NHL Pacific Division 2025-26 Preview: Key Moves and Fantasy Insights

In the third part of the division preview series, the Pacific Division gets a look. It hasn't been as competitive as other divisions in recent years, but that shouldn't be confused with weakness, as it's also spawned three straight Stanley Cup finalists. The top teams are still Cup contenders and built for the spotlight, while there are as many as four teams somewhere in a rebuilding process. If any of those teams take the next step in 2025-26, it could turn the division on its head. 

Edmonton Oilers

Playing second fiddle to the Panthers for a second year in a row has left the Oilers' franchise at a crossroads. That is heightened by Connor McDavid entering a contract year -- he seems to want to stay in Edmonton, but he also wants to win above all else. The team is up against the salary cap as well, making it tough to pull off in-season upgrades, but the star power already on the roster is second to none. 

Entering 2025-26, the Oilers will much look different around the edges. Evander Kane was dealt away to Vancouver and Viktor Arvidsson was shipped out to Boston, while fellow wingers Jeff Skinner (San Jose), Corey Perry (Los Angeles) and Connor Brown (New Jersey) all left in free agency. Defenseman John Klingberg will also be with the Sharks, while forward Derek Ryan retired. Not every player was replaced one-for-one, but Edmonton got Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar in free agency and acquired disgruntled prospect Isaac Howard from the Lightning and signed him to an entry-level deal. Howard has a wide range of outcomes available -- he could be a Calder Trophy candidate (and fantasy hype magnet) if he sticks in the top six, but it's possible he'll need AHL time to adjust to the professional ranks. 

It's fair to consider the Oilers an elite offense on name recognition, but last year's stats proved they weren't up to their full potential. Edmonton finished 11th in goals per game (3.16) and 12th in power-play percentage (23.7). Most teams would be happy to be in that range, but the Oilers should be Top 5 in both if they can rebound this year. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are 100-point locks when healthy, and a large share of that will come on the power play. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a quality facilitator, but he is coming off a broken hand, while net-front presence Zach Hyman is working back from wrist surgery and will miss October, and possibly more time on top of that. Mangiapane, Howard and Vasily Podkolzin will compete for the remaining two regular spots in the top six. Edmonton looks set with Adam Henrique and Mattias Janmark or Lazar in bottom-six center roles. There's also 29-year-old David Tomasek, who had a standout 57 points in 47 regular-season games in the SHL last year, though it remains to be seen if he'll be able to translate that offense in North America. Trent Frederic's long-term deal makes him a sure-fire part of the lineup, likely on the third line, leaving Kasperi Kapanen, Max Jones, Matthew Savoie, Noah Philp and Quinn Hutson to compete for the last couple of spots. As usual, expect the vast majority of the Oilers' offense to come from the top six and power play, while the depth players can chip in a little bit but not as often as those on other elite teams. 

The defense is arguably the best it has been in years, though it is still a group of players that all have at least one obvious flaw. Evan Bouchard, by virtue of his power-play role and booming shot, will be a top-tier fantasy defenseman even if he's prone to the occasional on-ice mistake. Jake Walman figures to be the top option for the second power-play unit, though shutdown defender Mattias Ekholm and the ultra-physical Darnell Nurse could also get some minutes there. Brett Kulak is a steady blueliner who can get the job done in deeper fantasy formats, and the last spot on the blue line will likely go to Ty Emberson or Troy Stecher. Riley Stillman, Josh Brown and Alex Regula could be options as well but are likely to begin the year at AHL Bakersfield. The defensive depth is a positive, but the Oilers are still running it back with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Either goalie should have a good chance of racking up wins, but this may become a situation where head coach Kris Knoblauch rides the hot hand. Both goalies are pending free agents, which could make it easier for the Oilers to make a trade if they're unsatisfied with the performance in the crease at any point in the year. 

No team makes back-to-back Cup Finals on pure luck -- there's a lot of skill on the Oilers' roster. They can ill afford to back-slide now, especially if McDavid's status beyond this season lingers throughout the year. Edmonton can go goal-for-goal with just about any team in the league, and fantasy managers shouldn't hesitate to roster any winger that gets into the top six, especially when already rostering one of the team's superstars. 

