This is the second of four parts previewing the 2015-16 NHL season:
Pacific Division
Capsules may not include latest injury or roster updates.
Anaheim Ducks
If it weren’t for the strength of the West, the Ducks would have had at least one Cup in the past two years. This is a club that has been so close and stumbles at the wrong time each spring. Bob Murray had one of the busiest off-seasons of any GM in hockey with a half-dozen player moves, some of which have altered the roster in hopes of getting that next Cup. He traded for defenseman Kevin Bieksa while losing longtime d-man Francois Beauchemin to free agency. Then he had to re-sign Bieksa. He extended center Ryan Kesler and winger Jakob Silfverberg. He picked up Chris Stewart to take up some of the scoring that departed with Matt Beleskey. In all, the Ducks committed $67 million long-term with Kesler’s six-year, $41 million being the lion’s share. Their offense is weakened. Even with newcomer Anton Khudobin as the backup goalie, the Ducks' goaltending is not as sound as Chicago.
Los Angeles Kings
From defending Cup champion to out of the playoffs. Abject disappointment, player personal conduct issues (Slava Voynov and Mike Richards), poor road hockey and an inability to come from behind dominated the Kings last season and led to a restructuring this off-season for general manager Dean Lombardi. The Kings made one of the biggest deals of the summer at the draft to pick up left wing Milan Lucic, who gives them the kind of toughness and scoring needed, especially with the departures of Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll. At the same time, a once-deep club down the middle is noticeably weaker at center. Defenseman Drew Doughty led every skater in the league in average ice time last season – 28:59 – and was toast by March. That was a byproduct of Voynov’s suspension for domestic violence. Plenty of talent remains for this club to be there at the end once again.
San Jose Sharks
The winningest coach in Sharks history is gone. Todd McLellan had some great teams in the Bay Area that should have won and didn’t. It’s Peter DeBoer’s group now and he inherits a club that seems stuck between the commitment of going full bore in tearing up the roster and going half-way to make some changes, but not enough. GM Doug Wilson, who managed to survive the chaos that existed in the dressing room and extended right into his own office with Joe Thornton, among others, is likely on the hot seat this season. San Jose made two significant free agent signings in Joel Ward and savvy defenseman Paul Martin. Both should be immediate members of the leadership corps while it remains to be seen whether Logan Couture (67 points) or Joe Pavelski (70) get the nod to wear a “C” that was removed from Thornton and put in a drawer last season.
Arizona Coyotes
We’re still trying to figure out if the franchise remains in Arizona or moves. The good news for staying in the Pacific is the Glendale City Council and Gila River Arena agreed on a deal to keep the team through 2016-17. Of course, isn’t that when the NHL intends to expand? Of all the teams in the NHL, none made a more unusual move this summer than the Yotes did in taking on Chris Pronger’s dead cap money from the Flyers in exchange for getting rid of Sam Gagner on their end. Arizona needed salary cap money to get to the floor and took on Pronger plus defenseman Nicklas Grossmann, who is certainly not going to replace Keith Yandle. But the Yotes did sign Antoine Vermette and everybody’s favorite ex-Flyer, Steve Downie and Brad Richardson. Goalie Mike Smith (3.16 goals against average) is looking to rebound from his worst NHL season and now has Anders Lindback as his backup.
Calgary Flames
All it really took for GM Brad Trevliving to reignite the passion in the Flames this summer was a couple of trades and the free agent signing of Michael Frolik (5 years, $21.5 million). It all started the first day of the NHL Draft with a “gasp” trade as Boston dumped defenseman Dougie Hamilton rather than risk paying a high contract and sent him to the Flames. Within days, Hamilton agreed to a 6-year, $34.5 million contract. Connor McDavid is playing elsewhere in Alberta, but these Flames appear ready now to make a move toward the playoffs again. They’re 97 points was 20 better than two seasons ago. Gotta like the Flames top line of Johnny Gaudreau (64 points), Sean Monahan (62) and Jiri Hudler (76). Those three led the team in scoring last season. A healthy Mark Giordano on defense, who signed a long-term extension, along with Hamilton, gives the Flames quick feet and lots of pinching off the rush. No true No. 1 goalie could be an issue.
Edmonton Oilers
Another team with a boatload of changes everywhere, starting at the very top where Peter Chiarelli, just a few years removed from winning a Stanley Cup in Boston, replaced Patrick Laforge and GM Craig MacTavish as president of hockey operations. McLellan, a guy educated in Alberta and well-known to the region, replaced Todd Nelson as coach. The latter actually did a decent job but the Oilers, soon to be moving into their brand new digs, wanted a complete sweep. And sweep they got by winning the draft lottery with the No. 1 overall pick in Connor McDavid. So many times the Oilers have had the top pick or been inside the top five and still have not found the complete nucleus a franchise needs to be a playoff club. Cam Talbot upgrades in goal and Edmonton made two quality free agent signings in defenseman Andrej Sekera and forward Mark Letestu. Even allowing for McDavid, there’s no guarantee the franchise will end its excruciating, nine-year playoff drought. The loss of Jordan Eberle (shoulder) is a big blow.
Vancouver Canucks
GM Jim Benning made several behind-the-scenes changes in the organization and a number of personnel moves beginning at the draft with the departures of goalie Eddie Lack and defenseman Kevin Bieksa, but his only big-time move was the acquisition of centerman Brandon Sutter from the Penguins for Nick Bonino and Adam Clendening. Later, Sutter signed a five-year, $21.875 million contract to remain a Canuck during what appears to be a rebuild even though management has been reluctant to mess with the two franchise cornerstones – the Sedin Twins, who are in their mid-30s now. Defensively, there is no one who scares you on the Canucks blue line and that’s troubling news for goalies Jacob Markstrom and Ryan Miller (knee surgery). Could be a long haul up the Strait of Georgia for Vancouver in an improved division.