5 Observations On Potential Teardowns 

This was a bad week for a few teams. There were some brutal losses that made the final scores look like throwbacks to the 1980s or to the youth hockey days, where one team was significantly better than the other. The New Jersey Devils lost 9-0, the Ottawa Senators lost 8-2, and the New York Rangers lost 10-2. It’s easy to link all three losses and these lopsided results in general to the condensed schedule. That said, it’s hard to watch these teams and not wonder if changes and teardowns are coming. 

On a different note, it was around this time a year ago that the JT Miller trade took place. More accurately, the drama started around this time, and by the time the Four Nations break began, Miller was traded to the Rangers. The Vancouver Canucks, meanwhile, had to break up the group and are now in the middle of a rebuild. 

The struggling teams shouldn’t be compared to the fall of the Canucks. Those are non-linear weights, and the situations are different. What is a common theme is that a few teams are going through hard times right now, making it easy to wonder which team might follow a similar route. That’s what leads to this week’s column. 

The Starting Lineup:

• Who might be this season’s version of the Canucks?
• What type of owner is Ryan Smith & when does the honeymoon effect end?
• Where is the game heading? 
• Teddy Bear Toss Night: life under the pile
• Quick Hits: Red Wings, falling Ducks & more. 

The trio that’s looked awful lately is the New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, and the Winnipeg Jets. Fittingly, the Devils and Jets faced each other on Sunday in a game someone had to win (the Jets did, 4-3). While other teams are going through bad stretches right now, these are the teams that lead the discussion, so let’s dive into them. 

This Season’s Version of the Canucks

It’s easy to forget how good the Canucks were since it seems like a lifetime ago. They won the Pacific Division in 2023-24 with a 50-23-9 record and started 2024-25 with a 14-7-4 record, which wasn’t dominant but still made them one of the best teams in the league. Then everything fell apart. 

When the Canucks lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Second Round, they were a team on the rise. The core was set in place, and for the first time in a while, there was stability. At the time, nobody could have predicted them to get dismantled, yet that’s what happened with the Quinn Hughes trade being the significant blow. So, while it’s unlikely that another team with a great roster goes through the same thing, it’s possible and can happen with the three teams that have been great in recent years. 

Devils Might Look At Significant Changes 

Their loss on Tuesday was historically bad. 9-0 defeats usually result in changes one way or another. It was a game where they forgot to show up against the New York Islanders, and there was a feeling that they were allowing a goal on every shift. That’s what it feels like. 

For a team to play like that and follow it up with another lifeless performance, they have to be checked out or not mentally there. The Devils have the talent and have shown the hockey world what they can do but it’s clear that this team isn’t in a space to play that way. The Quinn Hughes trade rumors and speculation clearly got to them but the problems go back further regarding trade rumors.  

Related: Devils Frustration Is A Decade In The Making

The Devils general manager (GM), Tom Fitzgerald, wanted players to waive their no-trade clauses but they said no. Veteran players who are eager to finish their careers on Cup-contending teams aren’t interested in being sent to rebuilding teams, which is what a Hughes or similar offer would be. The bigger issue is the message Fitzgerald sent when asking players to remove their trade protection, only to be denied. Yes, it’s part of the business, yet the Devils don’t want these players and would prefer them elsewhere. And there’s still one on the team (it’s like a breakup where one person won’t move out). 

Fitzgerald put himself in this spot. He’s handed out multiple long-term contracts with no-trade clauses and made big swings in the past, signing Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat while acquiring Timo Meier, Tyler Toffoli, and Jacob Markstrom. Those swings and misses leave him hesitant to make a move, and they leave the Devils with minimal assets to make a big trade. Fitzgerald put himself in a mess, and now he’s left with a team that can’t change and is flawed. 

That’s the other issue with the Devils. They are a flawed team and can’t win in the long run with this core. Multiple talent evaluators around the league have noted that the Devils built around Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier can win in the regular season and be a fun team to watch but not make a deep playoff run. 

The big thing is the Devils don’t have a forward who can take the target off of Hughes’ back. Every great team has a power forward, often on the same line as their star player, who both takes pressure off them and prevents the player from getting pushed around (think about Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr). To be fair, Fitzgerald attempted to add that forward with the Meier and Toffoli trades but both moves flopped. 

