This thread idea is thanks to Lam7825 from the Canucks board.
The questions is, who is the worst managed NHL hockey team? This could include fiscal responsibility, asset management, team success, etc ... or a combination thereof.
Calgary Flames. They've screwed up so many ways it isn't funny. They've probably got the worst draft record in the NHL over the past decade even though they've always had fairly high draft position. They've made stupid signings like Kravchuk and Vernon. They've never had any sort of direction or stability in the organization.
Calgary Flames. They've screwed up so many ways it isn't funny. They've probably got the worst draft record in the NHL over the past decade even though they've always had fairly high draft position. They've made stupid signings like Kravchuk and Vernon. They've never had any sort of direction or stability in the organization.
I agree. Of all the "small markets", they've definitely been mismanaged. When people think of that term, they usually finger the guys like the Rangers or Blackhawks because of their big market status, but the flames have been pretty horrible. The most telling stat is their lack of a playoff series win since their cup in '89.
Also, the Canadians have been pretty crappy as of late. I mean, they have a new management team in place so I won't pass judgement on THIS group, but the last few years? Not good.
Blackhawks get the nod over any other team as they have effectively killed their fan base. No local TV contract to try to get tickets sold; star after star leaves; and most importantly: Bill Wirtz.
I'm suprised the Caps, Flyers, Leafs, and Sharks have not been mentioned yet. My reason for putting these guys on the list:
Caps: Terrible fiscal responsibility; underachieving group for their price (Jagr in particular); a horribly thin D corps.
Flyers: Clarke seems to be the problem here--poor player management; revolving door in most important position (goal); bad trade(s), most notably 1,2,3,Oullette for a soon to be UFA Oates.
Leafs: Not terrible, but not good. The team keeps getting older, with no real great young replacements for the older guys; bad trade for Nolan. Maybe the new guy will do a good job here.
Sharks: Any team that goes from supposedly a Cup contender to the bottom part of the league is mis-managing its assets, or underachieving in some sort of way.
Boston could be a case.
Refusal to win.
Too bad, because management IS good enough to find gems.
But Jacobs doesn't let his team contend.
But of course if you factor playoff appearances, Chicago and NYR are the most probable candidates.
Habs are up there. If you compare payroll to roster, they may be the worst in the league (less so now that Czerkawski, McKay and GM Savard are gone but still could be).
Habs are up there. If you compare payroll to roster, they may be the worst in the league (less so now that Czerkawski, McKay and GM Savard are gone but still could be).
Contract management has been the real weak point during the Savard era. Very good drafting, didn't panic and deal away the youth for a quick fix (something they tried through free agency instead) but really, Savard had no clue about the financial aspect of the GM position.
Now Gainsey's in place, so this is history, which he already proved with all the excellent signings during the summer (Kilger, Bulis, Koivu, Markov) all at very reasonable prices + bought out Czerkawski and McKay which is an other excellent move.
Only remaining financial aberrations in the lineup: Brisebois, Audette, Juneau and Perreault. The last two are in the last year of their contract.
Calgary Flames: Always a great draft position, yet their actual draft record is among the worst.
Poor trades, ridiculous signings.
They've never shown even a hint of any sort of direction.
They can't even take care of their fan base very well.
Honourable mention goes to the Chicago Blackhawks.
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Welcome to Leafs Nation, leave your common sense at the door.
Leafs: Not terrible, but not good. The team keeps getting older, with no real great young replacements for the older guys; bad trade for Nolan. Maybe the new guy will do a good job here.
Sharks: Any team that goes from supposedly a Cup contender to the bottom part of the league is mis-managing its assets, or underachieving in some sort of way.
I hate the Leafs, but they don't deserve to be on this list. They have been one of the most succesful teams of the last decade, year after year of excellent regular season performances, tons of playoff games. They've made it to the final 4 four times, the second round twice. You'd be hard pressed to find similar results amongst the other non-Cup winners.
Yeah, they're old, but's thats what happens when you're on the cusp of winning for years. You're trying to hold the group together, without dismantling it.
Seems kinda harsh to bring up the Sharks because of one bad year. Before that, they were a model franchise, constantly improving each year.
To make this list, I think you need to concentrate on teams who've had years of uninterrupted ineptitude. Rangers and Blackhawks seem the obvious choices.
Rangers: they haven't drafted any decent junior player who plays steadily on the top 2 lines of any NHL team. On top of that, they haven't been able to assemble a good enough number of players to make the playoffs, even given the amount of money they have availbale to them that other NHL don't...
