Predict Western Conference Standings for 2015-16

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

St. Louis
Chicago
Nashville
Dallas
Colorado
--------
Minny
Winnipeg

Anaheim
LA
Calgary
-------
SJ
Vancouver
Edmonton
Arizona

Oiler just have too many team to climb to get a sniff

There is no way Vancouver is higher then us in the standings. They got substantially worse this offseason

 

[Mr Positive]

On paper I'd agree with you, but it's Chicago. They always seem to be able to surprise.

There was that one year where they almost missed the playoffs, and they've had other down years in their winning span as well.

It would be interesting to see Chicago miss the playoffs this year. The west is a meat grinder. It's very possible. LA missed the playoffs after winning the cup.

I will be optimistic and say the Oilers make the playoffs. Here's why it's possible. I fear Dallas, Minnesota, Winnipeg, Colorado and Nashville. Those are the teams that will end Chicago's reign. However, they are all Central teams. All we have to do is get the 3rd spot in the Pacific. That means we just have to be better than San Jose, Vancouver, Arizona and Calgary. It would be a situation where we make the playoffs with fewer points than the teams in 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th. HF cries for format reform

 

[DethOfDragnz]

1 Anaheim
2 St Louis
3 Chicago
4 Los Angeles
5 Nashville
6 Minnesota
7 Dallas
8 Winnipeg
9 Vancouver
10 Edmonton
11 Colorado
12 Calgary
13 San Jose
14 Arizona

Really tough list with all that has gone down in the post season/draft. We could have real different looking standings in the west and east for 2016.

 

[guymez]

St. Louis
Nashville
Chicago
Minnesota (WC 1)
Dallas (WC 2)
-----------
Colorado
Winnipeg

Anaheim
San Jose (everybody seems to be underrating them, one of the best looking lineups in the league outside of goaltending)
L.A. Kings
------------
Calgary (I expect a step back from them even with the Hamilton and Frolik adds. They will be the hunted this season as opposed to the hunter)
Vancouver
Edmonton (I'll believe it when I see it. Too soft, too inexperienced and big question marks on defense and in goal although improvement should be expected but the west is still too tough for the Oilers to make a significant jump in the standings. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Prove me wrong Oilers)
Arizona

This looks very reasonable to me especially regrading the Sharks.
I also think your perspective on the Flames is quite valid although that defence is just so damn good I think it will carry them through a lot of rough spots.

Having said all that I do think that the Oilers have a very good chance to pass the Canucks in the standings this season.

I don't think the forward group is as big an issue (I think Korpikoski is going to surprise some people) but I think that the lack of quality experienced dmen really hurts this team.

No way they make the playoffs with this roster though so we agree on that.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

There is no way Vancouver is higher then us in the standings. They got substantially worse this offseason

I'm from the Show-me state

every year we're supposed to be this offensive juggernaut and every we disappoint

having said that...I think we've vastly improved...to a .500 team
Vancouver still has some nice pieces to win 37-40 games

 

[Lowe in Oil]

Anaheim
St. Louis
Winnipeg
San Jose
Los Angeles
Dallas
Edmonton
Nashville
Minnesota
Chicago
Colorado
Calgary
Vancouver
Phoenix

 

[Broilers]

Wouldn't it be something if Chicago missed the playoffs. Lots of turmoil there and a very short summer. Who knows. I doubt it but no one pegged LA to miss the playoffs last season either.

Depends on what will happen to Kane if he is out Chicago may be out as well

 

[SK13]

Central:
Blues
Blackhawks
Wild
Predators
Jets
Avalanche
Stars

Pacific:
Anaheim
Los Angeles
Vancouver
San Jose
Calgary
Edmonton
Arizona

Atlantic:
Tampa
Montreal
Detroit
Florida
Ottawa
Boston
Buffalo
Toronto

Metropolitan:
Rangers
Penguins
Islanders
Capitals
Blue Jackets
Flyers
Devils
Hurricanes

Playoff teams are Blues, Hawks, Wild, Predators, Ducks, Kings, Canucks, Sharks & the Lightning, Canadiens, Red Wings, Rangers, Penguins, Islanders, Capitals and Blue Jackets.

