Pacific Division
- Anaheim Ducks*
- Calgary Flames*
- Los Angeles Kings*
- Vancouver Canucks*
- San Jose Sharks
- Edmonton Oilers
- Arizona Coyotes
Quack. Quack. The Ducks are odds-on favorites by just about everybody to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals this season. I don’t think they do, but they are winning the Pacific.
Sorry, Kings fans, but Milan Lucic isn’t all that and the bag of chips you thought you were getting. Call us February when he’s in the middle of some other five-game DL stint for… a linty belly-button.
The Sedin twins enter their late thirties with no playoff berth. All of western Canada cries, but starts thinking about becoming Oilers fans.
Ranger fans will have a mild interest in looking west to watch Cam Talbot perform his starting goalie role and in the process will catch glimpses of some kid named “McDavid” (whoever HE is) dominating defenses. “Johnny Hockey,” you’ve got company out there in Connor McHockey, but don’t worry – he’s not a spotlight junkie and neither are the Oilers. Yet.
Ranger fans will also look west to eyeball the development of Anthony Duclair playing alongside former Rangers’ agitator Tie Domi’s kid, Max Domi. The Coyotes are stuck in an ugly quagmire of losing seasons, having lost Keith Yandle (who was finally traded), an ugly battle with the local government regarding their arena and rumors of getting moved as a result. However, they aren’t without hope owing to the likes of Duclair and Domi.
The Stanley Cup will come down the to the New York Rangers vs the St. Louis Blues and the Rangers will prevail in six games and be ready to paint the town red, white and blue. King Henrik will finally rule the NHL landscape.
