NHL Sour Rankings: Flames And Flyers Among Floundering Teams To Open The Season

The Hockey News evaluated several struggling NHL teams sitting under .500 early in the season, highlighting clubs that appear destined for the bottom of the standings. The Philadelphia Flyers remain winless through eight games while scoring just 10 goals under head coach Rick Tocchet. Similarly, the Calgary Flames struggled through a winless five-game opening stretch before securing their first victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

The analysis also assesses the struggles of the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, and Columbus Blue Jackets, while noting potential improvement for the Chicago Blackhawks following Connor Bedard's return. The article emphasizes that early poor form across these floundering franchises has positioned them early in the race for top 2027 NHL Draft prospects like Landon Dupont.