Pacific Division winner debated by NHL.com panel

The Pacific Division has been a meat grinder for several seasons and home of the Western Conference representative in the Stanley Cup Final for the past three.

The Vegas Golden Knights, who won the Cup in 2023, took the Pacific title last season, the fourth time in their eight seasons that they’ve raised a division championship banner.

It has been the Edmonton Oilers who have gone to the Cup Final the past two seasons. Last season, they defeated Golden Knights and the Los Angeles Kings, each a fierce division rival, in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Kings have finished in the top three of the division in each of the past four seasons, reaching at least 99 points each time, but have not won a division title since winning the now-defunct Smythe Division in the 1990-91 season.

The Calgary Flames are on the rise and were in playoff contention until the final week of the season. The Vancouver Canucks, under new coach Adam Foote, are looking to return to the playoffs after a one-season absence.

The Anaheim Ducks, under new coach Joel Quenneville, the Seattle Kraken, under new coach Lane Lambert, and the San Jose Sharks plan to be more competitive this season.

Here is how a panel of 10 NHL.com writers sees the Pacific Division playing out this season.

Edmonton Oilers

Like the Florida Panthers, the Oilers have played a ton of hockey during the past two seasons, something that eventually catches up with most teams. But unlike the Panthers, who have won the Stanley Cup the past two seasons, the Oilers are still unfulfilled in their mission. Provided the drama over Connor McDavid’s contract -- which expires at the end of this season -- doesn’t drag the Oilers down, I think they’ll win the Pacific Division, even with a huge challenge from the Golden Knights, who yet again restocked their cupboard. There’s no question they have the offensive firepower, starting with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Goalie Stuart Skinner worked hard during the summer to shed some weight and improve his game. This team wants desperately to win, and they’ll start with the Pacific. -- Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

McDavid seems determined to finish the job and win the Stanley Cup, which is bad news for the rest of the Pacific Division. Though McDavid’s future is still up in the air beyond this season, the focus for the Edmonton captain is on this season and trying to win the Cup after two bitter losses in the Final. McDavid and Draisaitl head a talented, veteran group that has vowed to get off to a better start than it did the previous two seasons. The determined Oilers will be tough to beat and should be able to win the division, likely fending off the Golden Knights and Kings in the process. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Los Angeles Kings

Are the Kings the best team in the division right now? No. Will they be when it matters? I think so. Make no mistake, the Kings are a really good team. They finished four points ahead of the Oilers in the regular-season standings and five points behind the Golden Knights. They also gave Edmonton everything it could handle in the first round of the playoffs before falling short again. The Kings want to make the outcome different this season, and finishing atop the division could be a first step. They will be aggressive in making over their roster, adding when they can, to bolster a capable team into something more. This is the final go-round for franchise icon Anze Kopitar, who has announced he’ll retire after this season. A division title would be the perfect way to start what Los Angeles hopes will be a playoff-long going-away bash. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

Vegas Golden Knights

The preseason for the Golden Knights feels like it's been focused on helping center Jack Eichel and right wing Mitch Marner create chemistry on a line. If that can carry through 82 games, then Vegas should be able to win the Pacific for the third time in four seasons. Marner was fifth in the NHL last season with 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) in 81 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Eichel was eighth with 94 points (28 goals, 66 assists) in 77 games for the Golden Knights. It was Marner's first 100-point NHL season, and a strong partnership could bring Eichel to triple digits for the first time. But Vegas is more than a one-line team, with Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Tomas Hertl adding to the offense. There will be a hole left by the long-term absence of defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, but the Golden Knights have the depth to fill in and show they are the class of the Pacific. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

After two early playoff exits for Vegas, its fans have to be extremely optimistic following the acquisition of Marner in a trade with Toronto. Marner and Eichel, along with left wing Ivan Barbashev, should be a fun line to follow this season. The Golden Knights led the League with 109 goals in the third period last season and are strong down the middle with Eichel, Hertl, Karlsson and Colton Sissons. Vegas has good depth at defenseman with Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin and Brayden McNabb leading the way. Goalie Adin Hill is the clear-cut No. 1 and one of the best in the League. Vegas will not only win the division but seriously challenge for a championship once again. -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

Again, hard to argue with the defending division champions when they’ve got the roster that the Golden Knights possess. There’s a whole lot to like here, even before Marner. The Golden Knights don’t know when Pietrangelo will be back from a hip injury, but they have a sturdy enough defense to offset his absence. Hill is coming off an outstanding season and I expect him to have the same in 2025-26. Yes, Vegas remains the best in the Pacific. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

This could be the most competitive division in the NHL with three absolute powerhouses near the top, but in the end the Golden Knights will win it again. Marner is a game-changer who will pay huge dividends. With Marner no longer having to play under the microscope of the Toronto fans and media, he will thrive in Vegas, allowing the Golden Knights to take the division. -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

With the Golden Knights coming off their fourth division title since entering the NHL in the 2017-18 season, expect the same from them this season. Although no longer playing with Auston Matthews in Toronto, Marner should continue to produce playing alongside Eichel and outside the media spotlight of his hometown. Entering the final season of his contract and seeking a new one, Eichel will be motivated after he set a Golden Knights record and NHL career high in points last season. -- Tom Gulitti, senior writer

My concern for the Golden Knights is how they replace Pietrangelo, who is trying to rehab a hip injury and hasn't ruled out playing this season, though it's not clear if he will. But that's the only concern. They're otherwise set for another big season in a division that features seven other teams with far more flaws and questions. Marner should fit in perfectly. He's a two-way forward with elite offensive skills and an attack mentality. The Golden Knights are one of the better rush teams, which suits Marner's game. They won the division last season with 110 points and should be more explosive this season. Yes, I worry about who handles Pietrangelo's minutes (team-high 22:24 per game in 71 games last season), but that concern is reduced greatly because the Golden Knights should have the puck a lot. If they're doing it right, they should have the lead a lot too. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

It’ll be great theater watching the Golden Knights and Oilers joust for division supremacy again this season. In the end, the Golden Knights landed the most talented available player during the offseason in Marner, who has the fifth-most points in Maple Leafs history (741) and was a finalist for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top defensive forward, in 2022-23. Marner’s nifty setup of an Eichel goal in a preseason game last week already has the hockey world buzzing. General manager Kelly McCrimmon has never been shy about make big moves to augment his team, so keep your eyes on the Golden Knights come NHL Trade Deadline time. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer