Okay, the Edmonton Oilers are making their way back to relevancy if they haven’t already done so, but they still got some obstacles in the way. Seven of those obstacles are in their own division, even if not all of their rivals are equally talented.
So, which teams will likely frustrate the Oilers as they try to claw back to the top of the Pacific Division, and which ones could try to just trap or catch them on a bad day? Well, let’s rank their seven division rivals and determine who the Oilers must ultimately knock off if they want a top spot in what will surely be a rough postseason.
7 - San Jose Sharks
It’s a very, very small sample size, and feel free to say what you want about this: But every vibe in the hockey world says that the Sharks, and not the Blackhawks, lucked out and got the generational talent. Again, small sample size, but once Macklin Celebrini learns how to pass the puck to the players wearing teal sweaters, he may ultimately lap Connor Bedard. Just my early observation.
6 - Anaheim Ducks
Hey, give the Ducks credit for hanging in there through what will be 19 games following Friday night. Every division has that ‘fun team’ that won’t make the playoffs but will keep fans from all over the hockey world interested enough to at least follow them from a distance. That said, I’m curious to see what they have in store for us come 2025-26, but that might be a hindrance to the Oilers.
5 - Seattle Kraken
The Kraken look like that team this season in the Pacific Division. The team that nobody wants to be because it’s looking like they’re stuck in the middle. That means they’re not a playoff team, which isn’t good, but they’re also not bad enough to land a decent lottery selection in the draft. That might haunt them for a while unless they can figure something out.
4 - Vancouver Canucks
This team has been dealt a bad hand, and it keeps getting worse, but I admire the Canucks ability to at least weather the storm. The problem, however, is that they just have too many shortcomings this season, and I’d expect the Oilers to stay ahead of them for at least the time being.
3 - Calgary Flames
We’re a quarter of the way through the season, and it’s starting to look like the Flames are for real. With 25 points, they’re second in the Pacific Division standings and fourth in the West. But, the one caveat is that they’re very, very average when on the road, and that could ultimately sink them.
2 - Los Angeles Kings
I’m still not sold on the Flames, so the Kings got the nod here. While I can ultimately see the Oilers, at worst, snagging the No. 2 spot here in time, the Kings are a well-balanced team that knows how to frustrate any opponent just enough to secure Ws.
1 - Vegas Golden Knights
Once again, the NHL’s ‘Evil Empire’ is ruling the Pacific Division, and they have their eyes set on the entire Western Conference. The Knights had their struggles last season at times, but this might be their best team yet, and that includes the 2022-23 squad that won the Stanley Cup.