Previewing the NHL’s West Division
The Golden Knights’ season will come down to being the best in the West.
The NHL’s 2021 format includes only division games in the regular season and divisional playoffs until the field is narrowed to a final four. That means fans can get used to seeing the same players, jerseys and arenas as the Knights keep circling through their seven West Division opponents. They will play each division foe eight times.
The top four in the standings will make the playoffs, and the first two rounds will pit those teams against one another until one is left standing. No one gets to play for the Stanley Cup without getting out of the West first.
Because of the division’s increased importance, here’s a look at the Knights’ rivals this season. Odds are courtesy of the Westgate:
Anaheim Ducks
2019-20 record: 29-33-9
Key addition: D Kevin Shattenkirk
Key loss: D Erik Gudbranson
Stanley Cup odds: 100-1 (T-27th)
The skinny: The Ducks enter the season with limited expectations thanks to a forward group that does little to scare opposing teams. Anaheim finished 29th in goals per game last season and needs to keep adding firepower through the draft.
Arizona Coyotes
2019-20 record: 33-29-8, lost 4-1 in first round to Colorado Avalanche
Key addition: GM Bill Armstrong
Key loss: LW Taylor Hall
Stanley Cup odds: 80-1 (T-25th)
The skinny: The Coyotes made a playoff push last season by trading for Hall, but he left to sign with Buffalo. This is an expensive roster with limited upside. Armstrong has his work cut out for him to set up the franchise for consistent success.
Colorado Avalanche
2019-20 record: 42-20-8, lost 4-3 in second round to Dallas Stars
Key additions: LW Brandon Saad, D Devon Toews
Key losses: F Vladislav Namestnikov, D Nikita Zadorov
Stanley Cup odds: 6-1 (T-1st)
The skinny: The rich got richer this offseason as the Avalanche used their cap space to add a top-six forward in Saad and a top-four defenseman in Toews. All Colorado needs to do now is pray for health. Its time in the bubble was undone by injuries, as third-string goaltender Michael Hutchinson started the team’s last three games.
Golden Knights
2019-20 record: 39-24-8, lost 4-1 in conference final to Dallas Stars
Key addition: D Alex Pietrangelo
Key losses: F Nick Cousins, D Deryk Engelland, D Jon Merrill, D Nate Schmidt, C Paul Stastny
Stanley Cup odds: 6-1 (T-1st)
The skinny: The Knights got aggressive this offseason and signed the best free agent on the market in Pietrangelo. They had to sacrifice other valuable players to do so, but the move signaled the team is all-in on winning a Stanley Cup. It has the talent to do so.
Los Angeles Kings
2019-20 record: 29-35-6
Key additions: C Lias Andersson, C Quinton Byfield, D Olli Maatta
Key losses: None
Stanley Cup odds: 100-1 (T-27th)
The skinny: The Kings’ rebuild picked up a major addition in Byfield, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft. This season will all be about developing him and the rest of the franchise’s prospects while turning over the NHL roster. Los Angeles shipped out five veterans at the trade deadline. Similar moves could be on the way.
Minnesota Wild
2019-20 record: 35-27-7, lost 3-1 in play-in round to Vancouver Canucks
Key additions: F Nick Bjugstad, C Nick Bonino, C Marcus Johansson, LW Kirill Kaprizov, G Cam Talbot
Key losses: LW Ryan Donato, G, Devan Dubnyk, C Mikko Koivu, F Luke Kunin, C Eric Staal
Stanley Cup odds: 60-1 (T-19th)
The skinny: General manager Bill Guerin tweaked the Wild’s roster this offseason while keeping the team competitive in the short term. Talbot should stabilize a team that finished with the third-worst save percentage in the NHL last season. Highly touted prospect Kaprizov should add much-needed dynamism to the forward group.
San Jose Sharks
2019-20 record: 29-36-5
Key additions: LW Ryan Donato, G Devan Dubnyk, LW Patrick Marleau
Key loss: G Aaron Dell
Stanley Cup odds: 60-1 (T-19th)
The skinny: The Sharks’ long run of success ended last season thanks to age, injuries and poor depth. Most of those problems haven’t gone away, and the team’s goaltending should still be an issue with Martin Jones and Dubnyk. San Jose doesn’t appear set for a quick rebound.
St. Louis Blues
2019-20 record: 42-19-10, lost 4-2 in first round to Vancouver Canucks
Key additions: LW Kyle Clifford, D Torey Krug
Key losses: G Jake Allen, D Alex Pietrangelo, D Alexander Steen
Stanley Cup odds: 25-1 (12th)
The skinny: The 2019 champions made one of the more interesting moves of the offseason by signing Krug to replace Pietrangelo, their captain. The Blues need Krug’s power-play prowess to translate. They also have to hope sniper Vladimir Tarasenko can get healthy after missing most of last season and postseason.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.
