Recently I had a series of blogs where I tried to come up with the best team a single division could provide. Each team was represented by a single player and the players had to play their “natural” position as stated by the website Cap Friendly.
This next series is going to focus on the opposite. I am going to try and select the worst team each division could submit under the same guidelines. If you were trying to tank and secure a high draft pick these would be the teams to assemble. I will try to use players who play on a regular basis and I will be refraining from using backup goaltenders.
The rules
My parameters are that you can only take one player from each team in the division.
You need to have a regular starting lineup with a center, right wing, left wing, right defense, left defense, and goalie.
There will be two bench positions for an eight team division. I’m going to take one forward and one defenseman.
I am using cap friendly to guide me on the positions.
Today is the Pacific Division
Brandon Sutter, Center
“You win with players like Brandon Sutter. I’m not comparing him to Patrice Bergeron, but when I was in Boston, Bergeron was a great two-way player for us. Look at Jonathan Toews. That’s how you win in the playoffs.”
- Jim Benning
The Canucks haven’t played a single playoff game since acquiring Sutter. It certainly isn’t solely Sutter’s fault, but he’s been an objectively bad player for at least five years. The signing was comical. That quote is comical. The results were predictable.
Milan Lucic, Left Wing
He’s Calgary’s problem now. At one point Lucic was a productive player able to put up good offensive numbers. That has evaporated and when combined with his foot speed he is never going to drive success on a line again. Putting him with better players is a waste of time because it would be decimating on the offensive production of his other teammates. Remember, not even Connor McDavid could make it work for Lucic. Where do you go from there? The answer is down.
Ryan Reaves, Right Wing
An enforcer type in a league with less and less of a need for that type of player. He’s not bad… for an enforcer is the most common line used with Reaves. Basically that’s just a polite way of saying somebody is bad. In the last five years he has a 1.0 points per 60 at 5v5. What’s the point? Between him, Lucic, and Sutter there is no offensive zone creativity to speak of.
Cam Fowler, Left Defense
You may be asking yourself why Cam Fowler is on here. It’s because he isn’t good. He is talked about like he is good, but his results paint a different picture. He was a great candidate for the Ducks to sell high, but they doubled down and gave him an extension instead. Now they have this to show for it
Kris Russell, Right Defense
An ultimate “stay at home” defender. He’s at home in the defensive zone because that is predominately where the puck will be when he is on the ice. He does get in the way of the puck to block shots, but that really doesn’t do much if there is no ability to get the puck to eventually leave the zone.
Oof
Martin Jones, Goaltender
There were 25 goalies who played 2,000 minutes last season. Jones finished 25th in 5v5 save percentage at .895. He was 22nd in HDSV% at 5v5 at .772. He was a huge concern. He may have had a great Game 6 and 7 against Vegas, but overall he only had a .906 5v5 save percentage in the playoffs. He was the weak link on a really good Sharks team. If he can tank a contender he can tank a tank team while playing in the tank.
Lawson Crouse, Forward Reserve
This is a victim of circumstances. Needed to find a Coyote to take. He was drafted in the first round and his career really hasn’t caught any traction to date. So far he is a player of little consequence which doesn’t lead to pushing teams towards wins. This got him on the team.
Derek Forbort, Defense Reserve
He’s a 26 year old player who struggles with generating shot attempts and offense. The needle doesn’t move all that much when he’s on the ice
Lucic-Sutter-Reaves
Fowler-Russell
Jones
Crouse
Forbort
Thanks for reading!
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