Predict the Pacific Standings

[Funkhouser]

Vegas
Calgary
San Jose
Vancouver
-----------
Arizona
Anaheim
Edmonton
Los Angeles

[topfiverecords]

Vegas Golden Knights
San Jose Sharks
Calgary Flames
Arizona Coyotes
--Playoffs--
Vancouver Canucks (miss by 1 pt)
Anaheim Ducks
Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings

[Knut]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I have always liked their depth. They have a lot of solid players slotted in reasonable spots.

Derek Stepan, Vinnie Hinostroza, Michael Grabner, Christian Dvorak, Carl Soderberg. None of these guys are going to be on their top line, but they're all very good players who, if they stay healthy, can be expected to be key contributors. All of them are capable of scoring 40+ points in this league.

Past that, they have guys like Conor Garland, Christian Fischer, Brad Richardson, and Lawson Crouse. This is their tertiary scoring, but all of these guys scored 10+ goals last season. They all bring something a little bit different, too. Crouse is a nasty SOB, Richardson is excellent defensively, Garland has a great motor. Fischer is a bit more of a project, but he's a year removed from a 33-point season.

The issue with Arizona has always been their high-end players. They haven't really had any offensive stars since the days of Roenick and Tkachuk. But their top line of Clayton Keller, Phil Kessel, and Nick Schmaltz has the capacity to be the Coyotes' most potent top line in years. Schmaltz and Keller displayed great chemistry in their brief time together last year, and adding Kessel, a true star in this league, should represent a huge upgrade over whatever Alex Galchenyuk was last year.

I also really like that defense. Ekman-Larsson and Demers work well as a pairing, Niklas Hjalmarsson is still an excellent shutdown option, Jakob Chychrun showed great improvement last season, and Alex Goligoski is in a perfect role as their #5. Compared to some other disastrous defense corps(es) in the Western Conference, I think Arizona's is excellent (and given that they finished 6th in GA last year, I think that's a reasonable opinion).

Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper are two good goalies with injury issues, but, provided that one of them remains healthy at all times, they should be in good hands.

Barrett Hayton is another guy who I think could surprise this season. The Coyotes took him fifth-overall in 2018, and I think he has legitimate #1C potential. I expect him to start the year as the Coyotes' #3C.

For my money, this looks like one of the deepest rosters in the West:

Keller - Schmaltz - Kessel
Soderberg - Stepan - Hinostroza
Dvorak - Hayton - Grabner
Crouse - Richardson - Garland
Fischer

Ekman-Larsson - Demers
Chychrun - Hjalmarsson
Oesterle - Goligoski
Lyubushkin

Raanta
Kuemper

The one concern i have is they Center Depth. There is no 1st line Center there. Stepan is a 3rd line C at best.

I think they are a bubble team for sure though.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Hes

The one concern i have is they Center Depth. There is no 1st line Center there.

Yeah... agreed. Is Schmaltz the kind of guy who can work in the 1C role? If Keller remains a 45-point player... probably not. If Kessel falls down to 55-60 points... probably not. But what if Keller rebounds to 65 points? Kessel stays at 80?

Schmaltz had a 52-point season when he was 21. I'm pretty sure he was playing with Patrick Kane, but the capability is still there.

I think you're underselling Stepan a little, but he's definitely getting older. Still, Hayton intrigues me a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if he's the 1C by the end of 2020-21. I thought he looked very impressive at the WJC.

[agulati]

Flames
Knights
Sharks
Coyotes
----------
Canucks
Ducks
Oilers
Kings

[N-E-B]

Calgary
Vegas
Arizona
San Jose
Vancouver
Edmonton
Anaheim
LA

[Enoch Root]

Vegas
Calgary
San Jose
Arizona
Vancouver
Edmonton
LA

Calgary and Edmonton both being around 90 points or so.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Vegas
Calgary
San José
——————
Arizona
Anaheim
Vancouver
McDavid
LA

[Reggie Dunlop]

Calgary
Vegas
San Jose
Arizona
Vancouver
Anaheim
LA
Bakersfield

[GirlySports]

8. Oilers.

[dammage79]

Flames
Knights
Sharks
Arizona
Vancouver
Los Angeles
Anaheim
Edmonton

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by Hes

The one concern i have is they Center Depth. There is no 1st line Center there. Stepan is a 3rd line C at best.

I think they are a bubble team for sure though.

Center position is indeed very important, but look at the Oilers. Even McJesus and their 50-goals-a-year-second-C cannot make up for the lack of any depth. However a solid team with balanced roster, good defensive system, coaching and reliable goaltending can make a big splash even without a star calibre centreman. Vegas in their first season for example.

Yotes can get there because there is not much competition in the Pacific division. You have Flames, Sharks and GK, the rest is sub-par or a laughing stock. The Central divison on the other hand is stacked, but those teams facing each other all the time could work out in favor of Arizona. They only have to steamroll over teams like Ducks, LA, Oilers... Their goaltending is a question though, Raantta has spent more time in hospital than in the crease since leaving NYC. Kuemper has had a tremendous season, but he is prone to injuries as well. Nice overall analysis by TheScorpion btw, I like it.

[jlh2640]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

The pacific division is bound to be one of the weakest in the NHL once again. All the same, here is my best guess.

Calgary Flames
Vegas Golden Knights
San Jose Sharks
--Playoffs--
Vancouver Canucks
Arizona Coyotes
Anaheim Ducks
Los Angeles Kings
Edmonton Oilers

Sharks
Calgary
Vegas
Coyotes
Canucks
Oilers
Ducks
Kings.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by gamesaver

Center position is indeed very important, but look at the Oilers. Even McJesus and their 50-goals-a-year-second-C cannot make up for the lack of any depth. However a solid team with balanced roster, good defensive system, coaching and reliable goaltending can make a big splash even without a star calibre centreman. Vegas in their first season for example.

RNH is not a 50-goal center. Draisatl is not a center. It's just McDavid. That's their center depth.

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by the2bears

RNH is not a 50-goal center. Draisatl is not a center. It's just McDavid. That's their center depth.

Well you are right because he scored 50 goals playing on McDavid's line, not as a center driving his own. But he was always considered a C.

[Corral]

1. Flames - pretty much the same team as last year. No reason to expect a different outcome.

2. Sharks- good mix of youth and vets. With burns and karlsson how can they not be good

3. Vegas- solid team throughout.

4. Oilers- history repeats itself and mcdavid will do exactly what the best players always do- carry the team on his back to a respectable win loss record.

5. Coyotes- when Phil kessel at this stage of his career is one of your top forwards you don’t have a good team . And you play in front of an empty building - no urgency to win here

6. Canucks - good young players on forwards but defensive questions.

7. Kings- late stages of an era and in decline

8. Anaheim- see above but no anze kopitar or Jonathan quick

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by gamesaver

Well you are right because he scored 50 goals playing on McDavid's line, not as a center driving his own. But he was always considered a C.

If he's playing with McDavid he's just not part of their center depth.

[Harry Lime]

Flames are playoff team without a doubt.

Vegas could take the division if they get goaltending. That is a team without a glaring flaw with their skaters. Definition of solid.

They have Cody Glass pencilled in as the fourth line centre. Potential high end player that they are easing into the league after simmering nicely in lesser leagues. Shades of old time Detroit.

Edit : San Jose and Arizona fight it out for the last playoff spot.

[Mr.Coffee]

Arizona
Vegas
Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
San Jose
Los Angeles
Anaheim

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Arizona
Vegas
Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
San Jose
Los Angeles
Anaheim

did you pull names out of a hat?