from Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated,

We begin with the partisans who are in the most distress and count down to the ones who doing the most vibrant cartwheels in the streets.

THE FAN MISERY INDEX

1. NEW JERSEY DEVILS

CUP DROUGHT: 11 SEASONS
THREE-TIME CUP CHAMPS

Maybe Lou Lamoriello knew what he was doing when he bailed on this organization. These Devils have a dim past (just one playoff appearance in the past five years), a painful present (the NHL’s 29th rated offense in 2014-15) and a grey, dystopian future (arguably the least promising prospect pool in the game). This is a team so bereft of hope that it can only aspire to being dull and dreary.

2. CAROLINA HURRICANES

CUP DROUGHT: 9 SEASONS
EX-HARTFORD WHALERS

The ’Canes have become the Washington Generals of the NHL, an opponent that shows up on the schedule so that fun, entertaining teams have someone to play. With their 2006 Stanley Cup (and the glory days of Eric Staal and Cam Ward) behind them, this is a group in search of an identity. One may coalesce around a promising blueline corps (Justin Faulk, Haydn Fleury, Noah Hanifin) but that's still years down the road. Until then, this team, and its fans, play the part of the punching bag.

read on