Just about every sports franchise goes through the highs and lows. Some teams experience more highs than lows, while others spend a majority of their existence in the bottom half of the standings.
Every year, there’s usually one or two teams that can’t keep up with the rest of the league. This year, that team in the NHL happened to be the Colorado Avalanche.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avs are currently experiencing their worst season since the 1989-90 campaign when they were still known as the Quebec Nordiques. This year, Colorado has 47 points through 79 games and 54 regulation losses on the year. This is the third time in franchise history that they will finish with a minimum of 50 regulation losses.
Dallas Stars
Just like the Avalanche, the Dallas Stars experienced their darker days in a previous life when they were known as the Minnesota North Stars. The team had a rough stretch in the 70’s, as they lost 50 games or more in regulation from 1974-1978.
New Jersey Devils
If there’s one fan base who has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, it’s the New Jersey Devils fan base. The team has lost 50 or more games in regulation on four different occasions, but have only experienced the embarrassing feat once as the Devils. Two of those terrible seasons happened back-to-back when they were the Kansas City Scouts, and the other one came a few years later when they were the Colorado Rockies.
Ottawa Senators
It looks like the Ottawa Senators’ darkest days are behind them. After joining the league in 1992, the Sens did not get off to a great start as an organization. In 1992-93, the team won just 10 games and lost 70 in regulation. The following year they improved, but still lost 61 games in regulation. With the 1994-95 season being a shortened one, the team caught a break. However, the following season they lost 59 games in regulation.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins have been known as a powerhouse in the NHL for about a decade now, but the Penguins haven’t always had that confidence. The early 1980’s were the roughest for the organization, as they lost 50 or more games in regulation for three straight seasons from 1982-1985.
Arizona Coyotes
Formerly known as the Phoenix Coyotes, the team lost 50 games in regulation in their first season as the Arizona Coyotes. They’ve lost 50 or more games in regulation three times in their history, but the first two came when they were the Winnipeg Jets.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are always the butt-end of people’s playoff jokes, but we’re guessing their fans would much rather experience the playoffs on a yearly basis than back-to-back 50 loss seasons. The team got off to a rough start like the Senators, losing 50 or more games three times in the 1990’s. Also like the Sens, the Sharks lost 70 or more games during the 1992-93 season, as they finished 11-71-2.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning and Senators joined the NHL the same year, so it’s no surprise to see that they struggled in pretty much the exact same seasons, just not as bad. The Lightning got off to a better start than the Sens did, but still lost 54 games in their first season. Their next 50-loss season didn’t come until the 1997-97 campaign, where they lost 55 games in regulation, and followed that up with a 54-loss season the following year.
