Training camp preview: Western Conference
Welcome to your pre-season guide to all the changes, expectations and predictions. Comes complete with a Burning Question and a Smart-Ass Answer
Ah, training camp. That time of year when NHL teams play a bunch of meaningless pre-season games to determine lineups that are already basically set. It’s pretty much three weeks of hot death, but a necessary evil to endure before the real games begin.
With that in mind, yesterday we previewed the Eastern Conference. So now we’re contractually bound to provide you with a preview of the Western Conference today. Teams hit the ice for the first time Thursday.
ANAHEIM DUCKS
In with the New: Greg Pateryn, D, Buddy Robinson, RW.
Out with the Old: Haydn Fleury, D; Danton Heinen, RW.
PTOs: Tobias Reider, RW.
Rookie to Watch: Center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale each played 24 games in Anaheim last season, one under the rookie threshold. Zegras is an elite setup man who will challenge for the Calder Trophy. Drysdale is a future No. 1 defenseman.
Burning Question: Will the Ducks, who had a power-play percentage of 8.9 percent (the worst mark since the league began tracking it in the 1970s), improve with the extra man this season?
Smart-Ass Answer: They can’t possibly get any worse. No, seriously. They can’t.
ARIZONA COYOTES
In with the New: Jay Beagle, C; Ryan Dzingel, LW; Shayne Gostisbehere, D; Carter Hutton, G; Josef Korenar, G; Andrew Ladd, LW; Antoine Roussel, LW; Anton Stralman, D; Conor Timmins, D.
Out with the Old: Derick Brassard, C; Michael Bunting, LW; Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D; Conor Garland, RW; Alex Goligoski, D; Adin Hill, G; Niklas Hjalmarsson, D; Darcy Kuemper, G; Jordan Oesterle, D; Tyler Pitlick, RW; Antti Raanta, G.
PTOs: Alex Galchenyuk, RW.
Rookie to Watch: Right winger Jan Jenik played two NHL games last season and scored two goals. The Coyotes could use a guy like that.
Burning Question: Will the Coyotes be competitive in their new home in the Central Division this season?
Smart-Ass Answer: This team might have a tough time being competitive in the American Hockey League.
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CALGARY FLAMES
In with the New: Blake Coleman, RW; Trevor Lewis, C; Tyler Pitlick, RW; Dan Vladar, G; Nikita Zadorov, D.
Out with the Old: Mark Giordano, D; Josh Leivo, LW; Nikita Nesterov, D; Joakim Nordstrom, C; Zac Rinaldo, LW; Derek Ryan, C; Dominik Simon, RW.
PTOs: None.
Rookie to Watch: After decimating their feeder system, the Flames have done a good job of restocking their prospect list, but most of their best ones won’t be ready this season. Connor Mackey, whom the Flames signed as a college free agent in 2020, should be ready to play regularly as a third-pair defenseman.
Burning Question: Will a team that has looked complacent and uninterested through long stretches finally find some inspiration with Darryl Sutter?
Smart-Ass Answer: Well, with Sutter in charge, if they don’t, the verbal beatings will continue until morale improves.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
In with the New: Henrik Borgstrom, RW; Marc-Andre Fleury, G; Tyler Johnson, C; Caleb Jones, D; Seth Jones, D; Jujhar Khaira, C; Jake McCabe, D.
Out with the Old: Adam Boqvist, D; Vinnie Hinostroza, RW; David Kampf, C; Duncan Keith, D; Brent Seabrook, D; Zach Smith, C; Pius Suter, C; Nikita Zadorov, D.
PTOs: None.
Rookie to Watch: Discuss amongst yourselves what this means, but the Blackhawks will not have a single player on their roster who will qualify as a rookie this season.
Burning Question: Can the return of a healthy Jonathan Toews and some key additions on defense and in goal propel the Blackhawks back to the playoffs?
Smart-Ass Answer: Nope. They’re in arguably the toughest division in the NHL, one in which almost all the teams will have no trouble keeping up with the Joneses. (See what I did there?)
COLORADO AVALANCHE
In with the New: Darren Helm, LW; Darcy Kuemper, G; Kurtis MacDermid, D; Mikhail Maltsev, LW; Stefan Matteau, LW; Ryan Murray, D.
Out with the Old: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, C; Matt Calvert, LW; Joonas Donskoi, LW; Ryan Graves, D; Philipp Grubauer, G; Patrik Nemeth, D; Brandon Saad, LW; Carl Soderberg, C; Conor Timmins, D.
