Ranking the new Pacific.

[Day Tripper]

I'll go with...

1. Los Angeles
2. San Jose
3. Vancouver
4. Phoenix
5. Anaheim
6. Edmonton
7. Calgary

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Yeah Feaster we need an elite goalie, a few top six forwards, a couple top pairing dmen, well practically everything. Please go mortgage whatever future we have in order to acquire those assets! Teams just love handing those players out for practically nothing obviously!

Oh and I can't believe anyone would rank Calgary first on LW (former Hart Trophy winner ranked fifth ) or anything for that matter. I realize we want to find someway to get through these tough times, but right now we're bottom ten (possibly bottom five) at every position in the league. Some might call that an overreaction, but I'd call it intellectual honesty.

This. I really believe that some fans are intellectually unprepared for how bad this team will be. As stated above, the Flames will be near last in every possible category, barring some kind of miracle. And they aren't going to go get help. This is a rebuild. They will suck at the beginning, middle and end of the season, and there will be no help on the way. There will be no magical trades, signings or ways to fill the gaps. The Flames of 2013/14, are going to be really bad. Might as well accept it.

[$ven27]

And 2014/15 too. Ekblad & McDavid here we come.

[BurningSteel]

1. Anaheim
2. Los Angeles
3. San Jose
4. Calgary
5. Vancouver
6. Phoenix
7. Edmonton

Dare to dream arnold, dare to dream.

[getbak]

1. Los Angeles
2. San Jose
3. Anaheim
4. Vancouver
5. Phoenix
6. Edmonton
7. Calgary


Only the California teams make the playoffs and the 5th place team from the Central crosses over.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by getbak

1. Los Angeles
2. San Jose
3. Anaheim
4. Vancouver
5. Phoenix
6. Edmonton
7. Calgary


Only the California teams make the playoffs and the 5th place team from the Central crosses over.

Exactly how I'd rank them too.

A huge factor for Luongo going forward will be the change in the pads. It might not seem like a lot, but the inability to close your fivehole without exposing other parts of the net is going to be a huge factor for the tall stand up/cover the bottom guys.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by blankall

A huge factor for Luongo going forward will be the change in the pads. It might not seem like a lot, but the inability to close your fivehole without exposing other parts of the net is going to be a huge factor for the tall stand up/cover the bottom guys.

Standup? Have you seen Luongo play? Luongo rarely stays on his feet. He relies on the belly flop.

[カナダ人です]

1. Vancouver
2. Los Angeles
3. San Jose
4. Anahiem
5. Phoenix
6. Edmonton
7. Calgary

Going out on a limb but I actually think that clearing up the goalie situation and getting Torts will give Vancouver a temporary boost this year. Their core is still reasonably aged, with guys like Edler (27), Hansen (27), Kesler (28), Garrison (28), Higgins (30), and Hamhuis (30) still firmly in their prime.

A full season with a healthy Kesler should help, and I'd expect Edler to bounce back after an off year last season. Also, if Torts can get 25 goals out of Booth that would help the Canucks offence. Luongo should be very well motivated...

This team has traditionally done well in the regular season. Final NHL rank (based solely on points) over the last 5 seasons: 6th, 4th, 1st, 1st, 7th. That is an average rank of 4th in the league. They might be trending downwards, but I still highly doubt they finish 3rd or lower in their own division.

Just my prediction!

[Hells Bells]

Originally Posted by カナダ人です

This team has traditionally done well in the regular season. Final NHL rank (based solely on points) over the last 5 seasons: 6th, 4th, 1st, 1st, 7th. That is an average rank of 4th in the league. They might be trending downwards, but I still highly doubt they finish 3rd or lower in their own division.

A main factor in the Canucks finishing so high overall was playing in perhaps the weakest division in the NHL.

I can definitely see the Canucks finishing 3rd or lower in the division with LA, SJ and ANA in the mix.

[Hells Bells]

La
sj
ana
van
phx
edm
cgy

[The Swedish Flame]

I am fairly sure we'll place in the bottom two and I've mentally prepared myself for this.

As long as the 'nucks doesn't win the division I'll be happy.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Igottago

This. I really believe that some fans are intellectually unprepared for how bad this team will be. As stated above, the Flames will be near last in every possible category, barring some kind of miracle. And they aren't going to go get help. This is a rebuild. They will suck at the beginning, middle and end of the season, and there will be no help on the way. There will be no magical trades, signings or ways to fill the gaps. The Flames of 2013/14, are going to be really bad. Might as well accept it.

