Can any team in the west challenge Vegas or Colorado in next 2-3 years?

CBJWerenski8

Formerly CBJWennberg10 (RIP Kivi)
Jun 13, 2009
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If things and development goes right, LA Kings and Edmonton. Maybe Vancouver too.
 

MNRube

Registered User
Oct 20, 2013
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1) Colorado
2) Vegas
3) Dallas
4) Vancouver - they're not as far off as some people think
5) Edmonton - McDavid/Drai have to figure it out eventually, right?
6) Winnipeg - just improve the D
7) St.Louis - still have a good team, could make another run with some changes
8) Calgary - a lot of good pieces in place
9) Minnesota - good young team on the rise
10) Seattle - should have a decent team from the start
11) Los Angeles - they'll be near the top in 2-3 years
12) Anaheim - they have a ton of good young pieces
13) Chicago - some good vets and some good young pieces, could compete
14) Nashville - stuck in no man's land
15) San Jose - oooooof
16) Arizona - sorry
Holy Canadian bias. It is insane to have Calgary that high. How are they closer to winning a Cup than Minnesota or LA? I am genuinely curious. Minnesota just gave Vegas all they can handle in Kaprizov's first year with Victor Rask as their 1C. They have Matt Boldy, Addison and Rossi arrving in the next year with a ton of picks and prospects. LA has Kopitar and Doughty and by the best farm in the league. Whether they decide to go for Eichel or let the kids come along slowly, either way they are much closer to a Cup than a rudderless Calgary team that looks ready for a tear down. Most of the other Canadian teams are a spot or two higher than they should be too. SMH
 
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Hockeyholic

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Apr 20, 2017
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Calgary will be closer to the basement of the west than the top. They are going nowhere.

I think LA will be a top team in 2-3 years. Obviously Edmonton will be if Holland can get depth and a goalie.
 

bobholly39

Registered User
Mar 10, 2013
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Dallas beat them both just last year.....and St Louis the year before. Things change quickly

They both look good now - but let's wait and see. I still think Edmonton with McDavid has to figure it out at some point for example
 

joestevens29

Registered User
Apr 30, 2009
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The one wild card is COL has UFA goalie this year and Vegas the year after. That in itself could prove difficult for both teams to continue as they are, but who the hell knows.
 

Number 57

Registered User
Dec 21, 2004
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Holy Canadian bias. It is insane to have Calgary that high. How are they closer to winning a Cup than Minnesota or LA? I am genuinely curious. Minnesota just gave Vegas all they can handle in Kaprizov's first year with Victor Rask as their 1C. They have Matt Boldy, Addison and Rossi arrving in the next year with a ton of picks and prospects. LA has Kopitar and Doughty and by the best farm in the league. Whether they decide to go for Eichel or let the kids come along slowly, either way they are much closer to a Cup than a rudderless Calgary team that looks ready for a tear down. Most of the other Canadian teams are a spot or two higher than they should be too. SMH

My ranking is mostly for next season, this is why LA is lower and I wrote next to them that they could be near the top in 2-3 years.

As for Minny they have a lot of good young pieces, but it remains to be seen if they can outperform Vancouver or Calgary next year. Both these teams have more proven talent and have a ton to prove after underwhelming years.

If you're asking why Calgary is closer to winning the cup than LA, it's because they have a better team *right now* and that's pretty obvious. Things can change fast, though.
 
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McShogun99

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Aug 30, 2009
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Colorado will have a tougher time once they give Landeskog, Makar and Mackinnon raises as well as filling the regular holes each season. There's also a handful of teams that could be at the top of the Western Conference with some smart moves.
 

Oneiro

Registered User
Mar 28, 2013
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DAL is interesting but overall, I'd say no. The West is full of zombie teams. Zombie teams don't have enough young players of magnitude to replace veterans exiting their prime.

CAL, WPG, STL, NSH, ARI, SJ and I'd include MIN as well (don't see Kaprizov/Boldy/Rossi as nearly enough in the top end while Brodin/Spurgeon are in their primes). VAN is interesting if they can get out of the cap hell.

ANA / LA / CHI - still rebuilding and still cleaning house. Maybe LA can draw from the pool for another run but even with Eichel+, are they better than COL?

The garbage teams in the East absorbed most of the future top end talent in the league and have deeper pools in aggregate. Faced the music much earlier.
 

NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS

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Feb 28, 2006
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If you play defense the entire Avs roster goes into a collective funk and gives up. Their corsis go from 90 to 10
 

Soundwave

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Mar 1, 2007
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2-3 years is a long time also ... 2-3 years ago Colorado was a joke on this board, people were laughing about how the Flames were going to destroy them in round 1 (lol) when they were the 8th seed. Even into their 1st season, people expected Vegas to eventually collapse and fall off.
 

EichHart

Registered User
Jul 3, 2011
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Hamburg, NY
I think LA is the next up and coming team out west. 3-5 year timeframe. They got Turcotte/Byfield up the middle, Peterson in net, and a bunch of high end offensive prospects. They will likely have a few top picks in the next 2-3 drafts to improve their defense pool.
 

405Entrance

Registered User
Feb 8, 2020
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The ducks, and unfortunately kings are on pace to take over the pacific division again. I’d say 3 years is when they arrive. We’ll see if the Canucks can stop messing around because they’re also a team I see being dominate. I almost forgot the Jets :laugh:
 

Sweetpotato

Registered User
Jan 10, 2014
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Depending on this off season Edmonton, Winnipeg and Dallas could easily jump into that group.

This off season will be so fluid and a lot of possible franchise altering moves. Jones, Eichel, Hamilton, Hall, RNH, Landeskog, Saad, etc could all be moving teams.
 

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