2014 NHL Predictions: Pacific Division Preview – Ducks, Kings, Sharks
The 2014-15 season starts tomorrow, so we’ll post our final division preview before getting into game picks tomorrow. The Pacific division had three teams with a positive goal differential, which, not so coincidentally, meant three playoff teams last year. The LA Kings, who ultimately won another Stanley Cup, the top-seeded Anaheim Ducks, and the perennial postseason let downs, the San Jose Sharks. Does 2014 have anything new in store, or will this division play out exactly how it did last season? Can the newly renamed “Arizona Coyotes” squeak back into the playoffs?
- San Jose Sharks (110 points) – Same team, same results. The San Jose Sharks are the most consistent team in the Pacific, which may be enough for a top seed as the rest of this division tinkers with their rosters. In any event, the mediocrity of this division will see the Sharks to another playoff spot where they can unravel yet again without a Stanley Cup.
- Anaheim Ducks (109 points) – I think the Ducks will miss Jonas Hiller and Teemu Selanne, while the latter’s book trashing his head coach will only serve to break up the unity that this winning roster found last season. They’ll be good, but last year exceeded expectations and I think they come back to earth a little bit. Still, I love the Ryan Kesler acquisition and think adding one of the best two-way centers in hockey will make the Ducks great.
- LA Kings (99 points) – Built to win in the postseason, this team stumbles through the regular season only to turn to Jonathon Quick for a Stanley Cup win. They’ll make it again, feeding off the garbage at the bottom of this division.
- Vancouver Canucks (87 points) – I would have liked to see the Canucks keep Ryan Kesler, but trading him to a divisional rival works too, right? Adding Ryan Miller should keep them in games. Then again, it didn’t keep Buffalo in games last year…
- Arizona Coyotes (85 points) – This “Mickey Mouse” organization made it so that the New Jersey Devils are no longer the only team in the NHL named after a state. I don’t think they have the pieces to compete as goaltending will only get them so far. Further, I hope this publicity stunt results in the same number of empty seats this year as last year. Mediocrity abounds.
- Calgary Flames (75 points) – The bottom of this division is in full-blown rebuild mode. The Flames have consistent goaltending for the first time since they were a playoff team, and I think they’ll be relatively competitive, but nothing in the playoff picture.
- Edmonton Oilers (73 points) – They’re young, but that’s as good a thing as it is bad. This team is learning. They’ll explode some games, they’ll implode others, but we might not be too far off from a winning team.
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