Western Conference - Pacific Division - Pickem

[DirtyDeeds]

Preseason buzz to keep you busy....

 

 

 

Who made the right moves over the summer?
Who is moving up in this division and who will struggle or move down?
Any surprises?
Where do you think they will all finish after all is said and done?

 

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

Very tough to pick what will happen here. Is San Jose going to implode? Is Vancouver going to rebound? Can Phoenix hold on and be competitive?  Is Edmonton ever going to figure it out?

[kehatch]

1. Anaheim

• Anaheim found goal tending last season.  The addition of Kesler really helps round out their forward depth.  They are decent to strong at most positions.  LA is a better team, but LA struggles in the regular season.  The rest of the division doesn't compete.  This is a two horse race for the division title.  

2. Los Angelas

• Second only to Chicago in over all talent.  But LA has better depth and and goal tending.  LA and Chicago are the two teams to beat come the playoffs.  But like I said above, LA struggles in the regular seasons.  

3. San Jose

• I think this will be a transition year for San Jose.  They have already stripped the captaincy from Thornton and they will be looking to move from the Thornton/Marleau generation to the Pavelski/Couture one.  I think there will be growing pains keeping them out of the top 2.  

4. Edmonton

• I hate to do it but I think they pull themselves out of the toilet this season.  They got a bit better on D, they actually have some goalies, and there should be improvement in players like Eberle, Schutlz, and RNH.  Most importantly, the division got worse with Vancouver falling off and San Jose going through a transition.  I think they fall short of the playoffs, but I don't see them in the bottom of the standings either.  

5. Arizona

• They always seem to find a way to be semi competitive.  They still have a strong D and decent tending.  I think they drop a bit in the standings but I don't think they fall to the bottom.  

6. Vancouver

• The Canucks are in a downward spiral. Luongo, Schneider, and Kesler are gone.  The coach and GM were fired.  Their two remaining star players are both 34 coming off a season where they were not good and showed their age in the injury department.  This is a fragile team on the verge of a total collapse.  It's possible new coaching gets the Sedin's going and they have another season or two of playoff contention.  But I think there is a reasonable chance we see this team start to bottom out this season.  

7. Calgary

• On paper Calgary is one of the weakest teams in the NHL. They stayed out of the bottom 3 based on pure work ethic last season.  This season they arguably have a worse line-up and its going to be tougher to gain points on effort alone.  As a fan that is okay.  The Flames are putting together a decent young core with players like Bennett, Monahan, Gaudreau, and Baertschi.  And the effort makes them fun to watch.  But we are still a couple of years from challenging for a playoff spot.  

[conundrumed]

I love goat horns.

 

1. San Jose: this is their year I believe. Each and every player has watched ownership play damage control last year, and ownership didn't sell them down the river outside of an ageing Boyle. This team is large and 1 aggression gene from being a dynasty at this point.

Pound for pound, one of the best rosters in the league.

 

2. Anaheim: the addition of Kesler is one of consternation. It's Getzlaf/Perry's team, let's add a drama queen.

I like their goal depth, but wonder if they didn't force the issue a year or 2 too soon. Could fall.

 

3. LA: Could put them 1st or 7th and still pick them to win the cup. Sutter always recited, "you just have to get hot at the right time".

Blah regs for LA, but boy do they get serious when it matters.

 

4 - 7. Everyone else: Pains me to say, but Western Canada might have the 3 worst teams in 1 division comprising only 7 teams.

The next Canadian team to challenge for a cup will have 35 millionish people behind them.

I've been all across this country, so fitting that it will be Calgary.

[tmac70]

1-2 Has got to be Anaheim and San Jose. Two large teams out side of Kessler Anaheim never really changed their roster nor did San Jose. I see neither winning the cup though.

 

3. LA. Strong favorites to repeat. Solid team should make a push once again this season.

 

Here is where it gets tricky:

 

4-5 Arizonia/ Oilers. Despite all the moves the Oiler's got moderately better. They are far from a cup contending team and believe that they still will not be in the near future. By the time they get the ship pointed in the right direction, they will run into cap issues.

