Jack McBain (Utah Mammoth) with a Hit vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, 11/03/2026

A familiar name surfaces on the waiver wire as preseason cuts begin.

It's taken as read in the NHL that on any given night, the puck might just not bounce your way. But sometimes, it can feel like you had a week, a month, even a full season of just not having things go right. Here are five players who fall into that category from the 2025-26 season.