Some observations:

* The West is still not as strong as it has a reputation for being. The Anaheim Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks are the only teams in the 14 team grouping I see as having the legitimate separation of a Cup contender.

* I could see a minor fall off in Chicago. They took another hit in their depth, which wasn't especially good to begin with. They have to experience some fatigue, and if Kane's legal status turns muddy, it could be a bizarre year that manifests into an epic under-performance. Still have them as odds-on favorites for a high playoff spot.

* I expect the Kings, Sharks and the Oilers to improve, which is part of the reason I'm projecting the Flames to miss. The pacific was quietly bad last year and while I think the Arizona Coyotes will be the worst team in the NHL, there will be fewer free points in the division for lesser teams to feast on. Still have Vancouver in because they're a stable, veteran group that will carve out a respectable winning percentage over a large sample. They will get roflstomped in the playoffs, though.

* The Oilers will still miss the playoffs, but my guess is it will be in the 85-90 point range and not 62 abysmal points. I think they are built much like the Dallas Stars, perhaps not as productive offensively in the short term but with, somehow, a better defense and a high possibility for better save percentage numbers.

 

[Dakine879]

Mr Positive:

I will be optimistic and say the Oilers make the playoffs. Here's why it's possible. I fear Dallas, Minnesota, Winnipeg, Colorado and Nashville. Those are the teams that will end Chicago's reign. However, they are all Central teams. All we have to do is get the 3rd spot in the Pacific. That means we just have to be better than San Jose, Vancouver, Arizona and Calgary."

Sorry, it pains me to say this, but Cowtown will beat us up this year. Not a sweep but 4 to 2 for them. Also Sharks will beat Edmonton easily... I like your optimism for sure though

 

[Dakine879]

St. Louis
Nashville
Chicago
Minnesota (WC 1)
Dallas (WC 2)
-----------
Colorado
Winnipeg

Anaheim
San Jose (everybody seems to be underrating them, one of the best looking lineups in the league outside of goaltending)
L.A. Kings
------------
Calgary (I expect a step back from them even with the Hamilton and Frolik adds. They will be the hunted this season as opposed to the hunter)
Vancouver
Edmonton (I'll believe it when I see it. Too soft, too inexperienced and big question marks on defense and in goal although improvement should be expected but the west is still too tough for the Oilers to make a significant jump in the standings. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Prove me wrong Oilers)
Arizona

I would agree with this prediction

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Too difficult to predict with only one guarantee and that's Arizona finishing last.

 

[Dorian2]

I don't follow this type of stuff often. But reading through some of the lists, and wondering how our team is actually going to do, I figure it will be interesting. Veddy intaresting indeeeeed!

 

[Soundwave]

The only thing I will say is there always seems to be one team from each conference every year that makes the post-season despite almost no one picking them to do so.

 

[Joey Moss]

The Oilers are hands down the biggest wildcard in the West.. Considering how they played under Nelson.. swap that over to McLellan with a much better roster in place and we can easily be a surprise team. All depends on how Talbot plays..

 

[McJeety McJeet]

St. Louis
Chicago
Nashville
Dallas
Colorado
--------
Minny
Winnipeg

Anaheim
LA
Calgary
-------
SJ
Vancouver
Edmonton
Arizona

Oiler just have too many team to climb to get a sniff

The Oilers have zero teams to climb at the moment. Last year the flames were almost a consensus bottom 5 team and now almost everyone has them in the playoffs and in many cases better than the Kings and Sharks. With the Sharks fine, they could go either way however IMO the Kings, with a full spring and summer off, are going to be much better than the flames and maybe even the Ducks.

As for our team when it comes together it's going to come together quick.

 

[rosemount289]

I predicted that............???

I predicted the Oilers' would make the playoffs for the past nine years.............I can't stop now..........especially with McDavid aboard.

 

[MoneyGuy]

I think a lot of you are over-rating the Oilers chances this year.