 

6. Vancouver will be taking a downward spiral this season. Very fragile group roster and organization is in a mess.

 

7. Flames. Our roster is the worst in the league. We have improved size and toughness but lack any skill up front. Our D core is just as bad but I believe we are a little stronger in net.  Until we see some movement with our younger players, we should pick in the bottom 3 in the draft again.

[Flyerfan52]

1) SJ. Always strong during the regular season. Not ready when playoffs amp it up.

2) Anaheim. Despite losing Selanne (I think he really retires this time) & Koivu (don't see him playing this year) & replacing them with Kesler & Heatley have good kids stepping up to join Getzlaf, Perry, etc.

3) LA. So strong through out. Amp it up for playoffs where the real competition is Chicago.

 

4) Arizona/Phoenix. Best of a weak remaining 4.

5) Vancouver. Weaker every year but the bottom hasn't totally fallen out.

6) Calgary. Mostly for the reasons I have the Oilers last.

7) Edmonton. Every year we expect the high picks to break out but by now the loser attitude is ingrained. Barring a trade of 1 of their $6 million man-children additions to date not enough. D & G stronger on paper (faint praise) but most D is 3-5 on a good team while their goalie tandem has 109 NHL games total (Scrivens is 27 & Fasth 32). Too many gunners on D & a defensively irresponsible team in front of them dooms the goalies.

[kehatch]

No comments on the Metro division Flyer? I thought you would be all over that one!

[Flyerfan52]

No comments on the Metro division Flyer? I thought you would be all over that one!

I worked my way through the divisions so have commented on all now. I tried to be quite deliberate on all so some of my seedings might surprise you.

[The_People1]

1. Anaheim - probably the only team who could've/should've beat LA in the playoffs last season.  And they got better if Kesler gets back to form.  Gibson could be the next great Canadian goalie.  They are my pick for the Cup 2015.

2. San Jose - Sharks will continue to be one good regular season team.

3. LA Kings - Sutter hockey isn't made for the regular season but the Kings are nearly unbeatable every playoff season.

4. Vancouver - Miller was a good signing this summer and could bring the Canucks back into the playoffs.

5. Edmonton - good moves over the summer should improve them by 20-points, but that's still good enough to miss the playoffs.

6. Arizona - name has changed but still the same thing under the hood.

7. Calgary - management showing patience with the rebuild.

[420since1974]

1. Los Angeles - They will improve their regular season play just because they can. Sutter will use that goal as a motivational tool.

 

2. San Jose - The changing of the guard will be a smooth one. If they were to trade for a top 4 D, Burns could stay at forward.

 

3. Anaheim - Kesler will hurt more than help. His line-mates will wait in vain for a pass.

 

4. Arizona - Steady enough to stay out of the bottom 3.

 

5. Vancouver- Regressed at most positions and their prospects are at least a year away. They suffer from the same delusion that caused the Flames to delay their rebuild, and their hands are similarly tied by NTCs and NMCs.

 

6. Edmonton - Management will continue to rush prospects and the players will eventually revolt against Eakins.

 

7. Calgary - Will sorely miss Cammalleri's scoring, Defense has not been significantly upgraded. Goal is suspect until they see which Hiller they have. Their prospects won't be ready until next year, but what a year that will be. My crystal ball (lol) foresees the Flames as a bubble team in 2016/2017 and a perennial contender the following year.

[cccsberg]

1. San Jose: Have something to prove with dramatic playoff loss last Spring, and demotion of Captain and Assistant Captain.  Unfortunately all the determination used up come playoffs, again.

 

2. Anaheim: Lost important leadership in Koivu and Selanne.  May be sleeper come playoffs if new prospects can integrate into their system and play well.

 

3. Los Angeles: 5 months of going through the motions before they get serious about playing great, which they will come Spring.

 

4. Arizona: Biding time before transfer out in several years, with same systems, coach and players.  Solid D and conservative systems keep them in the hunt all season.

