23-24 NHL Pacific Division Preview
Vegas Sits Atop The Hockey World as Stanley Cup Champions
NHL PACIFIC DIVISION PREVIEW:
Vegas Sits Atop The Hockey World as Stanley Cup Champions
NHL Pacific Division Preview: The Vegas Golden Knights, in their sixth season of existence, clinched their first Stanley Cup championship thanks to head coach Bruce Cassidy and his outstanding club that played through four tough playoff series, starting with the Winnipeg Jets, then knocking off Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers before gaining steam to beat the Dallas Stars for the Western Conference title and then finishing off the job with a six-game elimination of the surprise Florida Panthers, with Vegas putting the cherry on top with a 9-3 victory in the clinching Game Six.
Now that the Knights sit atop the grand throne, seven other teams in the Pacific Division will be gunning out for them, including the aforementioned Edmonton Oilers and reigning Hart Trophy winner for Most Valuable Player, Connor McDavid. He and Leon Draisaitl are the best offensive one-two punch in the National Hockey League. However, to get over their playoff woes, they will need consistent goaltending and quality secondary scoring.
The Seattle Kraken made a giant leap in their second year of existence, reaching the playoffs and beating the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche in six games before meeting their demise in the next round against Dallas. The Los Angeles Kings rode journeyman goalie Pheonix Copley back into the postseason, again falling short to Edmonton.
The Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks made new changes behind the bench and will look to crack the Wild Card barrier in the West along with the Vancouver Canucks, while the San Jose Sharks bring up the rear of not just the Pacific Division but the entire league.
OPENING NIGHT
Seattle Kraken vs Vegas Golden Knights 
Date & Time:
Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Streaming: ESPN
Vegas Golden Knights (51-22-9, 111 Points)
⦁ Division Odds: +250
⦁ Conference Odds: +550
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +1100
⦁ Season Points Projection: 102.5 (-115 each way)
Continuing with our NHL Pacific Division Season Preview: The Vegas Golden Knights came into the league like a bat out of hell in 2017, riding a talented lineup of cast-off players from the rest of the league into the best start of any expansion franchise in any major North American sport. The Golden Knights won the Western Conference and appeared in the Stanley Cup Final before dropping the series to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.
Last summer, Vegas finally got their shot once again to hoist Lord Stanley’s prize, and they did not miss it. After beating the Winnipeg Jets in six games to start the playoffs, then eliminating the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars, coach Bruce Cassidy relied on the offensive firepower of forward Jonathan Marchessault and Jack Eichel, along with the solid goaltending of Adin Hill and the Golden Knights beat the Florida Panthers in six games, culminating with a 9-3 beatdown in their clinching game to bring the Cup officially to Sin City.
The quest to keep the beautiful silver trophy in the Silver State begins. Up front, Captain Mark Stone skates with Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, who was re-signed after joining from St. Louis last season at the Trade Deadline. Jonathan Marchessault will look to carry his Conn Smythe Trophy-winning performance as Playoff Most Valuable Player into the new season, skating on a line with solid two-way centerman Chandler Stephenson. The Williams, Karlsson, and Carrier return to man the checking lines, while Michael Amadio and Paul Cotter will continue improving in their sophomore seasons with the big club.
On the blueline, Vegas has one of the best Top-Four pairings in the entire league with Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, and Alec Martinez. Four solid defensemen who can take the body and throw a good hit, block shots, clog up shooting lanes, and move the puck around well on the offensive end of things. Bruce Cassidy has a wealth of talent on the backend that is a big part of this squad’s success.
In goal, Adin Hill and Logan Thompson make for one of the best tandems in hockey. Thompson was on pace to be a Calder Trophy finalist last year before an injury took him down late in the second half of the season when Hill stepped in after recovering from his own injury battles. The 27-year-old journeyman went 11-4 with a 2.17 goals-against average in the playoffs to help his team win the championship, along with cameo appearances from former Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, whom they acquired for the stretch run from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Vegas can’t go wrong with either Thompson or Hill to start the year, provided they both can stay healthy.
It’s hard to see a road where Vegas doesn’t cruse right back into the postseason as one of the best clubs in the Western Conference, but as Champions, they will undoubtedly have a big target on their backs every single night.
