2024-25 NHL Divisional Rankings: Pacific Division

The 2024-25 NHL Season is underway. Only some video games have been performed up to now. Over the previous few days, NHLRumors.com has dropped its annual divisional rankings. Thus far, we’ve got given you the Metro, Atlantic, and Central Divisions. Now, we carry you the Pacific Division.

It was a bizarre yr final yr within the Pacific, with the Edmonton Oilers getting off to a sluggish begin to rebound to go to the Stanley Cup Remaining. The Vancouver Canucks received the division whereas the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights battled for the third spot.

Whereas the highest 4 groups are set, the remainder of the division can go both method. The workforce within the Bay Space improved, and no one is aware of what to make of the workforce within the Emerald Metropolis. On the identical time, two rebuilds are happening.

Let’s see what the Pacific Division has in retailer for this season.

NHL Pacific Division Rankings

1. Edmonton Oilers (Final yr completed Second)

No person expects the Edmonton Oilers to have an analogous begin as final season. Whereas the primary few video games weren’t nice, the NHL Pacific Division is winnable for the Oilers.

Defense Will Be a Concern for the Edmonton Oilers This Season

Edmonton misplaced to the Florida Panthers in Recreation 7 of the Stanley Cup Remaining final season, which didn’t sit nicely with the Oilers. Edmonton had a busy low season, extending Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers saved Adam Henrique, Corey Perry, Connor Brown, and Mattias Janmark. In addition they signed Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner and bought Matthew Savoie from Buffalo.

The most important loss was on defence, because the St. Louis Blues gave Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway a suggestion sheet. The Oilers defence took successful and is inferior to in Recreation 7. Nonetheless, the Oilers offense is sweet sufficient to compensate for the deficiencies on protection and possibly between the pipes with Stuart Skinner.

Skinner can hold the workforce on his again, however there are nights when he’s off his recreation. The Oilers are too good to not end first within the division.

2. Vegas Golden Knights (Final 12 months Completed Fourh) 

The Vegas Golden Knights wish to bounce again this season, and if Jack Eichel performs like he did within the first two video games, Vegas could possibly be again within the Stanley Cup Remaining this yr.

The Vegas Golden Knights Offseason Is A Little Misleading

Whereas it’s nonetheless early, the Golden Knights didn’t do a lot besides get gamers wholesome over the low season and add Victor Olofsson. Olofsson was Eichel’s operating buddy in Buffalo years in the past. The Golden Knights can even get a wholesome Tomas Hertl becoming a member of their membership. Although they misplaced Jonathan Marchessault to Nashville and traded Logan Thompson to Washington, Vegas reveals they’re nonetheless a deep workforce that may rating.

Final yr, the Golden Knights battled to make the playoffs, however with a protection corps that’s nonetheless the most effective within the NHL, this workforce must be competing for one of many high spots within the NHL Pacific Division. The Golden Knights are not the Golden Misfits however the Empire of the NHL.

3.  Vancouver Canucks (Final yr completed 1st)

The Vancouver Canucks got here out of nowhere final yr to win the Pacific Division. It was a whole offseason of Rick Tocchet, and every thing broke the Canucks method. This yr, issues are off to a rocky begin.

Should Their Be a Concern About the Vancouver Canucks Goalies

Getting into the season, the Canucks have goalie points with Thatcher Demko not being one hundred pc. They have to flip to the feeling Arturs Silovs and the man they signed, Kevin Lankinen. By means of two video games, the Canucks blew two leads. Now, it’s early, however a number of the targets Silovs gave up within the first recreation weren’t good.

Offensively, the Canucks are nonetheless a superb workforce, and Tocchet is making an attempt to get his workforce to play with extra offense this season as a substitute of sitting again on leads after which putting. That was their MO within the playoffs in opposition to Nashville. With Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes, once more, it’s going to come right down to goaltending for the Canucks.

4.  Los Angeles Kings (Final yr completed Third) 

Everybody thinks the Los Angeles Kings could take a step again. Nonetheless, the Kings can keep on this division. They’ve expertise, with Quinton Byfield main the best way. However down the center, together with Byfield, the Kings have Anze Kopitar and Philip Danault.

