NHL Rumor Mill – January 17, 2024

by | Jan 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 17, 2024

A look at the goalie market plus the latest on Jake Guentzel and Steven Stamkos in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT DOES THE NHL GOALIE MARKET LOOK LIKE?

NHL NETWORK: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman looked at how the goaltender market is shaping up ahead of the March 8 trade deadline.

Friedman noted that it’s now common knowledge that the relationship between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Elvis Merzlikins has gone sideways. He thinks most clubs weren’t surprised by this and probably already knew he was available.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (NHL Images).

Merzlikin’s contract ($5.4 million average annual value through 2026-27) would be a complicated trade. There’s a price for the goalie as well as a price to convince the Blue Jackets to retain part of his salary.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there are no takers for Merzlikins right now. That’s in part because of his contract but he also has to improve his play to reignite his market value before the trade deadline.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline acknowledged those factors raised by Friedman and LeBrun. Nevertheless, he listed the New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks as four potential trade destinations.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols examined the pros and cons of whether Merzlikins would be a good fit with the Devils. However, he cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli expressing his doubts that the Blue Jackets will be able to move the goaltender for the same reasons as noted by Friedman and LeBrun.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch pointed out that not many teams can afford Merzlikin’s contract and it’s unlikely the Blue Jackets will retain any part of it. “We’re told the market is thin because teams with goaltending issues aren’t sure Merzlikins is the answer.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: To be blunt, Merzlikins is not the answer. He’s done nothing over the past two seasons that would make any club want to pony up assets to add him to their roster and salary-cap payroll.

That could change if Merzlikins gets more starts in the coming weeks and performs well. That could prompt a desperate general manager to take a chance. For now, I don’t see a market for his services.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun spoke with Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin about whether they’d consider moving Marc-Andre Fleury if some teams were to call about him. Guerin said his club hasn’t given up on making the playoffs but he acknowledged that he expects teams to call if his club falls out of the race. He’d have to go to Fleury and his agent because he’s got a no-movement clause.

LeBrun noted there are some obvious destinations for Fleury. He cited teams with goalie issues like the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes. He also suggested the Edmonton Oilers as a mentor for Stuart Skinner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sounds like that could be a conversation for when the All-Star break ends on Feb. 6.

NHL NETWORK: Friedman repeated what he said on Saturday about Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom. They haven’t gone to him with any trade proposals yet plus they’ve set a high bar with their asking price. Markstrom also has a full no-movement clause.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes indicated that he might retain Jake Allen for the remainder of this season. Friedman believes Hughes has set a price on the 33-year-old goaltender and won’t move him until someone meets it.

Friedman also believes that’s the same situation going on with the Anaheim Ducks’ John Gibson. There’s a price for Gibson and a price if an interested club wants the Ducks to retain part of his $6.4 million annual salary.

The Los Angeles Kings could be one of the teams in the market for help between the pipes. They lost backup Pheonix Copley for the season to a knee injury and brought in Aaron Dell on a PTO contract. Friedman also believes the New Jersey Devils have been looking around in the trade market for a netminder. He wonders just how big they want to go.

WHAT NEXT FOR STAMKOS AND THE LIGHTNING

NHL NETWORK: Friedman noted that Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois said yesterday that Steven Stamkos won’t be traded this season. He said that it’s not a secret that Stamkos wants to play out his career in Tampa Bay. Friedman doesn’t think it’s been easy for the Lightning captain to see some of his teammates getting taken care of a year before their contracts expired.

Teams are interested in Stamkos but everyone is operating from the position that he wants to remain with the Lightning.

TSN: Chris Johnston also noted that the Lightning already have over $41 million invested in nine forwards for 2024-25. Even with a rising salary cap, the math will be difficult here. He believes there is a mutual desire to get things done but it’s one of the issues lingering beneath the surface.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The combination of what next season’s salary cap will look like combined with Stamkos’ level of performance at this stage in his career are what I believe are the reasons why he didn’t get a contract extension last year.

It will come down to how much of a pay cut Stamkos is willing to accept to finish his career in Tampa Bay and for how long.

LATEST ON GUENTZEL

NHL NETWORK: Elliotte Friedman believes the determining factor in Jake Guentzel’s contract talks with the Pittsburgh Penguins could be where management thinks the club is going. He thinks GM Kyle Dubas is trying to rebuild a club that doesn’t have a lot of young assets while at the same time trying to satisfy veterans like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

Friedman thinks the Penguins are reluctant to trade any of their young assets for short-term fixes.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun doesn’t rule out the possibility of Guentzel getting a contract extension before March 8. However, he wondered if that would be the wise move given the club’s aging core. He thinks trading the winger would be a tougher call but the right one.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Penguins slide out of contention perhaps that decision becomes easier for Dubas. As Friedman and LeBrun pointed out, even if they make the playoffs they lack the depth to contend for the Stanley Cup.