Seattle Kraken (46-28-8, 100 Points)
⦁ Division Odds: +1000
⦁ Conference Odds: +1400
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +4000
⦁ Season Point Projections: 93.5 (-115 each way)
In their second season of existence in the National Hockey League, the Seattle Kraken made a big turnaround. From recording 60 points in 2021-22 to just cracking the 100-point barrier and reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. The Kraken upset the defending champion Colorado Avalanche in a solid six-game series before battling the Dallas Stars, losing the Conference Semifinals in six games. Head Coach Dave Hakstol was rewarded as a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy, given to the best coach in the league. While he did not win the award, he’s a firm contender to win this season if this club can continue to improve on the incredible blend of young talent they possess.
Starting at forward with Matthew Beniers and Jared McCann, the latter of which scored 40 goals and 30 assists in 79 games played, a nice milestone for the 27-year-old winger. Beniers, 20, will look to follow up his 57-point campaign. Their “secondary” lines, which I use for lack of a better term, are packed with a who’s who of top two-way skaters like Brandon Tanev, Yanni Gourde, Jaden Schwartz, and Andre Burakovsky, just to name a few. This is one of the few squads in the National Hockey League that can adapt and play any style of hockey you wish. They have the speed and scoring talent to keep up in a boat race, the Hockey I.Q., and the defensive stability to play a tight contest.
Their flexibility is a testament to their defensive depth as well. Starting with Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson, you have a quality top pairing, with Dunn registering 64 points last season and Larsson right there with his linemate as a premier shot blocker. 6’7″ Jamie Oleksiak is around just in case any opponents want to get out of line right quick. Skilled veterans Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz round out the blueline for a Seattle squad that will be one of the better clubs on their end this season.
Between the pipes, Philipp Grubauer will look to stay healthy for an entire season, which has been a struggle for the 31-year-old Rosenheim, Germany native. Joey Daccord is the backup in line ahead of oft-injured Chris Driedger, who is currently on waivers, with the intention of being traded to another club that needs an NHL-level goaltender.
Seattle is projected by most to finish near the middle of the pack in the Pacific, but when you look at how poised and polished some of these young players already look, this team is a couple of years ahead of the NHL schedule and should be taken seriously as a potential Stanley Cup contender right now this season.
Edmonton Oilers (50-23-9, 110 Points)
⦁ Division Odds: +200
⦁ Conference Odds: +450
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +1000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 105.5 Points (Over Even Money +100 / Under -105)
Two of the best hockey players in the world reside in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. McDavid, who scored the most points of any player since the 1995-96 season with 153, has been the best player in the National Hockey League for several seasons. Still, he and his teammate, who scored over 50 goals for the second straight year, have failed to make it to the Stanley Cup Final, with only one Conference Finals appearance that ended in a sweep just two years ago. For Head Coach Jay Woodcroft to win now and make sure that this core group can stay together has been a significant concern for all that root for Edmonton, and they will need to figure that out while the rest of the Pacific Division Preview continues to improve into one of the stronger divisions in the entire league.
Secondary scoring options Evander Kane, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Zach Hyman return this season, each of whom looking to duplicate the solid numbers from a season ago. An eclectic mix of youth and veterans round out the forward group, from prospect Dylan Holloway and Ryan McLeod to veterans Mattias Janmark and 36-year-old Derek Ryan, who played in his 500th career game at the end of last season.
Goaltending is always a point of concern with the Oilers, and despite the emergence of Stuart Skinner as an All-Star, they still have a big chunk of money invested in Jack Campbell, who did have some bright moments but missed time dealing with injuries. As a fully healthy 1A/1B system, this tandem can work and get the Oilers into the postseason and beyond. This is as live of a team as any to win the Western Conference.
Los Angeles Kings (47-25-10, 104 Points)
⦁ Division Odds: +750
⦁ Conference Odds: +1000
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +2000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 100.5 Points (-115 each way)
It hasn’t been a perfect Hollywood ending for the Los Angeles Kings in Los Angeles Kings the last two seasons, each wrapping up with first-round playoff exits at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. It was a bit of an improbable run for the Kings to even reach the postseason last year, after inconsistent play forced the club to place Cal Peterson on irrevocable waivers and longtime veteran Jonathan Quick getting traded to Columbus before being shuttled to Vegas, Los Angeles rode the pads of 31-year old Pheonix Copley, a veteran journeyman who’s spent the majority of his career in the minor leagues, to a 24-6-3 record en route to clinching another playoff berth in the tough Pacific Division.
