Even before the season began, it was clear that the Canadiens were on the rise.
The Canadiens and Senators were quietly completing their rebuilds, the Oilers were back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, the Jets were a force to be reckoned with, and the Leafs were the Leafs.
Now, in 2026, only two Canadian teams (the Canadiens and the Oilers) are in the playoff zone. Losing Mitch Marner to Toronto hurts, Winnipeg is in last place overall, and the Canucks began their rebuild by trading Quinn Hughes.
The Senators defeated the Washington Capitals this afternoon. ahead of the Sharks and Rangers overall, but the fact remains that five of the 14 worst NHL teams are in Canada.
The Senators (19th), Leafs (22nd), Flames (26th), Canucks (31st) and Jets (32nd) are among the worst teams in the league.
The Cup hasn't returned to Canada yet… Do the Oilers still have a chance or is it the Canadiens' turn to take over?
I don't know about you, but I was very surprised to see the Jets in last place in the league on January 1st. Last year this time they were in first place overall.
Canada was doing much better at the start of 2025. Six of the seven teams were in the top 17, including three in the top 9. The only team lagging behind was Montreal (23rd place).
Things are changing quickly in the NHL…
After a while
– Speaking of the wolf.
It's a new year for the Winnipeg Jets, but they're on the opposite end of where they were supposed to start 2025 and salvaging their season may be too difficult, says Adam Proto. : https://t.co/Ox9ACXpqsV
– Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) January 1, 2026
No Quebecer deserves to be on the team.
Quebec's top players in the NHL this season … https://t.co/9OGbWR8sOd pic.twitter.com/dRDMBGI4CH
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) January 1, 2026
– Let's see if he changes his address.
Frank Seravalli: On the Andrew Mangiapane Rumors: For the Oilers, it's not necessarily about the return and what you get for it, but more about clearing cap space; that's why convincing someone to take it on… is difficult – Flames Talk (12/30)
– NHL Rumor Report (@NHLRumorReport) January 1, 2026
– Easy.
Oregon advances to Final Four easehttps://t.co/f3QWi6Ts9X
– RDS (@RDSca) January 1, 2026
