Every year, there are NHL teams that go into the season with little chance to reach the playoffs. Usually, they put on a respectable show of trying to win but the end result comes as no surprise. Here are our top picks to finish with the NHL's worst record in 2022-23.
The quest for the worst record in the NHL comes with the reward of having the best odds to win the draft lottery. That holds special value this year because Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats is the presumptive first overall pick and appears to be a generational type of talent.
When Connor McDavid was coming up for the draft, there were some ugly tanking efforts, most notably by the Arizona Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres. However, the Edmonton Oilers ended up winning that lottery.
With their sights set on Bedard, some teams will offer little resistance, thanks to subpar rosters, injuries, and shaky goaltending.