Guentzel will have to weigh carefully that the Penguins’ future could involve a rebuild and if he’s willing to be part of that. Dubas will also have to consider if there is a place for Guentzel in his plans.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 7, 2024

by | Jan 7, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 7, 2024

The latest on William Nylander’s contract negotiations, the Flames and Noah Hanifin could be renewing talks, plus updates on the Senators and Ducks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

NYLANDER DEAL COMING THIS WEEK?

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander are closing in on an eight-year contract extension with an expected average annual value of $11.5 million. The deal could be officially announced as early as Monday.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There have been reports from Friedman and his colleague Nick Kypreos since last week that the two sides were working on a lucrative long-term extension. It was believed the aim was to get the deal done before the All-Star weekend from Feb. 1 to 3 in Toronto.

So what do you think, folks? Are the Leafs overpaying for Nylander or is this the right amount? Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.

FLAMES AND HANIFIN STILL TALKING CONTRACT

Friedman believes the Calgary Flames and defenseman Noah Hanifin have renewed contract negotiations after they were ended earlier in the season. He didn’t think there was any chance of the two sides picking up those discussions. However, Friedman doesn’t think it’s out of the question that the two sides could reach a deal but wouldn’t put any odds on it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Two days ago, Friedman’s colleague Eric Francis suggested Hanifin as the one player of their pending UFAs (the others being Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev and Dan Vladar) worth retaining.

Francis pointed out that Hanifin still wants to stay in Calgary, he’s only 26 and it would make sense to re-sign a reliable No. 3 defenseman. He also noted the two sides were close to agreeing to an eight-year extension worth $7.5 million annually until the club’s slow start brought those talks to a halt.

Hanifin will draw plenty of interest if he becomes available leading up to the March 8 trade deadline. He could fetch the Flames a solid return of futures if they opt to rebuild. Whether it comes down to that could depend on their performance over the next two months.

SENATORS CALLING AROUND FOR HELP

Friedman reports Ottawa Senators management has been calling around letting other clubs know they’re willing to try some things. They’re unwilling to move their young core players but they’re in the market for what Friedman called professional players, those who know how to play properly and take good care of themselves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch has reported since last week that Senators general manager Steve Staios is seeking a veteran for their third line who can help alternate captain Claude Giroux work with their young players.

Garrioch cited a league executive saying it’s difficult to find those types of players right now because most are on expiring contracts and the trade deadline is still two months away. Like Friedman, Garrioch also reports that Staios hasn’t yet reached the stage where he’d consider moving one or two of his young core players.

There are rumors the Senators are shopping pending UFA Dominik Kubalik. However, there isn’t much of a market for the struggling winger.

CAN THE DUCKS LAND A SCORING STAR THIS SUMMER?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens recently suggested the Anaheim Ducks could use a player such as William Nylander to take the eventual step out of their rebuilding process.

Stephens noted that the Ducks have the salary cap space to spend this summer and they need to add a pure sniper such as Nylander. With the Leafs winger likely to be off the market soon, there aren’t many decent free-agent alternatives.

Florida’s Sam Reinhart isn’t in the same class as Nylander. Jake Guentzel could re-sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos is 34 and appears to be on a slow fade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stephens acknowledged that any chance of the Ducks landing Nylander was “pure fantasy”. He’s not wrong about what they’ll need to take the next step in their development but it doesn’t look like they’ll find it via this summer’s free-agent market.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 28, 2023

by | Dec 28, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – December 28, 2023

Check out recent speculation about the Maple Leafs, Sabres, Predators, and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel recently looked at what the Toronto Maple Leafs have for potential trade assets in their quest to add a defenseman. He noted their lack of prospect depth and draft picks doesn’t leave them very much to bargain with.

Possible trade bait includes their 2024 first-round pick, promising goaltender Dennis Hildeby, forward prospect Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan, forward Nick Robertson and defenseman Topi Niemela.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

Siegel thinks rival clubs could be interested in forward Matthew Knies but he’s too valuable to their present and their future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Siegel isn’t saying the Leafs will move those assets but is showing the potential cost if they intend to bolster their blueline for the playoffs. General manager Brad Treliving will likely make a move or two by the March 8 trade deadline. What he gets will depend on what he’s willing to part with. Stay tuned!