The Devils should be fine in the long run. One scout noted that they just need some saves, which was evident in the 9-0 drubbing. If they get baseline goaltending from Markstrom and Jake Allen, they’ll be fine, and they have enough talent to turn things around. 

That said, it’s easy to see a scenario where things don’t improve, and they must make changes. Those changes will start at the top, and the Devils can be the one team to bring in Pete DeBoer, who previously coached the team, as an executive. Having him in the organization would light a fire under the roster and might allow them to turnover the roster in the process. The bottom line is that things are trending toward change, whether it’s significant or not is the question. 

Senators Wanted to Avoid Teardowns At All Costs But Might Anyway  

There are plenty of rumors and speculation about Linus Ullmark, and that’s not worth discussing, and frankly, not appropriate. What is worth looking at is the Senators and their timeline, which mirrors the Canucks from a few years back. They were a team on the rise last season and poised to contend for a while. Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle are star forwards to build around while Jake Sanderson emerged as a top-of-the-league defenseman. Pair that with the right depth pieces, and the Senators, who made the playoffs last season, presumably would be a top team in the Eastern Conference. 

The public opinion on the Senators is that they’ll be fine. Even as they stumbled out of the gate and went through slumps throughout the season, multiple scouts noted that they are good enough to rebound and become the team everyone expected them to be when the season began. Even during the recent stretch, which includes four losses in a row and seven in the last nine games, the sentiment around the Senators is a positive one, where the core can and will guide them to the playoffs. 

The thing is, the season can fall off the rails. The Senators have the second-worst record in the conference, and the 13 games between now and the Olympic break can determine whether they can contend this season or not. It’s hard to see the Senators breaking up the team, especially the core, yet it’s always something to monitor.

In their case, it’s about making one big move and retooling from there. Claude Giroux can get the Ray Bourque treatment, where they move him to a Cup contender to finish his career. Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto, and Drake Batherson are all locked into long-term deals but the no-trade protection for all three hasn’t kicked in yet. If the Senators want to retool, they can trade one of those players, knowing they can get a significant return, and work from there. 

Jets Are in a Tough Spot 

If there’s any team that will make significant moves following a rough season, it’s the Jets. This season is a mess, and they might have no other option. The Jets aren’t the type of team that will do anything significant midseason but after a rough summer where they feel the absence of Nikolaj Ehlers, they’ll be an active team and might look to refuel the pipeline, which hasn’t been great for a while. 

The catch with the Jets, something worth repeating, is that their hands are tied. The first issue is the roster, which has multiple immovable players, even those who aren’t building blocks but have trade protection. The other obstacle for the Jets is the ability to rebuild because their options are limited. It’s well documented that Winnipeg isn’t a destination and has trouble attracting free agents or elite players in trades. If they hit the reset button, the only options to build up a contender are through the draft and development. 

That said, the Jets are awful this season and, in the big picture, aren’t built to compete with the rest of their division. Last season was the ceiling where Connor Hellebuyck played at a Hart Trophy level, and the rest of the roster overachieved (they still came up short). Their issue is their lack of star power, and the best way to add that is through the draft or acquiring prospects with high upside. A Dylan DeMelo or Dylan Samberg trade can happen this season and get things started. 

Other Teams To Watch

The New York Rangers are another team that might change things from the top down. It’s been a rough season, and it wasn’t long ago that they won the Presidents’ Trophy and were in the Eastern Conference Final. This team has gotten stale, and they must make some changes soon before they are a complete mess (if the 10-2 loss wasn’t a warning sign). 

A few weeks back, the same question was asked about the Toronto Maple Leafs. Would changes be on the horizon? How far would they go to overhaul things? They’ve won five of their last six games and are back in the hunt for a playoff spot. They replaced power play coach Marc Savard earlier in the season, and since then, the unit has been a strength. Sometimes, it’s not the big change but just a change that gets the gears going and the team to turn a corner. 

What type of owner is Ryan Smith & when do we see his NHL impact? 

The Utah Mammoth owner, Ryan Smith, was interviewed on Friday’s episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast. It was fascinating, not because of what he said or discussed (although there was a wide range of topics) but because of how he portrayed himself. In every appearance he’s made since purchasing the team, he’s made it clear he’s an intelligent owner with a vision for the team. 

Smith is having quite the run as well, especially recently. The arena renovations, the practice facilities built before the season began, and his latest win, the 2027 Winter Classic, all put him in a good light. It goes without saying that the NHL is a better league with Smith and visionaries like him in it. 

