Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Enter Search Term. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search.
Forum Closure ×
Canucks Community
Forum Closure

[Discussion] Projecting Pacific Division 2022/23 Final Finish

Rate this topic

VegasCanuck

By VegasCanuck
in Canucks Talk

 Share

Who do you think will win the division (presented alphabetically)  

162 members have voted

You do not have permission to vote in this poll, or see the poll results. Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Recommended Posts

VegasCanuck Canucks Star

VegasCanuck

Posted
Posted

Although there may still be some minor moves and some teams still have some housekeeping to do in terms of wrapping up contracts, I think the teams in the Pacific Division are pretty close to set as to how they will roll into training camp in September.

 

Based on how teams are now, how do you feel they stack up against each other and based on team strength (baring injuries), how do you feel the will finish for the season and why.

 

I'll start things off with projecting how I think they will finish and why.

 

1. Los Angeles - I like the changes that they have made, they have a young, fast team that pushed Edmonton hard in the playoffs. I think they have the overall depth to carry them to #1 in the division.

2. Edmonton - I don't think this is a cup team, I think they still have significant challenges on defense and Campbell only really fixes one position. I thing they will have a good record based solely on 2 guys up front, but unless they figure out the defense, I don't see them making it past first or second round as they sit. They can only play their first line for so many minutes.

3. Vancouver - I think this team, even with the weaker RD, made some solid improvements through last year and got deeper and stronger on offense over the summer. If Pettersson is healthy and Hughes a year older and wiser, I don't think we have a cup team, but I think the Canucks have the makeup to push Edmonton and Los Angeles hard. Our record since Bruce took over the bench would have reflected this type of position last season if projected across the whole season, and we've improved up front. I think this is doable.

4. Calgary - This is a toss up for me, they have lost roughly 100 points in offense and Markstrom can only carry them so far with being another year older. If Markstrom struggles to stay healthy, they may drop further from here.

5. Las Vegas - I personally think this is a team that is heading in completely the wrong direction. A little like Vegas, but with big question marks in net and bottom 6, they can only win so much on their top 3 forwards. If first line has to play 30 minutes per night to win games, they will struggle to make the playoffs.

6. Seattle - I like the changes and additions they made at the deadline and through free agency. They have made good use of their space to add and fill out their lineup. They aren't a playoff team yet, but they will be harder to handle this year.

7. Anaheim - Really in transition, I think they will start strong again like last season and then really fade as we get into mid December. They have a long way to go to be back to competitive.

8. San Jose - I like the direction their are being taken in by the new management team, but they have at least another 2 years to being a competitive team again.

 

How do you see the teams?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kanucks25 Canucks First-Line

kanucks25

Posted
Posted

Don't see Calgary falling off that much.

 

Huberdeau replaces Gaudreau and although their forward group is weaker without Tkachuk, they've upgraded from Gudbranson to Weegar on defence.

 

I think we finish 5th in the Pacific but still have a chance at the playoffs assuming the Wild take a step back.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
VegasCanuck Canucks Star

VegasCanuck

Posted
  • Author
Posted
6 minutes ago, kanucks25 said:

Don't see Calgary falling off that much.

 

Huberdeau replaces Gaudreau and although their forward group is weaker without Tkachuk, they've upgraded from Gudbranson to Weegar on defence.

 

I think we finish 5th in the Pacific but still have a chance at the playoffs assuming the Wild take a step back.

Personally, I think other than weakness on RD, we have one of the most balanced lineups, if not the most balanced lineup in the Pacific Division. We have a lot of depth at forward, we are really strong down the left side and we probably have the best goaltending in the Pacific or at least really close with Calgary. 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
King Heffy Canucks Hall-of-Famer

King Heffy

Posted
Posted
52 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

Personally, I think other than weakness on RD, we have one of the most balanced lineups, if not the most balanced lineup in the Pacific Division. We have a lot of depth at forward, we are really strong down the left side and we probably have the best goaltending in the Pacific or at least really close with Calgary. 

Even our RD is better than any division rival other than LA, Calgary and Vegas.

  • Cheers 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rindiculous Canucks Second-Line

Rindiculous

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, VegasCanuck said:

Personally, I think other than weakness on RD, we have one of the most balanced lineups, if not the most balanced lineup in the Pacific Division. We have a lot of depth at forward, we are really strong down the left side and we probably have the best goaltending in the Pacific or at least really close with Calgary. 

Yah honestly if we don't end up as top 2 in the division with our team on paper, I have no idea what to do with this team.  At every position besides RD, we are stronger than almost any other team in the league.  1C? We have the 10th leading scorer last year.  2C? We have a possible budding superstar.  3C? Best in the entire league by far if our team stays as is.  Middle six wings?  Overflowing with talent that we might have to demote one to the bench or fourth line.  LD? We have an elite D on the top pair and a #2D on the second pair.  Starter? Top 5 in the league.