PTOs: Artem Anisimov, C; Jack Johnson, D.
Rookie to Watch: Defenseman Bowen Byram got into 19 NHL games last season, which means he retains his rookie status. With Graves being dealt, Byram will be given more responsibility this season.
Burning Question: A very simple one. Will this team realize its potential and win a Stanley Cup?
Smart-Ass Answer: They just might. And if they do, Nathan MacKinnon will possibly allow them to celebrate by going to an In-N-Out Burger.
DALLAS STARS
In with the New: Luke Glendening, C; Jani Hakanpaa, D; Braden Holtby, G; Michael Raffl, LW; Ryan Suter, D.
Out with the Old: Jason Dickinson, C; Justin Dowling, C; Jamie Oleksiak, D; Andrew Cogliano, LW; Mark Pysyk, D.
PTOs: None.
Rookie to Watch: Defenseman Thomas Harley got a year of pro hockey in the AHL as a teenager last season and led all defensemen on the Texas Stars in scoring.
Burning Question: Assuming Tyler Seguin and Roope Hintz are healthy, do the Stars have what it takes to be a serious contender?
Smart-Ass Answer: If not, they’ll certainly rip up the local oldtimers’ league.
EDMONTON OILERS
In with the New: Cody Ceci, D; Warren Foegele, LW; Zach Hyman, LW; Duncan Keith, D; Derek Ryan, C.
Out with the Old: Ethan Bear, D; Alex Chiasson, RW; Tyler Ennis, LW; Caleb Jones, D; Dominik Kahun, LW; Jujhar Khaira, C; D; Dmitry Kulikov, D; Adam Larsson, D; James Neal, RW;
PTOs: Colton Sceviour, RW.
Rookie to Watch: Defenseman Evan Bouchard got into 14 games with the Oilers last season and looks ready to grab a spot as a third-pairing defenseman.
Burning Question: Will playing on the left side of either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl make Zach Hyman as productive as he was with Auston Matthews?
Smart-Ass Answer: Accomplishing what he did with Matthews made Hyman very, very rich. But he already was super-rich, so don’t expect his work ethic to wane one iota.
LOS ANGELES KINGS
In with the New: Viktor Arvidsson, RW; Phillip Danault, C; Alexander Edler, D.
Out with the Old: Matt Luff, RW.
Rookie to Watch: The Kings boast an embarrassment of riches in their prospect list. The one who has the biggest chance of making a splash is center Quinton Byfield, who played in the AHL as an 18-year-old last season.
PTOs: None.
Burning Question: Will Drew Doughty make the cut for Canada’s Olympic team?
Smart-Ass Answer: Canadians had better pray to the Baby Jesus the answer to that question is no.
MINNESOTA WILD
In with the New: Frederick Gaudreau, C; Alex Goligoski, D; Dmitry Kulikov, D; Jon Merrill, D.
Out with the Old: Nick Bonino, C; Ian Cole, D; Brad Hunt, D; Marcus Johansson, C; Zach Parise, LW; Carson Soucy, D; Ryan Suter, D.
Rookie to Watch: After overcoming a very serious and scary bout with COVID-19 last season, center Marco Rossi got into one Swiss League game last season. The Wild are very thin down the middle, so he could be their second-line center when all is said and done.
PTOs: None.
Burning Question: After signing a five-year, $45 million contract on the eve of training camp, how will Kirill Kaprizov build on his Calder Trophy season?
Smart-Ass Answer: He’ll make that contract look like a bargain. That’s how.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
In with the New: Cody Glass, C, Philippe Myers, D; Matt Tennyson, D; David Rittich, G.
Out with the Old: Viktor Arvidsson, RW; Ryan Ellis, D; Erik Gudbranson, D; Erik Haula, C; Calle Jarnkrok, LW; Brad Richardson, C; Pekka Rinne, G.
Rookie to Watch: Another junior-aged player who played in the AHL last season, Phil Tomasino tied for the lead in scoring with the Chicago Wolves. He’ll have every opportunity to crack a lineup that is very thin on the right side.
PTOs: None.
Burning Question: When will the Predators finally realize that neither Ryan Johansen nor Matt Duchene is a No. 1 center?
Smart-Ass Answer: They’re already coming to that conclusion, which makes it extra wonderful that they each carry an $8 million cap hit on long-term deals.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
In with the New: Pavel Buchnevich, LW; Brandon Saad, LW.
