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5 NHL Teams That Have Underachieved In 2014-15 So Far

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5 NHL Teams That Have Underachieved In 2014-15 Season So Far

Matt Duchene Colorado Avalanche
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

With the halfway point of the 2014-15 NHL season approaching, there are certain teams that have clearly underperformed so far. While there is still time to reverse course, these five teams will need a drastic turnaround in the second half of the season.

5. Minnesota Wild

Mike Yeo Minnesota Wild
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

5. Minnesota Wild

Mike Yeo Minnesota Wild
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

This was supposed to be the year for the Minnesota Wild following their run to the Western Conference Semifinals. However, the Wild have vastly underachieved. Minnesota is currently five points out of a wild card spot largely due to a leaky defense. The Wild were seventh in the league a season ago at 2.42 goals against per game, but are 22nd this year at 2.82 goals against. Mike Yeo is on the hot seat if the Wild miss the postseason.

4. New Jersey Devils

Jaromir Jagr New Jersey Devils
Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

4. New Jersey Devils

Jaromir Jagr New Jersey Devils
Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

It’s a never good thing when you fire your coach before the halfway point, but that’s what the Devils did with Peter DeBoer. New Jersey is tied for sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a measly 35 points. The Devils are putrid on offense, ranking 28th in goals per game at 2.15, and have only two players with more than 20 points this year. It says something about the team when 42-year-old Jaromir Jagr leads the team in scoring.

3. Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers Hockey
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

3. Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers Hockey
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Despite having two of the top scorers in the league in Jakub Voracek (NHL leading scorer with 48 points) and Claude Giroux (43 points), the Philadelphia Flyers have struggled to get anything going thus far. Philadelphia has already had four losing streaks of at least four games this year, including a current five-game losing streak. The Flyers have been hampered by a league-worst penalty kill at 74.2 percent.

2. Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators Hockey
Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

2. Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators Hockey
Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

The Ottawa Senators have been the model of inconsistency this year. Ottawa fired head coach Paul MacLean after starting 11-11-5, and haven’t improved much since then. The Sens are currently 16-15-7 (39 points) and sit in seventh place in the Atlantic Division. Defenseman Erik Karlsson leads the Senators with 27 points and 27:20 of ice time, but is a minus-nine so far for the league’s 19th-ranked defense.

1. Colorado Avalanche

Patrick Roy Colorado Avalanche
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

1. Colorado Avalanche

Patrick Roy Colorado Avalanche
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Patrick Roy and the Colorado Avalanche were the darlings of the NHL last season as Roy led a drastic turnaround in his first year, but the Avalanche have resorted back to their losing ways. Colorado is last in the Central Division with 38 points. Roy will have a major task on his hands to try to get Colorado back into the playoff picture.

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