Fansided

The Pacific Division is the Wild West of the NHL right now

By Brad Berreman

SUNRISE, FL - JANUARY 7: Teammates congratulate Taylor Hall #91 of the Arizona Coyotes on scoring a goal in the second period against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on January 7, 2020 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL - JANUARY 7: Teammates congratulate Taylor Hall #91 of the Arizona Coyotes on scoring a goal in the second period against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on January 7, 2020 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
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With a win or loss or two in a row sure to alter any team’s standing, the Pacific Division is the NHL’s wildest division right now.

Let’s start with a look at the record of a few teams in the Pacific Division over their respective last 10 games, entering Wednesday’s action, with their current win or loss streak noted.

  • Vancouver Canucks: 7-3 (L1)
  • Arizona Coyotes: 6-4 (W4)
  • Vegas Golden Knights: 6-3-1 (L1)
  • Edmonton Oilers: 5-4-1 (W2)
  • Calgary Flames: 5-4-1 (W3)

The Canucks had won seven straight games before a 9-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. Add in wins by the Coyotes and Flames on Tuesday night, and it was a badly-timed setback to lose ground to two of the teams ahead of them.  As it is Vancouver has barely gained ground in the Pacific amid their nice run, with 14 points over their last 10 games compared to 13 and 12 for the now tied at the top Golden Knights and Coyotes after Vegas also lost Tuesday night.

Those aforementioned five teams are now separated by just four points. Vegas and Arizona have 54 points, with followed by Edmonton and Calgary tied at 51 points and Vancouver with 50 points. The tie for the division lead is technically broken by Arizona having more one more win (25) than Vegas (24), while Edmonton and Calgary have matching records with the Oilers possessing an edge in regulation time wins (19 to 15).

The Oilers and Flames have somehow played each other just once so far this season, a 5-1 win for Calgary on Dec. 27, but that will be rectified with three upcoming matchups from Jan. 11 through Feb. 1. So that particular tie may sort itself out, if only based on head-to-head record and how those games will affect records within the division.

It’s only fitting that the Pacific Division has teams located where they are. It’s literally the Wild West in the Pacific Division right now, with no sign of it changing.

NHL January power rankings. dark. Next

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