2026-27 NHL Season Preview (West)

After two consecutive Florida vs. Edmonton Stanley Cup Finals, neither one of them played for the Cup last season.  Instead of the Oilers, it was the Golden Knights, who weren't a very good team for most of the season, but somehow did what they always do and peaked in the playoffs.  (Sidebar, how have the Golden Knights been around for a decade already?)  That clearly pissed off the Oilers, who fired Kris Knoblauch and replaced him with the controversial Mike Babcock.  There's no denying Babcock is a great coach.  But he carries a lot of baggage with him and so many questioned the hire.  It's either a home run for Edmonton or will be a disaster.  I don't think anybody's sure which.

That's one of the big stories in the Western Conference on the cusp of a new NHL season.  Another involves Connor Hellebuyck.  He wants out of Winnipeg, but the Jets haven't been able to figure out a trade yet.  As a result, he was a no-show when training camp started.  How long this situation drags out and where he ultimately ends up could definitely shift the balance of power in the West.  Especially if he ends up in San Jose on one of the most up-and-coming teams in the league.

All those years of being terrible could very well be starting to pay dividends for the Sharks.  Macklin Celebrini is one of the best young players in hockey.  Now they've got a decent amount of talent around him.  Just imagine if they add Hellebuyck.  Then San Jose goes from a borderline playoff team to a team where you'd be shocked if they don't make it.  

Meanwhile, the Central Division is as loaded at the top as it was last year.  Colorado still has talent coming out the wazoo.  Although, the Avalanche's goalie situation is suspect.  A goalie is the only thing holding Minnesota back, too.  That's not the problem in Dallas with Jake Oettinger.  The Stars are just like the Lightning in how consistently good they are.

Those top three teams in the Central are probably good bets to make the playoffs.  So are Vegas and Edmonton.  As for the remaining three Western Conference playoff berths, it's anybody's guess.  From top-to-bottom, the East is a stronger conference.  Last year, the West had playoff teams that were worse than multiple teams that missed out in the East.  I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case again this season.  The West is good at the top.  Not so much in the middle.  And there are far more teams at the bottom.

Which leaves the opportunity for a wide-open race between several teams.  That also makes it possible, if not likely, that we'll see somebody surprising get in.  Will that be Chicago, which will be much improved?  Or Seattle, which has only made the playoffs once in its history?  Or, could we see Winnipeg overcome all of that offseason drama, take advantage of all the talent already on that roster, and make a postseason run behind a new goalie?

With all that in mind, though.  Don't expect to see any changes at the top of the Central Division.  The only question is what order the Avalanche, Wild and Stars will finish in.  And, as we saw last season, winning this division is paramount.  Because the second- and third-place teams face each other in the first round, regardless of how many points they have.  That's a huge advantage for whichever one of the three doesn't have to play both of the other two.

Utah made the playoffs for the first time last season and added some more pieces this year.  The Mammoth could definitely return to the postseason, simply because they have superior talent to some other teams they'll be battling.  And I want to see how Nashville bounces back after a disappointing 2025-26 season.  I was high on the Predators then, and I'm high on them now.  For the division title?  No.  For a wild card spot?  Absolutely.

The Jets have two studs in Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey.  They also brought in Stuart Skinner to, presumably, take over as the starter once Hellebuyck is traded.  But how much of an impact will all of that offseason drama have?  St. Louis has Jordan Binnington and not much else.  They traded their best player, Jordan Kyrou, to Washington for practically nothing.  As for the Blackhawks, we're about a year or two away from this team being really good.  It would be surprising if they are this year, however.

In the Pacific, Edmonton is the best team.  If they click with Mike Babcock, who's already said he plans on playing Draisaitl and McDavid on the same line, look out!  That also has potential to go really wrong, too, however.  If it does, look for the Golden Knights to pounce.  Vegas is one of the most consistent teams in the league.  The Knights will find a way to make the playoffs no matter what.  So, their regular season record really isn't even that relevant.

Who'll get the third guaranteed playoff berth out of the Pacific, though?  That's the million dollar question.  It really wouldn't surprise me if it is San Jose.  The Sharks are on the verge of being really good.  Or maybe it'll be the Kings, who loaded up on the free agents.  We didn't get our annual Kings-Oilers playoff series last season.  Maybe we will this year.  Edmonton's replacement first round opponent last season was Anaheim.  I'm not sure the Ducks can make it back, though.  They lost a lot in the offseason.

Seattle is the only other team in the Pacific Division I think has any shot at potentially being in the wild card mix.  Even if I'm not sure the Kraken have enough to get over the hump.  Vancouver and Calgary, meanwhile, are two of the worst teams in the league.  It would be a major surprise to see either the Canucks or Flames come anywhere near the playoffs.

Don't expect this season's Western Conference playoff field to be much different than last year's.  Colorado, Minnesota and Dallas will once again be the top three teams in the Central, in whatever order.  The one minor "surprise" could come in the Pacific, where San Jose will join regulars Edmonton and Vegas.  The Kings should still get in, though, as a wild card.  Along with Nashville.

Goalie play doomed the Avalanche last season, and I think it will doom them again.  It would be easy to pick Edmonton, especially now that they have Frederik Andersen, but I'm going with another team that has the goalie to go along with its offensive talent as the Western Conference champions.  Dallas.  The Stars will do what the Hurricanes did last season and finally get over that Conference Final hump.  They'll also repeat what Carolina did in the following round.  Give me Dallas over Montreal in the Stanley Cup Final, forcing Canada to wait at least another year before lifting the Cup again.