Top 5 best and top 5 worst NHL teams following December

The 5 worst teams in the NHL all have one thing on their mind going into 2023.

28. Arizona Coyotes

Everyone always expects the Arizona Coyotes to be one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League. They are right now but they have been a little bit better than expected up to this point.

However, they would probably like to win a draft lottery so they could make some trades before the deadline. It has been fun seeing them play in a college arena but it is about time they start acting like an NHL team.

29. San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks are bad but they have been pretty entertaining so far this season. Erk Karlsson has gotten back to a level that nobody thought he’d be able to again. He could end up winning the Norris Trophy which explains how good he’s been.

He is going to be a hard player to trade because of the amount and the term on his contract but they are going to try. All pending UFAs are likely to be sent away too which will only make them worse.

30. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets made the big free-agent signing this off-season as they landed Johnny Gaudreau. With him and some of the other youngsters that they have, it was estimated that they would at least be a little bit better than this.

At this point, they should be rooting for the lottery while also recognizing that they have been one of the most disappointing NHL teams this season.

31. Anaheim Ducks

Despite Trevor Zegras and some of his teammates being incredibly skilled and fun to watch, it just hasn’t gone well for the Anaheim Ducks so far this season.

They, like everyone else on this list, would love to add a player like Connor Bedard or Adam Fantilli in the draft but getting there is going to be a painful process for them as a lot more losing is going to be needed.

32. Chicago Blackhawks

Following December, it is obvious that the Chicago Blackhawks are the worst team in the National Hockey League. They have the least amount of points, the worst goal differential, and the lowest points percentage.

Things are only going to get worse for them when they trade Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Max Domi amongst others to add more assets for the future. All of this is by design. There could be a nice reward for it coming at the end of the year but they need a little bit of luck.