Tanking for Tavares: The Leaderboard

by James Mirtle on Dec 18, 2008 9:30 AM CST Comment 18 comments

The world junior tournament is set to start in Ottawa in just over a week (next Friday), and the two prized picks this season, John Tavares and Victor Hedman, are both going to be in action.

You better believe a lot of the following teams will have scouts on the scene.

Here's a look at franchises that are, at this point, on pace to finish at the bottom of the pack and get the most balls in the draft lottery:

		GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	P%	/82
30	Tampa Bay	30	7	15	8	22	0.367	60
29	NY Islanders	31	10	18	3	23	0.371	61
28	Atlanta	30	10	16	4	24	0.400	66
27	St. Louis	30	12	15	3	27	0.450	74
26	Ottawa	29	11	13	5	27	0.466	76
25	Dallas	30	12	14	4	28	0.467	77
24	Colorado	31	15	15	1	31	0.500	82
23	Columbus	31	14	14	3	31	0.500	82
22	Edmonton	30	14	14	2	30	0.500	82
21	Toronto	30	12	12	6	30	0.500	82

Tavares_medium The Lightning would be just the fourth team in NHL history to get back to back No. 1 picks should they win the lottery this season, and would the first team to do so since those god-awful Senators teams wound up with Bryan Berard and Chris Phillips in consecutive years back in the mid-'90s.

The Nordiques did it three times in a row with Sundin-Nolan-Lindros from 1989 to 1991.

The four worst teams in the NHL are in free fall right now, and I think it's a safe bet that it'll be one of those that falls into dead last. The Islanders have the worst roster in the league on paper, so kudos to coach Scott Gordon for coaxing what he has out of that group without the team's starting goaltender for most of the year.

I think they finish 30th this season.

Poll

Which team will finish last and have the best chance at picking first overall in the 2009 NHL entry draft?

Lightning

196 votes

Islanders

342 votes

Thrashers

100 votes

Blues

22 votes

Senators

57 votes

Stars

15 votes

Other

40 votes

772 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Idiot Leafs

Leave it to the Leafs to get their fanbase on board with losing in an attempt to get a franchise forward/defenceman only to hire a good coach and see it all go up in flames.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Dec 18, 2008 9:39 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

don't worry

Burke’ll have such a massive fire sale at the trade deadline, even Wilson won’t be able to win games with the players left over…

I hope.

by Karina on Dec 18, 2008 4:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think you’re absolutely right.

by James Mirtle on Dec 18, 2008 4:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Isles

“So you’re telling me there’s a chance!”

Lighthouse Hockey: an SB Nation New York Islanders blog with hip issues.

by Dominik on Dec 18, 2008 10:38 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Senators

Now I have something to look forward to. Something useful has to come of this dreadful year.

by hockeycountry on Dec 18, 2008 10:55 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Ewww

Imagine if it became a situation like the Spurs had where Tim Robinson was injured all year and they ended up with the first overall pick (Tim Duncan) despite not being that bad?

Just kidding…the senators suck.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Dec 18, 2008 12:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Eh?

For a moment I thought you were talking Tottenham and meaning Paul Robinson. What is this basketball you speak of? It is foreign to me :)

Lighthouse Hockey: an SB Nation New York Islanders blog with hip issues.

by Dominik on Dec 18, 2008 2:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If I was talking about tubby goalies that couldn’t save a long-range life to save their lives I would have been talking about the Spuds ;)

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Dec 18, 2008 3:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice

I was hoping you’d take that softball and blast it. Silly Spurs :)

Lighthouse Hockey: an SB Nation New York Islanders blog with hip issues.

by Dominik on Dec 18, 2008 4:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd be surprised if the Blues ended up with the #1 pick...

even though they don’t look too good right now…I’m expecting (hoping) that once the injured guys start coming back, they’ll start picking up some points…we had our #1 pick in the draft…it’s time to start acting like you want to make the playoffs, even if it’s all but a certainty you won’t get there.

by tbell61 on Dec 18, 2008 10:55 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Agreed. Islanders are the worst team in the NHL, and it’s not close.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 12:03 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

The Islanders are dreadfully bad...

But I think it has been magnified by seemingly every decent shot they give up hitting the back of the net…Maybe DiPi’s return might stablize them a little. But with as little talent they have up front— and that’s even before trades might take away vets (Weight, Guerin, Comrie) it’s hard to see them going more than 65 points this year….And even that figure might be pretty generous.

by Hooks Orpik on Dec 18, 2008 12:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No question the return of DiPi will help… until he gets hurt again.

They stink. Badly.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Dec 18, 2008 2:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Other

Sabres are the worst team in the NHL……..

….for half of their schedule. The other half they’re the best. What does that equal? Another missed playoff year and the 13th overall pick. Because they’ve had so much success there in the past.

by Afino on Dec 18, 2008 12:07 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Its like the other Buffalo sports team Afino, just mediocre enough to miss the playoffs and a really good draft pick.

The population of Pominville keeps rising!

by Blackcapricorn on Dec 18, 2008 1:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Geez, the Sabres sound a little like the Oilers.

by Doogie2K on Dec 22, 2008 12:18 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It's ok

Seriously, for once I agree that the team is horrible – they really need to continue along this path for the sake of the rebuild. For the first time in over a decade the team finally has a plan (at least an obvious one) that begins down in Bridgeport right up to the big club.

The Islanders will be in a great position when they trade the veterans away for prospects and picks, and even better when they (hopefully) get picked to select first overall.

by Islesblogger on Dec 18, 2008 4:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

They may have been “lucky” too, in the sense that all of these injuries thus far have provided some cover for looking this bad, this early. Certainly makes it easier for Snow to get rid of veterans at will than if they were hanging on somewhere close to #8-10th place. (Now, as for who actually wants those vets beyond Weight…)

Lighthouse Hockey: an SB Nation New York Islanders blog with hip issues.

by Dominik on Dec 18, 2008 5:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs