NHL Teams Most in Need of the 2017 All-Star Break

All 30 NHL teams started the season with significant hopes for the coming year. Not every team has a chance of winning the Stanley Cup, but building a better team and a climb in the standings offer fans and management an indication that things are heading in the right direction.

As we approach the All-Star break, there are worrisome indicators in several cities. Some teams are approaching the proverbial halfway point with real problems, and they could be selling at the deadline instead of printing playoff tickets. The tight standings offer some cover—there are only two teams in the league out of contention—but there is concern in some NHL boardrooms.

Here are the NHL teams most in need of breaks and restarts to their 2016-17 seasons.

Arizona Coyotes

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Record in 2015-16: 35-39-8 (78 points, fourth in the Pacific)

Record in 2016-17: 15-26-6 (36 points, seventh in the Pacific)

The biggest problem here appears to be goals. A year ago, the Arizona Coyotes finished 23rd in goals, with 2.52 per 60 minutes. This season, that total is a mere 2.10 per 60, which ranks 29th out of 30 NHL teams, per Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.

The Coyotes are a young and rebuilding team, and as is the case with all rebuilds, these are trying times. The veteran members of the Arizona squad may not play with the team long enough to see a playoff game, but there is little doubt the talent level is substantial, if inexperienced.

Calgary Flames

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Record in 2015-16: 35-40-7 (77 points, fifth in the Pacific)

Record in 2016-17: 24-24-3 (51 points, fourth in the Pacific)

The Calgary Flames started the season slowly, as new head coach Glen Gulutzan took time to become familiar with the club. That was followed by a strong run, and the team climbed all the way to a wild-card spot in January. However, Calgary has lost four in a row, and the wheels appear to be falling off. The Flames are barely holding on to a wild-card berth and will likely get passed by teams with games in hand—like the Vancouver Canucks.

A break should allow Calgary to reset, get the goaltending in order and regain its form. This is a talented club, and it should be a strong contender for the postseason.

Colorado Avalanche

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Record in 2015-16: 39-39-4 (82 points, sixth in the Central)

Record in 2016-17: 13-30-2 (28 points, seventh in the Central)

The Colorado Avalanche are enduring a difficult season in which little is working as expected. The team is averaging 2.01 goals per 60 minutes and allowing 3.36 per 60. A gap like that is almost impossible in the modern era.

Colorado has substantial young talent, but it is not working as presently compiled and deployed. The Avalanche have been a successful organization over a long period and were a power at the turn of the century. There are changes coming, and those changes may start happening at the deadline.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Record in 2015-16: 46-31-5 (97 points, second in the Atlantic)

Record in 2016-17: 22-22-5 (48 points, sixth in the Atlantic)

The Tampa Bay Lightning could be the biggest mystery of this NHL season. A well-run organization with a veteran foundation and depth at every position, Tampa Bay isn't performing well enough to be a playoff team.

Injuries and goaltending have been factors, but the team should have more than enough talent to cover for those issues. None of the forwards are posting career seasons, and only Victor Hedman is playing at an exceptional level among defenders. The Lightning should be better and are a solid bet for the postseason, but their first half of the season was disturbing.

Philadelphia Flyers

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Record in 2015-16: 41-27-14 (96 points, fifth in the Metropolitan)

Record in 2016-17: 23-19-6 (52 points, fifth in the Metropolitan)

The Philadelphia Flyers have had an eventful season, winning 10 in a row before falling on more difficult times. In the last 10 games, Philadelphia is 3-5-2 and has fallen enough in the standings to be in a playoff race. 

Part of the issue comes from the powerhouse Metropolitan Division, which houses several of the NHL's best teams this year. The rest has to do with inconsistent goaltending and offense in Philadelphia, and a change over the All-Star break may be just the ticket for another run of success. We could see a roster move from the Flyers if the struggles continue. 

Winnipeg Jets

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Record in 2015-16: 35-39-8 (78 points, seventh in the Central)

Record in 2016-17: 22-25-4 (48 points, sixth in the Central)

The Winnipeg Jets have introduced a large number of young players into this year's lineup, and there are bound to be growing pains. If you combine the rookies from the last two seasons, there are 15 names, and many of those are in prominent spots on the roster.

Winnipeg has a real chance to make the postseason, and many of these rookies and young players are going to be good NHL players. The Jets would be wise to suffer through these growing pains, and grabbing a goalie at the deadline may also be in the cards.