theathleticuk
The mechanics of an NHL rebuild appear simple on the surface: strip the roster down to its core, trade established talent for future assets, endure bottom-of-the-standings finishes to secure high draft picks, and gradually build back up. Yet the process is riddled with complications, requiring teams to balance losing with maintaining morale, adhere to a vision while remaining adaptable, and align the front office with the coaching staff. Missteps can trap a franchise in a perpetual cycle of mediocrity, and general managers must exhibit patience without skipping crucial phases—or, in rare cases, recognize when to accelerate the timeline.
Several teams across the league are currently navigating this intricate path, each with distinct approaches and at different stages of their respective plans. Some are generating more anxiety than others. Below is an examination of rebuilding clubs that have yet to reach the competitive or contending phase, ordered from the least to the most urgent concern.
Calgary Flames
Calgary has defied expectations with a 6-3-1 record in its last ten games, pulling within four points of the second wild-card spot. The surge has been fueled by the development of young talents like Matvei Gridin and Matt Coronato, while players such as Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee—who may hold more value as future trade chips—are contributing to the wins and boosting their own market worth. This competitive start is helping the Flames forge an identity and teaching a young roster how to compete, elements that often get lost when losses mount. However, losses also improve draft positioning, and Calgary could still benefit from a top pick, especially after narrowly missing the top five last year.
The Flames' prospect pool was ranked No. 3 by Scott Wheeler before the 2026 draft, but that standing was built on a committee of promising talent rather than elite difference-makers. In this year's Prospect Tiers, Calgary has two All-Star-caliber prospects, two in the star tier, and five in the support tier—yet lacks an MVP or franchise-level player to lead the next wave. The best avenue to acquire such a talent is at the top of the draft, where pick values diminish rapidly as the first round progresses. While some rebuilds succeed without a stockpile of high picks—the Dallas Stars managed with just one top-five selection in Miro Heiskanen by hitting on other choices—Dallas is the exception, not the rule. Calgary must somehow maintain its current competitive spirit and boost trade values while also sliding down the standings to improve its draft odds.
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver has accumulated losses rapidly through the first 20 games and currently sits 32nd overall. Unlike the previous two seasons, this level of futility—on pace for a last-place finish and 54 points—is intentional. The Canucks have the backing of a revamped front office that appears to understand the rebuilding process, which likely means shipping out players like Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson (the forward, who is nearing a return to form), and Filip Hronek to the highest bidder for draft picks and prospects. Yet beneath the record, Vancouver must demonstrate some progress to make this season meaningful after back-to-back lost years.
There have been bright spots: Elias (D-Petey) Pettersson has shown growth on the back end, and Jonathan Lekkerimäki is beginning to break out. But most of the on-ice play has been bleak. The Canucks struggle to sustain offensive pressure and drive to the slot, turnovers have been crippling for a team consistently hemmed in its own zone, and the penalty kill is trending toward historically bad levels. Through it all, the coaching staff must facilitate the early stages of development—helping Zeev Buium become the best version of himself and ensuring that exposure to such a harsh environment doesn't set young players back. Tanking for the draft lottery is the easy part; making progress while getting crushed nightly requires far more care. Vancouver must walk a fine line between a losing season and a lost one; too many missteps now could crack the foundation before the team can build up.
San Jose Sharks
While teams like the Buffalo Sabres have illustrated the pain of a rebuild, the Sharks have been a bright spot over the past couple of seasons. Macklin Celebrini's rapid ascent to the MVP tier fast-tracked the team into playoff contention for much of last season. Management built on that momentum in the offseason, selecting Ivar Stenberg with the No. 2 pick and using surplus wingers and draft capital to address other needs. The vision seemed on track—until it wasn't, with the additions of Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse committing a combined $17.5 million in cap space for the next two seasons. Those defensive flaws always had the potential to hold San Jose back, but now the coaching and systems are becoming the focal point behind the Sharks' lost step.
