3 NHL teams that should be worried after Week 1
The NHL season has just begun, and some teams in the league should already be very concerned. A new year usually brings a sense of hope and excitement, but fans are wondering what is wrong with their squads.
Here are three NHL teams whose fans are extremely worried after week one of the season.
MORE: Red Wings coach reacts to Dylan Larkin facing opening-night boos
Detroit Red Wings
Apr 13, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) warms up before a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
There’s no way to sugarcoat it. The Detroit Red Wings are a mess. They’re 0-2-0 to start the season, and their star player Dylan Larkin got booed out of the building at their home opener. Larkin has demanded a trade, and they’ve stripped him of his captaincy.
The Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs in 10 years, and franchise legend Steve Yzerman was removed as general manager and executive vice president in the offseason.
Defenseman Simon Edvinsson has also reportedly requested a trade, so it’s just been a nightmare start for the Original Six franchise.
Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has to navigate these waters and give his fans some hope. He’ll have to have do perfrom a successful retool for the Wings if he wants any fans actually coming to Little Caesars Arena to watch this team.
MORE: NHL power rankings entering Week 2: All 32 teams ranked worst to first
Chicago Blackhawks
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) looks on during the third period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
We go from one winless Original Six team to another team that doesn’t have a victory this year. The Chicago Blackhawks haven’t found the win column this year, and even Patrick Kane’s return hasn’t given this fan base any hope.
Franchise player Connor Bedard has been out with a shoulder injury, but there have been positive updates on when he could possibly return to the ice.
The Blackhawks are 0-3, and it looks like this could be another tough rebuilding year for a storied franchise that hasn’t tasted postseason hockey in six years.
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Calgary Flames
Everyone knew the Calgary Flames were going to struggle this season but I don’t think anyone thought it would be this bad. They’ve started the season with three straight losses and have scored a measly three goals in those games.
They’ve already put former first-round pick Connor Zary on waivers, and things probably won’t get much better this season. The only positive thing right now is that they’ll be playing in a brand new arena next year.
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Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.