NHL Scratch-off Division Playoff Odds Analysis

Hope is alive for NHL fans dreaming of a better season.

Could 2024-25 be the year a team that missed the playoffs last season finally makes it? Let’s dive into this four-part series exploring whether these teams have improved enough to give their fans hope. We’ve grouped the 16 non-playoff teams into four categories: “Long National Nightmare,” “Groundhog Day,” “Scratch-off,” and “Puh-leeze.”

Here’s a look at the second-to-last tier, the “Scratch-Off Division.”

The ‘Scratch-off’ Division:

Teams in this group are like scratch-off lottery tickets—chances of hitting it big are low.

### Anaheim Ducks | 27-50-5, 59 points, 30th in NHL last season

The Ducks are hoping their young talent turns into stars before their veteran players become too much of a burden. They made minor additions like defenseman Brian Dumoulin, forward Robby Fabbri, and winger Brock McGinn.

Big questions loom: Can Anaheim’s blue-chip prospects step up? Will Trevor Zegras stay or be traded to strengthen the team? Centers Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish, winger Cutter Gauthier, goalie Lukas Dostal, and defensemen Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger need to play huge roles. Beckett Sennecke might also join them on the wing after being picked third overall in 2024.

Fans may think it’s still too early for any real change.

### Montreal Canadiens | 30-36-16, 76 points, 28th

Montreal is betting on internal growth. The Canadiens are similar to Anaheim but maybe slightly ahead because their core is more developed. Forwards Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook; goalie Cayden Primeau; and defenseman Kaiden Guhle are expected to lead the new era of Canadiens hockey. Rising star Juraj Slafkovsky adds more promise as he was the first overall draft pick in 2021.

Do you think these teams will surprise us next season?