With less than a month left in the regular season, the NHL’s fiercest battle isn’t at the top—it’s between the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks. Both teams are fighting for last place, and honestly, they’re pretty good at it. The reward? A 25.5% chance at snagging the No. 1 pick in this year’s NHL Draft. It’s ugly, but at this point, it’s all these teams have.
San Jose Sharks are holding tight to the bottom spot—here’s why it probably won’t change
The Sharks are comfortably dead last with 47 points. They traded Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci in early February, signaling it was time to fully tank. Since then, they’re 4-9-3, allowing 3.56 goals per game—third-worst in the league during that span. But weirdly enough, they’re not always getting blown out. Only three of their last 12 losses were by more than two goals, which means they’re competitive, just bad at finishing games.
Their schedule isn’t doing them any favors either. Of the Sharks’ 12 remaining games, nine are against teams either fighting for playoff spots or trying to secure better seeds—think Edmonton Oilers (twice), New York Rangers, and Los Angeles Kings. Their best chances at wins are probably the home matchups against the Rangers and Seattle Kraken, plus maybe Anaheim Ducks on the road. Beyond that, things look rough.
San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky insists they’re not thinking about the draft:
“Obviously, we want to win every game we play. That’s what this sport is all about.”
Yeah, sure, Ryan. Nobody believes the Sharks aren’t already daydreaming about Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer or Boston College’s James Hagens. But you do you.
Chicago Blackhawks could accidentally spoil their tank job, but the schedule might save them
The Blackhawks sit four points above San Jose with 51 points. They ended a seven-game losing streak by beating the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4, a reminder they’re capable of randomly exploding offensively. But that kind of luck is rare. Chicago has been awful defensively since trading Seth Jones on March 1. They’re allowing 3.67 goals per game since then, tied for fourth-worst league-wide. Not a great formula for winning.
Their remaining schedule might actually help them stay near the bottom. It’s the fourth toughest in the league, featuring matchups against playoff-bound teams like Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, and Winnipeg Jets. Chicago’s best chance to steal points might be against injury-plagued New Jersey Devils or possibly Pittsburgh Penguins on the road. Even then, it’s shaky at best—they’ve only won seven away games all season.
Still, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson likely isn’t losing sleep over wins right now. Chicago snagged Connor Bedard two years ago, which was the last time they won a lottery. But back-to-back top picks? That’s the dream. Fans are already crossing fingers, hoping Matthew Schaefer ends up in red and black next.
Sharks or Blackhawks—Who’s the better bet for the NHL’s worst record?
San Jose looks locked into the bottom spot. Even with Chicago’s tough schedule, the Sharks have shown an incredible talent for losing close games. Both teams want Schaefer, but San Jose’s consistency at losing makes them the safer bet. Chicago might accidentally steal a few points here or there, while the Sharks seem perfectly content to coast gently into dead last.
This tank battle isn’t pretty hockey—but the offseason drama will be worth the wait.
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