Vegas Golden Knights

The other titan of the Pacific got stronger with the biggest move of the offseason. However, a longtime leader's career has potentially come to an early end, and there aren't any young players on the verge of snagging a larger role. Experience is valuable, but with age comes injury risk for many of the Golden Knights' top players, so the team will need to strike the right balance to keep its competitive window open. 

Before free agency even started, Vegas was busy on the trade market. They sent away Nicolas Hague to Nashville for forward Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (undisclosed). This move addressed a couple of needs for bottom-six forward depth as well as a third-pairing blueliner. The next move saw Nicolas Roy dealt to Toronto in exchange for Mitch Marner, who was part of a sign-and-trade to secure an eighth year on his new deal. Accommodating Marner's contract meant letting Tanner Pearson (Jets), Victor Olofsson (Avalanche) and Ilya Samsonov (unsigned) walk in free agency. Dylan Coghlan and Jaycob Megna were signed to replenish the defensive depth, which will be important since Alex Pietrangelo (hip) is unlikely to be able to resume his playing career. Vegas also re-signed Reilly Smith prior to free agency, perhaps signaling a less ruthless approach to player management compared to previous years. 

Fantasy managers should be absolutely drooling at the thought of Jack Eichel receiving picturesque passes from Marner for 2025-26. Couple that with Eichel entering a contract year, and the top line could be explosive, which is likely to benefit some combination of Ivan Barbashev, Reilly Smith and Pavel Dorofeyev (lower body). Whoever misses out on the top line will still get to work with Tomas Hertl and Mark Stone on the second or William Karlsson and Brett Howden on the third. There's a ton of flexibility across those three lines, which will be important when injuries occur -- it's safe to assume some key forwards will miss time, given their histories. Sissons is a straight-up replacement for Roy on the fourth line with the ability to move up as necessary, while wrecking-ball winger Keegan Kolesar and Brandon Saad should flank him. Unsigned restricted free agent Alexander Holtz is also in the mix if he gets his contract situation taken care of, and he has participated in camp despite not having a deal in hand, while Jonas Rondbjerg and Cole Schwindt could also see some minutes at times. Vegas was elite with a 28.3 power-play percentage (second in the league) and 3.34 goals per game (fifth in the league) in 2024-25, and the addition of Marner alone should be enough to keep them in that neighborhood. 

The loss of Pietrangelo will dramatically alter the defense, but considering he missed at least nine games in each of the last three seasons, the Golden Knights have had experience playing without him. Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin are both capable of 40-50 points while sharing power-play duties, making them excellent fantasy choices. Zach Whitecloud is likely to get the first crack at absorbing Pietrangelo's top-four minutes, while Kaedan Korczak is poised to be a full-time player. Brayden McNabb brings shot-blocking excellence in the top four, while Lauzon will offer thunderous hits in a third-pairing role when healthy. Ben Hutton has been the Golden Knights' longtime seventh defenseman, though he may share that role with Coghlan, who is with Vegas for the second time in his career. It's still a strong defensive group, but with a little more youth, the team will need Adin Hill to be a consistent No. 1 goalie. Hill's 2.47 GAA was a career-best mark, and he also saw a career-high 50 games. Akira Schmid is set to take over as the backup after impressing in limited action late in the regular season. Vegas would benefit from signing an experienced goalie to push Schmid for the backup role, but cap space is tight and the market is thin. 

Missing the playoffs simply isn't acceptable for Vegas. There have been a lot of changes for this roster, but the holes that were created didn't stay empty for long. Marner brings them another elite player in his prime years, but staying healthy will be of the utmost importance for a team that is looking to get back to a championship level. 

Los Angeles Kings

Stuck in the first round for four years has left the Kings desperate to find a way forward. New general manager Ken Holland had some work to do this offseason, and he made a bold choice to augment an aging core with five free-agent signings over 30 years old. With few promising prospects on the way, the Kings are likely hanging by a thread in the upper half of a division facing a youth movement. 

