Sean Maloughney: Early Pacific Division Predictions

Vancouver and Arizona are the most interesting to me in this group. AZ had a ton of injuries last year and stayed in the playoff race deep in the season. They look like a better team this year than last and with a few less injuries they could maybe sneak in.

Vancouver will break out one of these years. Nice young core that'll keep taking steps forward. I don't know enough about their goaltending duo. Marstroms numbers suggest he's a good enough #1 but seems we've been waiting on Demko to be their #1 for years. I like when VAN has a good team, just adds another late game that's worth watching after the east coast games.

1.) Vegas
2.) San Jose
3.) Calgary
———————
4.) Arizona
5.) Vancouver
6.) Anaheim
7.) Edmonton
8.) LA

Vegas
Sharks
Flames
Oilers
Canucks
Coyotes
Kings
Ducks

All three Canadian teams will make the playoffs. Vegas is the most overrated team in the league, and this will be the year Fleury's back gives out for having to carry them for so long. Sharks lost too much and will need Karlsson to stay healthy and be peak Karlsson all year to even have a chance at the playoffs. Arizona could possibly sneak in, and the Ducks and Kings aren't worth writing about.

All three Canadian teams will make the playoffs. Vegas is the most overrated team in the league, and this will be the year Fleury's back gives out for having to carry them for so long. Sharks lost too much and will need Karlsson to stay healthy and be peak Karlsson all year to even have a chance at the playoffs. Arizona could possibly sneak in, and the Ducks and Kings aren't worth writing about.
- Hunkulese

I would be completely ok with this. Having all 3 western canadian teams in would make for some great series and hockey atmospheres. Especially a BOA series or Flames/Nucks Nucks/Oilers.

SJ
Vegas
Calgary
Arizona
Vancouver
Edmonton
LA
Anaheim

As it stands today I’ll take

Vegas
Calgary
Vancouver
Arizona
San Jose
Edmonton
Anaheim
LA

Vegas plays too strong of a game to fall too far, Calgary will just be a pretty solid team, Vancouvers youth/experience combo (with great coaching) propels them forward, Arizona stays healthy and is paced by Nick Schmaltz/Kessel who will each top 65 points for the defensive squad, San Jose can’t make up for their overall losses and lack of quality goaltending, Edmonton won’t get the goaltending or D they need to keep up with their top two lines

I see Vegas and the oilers battling for first all year...getting Neal will solidify the top line with mcdavid and a few kids are ready for top six as well as on the blue line... Arizona and San Jose third/fourth,Canucks or flames fifth/sixth, then Anaheim and Kings...

Vegas
Calgary
Arizona
San Jose
Vancouver
Anaheim
Edmonton
LA

San Jose is so over-rated. They will struggle next season. The bottom four are not in the wildcard race.

Fine I’ll take the bait as the AZ homer...this is a terrible prediction, especially when things like “the coyotes depth is the same as the oilers” .... the oilers have the worst depth in the league and the coyotes have the best. It’s not even debatable. What has kept the coyotes back is having top line offensive threats.

Coyotes have much better goaltending than the oilers.

Coyotes have exponentially better defensemen at each and every slot.

The coyotes bottom six is made up of players like grabber, hinkstroza, Soderberg, Richardson, Hayton, Crouse, garland, Fischer, Dvorak. Any one of those guys could score 20 goals, and NONE of the oilers bottom six has a shot at that.

In the end, coyotes make the playoffs for sure, likely knocking the flames out of their spot.

Vancouver will have a top ten pick again because the players they acquired will struggle when not supported by more elite talent. Calagary will have historically bad goaltending. Vegas will be solid.

I see Vegas and the oilers battling for first all year...getting Neal will solidify the top line with mcdavid and a few kids are ready for top six as well as on the blue line... Arizona and San Jose third/fourth,Canucks or flames fifth/sixth, then Anaheim and Kings...
- oil90

The only “first” the Oilers will battle for is “first team officially eliminated from the playoffs”

Edmonton will just miss the playoffs but they will have a disaster of a season if McD hasn't fully recovered from his leg injury.

"Coyotes have the best depth in the league" ...

This is what happens when you get your information from James Tanner. Please do yourself a favor and read everything he says as satire.

Arizona will relocate before they ever see the playoffs.

I see Vegas and the oilers battling for first all year...getting Neal will solidify the top line with mcdavid and a few kids are ready for top six as well as on the blue line... Arizona and San Jose third/fourth,Canucks or flames fifth/sixth, then Anaheim and Kings...
- oil90

This is even more embarrassing than the "our D is exponentially better" James Tanner wanna-be.

Sean Maloughney: Early Pacific Division Predictions
- freelancer

You’re drunk!!

I see Vegas and the oilers battling for first all year...getting Neal will solidify the top line with mcdavid and a few kids are ready for top six as well as on the blue line... Arizona and San Jose third/fourth,Canucks or flames fifth/sixth, then Anaheim and Kings...
- oil90

Sean Maloughney: Early Pacific Division Predictions
- freelancer

back to providing you all with some quality content.
Easy there champ. Maybe go with the "under promise and over deliver" approach and just promise some content.

"Coyotes have the best depth in the league" ...

This is what happens when you get your information from James Tanner. Please do yourself a favor and read everything he says as satire.
- RonPielep

Come on Ron, you have to know by now that is one of Tanner's alt accounts.

Fine I’ll take the bait as the AZ homer...this is a terrible prediction, especially when things like “the coyotes depth is the same as the oilers” .... the oilers have the worst depth in the league and the coyotes have the best. It’s not even debatable. What has kept the coyotes back is having top line offensive threats.

Coyotes have much better goaltending than the oilers.

Coyotes have exponentially better defensemen at each and every slot.

The coyotes bottom six is made up of players like grabber, hinkstroza, Soderberg, Richardson, Hayton, Crouse, garland, Fischer, Dvorak. Any one of those guys could score 20 goals, and NONE of the oilers bottom six has a shot at that.

In the end, coyotes make the playoffs for sure, likely knocking the flames out of their spot.

Vancouver will have a top ten pick again because the players they acquired will struggle when not supported by more elite talent. Calagary will have historically bad goaltending. Vegas will be solid.
- Dahlmanyotes

You are probably scared the Yotes, despite their spending, have more teams to worry about.

1.) Vegas
2.) Calgary
3.) Vancouver
———————
4.) San Jose
5.) Arizona
6.) Edmonton
7.) LA
8.) Anaheim

Fine I’ll take the bait as the AZ homer...this is a terrible prediction, especially when things like “the coyotes depth is the same as the oilers” .... the oilers have the worst depth in the league and the coyotes have the best. It’s not even debatable. What has kept the coyotes back is having top line offensive threats.

Coyotes have much better goaltending than the oilers.

Coyotes have exponentially better defensemen at each and every slot.

The coyotes bottom six is made up of players like grabber, hinkstroza, Soderberg, Richardson, Hayton, Crouse, garland, Fischer, Dvorak. Any one of those guys could score 20 goals, and NONE of the oilers bottom six has a shot at that.

In the end, coyotes make the playoffs for sure, likely knocking the flames out of their spot.

Vancouver will have a top ten pick again because the players they acquired will struggle when not supported by more elite talent. Calagary will have historically bad goaltending. Vegas will be solid.
- Dahlmanyotes

When you breathe make sure you get some oxygen to your brain

Edmonton
LA
Anaheim
----------------
Arizona
Vancouver
San Jose
Vegas
Calgary