So, in a going away present for NHL 11, before NHL 12 came out, I put together quite possibly the worst possible roster in the history of current NHL players. I based this roster not off ratings, but over actual performance during the 2010-11 season. To be eligible to be on this team, the player had to play in the 2009-10 season or 2010-11 season at the NHL level (either in preseason or regular season). Since the Edmonton Oilers were the worst team (record wise) in the NHL last season, they had the honor of icing this team.
Also, players that made this team had to be overall horrible. Obviously icing a set of goons and defensive defenseman would never score any goals, so that was out. On top of that, young players who were waiver exempt were let off the hook as well, so if a player was sent down without clearing waivers, they weren't eligible. Players on ELC's weren't added either, again, young players get the benefit of the doubt that they might become something, some day.
Goalies:
Steve Mason 1
Vesa Toskala 35
Explanation: Who's been a bigger letdown than Mason? A Calder Cup before completely falling apart lands him as the starting goalie Also, see how Toskala's NHL career ended. Michael Leighton would have made the list save a miracle playoff run and the fact that I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Defenseman:
Pair 1- Wade Redden 6 and Matt Walker 8
Pair 2- Brett Lebda 22 and Cam Barker 45
Pair 3- Nick Boynton 44 and Jeff Finger 4
7th D- Bryan McCabe 28
They're all traffic pylons. All of them. Except McCabe, he's a turnover machine.
Forwards:
Line 1: Nikolay Zherdev 93-Scott Gomez 91-Hugh Jessiman 47
Line 2: Alex Kovalev 27-Brian Rolston 12-Scottie Upshall 7
Line 3: Matt Cooke 24 (A)-Chris Drury 23 (C)-Jason Blake 33
Line 4: Chris Neil 25-Jamie Langenbrunner 15 (A)-Trevor Gillies 14
13th FWD: Rob Schremp 13
So I think I need to explain somethings here. Gomez and Drury were 7+ cap hits that have done nothing with their careers except be completely mediocre. Sure Brian Campbell is the same way on D, but at least as a puck mover, he has some value. These forwards all have major holes in their game and quite literally cripple the team's they play for. Brian Campbell actually is needed to get to the Panthers to the salary floor so he serves a purpose that his team quite literally cannot. Rob Schremp, Scottie Upshall and Hugh Jessiman are all massive failures of first round picks. Gillies is an exception to my minor league rule due to having had more PIMS 169 than TOI 119:36. This isn't an enforcer, this is an out of control maniac. Kovalev, Rolston, and Blake are all players who haven't lived up to their potential on the ice. Langenbrunner was a player who fell apart everywhere he played during last season.
So I turned off the cap, and iced this team. The following record happened.
Edmonton Oilers: 21-57-4
Leading Scorer: Nikolay Zherdev 41G 33A 77P
Leading Goals: Nikolay Zherdev
Leading Assists: Scott Gomez 13G 52A 65P
Defenseman:
Leading Goals: Wade Redden 7G 31A
Leading Assists: Brett Lebda 6G 32A
Leading Points: Lebda and Redden
Leading PIMs: Chris Neil and Matt Walker each had 241
Trevor Gillies only had 202
+/-: Brett Lebda and Alex Kovalev each had a team worst -29, Team best was Upshall +2
Goalies: (Season was simmed, starts were alternated with Mason starting game 1 via winning of a coin flip)
Steve Mason: 41 Starts 43 games: 17-23-1, .861 SV% 3.63 GAA.
Vesa Toskala: 41 Starts 43 games: 3-34-3, .765 SV%, 4.53 GAA.
Goodbye NHL 11, this is your swan song.
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