While the Eastern Conference saw lots of action within the conference, the Western Conference saw a shift in power. The Winnipeg Jets have been the top dog in the conference all season long but their two division rivals were the biggest movers. So after all that movement, who is a pretender and who is a contender in the wild west?
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars by far picked up the biggest piece at the deadline in Rantanen. Mikko Rantanen is a super star and the Stars were able to get him and lock him up for the next eight years. With him moving again though, Stars fans better hope they are getting the Rantanen from his time in Colorado and not from his days in Carolina. The addition means the Stars have one of the best top 9 forwards in the league. Their only issue is they are in the Central.
Dallas was also able to add Cocy Ceci and Mikael Granlund to help with depth. While all these additions will help them compete for a Cup, the real strength of the team was what was there before the deadline. Jason Robertson has woken up in the last couple months, Wyatt Johnston has been unreal this season, and Esa Lindell has been great on the back end. The scary part of this team is that arguably their best player is injured right now. If, and that’s big if, they get out of the Central, they should be the team representing the west in the finals.
Verdict: Scary Contender
Colorado Avalanche
If you would have said at the beginning of the season that the Colorado Avalanche would completely change their goaltending and also no longer have Mikko Rantanen, I do not think a lot of people would have believed you. That is actually what has happened though. Out Mikko Rantanen, Casey Mittelstadt, Alexandar Georgiev, Justus Annunen and Calum Ritchie. In Martin Necas, Jack Drury, Brock Nelson, Scott Wedgewood, MacKenzie Blackwood, Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey, and Charlie Coyle. That is a lot of change. While it is a lot of talent in, you have to worry about chemistry this year. Next year this team would be unreal as they would just have time together.
Some people would put them above the Jets, but did the Avalanche get better or are they just different. They are less star power and more depth. The stars are still present on the team, so they have the talent and now more depth. They are trying a different approach to building their roster with being a more balance team, so are they still the contender they were before, no. They are still a contender though, just different.
Verdict: Different Contender
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are not a team to take lightly. They have been first place in the league for the majority of the season. The biggest criticism of the Jets has been the playoff success. Toronto has had the same treatment and it has been deserved for them. Winnipeg has at least had some success getting past the first round but, the 2017-18 Western Conference Final run is old news now. You have to start wondering the same thing as the Leafs when it comes to the Jets. This playoffs means more to the future of this current roster than it may seem.
The Jets did not add much at face value at this years deadline. Luke Schenn and Brandon Tanev are not the biggest names, but it may be exactly what the Jets needed. Obviously they dealt with the no trade clauses on some players as they do every year and also there was not much available when it came to their biggest need, second line center. Winnipeg maybe worried with what their rivals did, but they are still the top team they have shown all season long.
Verdict: Contender With Something To Prove
Minnesota Wild
Minnesota has been battling the injury bug as of late. Especially when it comes to their superstar Kirill Kaprizov. The Wild were battling the Jets for top spot most of the first half but they have really plummeted down the standings as of late. They are pretty secure in the first wild card spot though Vancouver and Calgary are starting to close the gap on them. The Wild need to get healthy and also start playing better to secure a playoff spot. They can almost forget a top 3 spot with the big dogs playing like big dogs again.
Bill Guerin has come out and stated that they did not make any moves at the deadline as this is just not their time. He also said that their time is coming soon and I tend to agree. They are projected to have 20 million this summer and 50 million the summer after. With Parise and Suters buyouts reducing finally, the Wild will be scary in the years to come but for now they will just continue to make their fans excited by being competitive even with the cap strains. For now they are definition of pretender.
Verdict: Definition Of Pretender
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas and making no noise at the deadline are two things that just don’t sound normal. For as long as they have existed they have always made a splash at the deadline. The Golden Knights honestly did not have the cap space to make any big moves either. They needed to add some depth which they did in Reilly Smith but they did not really need anything else. While this season has not been the best season for them they are still elite. It is just not to the standard that we have come to expect.
Similar to the Lightning they have been dominant for so long but this year feels different. They do not seem as unbeatable as years past. They have holes in their lineup and can be glaring at times. In net, they have not had the most solid goaltending even from Adin Hill. On the blue line they are really missing Theodore. He is a big piece to the back end, luckily they are expecting him back before playoffs. This should be a team that does damage but should be worried about getting healthy and also their goaltending.
Verdict: Worried Contender
Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid has been average this year. Well average when it comes to his standards. He has 82 points so far this season which is nothing to scoff at but the biggest star on the Oilers has been Leon Draisaitl so far. He has 97 points and is running away with the Rocket Richard Trophy. The Oilers would not be where they are right now without his outstanding season. Now that McDavid has started to find his game lately, they may be a scary threat.
The Oilers added around the edges of the roster by adding Walman and Frederic. What they needed most was a goaltender. Both their goalies have a sub .900 save percentage and have been sometimes the reason they lose games this season. Another problem they have had is the play of Evan Bouchard. He has had struggled in his own end and has just not been the same player from last years playoffs.
These two problems may be the downfall of Oilers this season. This is why I labelled them fake pretender. They play like they are just not up to the task yet they have all the skill and the know how to get it done. They are arguably better than last year talent wise. It is usually not a good idea to bet against McDavid but this year I might.
Verdict: Fake Pretender
The West is stacked this year. The top of the Central could easily be the top three teams in the conference when playoffs role around and two of them have to go home before even leaving their division. Then you had to the Pacific side and you might have to deal with Minnesota in the wild card while Vegas and Edmonton will be hard to to. That’s not even bringing up the Kings who has been underrated this season. The west truly is the wild west this year.
NHL Playoffs are coming so make sure you keep it locked on Area 51 as we get closer and closer.
