The 2025-26 NHL season is only a month old. Every team has played enough games for a decent sample size but not enough to make any big statements. This season, particularly, a lot of teams are jumbled up in the middle, yet there are a few standouts for better or worse.
It’s why this is a good time to look back at some preseason predictions that are already starting to age poorly. The added bonus is that some of the teams have provided a moment or a game that proved the preseason prediction was sure to be wrong.”
“Flames are a playoff team”
After finishing last season with 96 points and coming up just short of a playoff spot, the Calgary Flames looked like a team poised to take a step forward and make the playoffs. They’ve taken a big step back. At 3-9-2 they have the worst record in the Western Conference and look like a bad team as well (aside from the occasional lights-out performance from Dustin Wolf).
The warning signs were there. The forward group wasn’t great heading into the season, and without the reliable backup, the Flames were running the risk of overworking Wolf. That’s what’s happened and made them look like a team poised for a rough season where they might make a few blockbuster trades soon enough.
This prediction also aged poorly right off the bat. The Flames beat the rival Edmonton Oilers on opening night but then lost eight games in a row to all but declare the season over.
“Penguins will be NHL cellar dweller”
Everyone expected the Pittsburgh Penguins to be the worst team, or one of them, before the season. Even after a hot start, the assumption was that the shoe would drop. The Penguins have one of the best records in the Eastern Conference and have looked great on both ends.
There’s a good chance the Penguins regress. Their goaltending is propping them up to be a better team, and a few skaters overachieving have them playing great at the moment but it’s unlikely things will hold up. That said, the Penguins won’t be a lottery team and won’t be in the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes.
The Oct. 23 game against the Florida Panthers was a small indication that the Penguins will be a good team this season. That win capped off a four-game winning streak and showed they can go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the league (even if the Panthers are a shell of themselves).
“The Kraken are in the same boat as the Pens”
The Seattle Kraken were another team that many expected to be in the tank wars. They have an uninspiring roster and not much, if any, star power. The Kraken looked like a team heading towards a teardown, even as the league’s youngest franchise.
The interesting thing about the Kraken is that it’s hard to pinpoint why they are a good team. They are 6-2-4 and lack a standout offense or a great defense. The two things that have helped them are Lane Lambert, who has looked like a competent coach in his second stint behind the bench, and the goaltending with Joey Daccord being incredible. It’s why the Kraken might struggle but they won’t be a bottomfeeder.
“The Wild are West team to watch”
After a great offseason, one where the Minnesota Wild managed to sign Marco Rossi and Kirill Kaprizov, the face of the franchise, they were expected to have a great season. The Wild have been a good but not great team for a decade, and this was the year they were expected to take a big step.
The Wild are 4-6-3 and have the second-worst record in the Central Division. With high expectations, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if they become the first team to make a coaching change. They need a spark, and their general manager (GM) Bill Guerin won’t waste any time.
Other predictions off to a rough start
The Toronto Maple Leafs were expected to be one of the best teams in the NHL, and they are off to a slow start. They’ve won back-to-back games but the performance has looked concerning.
The same is true about the Ottawa Senators. They are a team that has plenty of elite skaters but the goaltending issues are a red flag, especially since they were viewed by many as a team that would take a big step forward.
On the flip side, there was some doubt about the Utah Mammoth and the Detroit Red Wings. Yet, both teams are off to hot starts and look poised to be in the playoffs by the end of the season.
Is there a prediction that you or the general NHL world had that is already aging poorly? Let us know in the comments section below!