 

5. Vancouver: Fragile, aging team that should rebound from coaching disaster last year but bringing in rookies will have growing pains as will trying to establish a new identity.  Major decisions re their core (Sedins) this year, will they make the change or sink to the bottom?

 

6. Calgary: Team a step up from last year, bit bigger, tougher and more skilled as long as coach continues to keep them motivated.  Really starts to take off if prospects get into line-up, otherwise in cruise control till end of the season.

 

7. Edmonton: Sooner or later Edmonton will come to realize their core (Fab5) has been ruined and isn't good enough (won't they?) and changes are needed.  But then again their philosophy is run 'n gun '80s style hockey which is nothing but a distant memory in today's NHL. Massive changes to the periphery aren't the answer.  If they make the changes they'll make a jump, especially with some better D prospects coming up in the next couple of years...

[DL44]

I'm ultra optimistic about the Canucks...

But there are soo many question marks of how the lines will shake out and how effective the new mix of chemistry on lines 2 and 3 will go..

Not worried about the Twins or whoever they put with em... likely Vrbata..  it's how the rest of lines are made up and whether Jensen earns a spot or another kid surprises (Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Horvat)

 

How well does Vey and Bonino mix in.. how much of step does Kassian take.  All 3 are candidates for the PP.

 

Not even worried about Edler this year...  Experienced D, Great goaltending. 

 

It's all about the PP for me.  What can the new coaching staff do to reactivate it.

 

Top end potential with health - the Canucks could be fighting for the 2nd seed..  If the depth scoring and PP struggles in preseason... I'll go with 4th/5th.

But i'll wait for preseason to make that official.

 

The rest...

1. Ana on the strength of their developing high end pieces on D, top end forward talent & depth upfront and if Gibson is the real deal over the course of 82...

2. LA. Best team in the division, but they are streaky in the regular season. Don't think they've replaced the quality of Mitchell on the backend. (But i didn't think Mitchell next season would of replaced Mitchell of last yr on the backend, so going youth was the right move)

3. Van

4. SJ - They have stayed essentially status quo with the hopes their youth takes another developmental step. Fragile is the word to describe this team.

5. Az - always consistently a playoff challenger

6. Edm - I think they take their first significant step forward.  Eakins is surrounded by some experienced coaches now. If D holds, they could be a 5.

7. Cgy - Probably the weakest NHL roster they've ever iced going into a season.  It will be a long season of moral victories that will be made bearable by watching their youth develop.

 

I'll do this again in Oct... so many unknowns till you see teams start to ice their teams in preseason.

[OilerPensfan97]

1. Ducks

2. Kings

3. Sharks

4. Vancouver

5. Edmonton

6. Arizona

7. Calgary

[bronco73]

LOL Nice Avatar there OPF... and the sig rocks!

 

1 Ducks

2 Kings

3 Sharks

4 Edmonton

5 Vancouver

6 Arizona

7 Calgary

[redfire11]

1. Anaheim

2. San Jose

3. LA

4. Vancouver

5. Edmonton

6. Arizona

7. Calgary

and possibly

8. Seattle

[Flyerfan52]

1) SJ. Always strong during the regular season. Not ready when playoffs amp it up.

2) Anaheim. Despite losing Selanne (I think he really retires this time) & Koivu (don't see him playing this year) & replacing them with Kesler & Heatley have good kids stepping up to join Getzlaf, Perry, etc.

3) LA. So strong through out. Amp it up for playoffs where the real competition is Chicago.

 

4) Arizona/Phoenix. Best of a weak remaining 4.

5) Vancouver. Weaker every year but the bottom hasn't totally fallen out.

6) Calgary. Mostly for the reasons I have the Oilers last.

7) Edmonton. Every year we expect the high picks to break out but by now the loser attitude is ingrained. Barring a trade of 1 of their $6 million man-children additions to date not enough. D & G stronger on paper (faint praise) but most D is 3-5 on a good team while their goalie tandem has 109 NHL games total (Scrivens is 27 & Fasth 32). Too many gunners on D & a defensively irresponsible team in front of them dooms the goalies.

What can I say.

I over-rated some & under-rated others.