Time to Panic for Canadiens, Oilers and Predators

Is it time for the Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Montreal Canadiens to panic after their poor starts to the year?

Oct 22, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal scored by forward Connor McDavid (97) during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

The NHL season is in its early stages, but the Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Montreal Canadiens are experiencing significant struggles. All three teams possess losing records through the first few weeks of the season. While they seek to correct that, the question must be asked - is it time to panic? These three teams might not want to say so, but it's definitely time to hit that panic button.

Edmonton Oilers

Sure, the Oilers had a difficult start to last year too and wound up reversing their fortunes and making it to the Stanley Cup Finals. This is the second year in a row that they are off to a poor start, but this year's struggle is noticeably different.

The big things that sticks out, aside from their porous defense and goaltending, is their failure to score. Their goal differential is a paltry -13 through the first seven games, and stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are having trouble reaching their usual dominant forms. There's so much season left to play, but the Oilers are in danger of letting this season slip away before it's truly begun.

Nashville Predators

Expectations soared for the Predators after their trio of free agent signings this summer, so a 1-5 start is the exact opposite of what Nashville's front office envisioned for this season. No one has been good in their lineup, with star goalie Juuse Saros looking out of sorts and their big guns on offense being relatively silent through the first two and a half weeks of the season.

The one saving grace for the Preds is that a new look lineup like they have takes time to coalesce and form chemistry. If the team is still losing at the same pace in a few more weeks, then it's time to go into full-on panic, change everything mode. But for now they are right on the edge of panic.

Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens' fans are desperate for a change of pace. Their core is so promising and exciting and after growing optimism the last few seasons, their poor start is deflating that hope quickly. The Atlantic Division is a powerhouse, one that Habs already were a long shot to ascend. But between injuries to key players like Patrik Laine and Juraj Slafkovsky and slow starts to the year for captain Nick Suzuki and Kirby Dach, the team is 2-4-1 through their first few weeks.

Montreal knows they are still in the throws of a rebuilding process, but this start is disappointing nonetheless. The season isn't totally lost, but this beginning has made it clear that they aren't ready for the next step quite yet.

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