Out with the Old: Sammy Blais, LW; Vince Dunn, D; Carl Gunnarsson, D; Mike Hoffman, LW; Jaden Schwartz, LW; Alexander Steen, LW.
Rookie to Watch: It seems as though the Blues have been waiting a while for Klim Kostin, their first-rounder in 2017. But after winning a championship in the KHL last season, Kostin is ready to take a full-time role in the NHL.
PTOs: Michael Frolik, LW; James Neal, RW.
Burning Question: Can goalie Jordan Binnington reacquire the mojo he had when he led the Blues to the Stanley Cup two seasons ago?
Smart-Ass Answer: If he does, there could very well be a spot on the Canadian Olympic team waiting for him.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
In with the New: Nick Bonino, C; Andrew Cogliano, LW; Adin Hill, G; Nick Merkley, RW; James Reimer, G.
Out with the Old: Ryan Donato, LW; Kurtis Gabriel, RW; Martin Jones, G; Patrick Marleau, LW; Marcus Sorensen, LW.
Rookie to Watch: After putting up ridiculous numbers in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s equivalent to the AHL, Jonathan Dahlen signed a one-year deal with the Sharks, five years after he was drafted by the Ottawa Senators.
PTOs: None.
Burning Question: Will Adin Hill and James Reimer give the Sharks better goaltending than they had last year?
Smart-Ass Answer: Yes. Even if each of them gained 250 pounds over the summer and just stands there.
SEATTLE KRAKEN
In with the New: Everybody.
Out with the Old: Kurtis MacDermid, D; Tyler Pitlick, RW; and Vitek Vanecek, G, we hardly knew ye.
Rookie to Watch: Kole Lind, plucked off the Vancouver Canucks’ protected list, will get a chance to prove he’s an NHL right winger in training camp.
PTOs: Scott Wilson, LW.
Burning Question: Can the Kraken even come close to duplicating the first-year success of the Vegas Golden Knights?
Smart-Ass Answer: Logic says they won’t, but you have to remember the Golden Misfits were expected to be bottom feeders as well in their debut season. The funny thing is that this Seattle roster is every bit as good – possibly even better on paper – as the one Vegas put out for its first game.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
In with the New: Phil Di Giuseppe, LW; Jason Dickinson, C; Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D; Conor Garland, LW; Tucker Poolman, D; Luke Schenn, D.
Out with the Old: Jay Beagle, C; Alex Edler, D; Loui Eriksson, RW; Braden Holtby, G; Antoine Roussel, LW; Nate Schmidt, D; Jake Virtanen, RW.
Rookie to Watch: Highly touted prospect Vasily Podkolzin, who put up good numbers in the KHL last season, will likely enter the season as the Canucks’ second-line right winger, behind Brock Boeser on the depth chart.
PTOs: Alex Chiasson, RW.
Not in Camp: Quinn Hughes, D; Elias Pettersson, C.
Burning Question: Can the Canucks get key stars Pettersson and Hughes signed before the season and still remain cap compliant?
Smart-Ass Answer: Not sure, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s GM Jim Benning. Just ask the Canucks’ fan base, which regularly shows Benning total and unconditional love.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
In with the New: Laurent Brossoit, G; Evgenii Dadonov, RW; Nolan Patrick C.
Out with the Old: Marc-Andre Fleury, G; Cody Glass, C; Nick Holden, D; Tomas Nosek, RW; Ryan Reaves, RW.
Rookie to Watch: There aren’t any real openings the veteran-laden roster, but high-scoring center Peyton Krebs will get a long look in training camp.
PTOs: Ian McCoshen, D.
Burning Question: Now that they’ve finally solved their goaltending dilemma for better or worse, can the Golden Knights take this thing over the finish line?
Smart-Ass Answer: Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like something is just not right in Sin City.
WINNIPEG JETS
In with the New: Brenden Dillon, D; Riley Nash, C; Nate Schmidt, D.
Out with the Old: Mason Appleton, RW; Jordie Benn, D; Laurent Brossoit; Derek Forbort, D; Trevor Lewis, C; Mathieu Perreault, LW; Tucker Poolman, D; Nate Thompson, C.
Rookie to Watch: Another team with lots of veterans, the Jets might see Cole Perfetti in their lineup this season.
PTOs: None.
Burning Question: All these months later, is everyone still shocked the Jets beat the Edmonton Oilers four straight in the playoffs last season?
Smart-Ass Answer: Yeah, but then they blew it by losing to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2. Don’t be afraid to win something, boys.
Flames signed Brad Richardson