The Dallas Stars are off to a 4-8-1 start at the beginning of the 2019-2020 season. That makes them a popular choice to answer the question “Which team that made the playoffs last year is most likely to not make the playoffs this season?”
Though, they weren’t the most popular choice in the first SB Nation FanPulse survey in the NHL.
It’s not surprising to see the Columbus Blue Jackets atop this list. They did lose three big pieces this offseason — starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (signed with the Florida Panthers), top forward Artemi Panarin (signed with the New York Rangers), and trade deadline acquisition Matt Duchene (signed with the Nashville Predators).
The departure of goaltenders is a common themes, as Robyn Lehner’s departure from the New York Islanders has that team as the second most likely to miss the playoffs this season.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Edmonton Oilers, riding an 8-3-1 record to start the season, tops the list of non-playoff teams from last season most likely to make it into the postseason this year.
The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers, two teams each season that fans expect to finally turn things around, also feature on this list.
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