Pacific:
1. Oilers - it's a failure and/or a self inflicted wound if we don't finish 1st. We have the best roster hands down.
2. Nucks - sadly I think they finish 2nd because the division stinks. They won't finish with near the points they finished with last year though.
3. Kings - They're basically the same team as the last few years, so I think they will land in their natural spot in 3rd place.
4. Vegas - Their lineup kind of stinks now, and almost all of their good players are complete band aids, whether it is being LTIR milked or not. If they make the playoffs it will be in the last wild card spot if at all.
5. Kraken - Could easily finish ahead of the Knights, especially if they shoot the lights out again. It's a toss up between the two IMO.
6. Ducks - garbage, but have some scoring talent that should theoretically win them some games.
7. Flames - garbage, but now with a shit defense that they can't tell themselves is the "best in the West/league" for the first time in about a decade. With that shit defence back stopped by a Wolf/Vladar net minding combo they will give up goals by the bushel.
8. Sharks - still one of the worst rosters I've ever seen
Central:
1. Stars - the best team in the division top to bottom, and can expect some growth from their young talent to take another step
2. Predators - had all the ingredients except scoring, but now they have that too. Could see them finishing above the Stars even, I'm bullish about them.
3. Avalanche - They're now basically a 3 player team, but the 3 players are good enough to win them games on their own a la 2019-21 Oilers. Similar to the Oilers of that era, they won't get anywhere in the playoffs without major additions.
4. Jets - same old team, but they tend to follow up a good year with a shitty year. They over achieved last year so I think there will be a correction. Could finish ahead of the Avalanche if they continue to get goals and Hellebyuck stands on his head
5. Blues - the definition of mediocre in all areas, so that's where they will finish. Better goaltending than the other poor teams around them pushes them ahead.
6. Utah - could see them finishing as high as 4th if everything goes right. Massively upgraded on defence, but don't like their goaltending at all. Could easily see them be the Nucks/Kraken of past years that make it in out of nowhere because they feel good about themselves and ride a PDO train.
7. Wild - same shitty roster with Kaprizov and then everyone else
8. Blackhawks - still a shitty team
Overall I think the conference is much weaker, the Pacific especially. Could be a year where 2nd in the Pacific gives you a better 1st round matchup than 1st in the Conference like it was last year.