Pacific New Class of the West
With the recent development of the Phoenix Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings, as well as the continued success of the San Jose Sharks, the Pacific Division looks to be the class of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League in 2010-11.
Last Season
For years experts have argued that the Central is the toughest division in the National Hockey Leagues Western Conference. Up until this year they were right.
The Central was a tough division to be in, the Detroit Red Wings seemed to never take a year off from Stanley Cup contention, while the Chicago Blackhawks were an up and coming talent. In addition the Nashville Predators have made consecutive playoff appearances despite their lack of funds. That is without mentioning the erratic skill of the St. Louis Blues and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nevertheless, the Centrals star is fading and it is being replaced with that of the Pacific Division.
The Red Wings are getting old, and their long runs into the playoffs and the inability to hang onto incredible third-line talent is catching up with them. The Blackhawks are the new class of the division, but they've struggled to keep their Stanley Cup-winning roster together, and one should not expect them to come back as strong next year.
The Pacific on the other hand has a San Jose Sharks team that has been without-a-doubt the best regular season team in the past five years. Thought they have not been able to make it work in the playoffs, nonetheless in the regular season they are virtually impossible to match, winning the conference again last season.
Last year the Sharks were joined by the likes of the Coyotes who, after many years of toiling in the bottom of the standings, finally found their groove and notched 107 points, good enough for fourth in the west. Perhaps even more intriguing is the development of the Kings over the past two campaigns. The youth seemed to come to the forefront last season, as the team recorded 46 wins and 101 points to finish sixth in the conference. It is no secret that LA is a team on the rise, and if they are able to lure Ilya Kovalchuk they could be challenging the Sharks for top spot.
The Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars are teams on the decline, but will not give you easy games. Finishing 11th and 12th respectively the Ducks and Stars are still teams with a great deal of promise, and although they do not have the most skilled line-ups, they will not finish in last spot next season.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead to the 2010-11 season the Pacific Division will be should be ready to make a shift to the top of the standings. One can expect a more even playing field.
The Sharks will not be able to remain as dominant as their division is simply too good for them to dominate any longer. Expect Phoenix to continue its defensive brand of hockey, making further inroads to the top spot. The Kings are the real wild card, they could stick it out in sixth position as they did last year, or they could be due for a break out, much like the Coyotes of 2009-10.
Expect the Kings to really push for one of those top three spots heading into the playoffs. The Red Wings no longer have that regular season flare, however they should always be feared in the post-season, because of their experience. Nevertheless, do not be surprised 2010-11 when you check the standings and see the Sharks, Kings and Coyotes nestled comfortably in the west’s top five.
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