NHL Western Conference Check-In: What We Did and Didn't Expect

Most NHL teams are at or near the quarter mark of their regular season, and we’re looking at what we expected to see and what we didn’t through the first quarter of the year. 

Yesterday, we examined the Eastern Conference’s expected and unexpected events, and today, we’re breaking down some of the expected and unexpected happenings this season in the Western Conference.

NHL Eastern Conference Check-In: What We Did and Didn't Expect

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NHL Eastern Conference Check-In: What We Did and Didn't Expect

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What We Expected

Dean Evason Gets Fired By the Wild

Not to toot our own horn, but here’s what we said about Evason’s job security in THN’s pre-season poll when we picked him to be the first NHL coach fired this season:

“(Evason has) done relatively well for himself as Wild coach. But I do think Minnesota is going to underachieve, and they’ve got a tough start to the season – facing 14 playoff-caliber teams out of 17 games through the third week of November – and that could spell the end for Evason.”

How’s that for near-perfect accuracy? Evason’s now-former Wild team went 2-6-2 in their past 10 games, often looking completely uninspired and incapable of putting up a serious fight. Minnesota GM Bill Guerin had few options in terms of roster change for his team, and Evason paid the price for it. 

The Oilers’ firing of Jay Woodcroft was extremely unexpected, but the Wild had been painted into a corner by the front office’s salary cap choices in recent years. Given that they now sit seventh in the Central Division – nine standings points behind fourth-place St. Louis and just two points ahead of eighth-place Chicago – it was a matter of when, not if, Evason walked the plank.

The Rise of the Los Angeles Kings

Most pundits believed the Kings would be one of the better teams in the Pacific Division, but we liked them more than a little bit, pegging them as the best team in their division in our pre-season predictions. 

Not only have the Kings been the best team in the Pacific in terms of points percentage, but they’ve also lost the fewest games in regulation (13-3-3) this year, and they’re world-beaters on the road (9-0-0). They’re the second-best defensive team in the league, averaging just 2.37 goals-against per game, and they’re tied for the first spot on offense (more on that below), averaging 4.00 goals-for per game. It’s all going swimmingly.

It’s true Vegas is two points ahead of them in the Pacific standings, but L.A. has three games in hand on the Golden Knights. Virtually every move GM Rob Blake has made – including the signing of veteran goalie Cam Talbot and the trade that brought in center Pierre-Luc Dubois – has paid off handsomely, and they’re just getting started. We expect the Kings will continue to shine and go on a deep post-season run next spring.

What We Didn’t Expect

The Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s Top Offensive Juggernaut

With 88 goals in 22 games, the Canucks were tied with the Kings as the league’s most potent offensive group, but Vancouver has played three more games than the Kings. 

Canucks forwards J.T. Miller (20 assists, 33 points), Brock Boeser (15 goals, 24 points) and Elias Pettersson (21 assists, 29 points) and superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes (25 assists, 33 points) have led the charge. And although Vancouver has cooled off of late – they’re 5-5-0 in their last 10 games – their white-hot start has provided them with a cushion to guard against an extended slump.

Canucks coach Rick Tocchet has infused his team with confidence. As a result, they’re about as dangerous with the puck as any team this year. Their offense may not need to carry them all season long, but having so many capable scorers has given them a lift very few saw coming.

Arizona – Less Shabby Than Anticipated

We admit we had low expectations for the Coyotes this year, but with a 9-9-2 record thus far, Arizona is tied for fifth place in the Central. If they can string together a few wins in a row, they can put some legitimate heat on divisional rivals in Nashville and St. Louis. They’re nowhere close to being a Stanley Cup contender, but after so many dry seasons in the desert, the Yotes may at long last have turned the corner competitively.

While they probably won’t be a playoff team, the Coyotes should be playing meaningful games right through the spring. That’s an important step forward, and it’s an extremely long time coming.