$EBR Pacific Division Power Rankings
Ethan Miller. Getty Images.1. Edmonton Oilers - The team has been knocking on the door for the past few years with the best player in the sport leading the charge and his wingman is not a step down at all. They had the same issues in the playoffs as previous years. The team needs better goaltending and to be more physical on the backend. They will be in the playoffs and will be at the top of the leaderboard battling until the end to be the Pacific Division Champs.
Advertisement
2. Vegas Golden Knights - From the Vegas Insider: “It will be interesting to see if the team on the strip will be suffering from the Stanley Cup Hangover when the season kicks off. The team returning is eerily similar to the one that lifted the hardware in 5 games last season. The Barbeshev resigning is huge for the team plus rewarding the goalie that took them to the promised land will help the locker room. The exit of Reilly Smith will open the door for a young player to show they have what it takes to be a regular in the show. The veteran core and the size and mobility of the defense can make the back-to-back a reality.”
David Becker. Getty Images.3. L.A. Kings - Big trade in the offseason to add more scoring punch with Dubois but gave up a ton of assets that could cost depth. Do the veterans have one more run in them and will the young guys make the necessary steps forward to help them? The team is very deep down the middle and has more scoring on the wings but Cam Talbot in the net leaves a lot to be desired. A lock to be a playoff team but lacks the depth to make it all the way.
4. Seattle Kraken - The 2-year-old franchise knocking out the defending champs was a serious headline in the First Round of the playoffs last year and it was well deserved. We can all see now the style they want to play and how Ronny Francis is building the team….. Speed and grit. Top down this team comes at you in waves and having a young stud like Berniers helps the fact that you need goals to win. This team will be an issue to any opponent and rumor is the fans are already selling out the home games at a rapid pace. The site of Winter Classic cements that the Pacific Northwest has arrived as a hockey town; we love every minute of it.
5. Vancouver Canucks - Fan favorite Rick Tocchet is at the helm and his vision for a rebuild is obvious and in the works. Get rid of anyone who does not want to be there and get the locker room culture in check. This team has spots of serious talent but lacks the offensive depth to be a serious Cup contender right now. I love Grinnell's doppelganger Quinn Hughes becoming captain and showing the trust they have in their core. Wild Card will be there in their sights all season.
Advertisement
6. Calgary Flames - A lot of turnover in Calgary in the last couple of seasons and it sounds like more players want out, so I can't buy that this team will have enough chemistry to make a run. I have a feeling we will see a better season out of Markstrom now that Sutter is gone. Kadri has to step up as the leader of that team and they need Huberdeau to perform to the level of his contract. Conroy and Iginla working the front office can only mean improvement but they are a year away from being a year away. This team will be streaky this season as they figure out the culture and how they want to build the team moving forward but we need the Battle of Alberta to be the must-see TV and the Flames have to pull their weight.
7. Anaheim Ducks - They might not win many games but they will lead the NHL in SportsCenter's top 10 plays with players like Zegras always looking to perform. The team is in a rebuild but they have some really good pieces and I like the few signings they made in the offseason. Again, this is a team that will struggle with the grind of a season with the lack of depth. The EBR crew loves the overs with this team as they play a fan-friendly style of game that promotes the new era of the NHL.
8. San Jose Sharks - For a team that does not win many games they sure were in the headlines a lot for the big trades and Grier loves working the phones. The team is in a rebuild and looking towards the future. The current team might battle for the worst record and will be sellers once again at the deadline. The team has a few veterans who could help teams make a run in the playoffs. An example would be Anthony Duclair. Does anyone in Edmonton want Duclair to add some more speed to the lineup…. I would. Or do the Canes look to add Mike Hoffman for scoring? Maybe. Anyway, as a gambler this is a serious fade team.
Everybody Rides!!!
Advertisement
Twitter: mattmurley19
Instagram: murls_ebr