Here are three NHL defensemen who look destined to have breakout years in 2026-27.
Video Transcript
Who will be the worst team in the NHL in 2026, ’27?
Or as players always like to say, “That’s a good team over there.”
Advertisement
even though they’re not.
Mike Trages.
Well, I said Vancouver off the hop, so I’ll stay with the Canucks- because I think, you know, we’re gonna see more players shipped out of town as the season goes on.
And even if they don’t get shipped out of town, we’re talking about a team that just, you know, they weren’t very good this year, and I think they’re gonna be even worse next season.
Right on.
Devin, who you got at the bottom?
I don’t know.
I don’t know how you’d pick anybody other than Vancouver.
It’s, it’s like, you know, there’s some teams that, that you can look at and they’re, they’re not gonna be good.
Advertisement
They’re, they’re not gonna be, they’re not gonna be pushing for playoffs.
But like you mentioned, they were brutal last year and, and by all accounts it doesn’t look like they’re, they’re getting any better this year.
Good on Oleksiak and Gallagher.
They’re gonna be slugging it out there as veteran guys.
I’ve seen some veteran guys go through that when I was in Edmonton, when we were, we were grinding at the bottom.
It was easy for me to go out there ’cause I’m trying to, trying to m- make a career out of it.
And, you know, Horkoff and Ethan Morrow and Steve Stail, Sheldon Surry, I mean, these guys are, are respected, great players, great leaders, that it just it was hard to watch them have to do that and, and especially looking back on it.
Advertisement
So obviously they know what they’re getting into, but it’s, it’s hard to pick anybody other than Vancouver.
Fair enough.
I would say watch out for Calgary.
That’s not a very good lineup either.
Maybe they have slightly more motivation.
