This post will rate the bottom six Canadian teams with an embarrassment score from 1-5.
The Toronto Maple Leafs
Score: 5 (If they miss the playoffs)
Maple Leafs players watch in awe as the St. Louis Blues score an empty net goal.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a disaster in progress. Despite occupying a comfortable playoff position for most of the season, the Leafs are currently tied for the eighth and final position with three other teams. The Leafs have lost their last six games, and have played more games than any of the teams they are tied with.
Last year in the playoffs, the Boston Bruins overcame a three-goal deficit to eliminate the Leafs in game seven. If the Maple Leafs' slide continues, this will be their second embarrassing elimination in two consecutive seasons. Sports Club Stats currently lists the Leafs' playoff chances as 29.2 per cent.
The Calgary Flames
Score: 1
The Calgary Flames protect their coach from the charging Vancouver Canucks coach John Tortorella.
This exchange was actually a lot more embarrassing for Vancouver.
Despite their hot start to the season, no one expected the Calgary Flames to do well this season After many years of trying to recreate their 2004 cup run, the Flames have accepted that they are not actually a good team and started to rebuild. While they are not a talented team, the Flames have worked hard this season and at times played some good hockey. As of now, the Flames will finish 26th overall and will receive a high draft pick, which is what this franchise needs. According to Sports Club Stats their chances of making the playoffs are 0.0000005 per cent.
Edmonton Oilers
Score: 4
Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins wipes his face after forward Taylor Hall slams his water bottle on the bench.
The fact the Oilers were in the process of losing 8-1 to the Flames may have had something to do with it.
For the fourth year out of the last five, the Edmonton Oilers stand to finish in the bottom two spots in the league. Despite drafting a group of potential star forwards, this organization has made all the forward progress of a ball being tossed at a rugby match. Over the past few years the Oilers have fired coaches and their general manager and one wonders what else can be done. Many have speculated the Oilers are developing a losing culture.
The Oilers' playoff chances are 0 per cent, as they have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
The Ottawa Senators
Score: 3.5
the air into the Senator's net. It has been that kind of year for Ottawa.
The Ottawa Senators were expecting better this year. Last year the Senators had key injuries all season and still made the second round of the playoffs. Many figured that a healthy Senators team could do even better.
Not so much.
The Senators were hovering around the playoffs for most of the season, but plummeted in the standings after the trade deadline. Given the youth of this team and it's success last season, it will be interesting to see what the Senators do this offseason. Sports Club Stats lists the Senators playoff chances as 0.7 per cent.
The Winnipeg Jets
Score: 2
Winnipeg goaltender Ondrej Pavelec slamming his stick against the boards,
one of the many times he slammed his stick against something this season.
Despite a long winning streak before the Olympics, the Winnipeg Jets will most likely miss the playoffs again. While many fans are disappointed, young players like Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba made big strides this season and should be instrumental in the Jets' future.
Looking at how strong the Western Conference was alongside the Jets' roster, the Jets finishing out of the playoffs should not be a surprise. Fans who are surprised will undoubtably find easy scapegoats in Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien, and Ondrej Pavelec. Sports Club Stats says the Jets have a 0.2 per cent chance of making the playoffs.
Vancouver Canucks
Score: 10 (5 points plus 5 bonus points for excellence in the field of failure)
Former Vancouver goalie Roberto Loungo enjoying the last time the Canucks would bench him
for a nonsensical reason. After requesting a trade he was moved to Florida.
When I was in university my brother and I used to go tree planting in northern Alberta. One day (coincidentally my birthday), while working in the fields, my brother got stung by hornets 10 separate times. Given the amount of land he was working, I assume he must have aggravated every hornet's nest on the land he was working.
The Vancouver Canucks did something similar this year, managing to find disaster at every possible opportunity.
Two seasons ago Vancouver had two star goalies and after the Loungo trade they have none. There is a persistent rumour that star forward Ryan Kessler has asked for a trade. Coach Tortorella seems uncontrollable, has gotten suspended for attacking the Calgary locker room, and benched Loungo in the Heritage Classic causing the star goaltender to ask for a trade. It seems likely that their general manager will be fired after this season. It is hard to imagine how this season could have been worse for the Canucks. Sport Club Stats lists their playoff chances at 3.8 per cent.
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