from Damien Cox at the Toronto Star,

Montreal probably needs to tank.

Chicago can’t really risk it.

These, of course, are the kinds of NHL conversations generated by the dumpster-fire starts the two Original Six teams are experiencing. With Shane Wright — believed to be a Connor McDavid/Auston Matthews-type generational talent — expected to be the first overall pick in the 2022 draft, it’s only natural that the worst teams in the NHL would start to imagine the difference a player such as Wright could make.

That the Canadiens and Blackhawks are among the worst teams is a surprise to some, and not much of a surprise to others. Chicago’s disastrous 2-9-2 start has been exacerbated by scandal, and has resulted in not only humiliation across the sport but also thousands of empty seats at the cavernous United Center.

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