 

[Mr Positive]

I think a lot of you are over-rating the Oilers chances this year.

not really

Most are saying we won't make the playoffs. Some people are saying we might make it, but that's entirely fair considering that nothing is certain in sports, especially in a sport with as much parity as the NHL. Stranger things have happened, and we aren't in a tough division like the central

 

[McTrashBoat]

I think a lot of you are over-rating the Oilers chances this year.

Sheesh, half the posts here have the Oilers as the 2nd last in the whole Conference.

Maybe you're underestimating the Oilers chances

 

[Kerricthebig]

1. Anaheim
2. St. Louis
3. Nashville
4. LA
5. Winnipeg
6. Minnesota
7. Calgary
8. Dallas
9. Chicago
10. San Jose
11. Edmonton
12. Colorado
13. Vancouver
14. Arizona

or something.

 

[Dorian2]

I'll go so far as to say that we are on the verge of seeing a powerhouse break out at any moment.

We're on a cusp.

Dictionary
cusp
noun \ˈkəsp\

: a pointed end or part where two curves meet

Full Definition of CUSP
: point, apex: as
a : a point of transition (as from one historical period to the next) : turning point; also : edge, verge <on the cusp of stardom>

 

[McTrashBoat]

Games
Word of the Day
Video
Blog: Words at Play
My Faves
Popularity
Save

Cruise Control (term I made up)
-When you paste something you didn't mean to copy.


I assume


Edit: You caught it you bugger!

 

[Mcnofool6110]

Locks (A)
Anaheim

Looking Good-to-Great on paper (B)
St. Louis
Nashville
LA Kings
Chicago

Upper-tier bubble (C)
Winnipeg
Minnesota
Colorado
Dallas

Lower-tier Bubble (D)
Calgary
San Jose
Edmonton
Vancouver

Matthewsbowl (F)
Arizona

Even if the injury bug devastates Anaheim, they're probably still making it.

I'd be shocked if a B team misses, but there can be surprises, like last year with the Kings. St. Louis seems to be the best of the Central. Chicago gets the benefit of the doubt, but if Kane doesn't play, consider me highly skeptical.

The C teams are the obvious better bubble teams, having been to the dance last year or the year before from the Central (so mostly on their own merit and not the shootout failings of other teams in the division), but they do all have holes, whether it's goaltending (WPG, MIN, DAL), replaced and/or depleted scoring (WPG, MIN (mainly the shell of the human being that was Thomas Vanek), COL), a shaky d-corps (DAL, COL)... There's space for Edmonton and Calgary to rise, I know there is. But these teams, on paper, are just better.

Calgary is the best of the lower-tier bubble and they could easily bump out one of the other teams - they could very well be a higher-bubble team for acquiring Hamilton for a used jock strap, but I hate Calgary, so... Edmonton is on the rise, but we're the Oilers, so seriously, how many times are you going to fall for that gag? Vancouver, despite Benning's best efforts, is still a lower bubble team because Sedins and, tbt, they've got a pretty decent d-corps. San Jose is also still a lower bubble team, without any sort of identity but with all the right talented pieces - I have a bad feeling about Martin Jones going more Scrivens than Schneider.

I mean, Mike Smith could re-emerge, OEL could lift a team onto his back and Domi could win the Calder. And you don't want to count out stingy Tippett... If Arizona doesn't get last, it'll probably be us.

EDIT - Playoff bracket:
Anaheim v Colorado (WC2)
St. Louis v Winnipeg (WC1)
LAK v Calgary
Chicago v Nashville

 

[tinfish]

Anaheim
San Jose
Los Angeles
Calgary
Edmonton
Vancouver
Arizona

Nashville
St Louis
Chicago
Winnipeg
Dallas
Minnesota
Colorado

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

1. Anaheim
2. St. Louis
3. Winnipeg
4. San Jose
5. Minnesota
6. Chicago
7. Calgary
8. Los Angeles
9. Edmonton
10. Nashville
11. Dallas
12. Vancouver
13. Colorado
14. Arizona



I feel like SJS will return to form to a degree and be a juggernaut per usual.

Nashville overachieved last year

Calgary and Winnipeg are better and more consistent

Edmonton is close but no cigar

Los Angeles barely makes it in again

Chicago will drop a bit