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Mike Harrington reported last week that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams continues to resist making knee-jerk moves to help his struggling club. Nevertheless, he wonders what moves Adams could have in store if they hope to turn things around.

Harrington speculates on how close Victor Olofsson, Tyson Jost or Eric Comrie are to going on waivers. Perhaps the Chicago Blackhawks will be interested in Olofsson with the losses of Taylor Hall and Corey Perry. He believes Adams must bolster his bottom-six forwards and improve their defense. It’s clear Erik Johnsson is their No.7 option on the blueline

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Harrington also pointed out the difficulty the Sabres face in making trades given how many clubs have limited salary-cap space right now. He recently acquired depth forward Eric Robinson from the Blue Jackets so I daresay he’s monitoring the trade market to see if there’s another deal to be had to improve his roster’s depth.

THE TENNESSEAN: Paul Skrbina examined why defenseman Dante Fabbro has been a frequent healthy scratch this season, which has resulted in his name surfacing in trade rumors.

Head coach Andrew Brunette said part of the problem was the Predators’ logjam on defense. Meanwhile, Fabbro isn’t making waves over the situation and tries not to think about his name popping up in the rumor mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fabbro’s situation could be alleviated if the Predators can find any takers for blueliner Tyson Barrie, who recently requested a trade. His agent received permission from GM Barry Trotz to speak with other clubs but it doesn’t appear a deal is coming soon.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch wonders what Senators president of hockey ops and interim GM Steve Staios has in store for the club in the New Year.

The expectation is that suspended center Shane Pinto will sign a one-year deal in the range of $875K. He knows he has no leverage and reportedly appreciates that Staios has been supportive in preparations for when he’s eligible to return to action on Jan. 21. He will be allowed to start skating with the club 10 days beforehand.

Pinto’s return could make Dominik Kubalik expendable. Garrioch claims the Senators have received some calls about the 28-year-old winger, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kubalik could indeed become the odd man out once Pinto returns but it could take some time to move him. Just because some teams have called doesn’t mean a deal will take place right after Pinto comes back.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2023

by | Sep 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 18, 2023

Mike Babcock steps down as Blue Jackets head coach plus the latest on Paul Stastny, Calen Addison and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brian Hedger reports Mike Babcock has resigned as head coach of the Blue Jackets following an NHL Players Association investigation into allegations that he violated his players’ privacy during offseason meetings.

Associate coach Pascal Vincent has taken over as head coach, signing a two-year contract. Training camp opens on Sept. 20.

Mike Babcock steps down as Columbus Blue Jackets coach (NHL Images).

Babcock, 60, was hired by the Blue Jackets in July. He released a statement that continuing as their head coach was becoming too much of a distraction, expressing his disappointment that he couldn’t continue in the role and wishing the team well.

Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen also released a statement calling Babcock’s resignation a necessary move to refocus the club on the upcoming season. Kekalainen thanked him for his “hard work and professionalism.”

“Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast co-host Paul Bissonnette revealed last week that he’d been told Babcock was demanding to see players’ cellphones to scroll through photos. Babcock and Jackets captain Boone Jenner quickly released statements refuting Bissonnette’s version of events. Jenner and teammates Johnny Gaudreau and Zack Werenski indicated they had no problem with Babcock’s request, claiming it was being blown out of proportion.

The narrative changed after the NHLPA met with Blue Jackets players to conduct an investigation into the matter. A source told Hedger that one player felt Babcock was using his phone for an “uncomfortable length of time,” leaving him concerned that Babcock may have been searching through his text messages. Hedger cited a report from Sportsnet indicating multiple sources mirrored what he had been told.

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes this is the end of Babcock’s coaching career in the NHL. He felt that this incident, and the allegations that surfaced in 2019 that Babcock bullied players and staff during his tenures with the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, irreparably tarnished his otherwise impressive NHL coaching career.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes Babcock’s resignation raises troubling questions about the Blue Jackets organization.

If they knew about the extent of his interactions with the players when first revealed by Bissonnette and tried to cover it up, it doesn’t look good for those who run the team like Kekalainen and president of hockey operations John Davidson.