Quinton Byfield Will Be a Stud for Los Angeles Kings This Season

Los Angeles moved Pierre-Luc Dubois to Washington in alternate for Darcy Kuemper to repair their goalie state of affairs. That was a problem for the Kings the final couple of seasons within the playoffs. Nonetheless, the larger challenge is that Drew Doughty shall be out for a number of months as a result of a fractured ankle.

Count on Mikey Anderson and Brandt Clarke to step up in his absence. Up entrance, together with the trio talked about above, Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe, Arthur Kaliyev, and Alex Turcotte are nonetheless there. The Kings should make a gritty effort every night time.

5.  Seattle Kraken (Final yr completed Sixth) 

It’ll be a tricky yr for the Seattle Kraken. Even with the contracts of Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson (who left Vegas through free company), the Kraken shouldn’t have sufficient scoring to make the playoffs. The yr they made the playoffs, every thing broke proper for them.

NHL Free Agency Contracts That Made You Go Whoa!!; Western Conference

Whereas Joey Daccord received a brand new five-year extension with a $5 million AAV, they want Philipp Grubauer to play like he did when the Kraken made the playoffs two seasons in the past. This workforce lacks goal-scoring, particularly five-on-five. Sure, Jordan Eberle stays, however one thing is just not proper with this workforce.

Matty Beniers is a superb participant, however is he a middle or a wing? The identical goes for Stephenson. What’s Shane Wright? When the Kraken made the playoffs, they led the NHL in five-on-five targets. Final yr, they had been close to the underside of the league. That pattern is continuous although it’s nonetheless early. Seattle may have to combine issues up to achieve success.

6.  Calgary Flames (Final yr completed Fifth) 

Some could have a look at these rankings and ask if the Calgary Flames aren’t just a little excessive this season within the NHL Pacific Division. The Flames have an opportunity to not be backside feeders within the division.

How Deep Should the Calgary Flames Rebuild Go?

There are not any distractions with the Flames this season. The brand new constructing is coming; the free brokers had been traded final season. It’s a younger workforce that can play spoiler and onerous each night time. Jonathan Huberdeau appears to be like like he’s mentally proper after the commerce shock.

Yegor Sharangovich (who’s injured now) desires a repeat efficiency. The Flames even have Connor Zary, Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson again, Blake Coleman, Anthony Mantha, Ryan Lomberg, Kevin Bahl, MacKenzie Weegar. Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf are between the pipes. GM Craig Conroy is placing collectively a pleasant squad that shall be good in just a few years with all of the picks, prospects, and draft capital he received final season.

7.  Anaheim Geese (Final yr completed Seventh) 

The Anaheim Geese shall be down close to the underside of the division. They may even end final. Nonetheless, there’s an excessive amount of expertise on this workforce. They need to be higher than this; nonetheless, the correct mix is just not there.

NHL Rumors: Anaheim Ducks, and the New York Rangers

First, GM Pat Verbeek and Trevor Zegras don’t agree and his time could possibly be coming to an finish. Nonetheless, they’ve Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Troy Terry, Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano, Owen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov.

The Geese have expertise. Keep in mind when Anaheim had that trio of defensemen that made them the most effective within the league? These defensemen are lengthy gone and it’s a new wave. The problem for the Geese is they’re caught within the limitless rebuild cycle just like the Buffalo Sabres. One thing has to present. Groups are calling on Vatrano, and he could possibly be moved by the deadline.

8.  San Jose Sharks (Final yr completed Eighth) 

The San Jose Sharks completed lifeless final yr within the NHL. David Quinn was fired. However that workforce was so dangerous that no coach was profitable with that roster. Whereas they’ve Macklin Celebrini, the primary general choose, who’s damage now, it’s nonetheless a creating roster, and will probably be a short time till the Sharks are good once more.

NHL Rumors: San Jose Sharks, and the Edmonton Oilers

Together with Celebrini, the Sharks have Will Smith, William Eklund, Fabian Zetterlund, and Mario Ferraro. San Jose improved by including Tyler Toffoli, Alexander Wennberg, Ty Dellandria, Barclay Goodrow, Jake Walman, and Yaroslav Aksarov.

GM Mike Grier is constructing a superb basis. There’s nonetheless a protracted approach to go within the Bay Space, however there’s a state of affairs the place the Sharks are out of the rebuild earlier than the Geese. Besides the Sharks nonetheless end on the backside once more this season, however extra aggressive.