These are all off-ice victories. The Mammoth haven’t had as many on-ice victories and remain a murky middle team in the Central Division and the Western Conference. It’s still unknown how Smith will impact the team itself and how involved he’ll be in future decisions. He mentioned briefly that he stays out of the way and lets the front office and coaching staff do their jobs, which, in general, is a good thing. The worst things for any team are an owner who’s hands-on and wants to have a say in every decision or the opposite extreme, where the owner is hands-off and views the team as an investment while lacking any interest in it. 

Smith keeping his distance is a good thing, but the team isn’t winning, or at least making strides in the NHL. They’ve been in a rebuild since their Arizona days and haven’t made that leap into contention. Eventually, Smith must make a big decision, and the question is how he’ll go about it. If the Mammoth don’t make the playoffs, there will be pressure to make a GM change, and the question is whether he’s willing to do so and what type of GM he will hire. 

There’s a good chance that Smith is the next great owner in the game, a modern version of Clarence Campbell, James Norris, Tom Molson, Mike Illitch, or Ed Snider. He can make the right moves to set up the Mammoth to be a dominant team. Along with having the vision, he has an interest in turning Utah into a destination and is on the right path to doing so. That said, there’s always a chance that he’s another Steve Ballmer, who is a great mind in the NBA ownership group and has a vision but not one that results in great teams. 

Where is the League Heading? 

An interesting conversation in hockey circles is about where the game is heading. It’s always fun to talk to scouts or hockey minds about the future of the ever-evolving game, and everyone has their opinion on it. In real time, the NHL and the development leagues below it are displaying the changes in real time. 

One theme that many point to is how everything that was old is new again. Or, as a famous song that’s played when the New York Islanders win says, “We gotta get right back to where we started from.” Yes, things change but then there are full-circle moments where things come back in a new form. Take physicality, for example. 

The Next Version of the Enforcer 

Gone are the days of the traditional enforcer or the one that was a staple for decades. Roster spots and ice time a finite resources in the game, and teams aren’t wasting both on a skater who has one job, and that’s to fight the other team’s enforcer at some point in the game. Yes, the New York Rangers have Matt Rempe and the San Jose Sharks have Ryan Reeves but three decades back or further, every team had a “Rempe” or a “Reeves.”

The enforcer is gone but fighting and physicality are back. The fans saw it firsthand during the Four Nations with the three fights in nine seconds but the way the Florida Panthers have played in recent years and the tone they set in games has provided a blueprint for the rest of the league to follow. Tom Wilson was a rarity as a power forward with skill and skating who could also drop the gloves.

Now, every team has its version of Wilson, albeit without that level of skill. It’s why the Tkachuk brothers, Sam Bennett, and Mikko Rantanen are valued in the game these days. Even Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Nathan MacKinnon, the top-tier players, can play a heavy game when needed. 

It’s about being a heavy team and playing big, but also having the skill to take over games. The teams that have that are the ones that are successful in the playoffs. The Panthers are the standard but the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers also built with those requirements. It’s why teams like the Boston Bruins went out of their way to add physicality recently, with Nikita Zadorov, Mark Kastelic, and Tanner Jeannot changing the identity of the team. It also explains why rebuilding teams want veterans who play that type of game and are willing to drop the gloves, especially since they protect the younger rising stars (like Ross Johnston in Anaheim). 

As mentioned previously with the Devils, teams need those physical skaters who take the target off their star players’ backs. The game is faster, and everyone can score or make highlight plays but not every team can change the tone of a game with a big hit or a fight at the right time, and it’s why teams are invested in that area. 

Skill is up But What About Scoring? 

The game is fast and more skilled than ever before. It’s not just at the NHL but at the development level as well, where kids in junior or college hockey are coming up with the ability to take over games in multiple ways, notably offensively. These kids are coming into the NHL ready to dominate, and Macklin Celebrini and Matthew Schaefer are doing just that. 

The thing is, it’s hard to say whether this will translate to offense. Earlier in the decade, that’s what the future looked like as goals were up and teams were building their rosters around puck-handlers. This was most noticeable on the defense, where Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and other young blueliners were coming into the league and showing what the future held at the position and throughout the league. 