Really?

I think we're seeing basic off season stuff. Most of the excrement is from the draft and prospect camp. I don't see anyone really going bonkers about the immediate season. Most people seem totally aware of what 2013-2014 has in store for the Flames.

[PlayfulGenius]

^^^ funnyish autocorrect

[MrMastodonFarm]

I'm leaving it.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by カナダ人です

...Their core is still reasonably aged, with guys like Edler (27), Hansen (27), Kesler (28), Garrison (28), Higgins (30), and Hamhuis (30) still firmly in their prime...

I hear what you are saying here, but the only player in your list that will make a substantial difference where the Canucks need it most is Kesler. Last season, the Canucks were a bottom-third offensive team in the League, and most of that due to the fact that the Sedins are progressively, slowly but surely diminishing as elite scorers. A bit of a boost from the backend won't do a lot to compensate for this.

Originally Posted by カナダ人です

...A full season with a healthy Kesler should help, and I'd expect Edler to bounce back after an off year last season. Also, if Torts can get 25 goals out of Booth that would help the Canucks offence. Luongo should be very well motivated...

I can see a bounce-back year from Edler, but why should we 1) expect Kesler to play a full season, and 2) why would we expect Booth to score 25 goals? Kesler is now two full years removed from his last 82-game season, and Booth similarly hasn't come close to 25 since 2011. Unless there are factors which suggest an expected improvement in the upcoming season, then I see no reason to expect the trends for both of these players to continue.

Originally Posted by カナダ人です

...This team has traditionally done well in the regular season. Final NHL rank (based solely on points) over the last 5 seasons: 6th, 4th, 1st, 1st, 7th. That is an average rank of 4th in the league. They might be trending downwards, but I still highly doubt they finish 3rd or lower in their own division...

Seriously? The Canucks finished below two Pacific teams that are both younger and arguably more balanced last season, and the fourth-place team swept them in the opening round of the playoffs after finishing only a single win below the Canucks in the standings. Based on recent history, it seems highly probable to me that the Canucks will finish in the range of #3–4, and will come as no surprise to see them slip to fifth.

[ComixZone]

1. San Jose
2. Los Angeles
3. Vancouver
4. Edmonton
5. Anahiem
6. Phoenix
7. Calgary

[strombad]

Originally Posted by カナダ人です

A full season with a healthy Kesler should help, and I'd expect Edler to bounce back after an off year last season. Also, if Torts can get 25 goals out of Booth that would help the Canucks offence. Luongo should be very well motivated...

My main question here: In what world has Torts been known for drawing exceptional offensive performance out of middling players?

Anyways, my ranking:

1. Los Angeles
2. Anaheim
3. San Jose
4. Vancouver
5. Edmonton
6. Calgary
7. Phoenix

Don't get me wrong, Calgary is going to be BAD. But I just have a feeling someone is going to crap the bed worse, or we're going to do what we do and have one late season run that costs us the lowest spot possible.

[Freddy]

1. Anaheim
2. Vancouver
3. LA
4. SanJose
5. Edmonton
6. Phoenix
7. Calgary

Picking the top 3 was difficult; I think LA is the best playoff team in the Pacific, but when regular season officiating is factored in I believe both Anaheim and Vancouver will rack up more points. As much as it hurts to admit it (as a Flames fan), by virtue of living in Vancouver I see a lot of Canucks games and they are not nearly as bad as the media and every other fanbase wants them to be. I doubt Torts is as good of a coach as AV, but the message was stale and I really think the Sedins had supplanted AV as alpha dog in the dressing room (much like Iggy with the revolving door of coaches in Calgary over the last decade). If Torts can wrestle the leadership away from Hank & Dank and get a team buy-in to toughness and winning battles (as opposed to relying on the ref's to do the right thing and give power plays to the team getting pushed around) Vancouver has all the right core pieces to make another deep run. SanJose will have to rely too heavily on Couture & Thornton to win and will be inconsistent. Edmonton will be better under MacT, Phoenix is at least still NHL calibre, which leaves Calgary pulling up the rear with a very untested roster.

[you got PHANUEFED]

Flames goalies rankings are so unpredictable until we see them in action, Its a scary thought to think we might have the worst goal tandem in the league maybe picking up Bryzgalov would be a smart move.

[dissentowner]

1. LA
2. Edmonton
3. Anaheim
4. San Jose
5. Calgary
6. Phoenix
7. Vancouver.

Canucks will be terrible under Torts, this will be fun to watch!