Has a team ever led the NHL in points in late November then finished in the Bottom 5?

[dudacek]

Great breakdown by Vogl in the Athletic about when the worm turned.

https://theathletic.com/891502/2019/03/28/how-a-tuesday-night-in-december-set-a-fateful-tone-for-the-rest-of-the-sabres-season/

It was Dec. 18 versus Florida and everything that we have seen far too often was all in evidence. 

We were in 5th in the NHL at the time, 11/24/7 since.

* The only goals came with Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner and Sam Reinhart on the ice. The team lacked secondary scoring, a trait that general manager Jason Botterill chose not to address during the season.

* Keith Yandle threw down Skinner, and the only reaction came from booing fans. Coach Phil Housley, hardly the most physical player during his career, eventually conceded his team was “soft.”

* The Sabres, leading 2-1, allowed three goals in a span of 3:44. The wheels repeatedly fell off this season as one goal turned into three over and over and over.

* The goalies didn’t get much help, but they didn’t make the big save, either. The Panthers’ winning goal came on a penalty shot that trickled through Carter Hutton.

* The play that stuck the dagger in the Sabres featured a wraparound attempt and rebound goal. The players’ defensive-zone awareness remains subpar regardless of who is on the bench. But flaws in Housley’s game plan that were evident in Game 35 – like anytime an opponent circles the zone, the Sabres chase, lose track and are forced out of position – remain in Game 76

[LTS]

17 hours ago, dudacek said:

Great breakdown by Vogl in the Athletic about when the worm turned.

https://theathletic.com/891502/2019/03/28/how-a-tuesday-night-in-december-set-a-fateful-tone-for-the-rest-of-the-sabres-season/

It was Dec. 18 versus Florida and everything that we have seen far too often was all in evidence. 

We were in 5th in the NHL at the time, 11/24/7 since.

* The only goals came with Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner and Sam Reinhart on the ice. The team lacked secondary scoring, a trait that general manager Jason Botterill chose not to address during the season.

* Keith Yandle threw down Skinner, and the only reaction came from booing fans. Coach Phil Housley, hardly the most physical player during his career, eventually conceded his team was “soft.”

* The Sabres, leading 2-1, allowed three goals in a span of 3:44. The wheels repeatedly fell off this season as one goal turned into three over and over and over.

* The goalies didn’t get much help, but they didn’t make the big save, either. The Panthers’ winning goal came on a penalty shot that trickled through Carter Hutton.

* The play that stuck the dagger in the Sabres featured a wraparound attempt and rebound goal. The players’ defensive-zone awareness remains subpar regardless of who is on the bench. But flaws in Housley’s game plan that were evident in Game 35 – like anytime an opponent circles the zone, the Sabres chase, lose track and are forced out of position – remain in Game 76

The only point I would debate would be the last point...

Is it really Housley's game plan that the players lose their position and fail to cover or is that on the players?  The slow reaction time of the Sabres players to get to pucks and to cover opposition is not something I would attribute to a coach so much as the lack of talent or desire by the player.