The Montreal Canadiens 2018-19 season ended up exactly where no team wants to be at season’s end. They had 96 points but it wasn’t enough to qualify for the postseason. It left them just outside the playoff picture, meaning they would not enter a playoff series, and they would also not enter the NHL Draft until the first round was half over.
This is supposed to be the worst place to be for a franchise. You don’t get to play playoff games, but you also miss out on the elite talent at the top of the draft. Unless, of course an elite player somehow falls to you in the middle of the first round.