Zak MacMillan: September Predictions — Pacific Division 3 in and 5 out, who has their ticket?

"They have the best defense in hockey; the most physical team in hockey; and one of the best goalie tandems in hockey"

Barf. Yet this amazing team got slapped silly by the Oil in 5 games. The love for the Flames is old. This team dominated the regular season because they had the best 5 on 5 line in hockey with Johnny and Turtle. That line has been decimated and Hubs and Kadri do not change that fact. Cant wait to see what you jokers have to say by the deadline when the Flames are battling for wildcard when Kadri reverts back to his 45 point self and Hubs gets worn down by Sutter for being bad defensively. No Flame player will be a point per game player this year. Bank it.

Harsh Ducks analysis-

They were a playoff team till the flu wrecked’em mid season. Not enough depth…

Alas PV went out and got … wait for it … more depth…

Still need another F & D …

Gibson has bounce back yr with a team in front that can actually score…

Playoffs ????? 30/70 against… contending for a spot … yeah I can see that.

1. Edmonton Oilers
2. Calgary Flames
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Los Angeles Kings (WC?)
5. Vegas Golden Knights
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Seattle Kraken
8. San Jose Sharks

All Canada top 3.

VGK continues to fall. Goaltending is awful (on paper). Still very little quality depth at forward. Stone will struggle to play more than 41 games. Back injury, big guy, heavy game and 30 years old with a lot of miles: not a good recipe for health. Hague should be listed on your "injured" list. He's a big piece, so he'll eventually be swapped in for Hutton on your projected lines, if not higher. Hague still isn't signed but will be when they play their cap kung fu and get him in. Note: extreme bias as I despise this club.

they have the best top two defensive pair in Shes Theodore and Alex Piterangelo

For one, proof reading please. For two, Pietrangelo fell off a cliff last season. Colorado has the best top pairings and I would say the best defense overall. Not sure how it is all that close given Makar is by a wide margin better than anyone else and the supporting cast is very deep.

"They have the best defense in hockey; the most physical team in hockey; and one of the best goalie tandems in hockey"

Barf. Yet this amazing team got slapped silly by the Oil in 5 games. The love for the Flames is old. This team dominated the regular season because they had the best 5 on 5 line in hockey with Johnny and Turtle. That line has been decimated and Hubs and Kadri do not change that fact. Cant wait to see what you jokers have to say by the deadline when the Flames are battling for wildcard when Kadri reverts back to his 45 point self and Hubs gets worn down by Sutter for being bad defensively. No Flame player will be a point per game player this year. Bank it.
- Leichs

This is what I hear every time an Oilers fan weighs in on ANY post that has the Flames predicted to finish anywhere above 4th place in the Pacific. "Blah blah blah blah the Oil won in 5 games blah blah blah blah Johnny and Turtle gone blah blah blah blah Kadri won't get over 40-45 points blah blah blah blah Hubs can't play defense blah blah blah blah etc. etc.

Get over your inferiority complex Oiler fans - its really ok to admit that the Flames have a very good team and will be up there with the Oil challenging for first in the Pacific. The Oilers have a good team - the Flames have a good team, just accept that for the reality that it is and let's watch the season play out to see who proves to be the better team. You should be thankful that Tre single handedly kept the Battle of Alberta alive this summer by doing the brilliant work that he did!

Zak MacMillan: September Predictions — Pacific Division
3 in and 5 out, who has their ticket?
- Zak MacMillan

Oilers are a two men show, in the playoffs they just had trouble if McDavid or Draisaitl weren't on the ice.

It's laughable how little you know or understand about the West.

Shocker, the pundits call the west weak. The pundits mostly live out east and hardly watch the west.

You didn't even list injured players and incorrectly have players listed on depth charts.

You should know more about what you're talking about. Or admit you know little.

On paper the Flames are a number one choice. Agreed.
Having not yet played any games together, however, I'm leery putting them there myself. I expect a drop-off, although not enough to keep them from a playoff spot.

The Oilers got better but the reason that they won the BOA in the playoffs last year was that Markstrom couldn't stop a basketball, for some reason, and Smith didn't self-destruct in every game he played in.
With even average goaltending last year (as Colorado proved), the Oilers would not have got past the Flames. They were lucky to beat the Kings in the first place.

I don't think Vegas has the right mix yet, which means Vancouver could pip them for third. I'm not sold on LA just yet either.

As a flames fan identified its hard to imagine chemistry not being an issue for them this year.

So many players were on contracts years and/or left.

Their defense without Weegar has been grossly overestimated... With Weegar and under Sutter it should be very good, as should be Markstrom... So playoffs, sure. Pacific is a bit weaker right now. But division leader while obviously possible... I dont think you can pencil them in.

I know I am biased, and of course anything can happen in the NHL, but on paper the Oilers have the best team in the Pacific. Who knows what will happen, and Calgary is a top team in that division, but if both teams are healthy and meet reasonable expectations with their revised 2022/23 teams... Oilers "should" be the better team. Just my 2 cents.

Van and LA are very sneaky good teams that could surprise as well. Even Seattle has rather impressive depth up front, bad D, but a decent goalie.

Such a jumble but with Calgary and Edmonton being on paper better than the rest. Afterwards I think there is an opportunity for a surprise team to sneak in.

Today @ 9:55 AM ET
1. Edmonton Oilers
2. Calgary Flames
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Los Angeles Kings (WC?)
5. Vegas Golden Knights
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Seattle Kraken
8. San Jose Sharks

All Canada top 3.

VGK continues to fall. Goaltending is awful (on paper). Still very little quality depth at forward. Stone will struggle to play more than 41 games. Back injury, big guy, heavy game and 30 years old with a lot of miles: not a good recipe for health. Hague should be listed on your "injured" list. He's a big piece, so he'll eventually be swapped in for Hutton on your projected lines, if not higher. Hague still isn't signed but will be when they play their cap kung fu and get him in. Note: extreme bias as I despise this club.

-Only_A_Ladd

Nice work, you'll be much closer to correct here. I'll add; I see Calgary as the best on paper, but they are going to lose games they shouldn't in the first 2 months. Chalk it up to needing time to gel with the new guys and getting them Sutterized. I don't see it derailing their whole season, but it will affect their ability to win the division. This division is primed to surprise a few teams and maybe even a few pundits (if they stay up to watch). The bottom end is trash, but the top end can compete with the best in the league every night.