2019-20 NHL predictions: Standings, awards, and playoffs
By Mary Clarke
The Pacific Division
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Calgary Flames
- San Jose Sharks
- Arizona Coyotes
- Vancouver Canucks
- Edmonton Oilers
- Anaheim Ducks
- Los Angeles Kings
The Pacific Division remains up for grabs between a handful of teams this season, while the remainder of the pack will likely be left behind quickly as the season starts to progress. The Kings are in the midst of a rebuild with an aging core and have seen their Stanley Cup window close, for the moment anyway.
The Ducks hired Dallas Eakins in the offseason to be the team’s new head coach, but Anaheim also is in a transitionary period of their own and will likely be unable to make a playoff push. Things won’t get better in Edmonton for Connor McDavid and company despite overhauling their front office within the last year, as it will take time to undo the mess that former general manager Peter Chiarelli made of their roster.
The Canucks made waves last year with their young roster of Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson, but overall the team will remain in the middle of the pack thanks to a lack of major roster changes. Arizona may fight for a playoff spot thanks to the acquisition of Phil Kessel and the forward’s reunion with the team’s head coach, Rick Tocchet, might just spur the forward to greater heights.
Battling for the top of the Atlantic will be the Flames, Sharks, and Golden Knights. The Sharks lost a significant piece in Joe Pavelski but a full season of a healthy Erik Karlsson on the back end may offset that loss. Calgary upgraded their goaltender to Cam Talbot this season, improving on a major weak point for the team at times during the season.
The Golden Knights, however, seem to be the team to beat. Marc-Andre Fleury will take most of the goaltending duties while last year’s trade deadline acquisition Mark Stone will have a more immediate impact on the club from the outset of the NHL season.