My 2024-2025 Pre Free Agency Standing Projections PART 2

Western Conference Edition

CENTRAL DIVISION

1- Utah Hockey Club

2- Minnesota Wild

3- Winnipeg Jets

4- Dallas Stars

5- Colorado Avalanche

6- Nashville Predators

7- Chicago Blackhawks

8- St-Louis Blues

I thought the Atlantic was tough to predict yesterday, but the central might have been harder.  I'll go backwards and start with the end and easier part. In 8th, we have the stl Blues, this deep just isnt deep enough to make some noise this year.  There is was too many holes to fill behind Matthews and Buchnevich. They have the cap space to add but having only 16M hurts in signing ufas to lower aavs.  

I went with chicago at 7th, beside Kempe, the team is somewhat deep but more on the lower end skill wise. I dont see how they can outperform the rest of the division without any firepower up front.

Its the opposite in Nashvile, that top line of Marner, Mackinnon and Gaudreau is nasty but thats pretty much where it ends.  With 10M in cap space, i dont see how the Dchl's latest GM can build a team good enough to make it this year.  The team also has a lot of ufas that includes their starter Bobrovsky. It'll be an easy decision to start selling if the team isnt performing well enough.

Here is where i had trouble choosing, i switched the order of 2nd to 5th multiple times.  All these teams are good but not great.  Colorado has high end talent but lacks depth at the forward position.  The duo of Hart/Wedgewood is questionable. The team had Josi on the trade block pointing maybe toward a retooling season.  Without Josi and Gm Caughell showing selling vibes, 5th place seems about right.

Dallas own only 1 top tier player in Robertson but the depth is there for sure.  Based on Ov, the top 3 lines are all 84 and above.  The issue is the defence and goaltending, not that they're bad but not good enough to make a serious run this year.

In winnipeg, there is only 1 problem and its a big one. Goaltending!! Their current top goalie is Michael Dipietro.  With cap space, plenty of cash and extra draft picks, Gm Miller will have plenty of ways to acquire his starter for the year.  Add a little more depth and maybe a superstar, that lineup will be very solid and should be able to make it to the playoffs.

Battle for top spot in the division should be between Utah and Minnesota. Both teams have it all, high end talent, depth and goaltending.  The wilds own an impressive duo in Demko and Thompson and Utah has one of the best goalie in the league in Oettinger. Scoring might be an issue for the Hockey Club, they'll rely heavily on Barkov once again. If the def and goaltending is as good as least year, it wont matter, they'll win the division. I gave the nod to Utah because the Wild's def could be better. Not having a def above 83ov isnt a good look but they're likely still good enough to keep pace with the offence and goaltending.

Pacific Division

1-Vancouver Canucks

jk jk

1- Calgary Flames

2- LA Kings

3- San Jose Sharks

4- Vancouver Canucks

5- Vegas Golden Knights

6- Edmonton Oilers

7- Seattle Kraken

8- Anaheim Ducks

2 of the best teams in the league will battle out in the Pacific.  The Flames 2nd line would be a top line on most teams and have the best goaltender in the league in Hellebyuck.  To counter, the Kings probably have the best top line in the entire league and the 2nd best def core.  Both these teams would be favored to win in any other division.  The only positive for the rest of the league is that both Cgy and La have almost no cap space to add to their arsenal. 

In 3rd, i have the team ,who i think, is the most underrated.  With a top line that could match La's and Cgy's top line, the best def core in the league and Vasilevskiy (if the gm can manage his usage wisely), the Sharks have all the tools to succeed.  Where they fall short is depth up front, and with little cap space, there's not much Gm Michaud can add to help the supporting cast and that keeps him from joining the Cgy/LA conversation.

UP next for 4th and 5th, we have the Canucks and the Golden Knights. Two very solid teams that suffer from being in the Pacific. Both teams have a great top 6 and solid goaltending.  Vancouver gets the edge from the defence part of the line up.  Makar in Vegas is by far the best D but the combination of Hedman, Werenski and Seider should net a better result.  Vancouver also has the luxury of having nearly 15M in capspace.  One team deserving of the playoffs likely wont make it if only 4 teams makes it out of the Pacific. 

The final 3 spots could go in any order. Edmonton has better players currently but they are still trying to sell. As of today, they are the better team of the 3.  Gm Brideau in Seattle is very active, i expect him to be busy during free agency which will net him some decent players that will make his team better than Anaheim until he moves them for future assets.  Anaheim should/could do the same, though as a more methodical gm, i dont expect as much coming from them.   

This concludes my projections pre free agency.   I will do another one post free agency highlighting the major changes, if any.