If they didn’t know, Portzline suggests the club’s ownership must start asking questions about why the players felt more comfortable talking to Bissonnette and the NHLPA than with those in charge.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fallout from this will hang over the Blue Jackets during training camp and the upcoming start of the season. This situation isn’t a good look for the franchise, especially for Kekalainen and Davidson. They were responsible for bringing in Babcock in the first place despite his baggage. They gave him a chance to redeem himself as an NHL coach and it blew up in their faces before he coached a single game for them.

The issue here is invasion of privacy. A person’s cell phone often contains personal information that they might be reluctant or unwilling to share with somebody else. That’s why we have password protection on our phones. It would be like someone asking to go through your personal computer or to visit your home to dig through your personal effects.

Portzline believes Bissonnette may have done the Blue Jackets a favor by breaking this story as it allowed the team to confront this issue as quickly as possible. Bissonnette is a colorful and brash personality. However, he’s willing to talk about issues that some in the media may be reluctant to cover for fear of losing access to team contacts.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski also points out that the NHLPA, under new executive director Marty Walsh, deserves credit for its swift handling of this situation with its proactive investigation. He also noted that the NHL has its “whistleblower” apparatus yet the Blue Jackets players felt more comfortable talking to Bissonnette and the PA.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman recently reported that long-time NHL center Paul Stastny isn’t interested in signing a professional tryout offer with NHL clubs. The 37-year-old unrestricted free agent is only interested in contract offers. He’s coming off a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With training camps opening on Wednesday and Thursday, Stastny might have to accept a league minimum deal (one year, $775K) if he hopes to skate with an NHL team this season. He could end up waiting until injuries strike a club during training camp.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild reached an agreement with forward Jujhar Khaira on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level. He’d spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Wild, Michael Russo reports a new contract for restricted free-agent defenseman Calen Addison should be coming within the next few days.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs play-by-play man Joe Bowen and his long-time broadcast partner Jim Ralph will be returning to radio this season. It will be the 72-year-old Bowen’s 42nd season covering the Leafs.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Future Hockey Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr recently confirmed he’ll be playing for the Kladno Knights in the Czech Extraliga. It will be his 35th professional hockey season, which began when he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990-91. Jagr, 51, last played in the NHL in 2017 and has been skating with Kladno ever since.










Second Round Predictions – 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

by | May 2, 2023

Second Round Predictions – 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

The first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs is history.

We saw the defending champion Colorado Avalanche upset by the underdog Seattle Kraken.

The Florida Panthers overcame a 3-1 series deficit to knock off the record-setting Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins.

For the first time in 19 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs won a playoff series by eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning.

I went four-for-eight with my opening-round predictions. Let’s see how I fare with my second-round picks.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS VS FLORIDA PANTHERS

The intro explained how these two got here. With 111 points, the Leafs finished 19 points ahead of the Panthers in the Atlantic Division, who overcame a shaky first half to qualify for the playoffs on the last week of the season. Both clubs aren’t that far apart in terms of offense and goaltending but the Leafs have better penalty-killing and faceoff win stats.

Led by their core of Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly, the Leafs pack a potent scoring punch. They’ve received reliable goaltending from Ilya Samsonov while two-way center Ryan O’Reilly has provided a steadying influence.

The Panthers, however, aren’t to be taken lightly. Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour can light the lamp while the tandem of Sergei Bobrovsky and Alex Lyon backstopped them past the Bruins.

PREDICTION: MAPLE LEAFS IN SIX GAMES

EDMONTON OILERS VS VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

The Oilers advanced by eliminating the Los Angeles Kings from the first round for the second straight year. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights made short work of the Winnipeg Jets.

Getting two-way winger and team captain Mark Stone back in the lineup for the postseason provided a big boost for the Golden Knights in the first round. Jack Eichel has played well thus far in his first NHL postseason as Vegas sits fourth among playoff scorers.

The Oilers remain the offensive juggernaut they were in the regular season, leading all playoff clubs in scoring and power-play percentage. Superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl remain in top form and could feast on a Golden Knights penalty kill that was 15th among the 16 first-round clubs.

PREDICTION: OILERS IN SIX GAMES

CAROLINA HURRICANES VS NEW JERSEY DEVILS

This battle of the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division came about as the Hurricanes despatched the New York Islanders in six games while the Devils overcame a 2-0 series deficit to eliminate the New York Rangers in seven games.

The Hurricanes got this far on the strength of their goaltending depth and their solid defensive game, including a playoff-best penalty-killing percentage. They’ve got plenty of postseason experience led by stars such as Sebastian Aho and Brent Burns.

While the Devils are near the bottom in postseason scoring, they’re loaded with swift-skating young talent led by Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. They also got a shot of confidence from the solid play of rookie goalie Akira Schmid. They could be poised to pull off an upset here.

