5 NHL Teams That Could Already Be Regretting Their 2026 Offseason Pickups

The 2026-27 NHL season isn't even a month old yet, but several teams are already struggling through the early going.

Some of those clubs made significant moves this summer via trades and free agency, hoping to better their rosters. So far, several of those acquisitions haven't worked out as hoped.

It's still early in the season, and things could improve as those pickups adjust to the new teammates and surroundings. However, it's also possible those additions won't work out as planned.

Here's a look at five teams that could already be regretting their offseason acquisition

Notable offseason additions: Defensemen Bowen Byram and Ian Cole, forwards Patrick Kane, Jordan Greenway, and Cole Smith.

Chicago's rebuild has spun its wheels despite having young superstar Connor Bedard and promising youngsters like Anton Frondell and Frank Nazar in the lineup. Management tried to speed up the process with several veteran additions, but the club stumbled out of the gate with a 3-6-0 record by Oct. 19 .

Byram was the most notable pickup, acquired with Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres on June 23 . He subsequently signed a six-year contract extension with an average annual salary of $12.5 million. The 25-year-old wanted to prove himself as a No. 1 defenseman, but the results have been underwhelming thus far.

Bedard's early absence due to a shoulder injury and the birth of Byram's twin daughters on Oct. 3 contributed to his slow start. With Bedard back in the lineup, Byram's production from the blue line should improve. For now, however, he has one point in six games as he tries to find his footing with his new club.

Kane spent the best years of his future Hall of Fame career in Chicago, and received a hero's welcome from their fans. However, the 37-year-old winger's best seasons are in the past and he can no longer carry this team as he did in his prime.

Greenway and Cole are depth additions providing a physical defensive element to Chicago's roster. Both were among the few players on the roster with positive plus/minus numbers .

Still, the focus remains on Byram and Kane. If they can't help this club make strides toward playoff contention this season, management could start to feel the heat.

Notable o ffseason a dditions: Forwards Matthew Knies, Valeri Nichushkin, Ryan Lomberg, defensemen Emil Andrae and Carson Soucy, and goaltender Cam Talbot.

After missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season , the Columbus Blue Jackets made several notable roster additions. The biggest was acquiring Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a multi-player deal that sent winger Kirill Marchenko to Toronto before the start of the regular season.

Knies had an immediate positive impact with two goals and three points in his first game with the Blue Jackets. However, he was held to one assist in his next six games , while Marchenko has nine points in as many games with the Maple Leafs.

The oft-injured Nichushkin is a skillful two-way winger when healthy. However, he hasn't played up to his usual standard, managing three points in his first six games with the Blue Jackets. The 31-year-old's physical style over his 12-season career could be catching up to him.

Lomberg, Andrae, Soucy, and Talbot are depth additions. Apart from Lomberg's feisty energy , the rest haven't done much to stand out consistently for the Blue Jackets, who are off to another erratic start.

Head coach Rick Bowness ripped his players for a poor showing in an embarrassing 7-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. More lopsided losses could be in the works if the new additions fail to perform as expected.

Notable offseason additions: Forwards Erik Haula, Mats Zuccarello, Corey Perry, and defenseman Erik Gustafsson

The retirement of long-time captain Anze Kopitar left the Kings with a big gap at center. The versatile Haula was brought in to provide short-term depth and experience at that position or on the wing if necessary.

Zuccarello and Perry were also free-agent veteran additions to provide extra depth to their forward lines. Zuccarello, 39, was coming off back-to-back 54-point seasons with the Minnesota Wild. The 41-year-old Perry had 17 goals and 37 points in 72 games split between the Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning last season.

Gustafsson, 34, was signed to bring more mobility and experience to the left side of their blueline. He also previously played under head coach Peter Laviolette. Like Haula, Zuccarello, and Perry, he came at an affordable price .

However, these additions failed to make the Kings a younger, faster team. As of Oct. 19 , they were the only team without a win.

Zuccarello appeared in three games before going on injured reserve . Gustafsson was a healthy scratch for two games, and Perry had yet to dent the scoresheet. Only the 35-year-old Haula had a decent start, with three points in his first six games.

The Kings could become sellers in the trade market if they don't reverse their fortunes soon. Some of those summer additions could find themselves skating with new clubs before the March 1 trade deadline.

Notable offseason additions: Goaltender Joseph Woll, defenseman Simon Benoit, forwards Noel Acciari, and Jack Studnicka.

The Philadelphia Flyers made the offseason's most impactful signing, inking Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson on July 3 to a five-year offer sheet worth an average annual value of $18 million.

That deal briefly made the 21-year-old Carlsson the NHL's highest-paid player, directly contributing to the sharp increase in player salaries. It would've also given the Flyers the true first-line center they desperately needed, but the Ducks retained Carlsson by matching the offer .

Had the gambit to sign away Carlsson succeeded, the Flyers might have had a better start than their woeful 1-6-3 record in their first 10 games . He would've given them the much-needed offense that they're currently lacking, as they were outscored 34-14 during that stretch.

Getting Woll from the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer has worked out well thus far, with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage as of Oct. 19 . As for the others, they don't bear sole responsibility for the Flyers' poor performance, but they haven't really helped either.

The Flyers saved their cap space to sign Carlsson. When it fell through, there was no Plan B to put that money toward other notable options. The best talent remaining in the trade and free-agent markets were either gone by then or the asking prices were far too high.

Notable offseason additions: Forwards Nick Robertson and Hendrix Lapierre, and defensemen Kaeden Korczak, Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Declan Carlile.

After exceeding expectations by reaching the playoffs last season, the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to transition toward a younger roster. Part of the process has been bringing in established NHL players in their mid-twenties , like Robertson, Lapierre, Korczak, and Carlile.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas knew Robertson from their days with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He got off to a promising start with two goals in the Penguins' season opener, but has managed only two more goals since.

Lapierre spent his last three seasons trying to crack a deep Washington Capitals roster. He had three points in his first two games skating on the top line with Sidney Crosby, but was moved off that line when Bryan Rust returned. He went scoreless in his next four and was a healthy scratch in their last three games.

Korczak earned more playing time as a defensive blueliner and could flourish in that role. Meanwhile, van Riemsdyk has been sidelined since Oct. 10 with a lower-body injury . Carlile began with four points in his first three games, but the 26-year-old blueliner's production has since dried up, and he's struggled defensively.

Korczak could be a solid addition for the Penguins, but the struggles of Robertson and Lapierre stand out as the Penguins stumbled through a 1-5-1 slump leading up to their Oct. 19 game with Utah. Their lack of production could become an ongoing issue if the Penguins keep sliding in the standings .

Stats via NHL.com . Salary info via PuckPedia .