With the NHL All-Star game right around the corner, now is the perfect time for evaluation around the league. While the majority of teams are gearing up for a playoff push there are a handful of teams that are already too far on the outside looking in and won’t be able to contend for a playoff spot. Some of those teams have already started to rebuild while others are in desperate need of pressing the reset button. Here is a look at the four NHL teams most in need of a rebuild.
Colorado Avalanche
The fact that the Avalanche are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings should be absolutely shocking when you consider management thought the team had enough talent to contend for a playoff spot this season. Colorado is the lowest scoring team in the NHL and as if that isn’t bad enough they are also giving up the most goals per game in the league as well. Semyon Varlamov’s numbers are among the worst in the league among starting goalies while veteran players like captain Gabriel Landeskog and Jarome Iginla have really struggled to produce. The Avalanche are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Landeskog and center Matt Duchene and while they do have some solid core talent the time is now to hit the reset button and start over building around Nathan Mackinnon and Mikko Rantenen as their franchise players.
Taking a look at the standings, the Avs have just 27 points so far, which is by far the fewest in the NHL. No other team has less than 32, although the Avs have only played 42 games and have a couple in hand over the Arizona Coyotes. Their -57 goal differential is the worst in the league by eight goals.
Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes have a couple of core players in Max Domi and Anthony Duclair but their defensive depth is terrible and veteran goaltender Mike Smith has not been nearly good enough. Now is the time to commit to a full rebuild with a chance to improve the defense core in particular with some key moves before the trade deadline. Martin Hanzal is set to become a free agent this summer while veteran pieces like Shane Doan and Radim Vrbata could generate interest on the trade market. Arizona has some strong core pieces in place but needs to be more aggressive on the trade front in order to accelerate its rebuild.
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit has been stuck between trying to make it back to the playoffs and committing to a rebuild. The Red Wings have made the postseason 25 years in a row but that streak is in serious jeopardy this season and it makes more sense for Detroit to go all-in on a rebuild rather than trying to make it back to the playoffs only to be eliminated in the opening round. Veteran players like Thomas Vanek, Darren Helm and even Jimmy Howard could generate some interest at the trade deadline and with core pieces like Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin already in place now is the time for the Red Wings to go all-in with a rebuild.
New York Islanders
After making the playoffs in consecutive years, the Islanders are on the verge of a major rebuild should John Tavares make the decision to take his talents elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Tavares is set to hit the open market and after watching things fall apart on the island this season there is a good chance he will sign somewhere else. The Islanders will be in big trouble if Tavares moves on with a confusing goaltending situation and a lack of incoming young talent. General Manager Garth Snow watched Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen and Matt Martin walk in free agency in favor of signing Andrew Ladd and sticking with a three-goalie system and his decisions have really hurt the team. The Islanders rebuild could come down to being only a matter of time at this point so it will be interesting to see if they accelerate the process via the trade market before the upcoming deadline.
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