The defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings are in a fight for a playoff spot, while the Calgary Flames are proving the Corsi and Fenwick new math crowd that there is no statistical metric for heart. Anaheim has been coasting but remains flawed as Vancouver and San Jose look less than playoff ready.
Going into the All Star break, let’s answer the many questions facing the Pacific Division.
Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks opened up a double-digit point lead in the Pacific and had the best record in the NHL yet there is cause for concern. Anaheim is an exciting and talented team that is built perfectly for regular season success. Playoff success is another matter as proven last year in their seven game loss to Los Angeles. The Ducks metrics were that of a .500 team.
Anaheim ranked 14th for goal scoring, 17th for the power play, 14th for goals against, and 18th for penalty killing. How do they win so much? Well, timing is everything and the Ducks rise to the occasion in the clutch. With a lack of a true number one defender and a questionable goal-tending corps, Anaheim could be Duck Soup come playoff time. The signing of center Ryan Getzlaf and right wing Corey Perry to long term deals is paying dividends and the acquisition of center Ryan Kesler has been a plus.
Vancouver Canucks
Much like Anaheim, the Canucks are a quality regular season team that is not likely to excel in the playoffs. Right wing Radim Vrbata has impressed with 18 goals and the Sedin Twins, left wing Daniel and center Henrik, are again the top two scorers on the team.
Vancouver has the same defensive and goaltending questions as Anaheim. Goaltender Ryan Miller has picked up his play and improved to a .919 save percentage. Head coach Willie Desjardins deserves considerable credit for getting the Canucks culture and identity back. Still, there is not enough here for a realistic playoff run.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks are down a notch from last year and are still feeling the effects of blowing a 3-0 series lead to Los Angeles in last year’s epic playoff collapse. While the Sharks were neck and neck with Vancouver for third place, they have dropped to 19th in the NHL for goal scoring and 18th for goals against.
Center Joe Pavelski continues to emerge as a legit superstar with 23 goals. Fellow center Joe Thornton remains an assist machine with 26 helpers. Just as is the case with Anaheim and Vancouver, the Sharks also suffer from a lack of quality defensemen and a reliable goaltender. Starting goaltender Antti Niemi had a subpar .911 save percentage. The Sharks also lack a championship look.
Calgary Flames
Perhaps the gutsiest team in the league, Calgary, unlike the Sharks, Canucks, and Ducks, boasts a plethora of quality defensemen led by Norris Trophy candidate (for best NHL defenseman) Mark Giordano. Giordano had 11 goals and 28 assists and was a +21. T.J. Brodie, Dennis Wideman, and Kris Russell compliment Giordano in formulating the strong blue line corps.
Head coach Bob Hartley has won a lot of respect for the way in which he gets a maximum effort by his team every game. Yes, Calgary lacks elite offensive talent but they have the heart of a champion and would make for a dangerous playoff opponent. Rookie “Johnny Hockey” Gaudreau had 13 goals and 21 assists while proving a small sized player can make for a big impact. Goaltender Jonas Hiller had a .911 save percentage that must improve.
Los Angeles Kings
What was once the ultimate shutdown team is no more. Shut down defenseman Willie Mitchell is now captain of the Florida Panthers. Number three defenseman and power play quarterback Slava Voynov is suspended. Number four defenseman Robyn Regehr has been out injured for a month and finally returned Monday night. And goaltenders Jonathan Quick (.912 save percentage) and Martin Jones (.908 save percentage) have been subpar.
The Kings ranked a mediocre 15th for goal scoring and 12th for goals against. LA has always coasted in the regular season but this year has a different and more desperate feel. A repeat Stanley Cup looks increasingly doubtful. A 1-6 home stand that ended Monday may prove to be deadly.
Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers
With a low point total, low attendance, high financial losses and a new owner that wants to blow it up, the Coyotes should be active trading partners in the coming weeks.
Edmonton was still awful but playing harder since coach Dallas Eakins was fired. This is also a team that may be blown up as there are too many similar parts and not enough defense.
