The 2024-25 NHL regular season begins Friday, which means the hockey world has been inundated with preview content over the past few days.
And while most of these previews focus on the top of the league, the race to the bottom (aka winning with a wooden spoon) could be as fascinating as ever. there is.
This is because, for the first time in several years, there is no team that is fighting with all its might.
San Jose, Chicago, Ottawa, Columbus, Philadelphia, Arizona/Utah, Montreal, Buffalo, and Detroit all went through this process in recent campaigns, but all have been working toward rebuilding for at least a few seasons, meaning all This season means the team should move further forward.
Hopefully this means the days of multiple teams under 60 points are a thing of the past (last season there were three: the Sharks, Blackhawks, and Ducks).
That could mean a surprising team completely hits rock bottom this season.
Here are two worthy candidates, including one long shot, in the futures market for the worst regular season record in 2024-25.
2024-25 NHL Future: Worst Record Odds
| team | odds | team | odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| shark | +185 | blues | +3000 |
| blue jacket | +300 | flyer | +3000 |
| duck | +1100 | kraken | +4000 |
| flame | +1600 | Saber | +4000 |
Minnesota Wild (150/1, DraftKings)
This may be difficult, but there is a path to success with this bet. The Wild weren't pushing for a playoff berth last season, and with some holes on the roster, it's fair to wonder if they'll take a step back again.
They have a superstar in Kirill Kaprizov, but the rest of the team is lackluster, and the depth in the center and on the blue line is a concern. That's not even mentioning their goaltending situation, which is confusing at best.
The other thing to note here is that the Wild are still in salary cap prison, trying to best prepare for next October when dead money is taken off the books. That means Minnesota could be willing to sell pieces if it drops out of contention early.
Calgary Flames (+1600, DraftKings)
You could also argue that the Flames are the only team in the NHL that is actively destroying things and in rebuilding mode.
They've spent this calendar year cutting payroll and building for the future, but just a few seasons ago they weren't committed to competing. That led to acquiring veteran players like Nazem Kadri, Mackenzie Weegar, Blake Coleman, and Jonathan Huberdeau, making it nearly impossible for them to fully tank.
Would you bet on the NHL?
The problem is that the Flames have given these players little support around the edge, which completely ruins their hopes in Cowtown.
If the Flames struggle, as expected, they will look to trade away as many of these veterans as possible, which should create a situation that could make them one of the worst teams this spring.
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Michael Levov told the New York Post that he handicaps the EPL, NHL, golf, and anything other than the NFL and NBA. He bet on EPL and gained 49.73 units, giving him an ROI of 7.17%.
