NHL: Ranking the seven Canadian teams from worst to best
By Jasmine Yen
2. Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are such a confusing hockey team but getting Jacob Markstrom solidifies them as one of the top Canadian teams. Markstrom has proven to be a star goaltender, which is a position the Flames have been trying to fix for years. The big issue with this team is the inconsistency of their star players.
I think a big reason for this has been the turmoil within the organization. They’ve had four different head coaches in the last six years, and the last firing was Bill Peters, which drew a lot of media attention due to the scandal that he was involved in. This team desperately needed stability, and bringing in Markstrom and turning towards Geoff Ward to be the full-time head coach helps give this team a strong base. These changes are huge for the Flames, and I believe that they will give this team a proper chance to play at their best.
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs addressed all their issues this offseason. They added veteran leadership and grit to their lineup by bringing in Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, and re-signing Jason Spezza. T.J. Brodie and Zach Bogosian add depth to their defensive group, and Aaron Dell gives them depth in the goaltending position, an area that they have been trying to finalize for years.
This team reminds me a lot of the Tampa Bay Lightning of 2019. They were built with skill but were eliminated in an embarrassing way when the playoffs rolled around. The Leafs were built on skill as well and didn’t even technically make it to the playoffs, losing in five games to the Columbus Blue Jackets. This was the kick in the teeth the team needed, and now they’re playing with fire under their bellies.
Next. Crawford is an improvement over Schneider. dark
In the last year of his contract, Frederik Andersen is going to want to play for a lucrative contract, Sheldon Keefe gets his first proper season with the team, and all their stars are a year wiser. I think this season will be a big one for Toronto because of everything they have at stake. Four years of Auston Matthews and never going past the first round is embarrassing, and they’re determined to change that narrative.