Saying this season could easily be as bad as 2016 is asinine
First off a disclaimer about the following stats, they are just weird.
2014 finished 5th of 7 teams
2022 finished 6th of 8 teams
2014 missed playoffs coaches fired
2022 missed playoffs coaches fired
2015 playoffs - they have their third coach in two years
2023 playoffs - they have their third coach in two years
2015 finished 1rst in division
2023 finished 1rst in division
2015 marked a 18 point improvement from the previous year
2023 marked a 26 point improvement from the previous year
2015 bumped in the first round goalie issues
2023 bumped in second round goalie issues
Those are just weird details
Why I THINK there will be a fall back OUT of the playoffs;
I don't see sweeps of the Oilers, Preds or Rangers again
Defence not as good
Injuries, last year the team was remarkably healthy
Shooting percentage in line with the league average rather than the absurdly high rate of the first 25 games, more than double the league average.
The trend of the team to play a third of the season like the best in the league but not so great the other 2/3. Last year was almost the opposite of previous seasons, they started strong then faded other seasons they started weak and had great last thirds but missed.
To drop 15 to 20 points is not out of reach, they only need to not sweep the Oilers to drop half of that.
Demko to not play for awhile or get reinjured,
EP's knee to flare up more
Miller to lose half a step,
Hughes to be hurt.
The PK or PP to stumble.
The coach thing could be, not necessarily WAS, the coach bump which resulted in better performance. Much like players in the last year of their contracts out perform previous years. Loui Eriksson was that type, always had a great year at contract time. Saw that with Horvat too.
I think there is a good chance they dip, other teams improved, the Canucks are not, tow big areas of decline, the defence and in goal. I don't believe Boeser will repeat last years performance either, the coaching will go to more of a defensive poster as well, scoring will decline