It’s easy to look at the scoring in the league and the latest blowouts and say that it’s becoming a trend. A few scouts noted that the condensed season is taking a toll on teams and causing some of these results lately. The games are catching up to some teams, and it’s showing right now.  

The systems are designed to stop these offenses, and ultimately, it’s why a more skilled league won’t translate to high-scoring games. Teams that forecheck don’t chip and chase as they used to and instead, send the puck to a corner and work from there. Head coaches are valuing possession over volume or quality shots over quantity, which has slowed games down in the offensive zone and limited scoring. Moreover, speed slows down in the playoffs when skaters lose a step and need to find other ways to take over games. It’s why the game is in a fun spot, and the future is exciting but it’s not a given that the goals will follow. 

What About Goaltending? 

An interesting trend in recent seasons was the decline in goaltending. Since the 1990s, the number of elite workhorse goaltenders has declined, and most teams have tandems these days. This season is seeing a comeback where a few teams have found a number one option to lean on. 

The Philadelphia Flyers found Dan Vladar and worked around his strengths. The New York Islanders have done the same with David Rittich, who has filled in multiple times for Ilya Sorokin,  who is elite but has battled injuries. The Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks have young goaltenders whom they’ve relied upon to win games, and they’ve done so. Goaltenders are coming up through the ranks ready to stop the elite skill, and it’s why we’re seeing a comeback at the position. 

The other part of the future in the net is how teams are building around their goaltenders. With all the data that’s entered into the game, teams can study the strengths of their goaltender and have their defense work around them. For some, it’s about playing the shooting lanes and forcing tough shots, and for others, it’s about allowing them to see the initial shot but being around for the rebound or loose puck. 

Every goaltender is different, and every defense can adapt as well, which is what is happening in the NHL, especially with the best teams in the league, who don’t have the best goaltending but understand their goaltenders better than other teams. 

Teddy Bear Toss: A Different Look At The Pile 

The American Hockey League (AHL) is known for the Teddy Bear Toss. It’s commonplace around the league, and every team has the big promo once a season where fans toss teddy bears and other stuffed toys on the ice, where they get collected and donated to children in hospitals. It’s one of the best moments to experience in hockey and something that must be on every fan’s bucket list. 

As someone who has witnessed three this season, here are three tips to perfect the toss. 

1. Take your time. Everyone usually gets overexcited when the first goal is scored and quickly throws the bear on the ice. The best tosses require a decent windup.
2. Understand the aerodynamics of the bear. Every stuffed animal is different, and the path to the ice differs as a result. Tossing it around before the game leads to a great throw when the goal is scored.
3. Aim high. There’s a good chance the flying fur doesn’t reach the ice. It’s better to have it hit the netting or have a softer landing than go flying at someone’s head (that will happen anyway because there are plenty of bad throws). 

It’s worth adding that there’s a lot of time from when the goal is scored until play resumes. It’s why I was to find out about a few things that are overlooked on Teddy Bear Toss night when the Hartford Wolf Pack hosted theirs this weekend. 

The fans in the front rows have a unique experience. They are the ones with the easiest throw but also have the task of picking up all the bears that miss the ice and tossing them to the playing surface. This group of fans is split into two camps: The regulars for this event and the first timers. 

For the regulars, this is their Super Bowl or Stanley Cup. They come prepared with garbage bags full of bears and have a routine. These fans are usually season ticket holders and have their spot and know the drill. 

The first-timers realize either before puck drop or during the toss what they’ve signed up for. One fan told me it was his first time in the front row, and he had to quickly figure out what to do when all the bears came his way. The answer, of course, depends on where they are sitting. For fans behind the netting, they stop tossing them forward at some point and instead move them over to the side seats, where those fans toss them over the glass. 

Another observation that goes unnoticed is how many fans leave their seats and head to the concourse during the toss. They’ll toss their bear but then head to the concession stands the way fans usually do during intermissions. This is seen as an ideal time to grab food since presumably, everyone else is preoccupied. But since so many fans act this way, I’m reminded of the Yogi Berra saying, “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”

The big takeaway, however, from the Hartford edition is how unfazed everyone was by all the circumstances leading up to the game. It was, to be blunt, a mess. The puck drop was at 7:30 PM instead of the usual 6:00 PM start because UConn Men’s Basketball played a game there earlier in the afternoon. The game was delayed because the scoreboard wasn’t operating normally at the start.

