The NHL would never.
Minnesota will never be bad enough with a healthy Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek and adding Buium/Yurov into the fold. Worst I see them finishing is like pick 15 if most things go wrong during the season.
Who Will Be Tanking For Gavin McKenna in 2025-2026?
- Thread starter Hockeyville USA
- Start date
Minnesota will never be bad enough with a healthy Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek and adding Buium/Yurov into the fold. Worst I see them finishing is like pick 15 if most things go wrong during the season.
Gregor Samsa
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If SJ and Chicago are still <60 points bad, they have to start getting a little concerned. They probably won’t be good but they probably won’t be a punching bag either
BruinLVGA
Got me a Beretta 92xi Squalo :))))
Channelcat
Unhinged user
I think they'll be closer to top 5. Ya, they're not in the hunt
Luigi Lemieux
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Minnesota as a franchise is pretty stacked top to bottom. There's no way they're a lottery team.
JackSlater
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I don't think McKenna is good enough to tank for. Some teams are going to stink though.
I wouldn't say stacked. A lot of their recent picks have already flamed out, regressed, or have low ceilings. Minnesota finishes top 2 or 3 (even with their injuries) in the Central if they had drafted Hutson instead of Haight or Lorenz.
I also don't trust Hynes to get the most out of Ohgren & Yurov. I think Buium is too good to ruin, but we'll see.
In the 4 seasons since we returned for the full 82 games since Covid, the bottom 3-5 teams have earned:
2022 - 55, 57, 60, 61, 63 (Mon, AZ, Sea, Phi, NJ)
2023 - 58, 59, 59, 60, 68 (Ana, CBJ, Chi, SJ, Mon)
2024 - 47, 52, 59, 66, 76 (SJ, Chi, Ana, CBJ, Mon)
2025 - 52, 61, 68, 76, 76 (SJ, Chi, Nas, Phi, Bos)
SJ and Chi have both been right at the bottom the past 3 drafts. 61 has been the barometer to be called "Terrible". That got you 4th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd worst the past 4 seasons. Once you get past 3rd worst, your draft lottery odds are under 10%, so not exactly high hopes of winning the lottery.
I guess, again, which current GMs can afford to have a roughly 60 point season next season and still be employed for 26/27 by their team?
Pass the Saitl Sauce
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I hope Nashville end up getting him mostly because from the movie “the Predator” the main Protagonist family name is Mckenna
(Rory Mckenna from the movie) is literally Gavin in a Preds jersey
(Rory Mckenna from the movie) is literally Gavin in a Preds jersey
Gregor Samsa
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I’m not sure I see a <60 point team next near but injuries are a wildcard. Nashville can take over the crown but it’s hard to tell what their game plan is. Flyers were relatively healthy but if any long term injuries occur to TK, Michkov, or Sanheim it could be ugly. There’s also no hope at center for the next few years. Boston has Pasta and McAvoy and dealt with injury issues. Unless they trade them I have a hard time seeing them be “terrible”. Seattle has been a failure and have progressively gotten worse. Pittsburgh won’t trade Crosby so who knows
Well if the Preds don't fire Brunette then you will know we are tanking for him...
Channelcat
Unhinged user
When you say say top 5, do you mean top 5 in the NHL standings or top 5 in the draft? I took top 5 to mean top 5 in the draft.
Channelcat
Unhinged user
No, I mean top 5 in the league standings. Assuming they're relatively healthy next year I think it's crazy to think they're not a playoff team. But, yes afterwards I realized my post was confusing.
Pantokrator
Who's the clown?
It doesn't matter because the Penguins will win the lottery. We all know this.
Ohhhh, I see! I rescind my snarky response. My apologies. Total misunderstanding
Ace
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- Oct 29, 2015
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Captain Controversy
Registered User
Jimmy Firecracker
Lord of the Knies
Pittsburgh, and the mantle will pass from Crosby to McKenna, like Lemieux to Crosby.
