Every year, there is usually a team that has the type of season that makes every other fanbase think, "at least that's not us."
The 2024-25 edition of that in the NHL has two ignominious winners: the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators. Expectations were high for both entering the season.
The Predators opened the season on a five-game losing streak and finished with the third-worst record in the NHL. The Rangers took their fans on a nightmare rollercoaster ride, which at one point included a 19-game stretch with just four wins, before ultimately fading from contention after the trade deadline.
So what's next? There are three recent examples of "disaster" seasons these teams can use as a guide.
2022-23 Washington Capitals: 35-37-10, 80 points | Finish: 25th in NHL
The situation: The Capitals had made the playoffs in 14 of the last 15 seasons, but the bottom fell out. Washington fired head coach Peter Laviolette after the team finished 3-8-4 in its final 15 games, suggesting that the Ovechkin era might end amid a deep rebuild.
What they did: They didn't tear the whole thing down, but they traded players on expiring contracts and made room for the prospects they had already been accumulating to get into the NHL lineup. Ultimately, young forwards Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas would gain valuable experience as the Capitals overachieved under new head coach Spencer Carbery and squeaked into the playoffs in 2023-24.
How it's going: That step forward in 2023-24 convinced the front office to be active buyers the following summer, helping turn the Capitals into one of the best teams in the NHL, just two seasons after hitting rock bottom.
2022-23 Calgary Flames: 38-27-17, 93 points | Finish: 17th in NHL
The situation: Calgary had attempted to replace superstars Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk by adding Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar. They never found their groove and missed the playoffs a year after winning the Pacific Division.
What they did: They fired head coach Darryl Sutter amidst reports of a team-wide rebellion brewing against Sutter's leadership. They opted not to go for a full rebuild, but hired internally by promoting long-time assistant Ryan Huska.
How it's going: They never quite bottomed out, but the Flames improved from 81 points last season to 96 points this season and missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker with St. Louis. Young winger Matthew Coronato had a breakout season, while rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf was a revelation.
2021-22 Winnipeg Jets: 39-32-11, 89 points | Finish: 19th in NHL
The situation: The Jets were in full-blown win-now mode, but a 13-10-5 start to the season prompted long-time coach Paul Maurice to resign. Winnipeg struggled for much of the rest of the season, with reported issues in the locker room and a lack of commitment to defense.
What they did: Unlike Washington and Calgary, the Jets opted for fire and brimstone. They hired Rick Bowness, a strict, defensive structure-first head coach. When they made the playoffs a year later with 95 points but were wiped out in five short games, Bowness held a notorious press conference that ultimately led to the eventual buyout of long-time franchise icon Blake Wheeler.
How it's going: Trading Pierre-Luc Dubois turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Meanwhile, the Jets' strict defensive focus helped revitalize the team and superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, resulting in back-to-back seasons with more than 50 wins.
The lesson here is that none of these teams elected to go the whole 'tear-it-down-to-the-studs' rebuild like San Jose or Chicago. The question: Can either New York or Nashville use these teams as a blueprint?
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