High-flying rebuilding teams that play a run-and-gun style—like the 2022-23 Sabres and 2021-22 Ducks—often shift to emphasizing defensive structure above all else. Sometimes that shift suppresses what made the team special offensively without actually improving the defense. That has been the case in San Jose, where the hockey and overall progress have been uninspiring. Despite attempting to play more defensive hockey, the Sharks are still bleeding chances against, allowing a higher rate of rush chances compared to last season, more passes to the slot, and failing to limit opponents' offensive-zone time. Unlike last year, there isn't the same offensive punch to compensate. The young guns aren't creating as many rush chances or moving the puck as effectively, and the team looks disjointed after last season's progress. While players must execute better, decision-makers must determine whether this is a natural, fixable blip or something that could jeopardize the path forward.
Philadelphia Flyers
Over the past few years, the Flyers have done well to keep the big picture in focus, staying the course regardless of how close they appeared to the playoffs. But last season's Cinderella run down the stretch and into the playoffs—where they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 1—raised expectations in Philadelphia. Matching that required significant internal growth: Porter Martone building on his strong NHL start, Matvei Michkov becoming more of a difference-maker, Tyson Foerster taking the next step, and so on. Instead, the team has taken a major step back.
The Flyers, known for their structure and stingy defense last season, have been extremely leaky. They've been vulnerable off the rush and worked over on the cycle, with opponents driving to the slot and damaging the middle of the ice. Their offensive game hasn't been good enough to counter. While defense is a cornerstone of the Flyers' identity, an uptick in offense was a major part of last season's turnaround—but there have been no signs of that progress this season. Philadelphia has been abysmal in transition, isn't moving the puck well in the offensive zone to create dangerous chances, and lacks enough juice off the forecheck to compensate. Players who could provide an offensive spark aren't being leaned on enough. Roster flaws, especially at center, are obvious—the front office acknowledged as much with the Leo Carlsson offer sheet—but that doesn't explain why last season's group has regressed so dramatically on both ends. The big question in Philadelphia is whether Rick Tocchet is the right coach to lead a rebuilding team, or if his developmental strategies (or lack thereof) could derail progress.
Chicago Blackhawks
To the Blackhawks' credit, they've had to navigate tricky injury situations. Chicago was without its best player, Connor Bedard, to open the season, and marquee offseason addition Bowen Byram has been limited to just six games. But concerns around this team extend beyond a poor record from a short-handed roster. Questions about the overall direction arose in the summer when management believed the team was ready to trade the No. 4 pick for Byram—a move that didn't align with its rebuilding position. The pricey new contract added more pressure, considering Byram is being paid for a role he has yet to prove he can play. It's bigger than Byram, though. The Blackhawks have technically used three top-10 picks (two via the draft, one in the trade) to find a No. 1 defenseman, and so far have fallen short. That raises concerns about the team's scouting and the developmental systems meant to support young talents. Is Chicago simply whiffing on picks? Or failing to help players become their best selves? Perhaps it's a combination.
Whatever the reason, the result is miserable on a nightly basis, especially in the defensive zone. The Blackhawks' zone entry denial is relatively fine at five-on-five, but once opponents gain the blue line, the young defenders collapse. The team consistently loses puck battles and fails to make retrievals, and when Chicago does gain control, players cough up the puck or fail to exit with control, leaving them hemmed in for extended periods. After a 9-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Blackhawks have lost nine of their last ten games. While not every result is as dramatic as Saturday's 9-2 defeat, many have been crushing. Chicago sits dead last in goal differential at minus-37. A coaching change isn't coming, but apparently everything else is on the table—whether adding more front-office help like a president of hockey operations, trading roster players, or moving more draft capital for immediate returns. But will desperation moves turn things around or deepen the hole? Is the team even in a position to move more future assets for players who can accelerate a process Chicago may not be ready for? Perhaps the biggest question is whether the Blackhawks have the right decision-makers and if they should get the chance to get the team back on track. While Chicago was never projected to make a seismic jump into playoff contention this season, the team doesn't have nearly enough progress to show for its rebuilding efforts to this point.
Originally reported by theathleticuk.