Up front, the veteran captain Anze Kopitar leads the rush with Adrian Kempe and youngster Quinton Byfield, who played in just 53 games last year after recovering from a broken ankle the prior season. The team will miss secondary scorers Gabe Vilardi and Alex Iafallo, but they were shipped off in a deal with the Winnipeg Jets to acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois, who would be a top-line center with nearly any other club in the league. Along with faceoff wizard Philip Danault, the Kings have the best depth down the middle of any club in the Western Conference. The puck possession game will once again be strong with Los Angeles this year at both ends of the ice.
Veteran Drew Doughty skates for his 15th season with the Silver and Black crew atop the top defensive pairing with Michael Anderson, who got paid in the offseason to the tune of $33 million over the next eight years. With this shot-blocking duo, along with Matt Roy, Andreas Englund, and Vladislav Gavrikov, the Kings have quality, physical defensemen who can block shots and create headaches for opposing offenses.
In goal, Pheonix Copley gets top billing after being rewarded with a new 2-year extension halfway into last year. His new battery mate will be Cam Talbot, a veteran who has battled injury issues in each of his last three city stops, Calgary, Saint Paul, and Ottawa. This could be a good 1A/1B tandem, but if Talbot falters, Copley will have to shoulder another heavy workload of minutes, which could create issues down the stretch.
Overall, Los Angeles is still a quality playoff-contending club, but the question remains out on whether or not they can get over the hump of the First Round?
Calgary Flames (38-27-17, 93 Points)
⦁ Division Odds: +750
⦁ Conference Odds: +1400
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +3300
⦁ Season Point Projection: 94.5 Points (Over -125/Under -105)
A change is coming in Calgary for now and in the future. The city finally closed a deal with the team for a new arena to be built by 2027 or 2028 to replace the dilapidated Calgary Saddledome, which will keep the team in the city for the next 35 years. As for changes in 2023, the club has a new General Manager in former forward Craig Conroy, and a new head coach in Ryan Huska, who takes over from the embattled veteran Brent Sutter, who quickly wore out his second welcome to Calgary. This team is built to be competitive right now, but can quickly change gear into sellers depending on how things shake out to start the season.
Starting on defense, only MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson are signed past this season. Whether this team is selling off pieces or looking to improve and contend, veterans Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, and Jordan Oesterle could be moved. Noah Hanifin has already made it clear he will not be signing an extension, so he will be on the move sooner than later.
With the forwards, the offense runs through Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and Elias Lindholm. The trio combined for 61 total goals last year, and with 10 double-digit goal-scorers returning to the club this year, there should be no shortage of secondary scoring options. Winger Andrew Mangiapane had a decent year but missed a step at times from his previous season. Huska will need the 27-year-old speedster to elevate his production if the Flames wish to return back to the postseason.
Goaltending is both a question mark and a strength with this team. Jacob Markstrom had issues at the beginning of games, oftentimes giving up the first or second shot he would face for a goal and putting the club in a come-from-behind situation very early. He’s worked with some new coaches back in Sweden during the offseason and feels focused and ready for a better 2023-24 campaign. If not, the Flames have Dan Vladar as his backup, despite rumors of teams requesting his presence in trades.
Waiting in the AHL is Dustin Wolf, a 22-year-old California native who has gone 77-20-6 over two and a half seasons with the Flames’ minor league affiliate, posting a league-best seven shutouts last season alone. Wolf is undoubtedly the future for Calgary between the pipes, and if Markstrom isn’t up to the task and Vladar gets traded, look for Wolf to return to the big club and possibly be a permanent fixture as early as this year.
Calgary should play with some renewed energy under new coaching and management, and with the pressure of a new arena and possible relocation now out of the way, this organization can focus on playing the best hockey possible and getting back to the playoffs.
Vancouver Canucks (38-37-7, 83 Points)
⦁ Division Odds: +1200
⦁ Conference Odds: +6500
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +6000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 73.5 Points (-115 each way)
Head Coach Rick Tocchet now has a full training camp and offseason to make the changes he feels are needed with his Vancouver Canucks heading into the new season. With moves that saw Teddy Blueger, Ian Cole, and Carson Soucy join the club to add to a solid young core of forwards that are starting to hit their prime mark. Scorers like Elias Pettersson and, Brock Boeser and Conor Garland. Not to mention veteran stalwart J.T. Miller and young Russian star Andrei Kuzmenko. This is one of the most underrated top-six forward groups in the Western Conference along with veteran Tanner Pearson, who is still recovering from injury.
Defense is always a key staple with a Tocchet-coached club, and Vancouver is no different. Quinn Hughes leads the way for the blueliners alongside Tyler Myers. Filip Hronek will mesh with the aforementioned newcomers Cole and Soucy while Christian Wolanin and Matt Irwin battle it out in camp for the sixth starting spot.
