On Monday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal took stock of the Pacific Division, ranking which teams are trending up, trending down, or staying flat heading into next season.
Anaheim Ducks – Trending Up
“I didn’t love the Ducks’ offseason, but there’s no doubt they got somewhat better when you add Granlund and Kreider,” Harm said. “Especially if Kreider can bounce back. He scored just over 20 goals, couldn’t really drive play, was a shell of his former self… but he was also playing through a back injury and vertigo.”
“If he’s healthy, does he bounce back to the 30-plus goal version of himself?” Harm asked. “Especially for a Ducks team that struggled on the power play- 32nd in the league. We know Kreider is one of the premier net-front power play scorers in the NHL.”
“Granlund… while we don’t love the contract, is going to be a nice addition to their middle-six. It’s not just the players they brought in, it’s the coaching change too. They could’ve hired anyone and it would’ve been an upgrade.”
Calgary Flames – Trending Down
“Rasmus Andersson is a story to still monitor,” Harm said. “We don’t know what’s happening with him yet. This summer is strange. It feels like there’s still dominoes to fall on the trade market… Andersson, Byram, Marco Rossi. Even Pittsburgh, who was labelled the only clear seller, hasn’t actually sold anyone off.”
“If Andersson gets dealt, that’s a serious blow to the Flames’ blueline.”
Edmonton Oilers – Trending Down
“They’re slightly worse on paper, and ultimately still the best team on paper in the Pacific Division,” said Harm. “Are we comparing them to how they finished the playoffs or the start of the season?”
“At least on the back end they’re better than the start of the season with Jake Walman coming in. But they’re likely going to have to rely on Podkolzin to play top-nine minutes. They won’t have Perry… Kane was valuable in the playoffs, Connor Brown was a nice bottom-six piece, and you really only have Mangiapane to fill that void.”
L.A. Kings – Trending Down
“The blueline looks mid on paper,” Harm said. “Between Edmundson, Dumoulin, and Ceci in your bottom four, you have guys who are reliably defensive but can’t move the puck and don’t skate very well.”
“It makes them slower and older… puts a ton of pressure on Brandt Clarke. They would’ve leaned on Jordan Spence in the past but he’s not there anymore. Back end is a concern. I wouldn’t say they’re a playoff lock the way they’ve been in years past, but their baseline is high.”
Seattle Kraken – Neutral
“Their forward group is full of middle-of-the-lineup players,” Harm said. “The best way to sum up the Kraken is they have four third lines.”
“The only way they’re competitive for a wildcard spot is if Beniers and Wright take massive steps, and if Catton… ends up being a 50-point rookie. That’s your pathway. But to be honest, they scream mediocre to me. Top to bottom, it’s uninspiring.”
San Jose Sharks – Trending Up
“I like Orlov,” said Harm. “He’ll be a nice second-pair defenceman. He struggled in the playoffs, can’t single-handedly drive the bus, but he’s going to be their Jake Walman replacement.”
“With that said… this is still a horrific blueline. That’s the biggest bottleneck.”
“But I love their collection of young forwards. Celebrini, Eklund, Will Smith… and Tyler Toffoli is still a good player. But they don’t have a ton beyond that.”
Utah Mammoth – Trending Up
“When it comes to the wildcard race, Utah is going to matter for the Canucks,” Quads said. “They were right on their heels last season. They didn’t have any massive departures and the players in – Peterka, Schmidt, Tanev – are significant adds if you ask me.”
“Peterka is going to be an exciting fit,” Harm added. “Utah is a team that was better than their record indicated. Their underlying metrics were top-five in terms of controlling five-on-five expected goals. They’ve got Cooley and Guenther, and I think they’ll take a step forward.”
Vegas Golden Knights – Trending Up
“You have to factor in Pietrangelo being out for the season,” Harm said. “That’s a significant blow, but he wasn’t the best version of himself anyway.”
“They’ve still got Theodore, Hanifin, and McNabb. Still the possibility they add another right-shot D. And that top-nine? Terrifying.”
“Eichel, Marner, Dorofeyev on the first line… Hertl, Stone, Barbashev… Karlsson, Smith, Saad. That’s legit terrifying on paper. They’re going to be a playoff lock.”
Vancouver Canucks – Neutral
“I don’t care which way you lean- whether you’d rather have Suter at 4.1 or Kane at 5.1- it’s close to a wash,” said Harm. “Very different stylistically… Kane has a higher offensive ceiling, fits a rarer identity, but Suter has a way higher defensive floor.”
“Suter was also a first-unit contributor on a top-three penalty kill. He’s coming off a 25-goal season. That’s 25 goals you lost.”
“The players in and out didn’t change much,” Harm concluded. “But you’re expecting internal guys to perform better. Pettersson to bounce back, Demko to stay healthy, Joshua and Höglander to take steps. The blue line should be a strength. Last season was worst-case scenario. The Canucks’ true talent level is probably high-90s in points. The question is how many of those X-factors perform closer to their ceiling than their floor.”
You can watch the full episode below!
READ NEXT: 6 notable NHL free agents who have yet to sign with a team
Sponsored by bet365