PREDICTIONS: DEVILS IN SEVEN GAMES

DALLAS STARS VS SEATTLE KRAKEN

The Stars defeated the Minnesota Wild in the opening round in six games while the Kraken as noted in the intro upset the Avalanche in seven games.

Dallas still has veteran leaders in Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Joe Pavelski but younger stars like Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen and goalie Jake Oettinger played key roles in eliminating the Wild. They’ve got the lowest goals-against per game in this postseason thus far.

The Kraken’s upset of the Avalanche shows they’re a club not to be taken lightly. They got clutch goaltending from Philipp Grubauer, a strong forecheck and penalty kill, plus they can spread their scoring throughout their lineup. However, it may not be enough to defeat the Stars.

PREDICTION: STARS IN FIVE GAMES










Tales of NHL Halloween Horror 2022

by | Oct 30, 2022

Tales of NHL Halloween Horror 2022

It’s Halloween again, folks, when kids prepare for trick or treating while we entertain ourselves with scary stories involving ghosts, ghouls, and other macabre creatures.

With the NHL finally returning to a normal regular-season calendar for the first time since 2019, it’s also a time when struggling teams face the horrifying prospect that their playoff dreams could be coming undone.

We start with the Vancouver Canucks, whose strong second-half performance after stumbling through the first two months of last season saw them remain in the playoff chase until the final week of the schedule. Any hope of building on that effort entering this season has quickly fallen apart after going winless in their first seven games.

The Canucks’ woes sparked grumbling among their followers, with one fan tossing a jersey on the ice in disgust during a loss at home to the Buffalo Sabres. It also sparked speculation over the future of head coach Bruce Boudreau, as well as reports of management warning some players that any changes could be with the roster rather than behind the bench.

Moving on to Columbus, the Blue Jackets made headlines this summer by signing superstar Johnny Gaudreau and re-signing winger Patrik Laine. Despite those moves, the Jackets have won just three of their first nine games.

The gifted but oft-injured Laine missed six games with an elbow injury. Gaudreau, meanwhile, has held up his end with eight points but it hasn’t been enough to improve his club’s anemic offense and porous goaltending.

In Nashville, the Predators kicked off the season with back-to-back wins over the San Jose Sharks in Prague. Since returning from their European excursion, they’ve managed just one win in their last seven contests.

Led by Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen, the Predators finished 13th last season in goals-per-game (3.20). As of Oct 29, they tumbled to 2.44 and 30th overall. Perhaps that jaunt overseas did more harm than good.

The Minnesota Wild enjoyed a franchise-best 113-point performance in 2021-22. Expectations were high that this season’s version could become a Stanley Cup contender. Instead, they’ve played sub-.500 hockey with a 3-4-1 record through their first eight games.

Inconsistent goaltending and defense were big issues early on. Veteran starter Marc-Andre Fleury was horrible in his first two games but has steadily improved since. The defense also got better after veterans Alex Goligoski and Jonas Brodin saw more playing time. Time will tell, however, whether these are signs of genuine improvement.

The St. Louis Blues were off to a fast start by winning their first three games. They’ve since dropped their last four, including blowing a 3-1 lead to the Montreal Canadiens in a 7-4 loss on Oct. 29.

A lack of discipline and focus has dogged the Blues in recent games. They’re taking undisciplined penalties and are making uncharacteristic mistakes with the puck that end up costing them on the scoreboard.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have also dropped four straight following a red-hot start that saw them tally six goals in each of their first four wins. Their offense has since dried up as they managed just one goal in each of their last three defeats.

Losing sniper Jake Guentzel to a head injury for four games certainly didn’t help, but a team with superstars such as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin managed just six goals during those four losses while giving up 16. Their special-team play was terrible during that stretch.

And then there’s the Toronto Maple Leafs. Entering this season with their fans hopeful of an end to their long Stanley Cup drought, they’ve lurched to a 4-4-1 record. Three of those losses came to lesser teams like the Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.

Led by Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander, the Leafs are usually among the league’s highest-scoring teams. Thus far, their goals-per-game average of 2.67 ranks 28th overall. Matthews, the two-time Richard Trophy winner and last season’s Hart Trophy winner following his 60-goal performance, has just two goals thus far.

There’s enough time remaining in this season for these teams to reverse their sagging fortunes and climb up the standings. For some of them, however, what we’re seeing now could foreshadow what could become a disappointing outcome to this season.