Thatcher Demko is looking to regain his top-tier form after a decent 2022-23 that was mostly hampered by nagging groin issues. His backup is Casey DeSmith, who was moved in a set of trades. The 32-year-old veteran will push Demko after splitting time with Tristan Jarry for a couple of years in Pittsburgh. Arturs Silovs is one of the prospects the Canucks are hoping can pan out over the next couple of seasons.
Vancouver won’t have the talent to compete in this tough division every night and come out with a win, but they will battle and certainly won’t lay down against anyone, making them a team to circle in certain spots when betting as an underdog this season.
Anaheim Ducks (23-47-12, 58 Points)
⦁ Division Odds: +15000
⦁ Conference Odds: +10000
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +25000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 68.5 Points (Over Even Money +100 / Under -130)
The Anaheim Ducks weren’t fortunate enough to land the number one overall draft pick this past summer despite having the worst overall record in the National Hockey League last season. They landed the second pick, drafting Leo Carlsson from Sweden. A tall, lanky centerman who already slots into the Ducks’ top six as a 19-year-old. He should fit in nicely with the young offensive talent on this club like Trevor Zegras, who was given a three-year extension recently, and Troy Terry, one of four Anaheim forwards with 20 or more goals last season. The forward depth of this club is their strongest assist, with scoring talent at all four lines.
Defensively, Cam Fowler is the centerpiece of the blue line, with a returning Urho Vaakanainen emerging as a solid homebody defenseman that can block shots in bunches. Veteran Radko Gudas signs a nice deal after playing the best hockey of his entire life last spring, helping the Florida Panthers reach the Stanley Cup Final as the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference. He’s earned a solid payday for all his career efforts, but he won’t move the needle much with this squad.
John Gibson has been the anchor for this club in net, but with his contract due to expire, there have been talks galore about the 30-year-old Pittsburgh native going on the move. His below-average numbers are to be taken with grains of salt due to his heavy workload causing him to miss time with various injuries. Alex Stalock recovered nicely from missing over a year of time to backup well in Chicago and earn another contract, this time with the Ducks. Lukas Dostal waits in San Diego but should see some extended NHL time at some point during the season.
It’s another year of tanking at “The Pond” for Anaheim, but they could have some flashes of competitive hockey that will be exciting at times during the year.
San Jose Sharks (22-44-16, 60 Points)
⦁ Division Odds: +15000
⦁ Conference Odds: +10000
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +15000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 65.5 Points (-115 each way)
The rebuild is well under construction along the Bay Area for the San Jose Sharks, under General Manager Mike Grier, the Sharks have very little scoring talent, not much depth at forward or defense, and arguably the worst goaltending room in all of hockey. Last year’s Most Valuable Player was defenseman Erik Karlsson, who finally got moved to Pittsburgh in a three-way offseason trade.
Captain Logan Couture is dealing with an injury that will have him miss possibly the first week of the season, leaving Tomas Hertl as the best forward available for San Jose on opening night. Aging veterans Mike Hoffman and Marc-Edouard Vlasic still hold their respective roles well, but many of the young players in this lineup would be in the AHL if with other franchises.
Their goaltending is split between Kaapo Kahkonen, who has looked like a fringe backup at best in his three years of NHL duty between Minnesota and San Jose, and Mackenzie Blackwood, who looks to rejuvenate his career after a rocky end to a rough stint with the New Jersey Devils. Neither backstop can be trusted to stay healthy for long periods of time or to deliver consistent quality starts. We could see Eetu Makaniemi making an appearance at some point as the club is trying to get a deeper look at him as a potential future option.
Coach David Quinn was brought to San Jose a couple of years ago for this reason, to be a coach who can inspire this younger core as they navigate into tough waters (no pun intended) with this Sharks club this season and beyond. With a pair of first and second-round draft picks for 2024, it’s imperative for this squad to tank lower than the bottom of the ocean in hopes of acquiring the number one overall draft pick and continuing to rebuild in a positive direction.
| 1. | Vegas Golden Knights* |
| 2. | Seattle Kraken* |
| 3. | Edmonton Oilers* |
| 4. | Los Angeles Kings* |
| 5. | Calgary Flames* |
| 6. | Vancouver Canucks |
| 7. | Anaheim Ducks |
| 8. | San Jose Sharks |
(* – Playoff Team)
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