an impact power-play defenseman.  

What Is Wrong With His Team? This will be the fourth year in a row outside the playoffs for the Coyotes. They are close to average offensively but are among the worst defensive teams in the NHL. Part of the problem is certainly goaltending, with all four goalies this season posting a subpar save percentage. 

Will Things Get Better? The Coyotes have some fine players and outstanding prospects, plus one of the best coaches in the NHL in Dave Tippett. If they stay the course with the youth movement and can afford to retain their best players, they should be a contender in short order.

Buffalo Sabres: Ryan O'Reilly

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How Good Is He? Ryan O'Reilly of the Buffalo Sabres is a complete center who is leading his team through a difficult rebuilding season. He is posting offense at even strength and on the power play, and he is 57 percent in the face-off circle.

What Is Wrong With His Team? The Sabres are a building team and are much improved over last season and the year before. The issues in Buffalo have to do with the lessons of youth, as opposed to poor management or coaching. 

Will Things Get Better? Among the teams trying to dig out from the bottom of the NHL standings, Buffalo has one of the brightest futures. At every position, there is a young cornerstone player, including Jack Eichel, Rasmus Ristolainen and Sam Reinhart. Things are looking up for the Sabres.

Calgary Flames: Johnny Gaudreau

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How Good Is He? Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames is one of the best young offensive players in the game. He plays 20 minutes a night, delivers even-strength offense and is dangerous every time he is on the ice. 

What Is Wrong With His Team? The Flames enjoyed a dream season in 2014-15, finishing with 97 points. This season, the team has struggled badly and will finish far from the playoffs. The biggest issue is the goaltending, with all three options finishing well down the list in important categories like save percentage. 

Will Things Get Better? Calgary has drafted well and features brilliant talents up front like Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Its defense is a veteran crew, one of the best top four in the NHL. If management can improve the goaltending to league average or better, the Flames could push for a playoff berth again next year.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Brandon Saad

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How Good Is He? Brandon Saad of the Columbus Blue Jackets is a fine young scorer and a big part of the team's future. Despite moving from the Chicago Blackhawks to the less talented Blue Jackets this season, his scoring rates have improved. 

What Is Wrong With His Team? The Blue Jackets are having a miserable season, after enjoying two strong years of 93 and 89 points. Columbus management seems to be in an impossible situation, typified by the trade of Ryan Johansen for Seth Jones recently. Although Jones is clearly a substantial part of the future, the team depth chart at center—Johansen's position—is now so thin it is alarming. 

Will Things Get Better? Among the teams near the bottom of the standings this year, Columbus might be the most disconcerting. It has so many holes on its roster that we might see a change in coach or manager next season.

Edmonton Oilers: Taylor Hall

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How Good Is He? Taylor Hall is one of the best offensive wingers in the NHL. He ranks inside the league's top-20 scorers and is well clear of his teammates in points this season. 

What Is Wrong With His Team? The Oilers have been a poor team for a decade, but there are signs of improvement. The team should finish with an improved record over last year, and its players have endured a large number of injuries during the campaign.

Will Things Get Better? Edmonton has been under the leadership of Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan for less than a year. Improvement has been made, but we could see some major moves this summer in an effort to turn the team north and toward the playoffs.

Montreal Canadiens: P.K. Subban

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How Good Is He? P.K. Subban is a brilliant defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens. He is an impact offensive player and winner of the 2013 Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defender. He is also a wonderful possession player, giving veteran Andrei Markov a boost this season on Montreal's top pairing—as shown by Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com. 

What Is Wrong With His Team? The Canadiens posted more than 100 points in the two years previous to 2015-16, but injuries have devastated the roster. At current pace, Montreal will finish with around 82 points, with Carey Price's injury being the major factor. Pat Hickey from the Montreal Gazette updated the situation on Price and others recently.

Will Things Get Better? Montreal is so far off the pace now that any talk of playoffs for this season is folly. If Price is healthy in the fall, a return to 100 points and a deep playoff run is possible—even likely. The worry is the Canadiens may be vulnerable if Price gets hurt again, and there may be not an alternative to going out and adding a substantial backup goalie this summer.

Ottawa Senators: Erik Karlsson

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How Good Is He? Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators is the best offensive defenseman of his generation. He won the Norris Trophy as best defender in 2012 and again in 2015. He currently leads the NHL in assists.

What Is Wrong With His Team? The Senators are below average in several important areas—including power play goals-against and total goals-against. The team was slow to address a severe weakness on defense, and the trade for Dion Phaneuf was not immediately beneficial.

Will Things Get Better? Ottawa is a curious team at this time. It is developing a lot of young talent—vital in today's NHL—but seems to have issues figuring out how to use that talent, as related in an article by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. General manager Bryan Murray and coach Dave Cameron were a fantastic combination a year ago, but 2015-16 hasn't produced a miracle. Wasting another impact season from Karlsson may have implications for both manager and coach if this continues. 

Toronto Maple Leafs: Nazem Kadri

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How Good Is He? Nazem Kadri of the Toronto Maple Leafs is an effective two-way center who has been delivering solid even-strength offensive this year. His low shooting percentage this season is camouflaging an impressive campaign. 

What Is Wrong With His Team? The Maple Leafs are in rebuild mode, and this season has relied on men like Kadri to help them through a major transition. 

Will Things Get Better? Toronto's rebuild is going to involve some growing pains, but the team has some impressive young veterans who should help the younger players—with Kadri front and center. These young vets should do the heavy lifting in the next couple of years, allowing the gifted youngsters to find their way against softer opponents.

Vancouver Canucks: Henrik and Daniel Sedin

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How Good Are They? Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin remain quality NHL players despite being 35 and past their prime. Both men remain their team's best offensive options and are splendid mentors for the young players coming up through the system.

What Is Wrong With Their Team? The Canucks management is still coming to grips with the aging of the team that went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. This indecision is reflected in the Canucks' inability to trade unrestricted free agents like Dan Hamhuis and Radim Vrbata—a missed opportunity and typical actions of a poorly run organization. 

Will Things Get Better? The Canucks are going the wrong way in a division that features powers in California and rising teams in Alberta. It could be a very difficult season to come in Vancouver.

Winnipeg Jets: Dustin Byfuglien

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How Good Is He? Dustin Byfuglien of the Winnipeg Jets is a physical and offensive force, one of the truly unique players in the game today. 

What Is Wrong With His Team? The Jets are a bit of a mess this season, scoring fewer goals and giving up more than league average. The biggest culprit might be goaltending, where only youngster Connor Hellebuyck is around league average in save percentage. 

Will Things Get Better? Winnipeg is a budget team and has to make tough roster decisions—a recent example being Andrew Ladd and his trade to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Jets are building through the draft, and that should ensure success for a long time once they start making playoff appearances.