 

Besides a couple question marks at top line caliber wingers, backup, and RD depth, we have a good team.  Get rid of those problems, we have a super team.  So if this team $&!#s the bed, I'm gonna have only questions and no answers.  I feel like last year I felt the same way but realized after firing Green it most likely was the coach.  This year, if we aren't great, let alone good, I'm going to have to say that I know jack $&!# about hockey.

  • Cheers 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BCNate Canucks Regular

BCNate

Posted
Posted

Calgary

Edmonton

LA
Vancouver (WC)

Vegas

Anaheim

Seattle

SJ

 

Calgary- I think they are better in the short term

Edmonton- Didn't really change all that much

LA- Made some real nice moves, I think they are going to improve

Vancouver- I think the most improved team in the division, We have outstanding F depth.

 

 

Vegas- I think they fall off even more.  I think they will really struggle this year.

 

The other three won't compete this year.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ilya Mikheyev Canucks First-Line

Ilya Mikheyev

Posted
Posted (edited)
33 minutes ago, wai_lai416 said:

lol everyone is just writing and hoping vegas falls off the map.. that team literally was missing 1/3 of their entire lineup at all point the entire season and still finished ahead of the canucks.

Vegas is a huge wild card IMO.

 

They basically have no depth - they have 12 forwards signed including the potentially injured still Nolan Patrick, they have exactly 6 defensemen including Ben Hutton who wouldn't make the Canucks top 8 D, they still don't have a backup goalie unless they play Logan Thompson - but they don't have the cap space to bring him up rn - or sign any depth to any of those positions. They lost their only PPG player for nothing, they lost their 3rd highest goal scorer for negative value, they lost Janmark who is good depth for nothing, they lost a decent 6th defenseman for nothing, they blamed on their coach and fired him (altho they got a very solid replacement).

 

Their season hinges on a 1C who hasn't played a 60 game seasons since 2020-2021, and never a playoff game on top of that.

 

 

Edited by Ilya Mikheyev
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ilya Mikheyev Canucks First-Line

Ilya Mikheyev

Posted
Posted

sign me up for homertown mayor but I think the Canucks will win the division this year if the Miller contract isn't a cloud over the whole team

 

- Calgary lost their two best players. Yes - they replaced the star power with Hubby - but that guy already has hinted twice about only staying the season. They were a tight team last year, but could that fall apart? Still depends if they make another trade with their overstock of D. They don't really have 4 top-6 wingers yet, could change

 

- Edmonton took a huge risk signing Campbell - who has pretty poor high danger chance stats... Critique Toronto's D all you want but have you seen Edmonton's...? I think they could win the division based on McDavid & Leon alone but their defense is pretty bad and I think Campbell is gonna have pretty bad stats next year.

 

- Vegas...well see my post above. No depth.

 

- LA - good chance they win the div, especially with the addition of Fiala over D Brown. But Quick is 37 next year and has been wildly unpredictable already the last few years. Depends what Quick can handle and what steps the youngins take.

 

- San Jose - Noooooooo way Jose

 

- Anaheim - nOPE

 

- Seattle...is a bit of wildcard to me to. Can either of their goaltenders bounce back? Can Beniers and Wright take it to another level already next year? If they both do Seattle's forward depth takes a huge leap, but I kind of feel they're one more year away.

 

- Canucks - vastly improved their PK, incredibly deep on the wing now, didn't lose anything but haven't improved their right-sided D. They will improved their transition game a bit with Rathbone taking up the 3rd pairing and Bruce There It Is having a full coaching year

 

 

there's still time left in the off-season but I'd lock in my rankings, but as it sits rn I think:

 

Vancouver

LA

Edmonton

Calgary

Seattle

Anaheim

San Jose

 

 

  • Cheers 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
wai_lai416 Canucks First-Line

wai_lai416

Posted
Posted
17 minutes ago, Ilya Mikheyev said:

Vegas is a huge wild card IMO.

 

They basically have no depth - they have 12 forwards signed including the potentially injured still Nolan Patrick, they have exactly 6 defensemen including Ben Hutton who wouldn't make the Canucks top 8 D, they still don't have a backup goalie unless they play Logan Thompson - but they don't have the cap space to bring him up rn - or sign any depth to any of those positions. They lost their only PPG player for nothing, they lost their 3rd highest goal scorer for negative value, they lost Janmark who is good depth for nothing, they lost a decent 6th defenseman for nothing, they blamed on their coach and fired him (altho they got a very solid replacement).

 

Their season hinges on a 1C who hasn't played a 60 game seasons since 2020-2021, and never a playoff game on top of that.

 

 

the team with no depth still finished ahead of us with 2/3 of a roster for 82 games vegas ain't done signing they literally still have 6mil in cap 

  • Cheers 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...