By the time the game resumed following the toss, it was 8:00 PM and essentially a late-night game. Yet, you wouldn’t have known based on the fans and how they felt during and after the toss. This promotion usually brings out the kids, and for many of them it was well past their bedtime but it, without question, was a highlight of the season and something authentic to the AHL. 

Other AHL Notes

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms made some good trades to set up a great season. They have the third-best record in the Atlantic Division, and the prospects, coaching, and goaltending played a major role in that. Another thing that’s helped has been the trades to round out the roster, or more accurately, replace players who weren’t doing much and add value to the lineup.

Samu Tuomaala was a healthy scratch, and they found a way to move him for Christian Kyrou. While Tuomaala hasn’t played since December, Kyrou has become a key part of the defense and is one of the puck handlers on the blue line who opens up the offense (he has five goals and 10 assists). 

Egor Zamula was unhappy in the Philadelphia Flyers organization and demanded a trade. They managed to acquire Phil Tomasino, who hasn’t done much since joining the team but adds depth to the forward unit. Zamula, meanwhile, never played a game for the Pittsburgh Penguins or their AHL affiliate and had his contract terminated. 

The point being, there are plenty of players who are frustrated with their roles or place in an organization. But the good teams find a way to move them and bring in players who can help, even if it’s at the AHL level. 

The Hartford Wolf Pack is on the other side, where they also have a handful of frustrated players but refuse to trade them. It’s why they remain at the bottom of the Atlantic Division. 

Speaking of the Wolf Pack, every opponent notes how they are a tough team to play against and don’t give up a lot of space or chances. They play physically and check well but also started to find their footing offensively, scoring four goals or more in three straight games before losing 5-1 to the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday. “We’re breaking out pucks better. Even when you don’t score, you get that moxy,” Grant Potulny stated after the 5-1 win over the Providence Bruins on Saturday night. They are a testament to the fine line between winning and losing in this league and how the small habits can translate to being a first-place or a last-place team. 

I traveled to Springfield this weekend for the I-91 rivalry game against the Wolf Pack. It’s fun to watch a rivalry game from a different perspective and check off another arena (only 26 more to go). Springfield is fascinating because the fans love the team regardless of who the NHL affiliate is. One fan went through the laundry list of teams that the Springfield Thunderbirds have been tied to. There’s a lot of hockey history in the city known for the creation of basketball, and they have a fanbase that deserves a winner (it’s a shame the St. Louis Blues don’t have the same interest). 

At every AHL game, there are plenty of scouts in attendance. An interesting note is how many scouts were once enforcers or known as fighters in their playing days. It doesn’t seem like a direct correlation, yet it’s a trend. One of them explained that “They’ve watched a lot of hockey,” which can be seen as a joke since they’ve spent plenty of their playing days in the penalty box. However, they’ve been around hockey for a long time, and they know the game well, often by fighting to stay in the NHL and having longer careers than expected. 

Quick Hits: Red Wings, falling Ducks & more

The Detroit Red Wings are in first place in the Atlantic Division. They’ve won three games in a row and are coming off a 4-0 statement victory over the Montreal Canadiens. They are playing like a team destined for the playoffs this season. Some credit must go to GM Steve Yzerman, who bet on John Gibson as the finishing touch in the net. However, the question is whether there’s another big move on the horizon for them. This team can make the playoffs. Adding a star player can put them into the Cup conversation. 

Another fun team is the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have won nine games in a row. They look different this time around, and even without Victor Hedman, they have a new identity where they play fast but also defend well. It’s why they can go on a run. 

• The Anaheim Ducks have plummeted in the standings. They’ve lost eight games in a row and now sit in sixth place in the Pacific Division. One scout mentioned that they are regressing to the mean, and their hot start wasn’t indicative of who they really were. The Ducks are talented enough to bounce back and will be a playoff team but they are still a rebuilding team, and it shows right now. 
• The rebuilding team that looks ahead of schedule is the San Jose Sharks, who have the third-best record in the Pacific Division. They are playing this way with Macklin Celebrini leading the way while the rest of the young core is still developing. When Michael Misa finds his footing and Will Smith reaches his potential, watch out for this team. 
• The St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks are sliding again. Both teams have lost three games in a row and are in the bottom three in the Western Conference. It’s made them the teams to watch on the trade block since they can make a big trade in the coming weeks.