NFL
By: Jesse Rosales
The Pacific Division is very intriguing because it is the division that contains the defending Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights, but it also contains many teams that are true contenders for the Cup. Last season, this division had 4 teams with 100 points or more and was the only division in the NHL to have that happen.
Believe it or not, we are already almost at the halfway point of the NHL season. At this point, it is starting to become quite clear on which teams are going to be making playoff pushes and which teams are going to start their rebuilding plans for next season. Today we look specifically at the Pacific Division and rank each team.
NHL Pacific Division Rankings
The Sharks were never expected to be a playoff team this year, but they were expected to take a step forward in the right direction. That hasn’t really happened to this point of the season as the Sharks started off their campaign with 11 straight losses. They lack offensive firepower outside of Tomas Hertl who really should be more of a second-line centerman anyway.
Mackenzie Blackwood was a nice pickup in the offseason but neither he nor Kaapo Kahkonen have really shown they are capable of holding down the starting goaltending role as neither has a save percentage over .900 and the team is allowing an average of just over 4 goals per game. With by far the worst goal differential in the league at -76, there is a very good chance the Sharks end up with the worst record in the NHL.
The Flames technically have more points than the Ducks, but this team has red flags all over the place. They once again lack the offense that they used to pride themselves on. Nazem Kadri is playing fine with 25 points through 35 games, but much like Hertl, he really isn’t built to be the star of a team.
Jonathan Huberdeau was supposed to be that for this team after the big move from Florida last season, but so far he at 15 points in 35 games. Not nearly good enough. This team can no longer blame Darryl Sutter for their underperforming. Its time to make moves and I bet we will see one or two big names from this Flames team moved by the NHL trade deadline.
I swear I really love this team. I want them to succeed so badly, but perhaps they will have to wait one more year. The Ducks are full of young talent. Guys like Mason McTavish and Frank Vatrano have taken major steps forward this season as well as young goaltender Lukas Dostal.
That being said the team has also dealt with plenty of injuries through the first half of the season. Mctavish missed some big road games, and All-Star forward Trevor Zegras has played in less than half of the games so far. He did have this sweet “Michigan” style goal though that had the hockey world a blaze. We’ll see if the Ducks can make a run in the second half to be one of the top 4 teams in the Pacific Division.
5. Seattle Kraken 
The Kraken are 14-14-9 on the season. Almost the exact definition of treading water. Unfortunately, they wasted a great opportunity to put some serious distance between them and the Edmonton Oilers, who had one of the slowest starts in franchise history. Now only 4 points above the Oilers, it looks like the Kraken will have a difficult time repeating their postseason success of last season.
The Kraken were at exactly 100 points to close out the regular season last year, and they are way off the pace of that number at this point. Their goal differential is worse than the Calgary Flames and they have the third-fewest goals scored of any team in the Pacific Division. I don’t like their chances of making the playoffs this season.
4. Edmonton Oilers 
The Oilers are very lucky to be here. After starting the season by going 2-9-1, firing their head coach, and talks of breaking up the dynamic duo of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid brewing, the team has really turned things around. A lot of that credit goes to McDavid who has arguably put the team on his back and willed them to victories. McDavid has 16 points in 10 games in December and 36 points over his last 24 games. Just absolutely killing it.
This was supposed to be the Oiler’s year to take a step forward and make a Cup Finals. It was certainly in doubt to start the year, but thanks to McDavid, the plan is back on track.
3. LA Kings 
This Kings team is so fun to watch. I’m not a Kings fan, but I have nothing but the highest level of respect for how good they are. They have the second-best goal differential in the Pacific Division at +37 and the lowest goals allowed.
A lot of that is due to the outstanding performance of Cam Talbot who is putting together a Vezina-worthy campaign with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. Mix in the emergence of third-year forward Quinton Byfield, who has 25 points through 32 games, with studs like Kopitar, Kempe, and Fiala and you have a great core. Look out for the Kings to win the Pacific Division.
There you have it, the Golden Knights are finally not the #1 ranked team in one of my rankings. Trust me, I’m just as surprised. Not so much at the Golden Knights performance, but rather the team up north. The Golden Knights have honestly played great and are a real threat to repeat as Cup Champions.
The Golden Knights have 49 points through 37 games which is tied for most in the NHL and they have 13-3-2 record on home ice. Their main 3 forwards are all over 30 points for the season and Adin Hill was a Vezina trophy front runner until he got injured. In came Logan Thompson who hasn’t been as dominant as Hill was, he has played very well. Certainly good enough for what this team needs to make a deep playoff run.
I was wrong about the Canucks coming into the season. MOST people were wrong about the Canucks coming into this season. Not that they were expected to be a bottom feeder in the Pacific Division, but they certainly weren’t projected to be at the top at any point in the season. The Canucks were one of the worst teams in the – NHL last year finishing with a 38-37-7 record and a -22 point differential.
Now they have a new coach, new leadership, and the players seem to have really bought into this system. The Cancucks are tied for the league’s best with 49 points and have THE best goal differential of any team with an astonishing +43. They have 3 players all over 40 points and Thatcher Demko is in maybe the best form of his career, which is saying a lot.
This team may not end the season a top the Pacific Division, but it really would be a great “rags to riches” story and they have earned every bit of it. They are a legit threat and one of the most complete teams in the NHL.