Jordan Spence was dealt to the Senators at the draft, and the Kings also lost Tanner Jeannot (Bruins), Trevor Lewis (unsigned), Vladislav Gavrikov (Rangers), Caleb Jones (Penguins) and David Rittich (Islanders). It's a positive that none of these players stayed in the division. Andrei Kuzmenko was re-signed after an impressive late-season audition on the top line. The quintet of 30-plus signings include wingers Joel Armia and Corey Perry (knee), defensemen Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci and goaltender Anton Forsberg. All are useful role players, but Perry and Ceci's playing styles tend to be polarizing at best. It'll be important for the team to maintain its steady regular-season performance before turning things up in the playoffs. 

This will be the last year of the Anze Kopitar era, and the 38-year-old center is a fantasy fade this year after a third straight year of a decline in shot volume. His 67-point season was supported by a 21.4 shooting percentage. Kopitar's decline was shielded by the high-quality play of linemate Adrian Kempe, and both players improved alongside Kuzmenko at the tail end of the season. The middle six is still a strength, with Phillip Danault and Quinton Byfield offering enviable center depth, while a wing group that includes Kevin Fiala, Alex Laferriere, Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore offers a balance of scoring and two-way strength that fits the team's strong defensive system. The fourth line will feature Armia, and Perry should play there once healthy, but the center spot is up for grabs between Alex Turcotte, Samuel Helenius and Akil Thomas. Helenius is the youngest and arguably the most physical of the three, so there could be some mixing and matching based on opponents, especially if the Kings opt to carry 14 forwards early in the season. 

The blue line took a hit with the departures of Gavrikov and Spence, and their replacements are not as strong. Drew Doughty remains a quality player even at 35 years old, and he's paired well with Mikey Anderson in recent years to shut things down. Brandt Clarke is poised for consistent top-four minutes and time on the second power-play unit, giving him plenty of fantasy appeal as a breakout candidate after his 33-point regular season last year. However, Dumoulin, Ceci and Joel Edmundson create a virtual black hole for fantasy value and could be at risk of causing significant frustration on the ice. All can help in blocked shots, but the offense is too limited. Jacob Moverare has a little upside if he can draw into the lineup regularly, but the Kings may not go with seven blueliners as often as they did last year. Kyle Burroughs is an aggressive physical option who is best suited to playing sporadically. It's still a good enough defensive corps to keep Darcy Kuemper from facing too many shots -- the Kings allowed just 25.5 shots per game last year, second-best in the NHL. Forsberg comes over from the Senators as the backup, while Pheonix Copley is a viable third-string netminder who can fill in if injuries arise. The Kings also have an ace up their sleeve in top prospect goalie Carter George, but he is just 19 years old and would only come up in an emergency. 

Depth is a strength with the Kings -- any of their top-nine forwards are fantasy candidates in many formats. Their system is kind to goalies, and there's talent throughout the lineup, though no one's going to be anywhere near top-10 status. They have the benefit of knowing how to make the playoffs consistently, but pressure from younger teams will be a threat. 

Vancouver Canucks

No one came out of the Canucks' soap opera season looking good. A chaotic locker room, key injuries and a lack of depth ultimately saw the team fall flat in 2024-25. Vancouver is nearly as tough as Toronto when it comes to media noise, so it'll be on the players and new head coach Adam Foote to tune it out and get back in the playoff picture. 

The Canucks didn't lose much in free agency, with Pius Suter going to the Blues and Noah Juulsen signing with the Flyers being the only major departures. Vancouver was able to re-sign Brock Boeser after letting him test the market, and an earlier trade for Evander Kane bolstered the team's wing depth. The Canucks took care of their restricted free agents and also did well to secure extensions with winger Conor Garland and goalie Thatcher Demko. After a flurry of depth moves highlighted by defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph at the start of free agency, the Canucks added Vitali Kravtsov on a two-way deal and Chase Stillman in a trade that sent Arturs Silovs to Pittsburgh. Overall, the roster looks very similar to the one that ended last season, though both the center and defense have lost some depth. 

Last year's trade of J.T. Miller to the Rangers signified that Elias Pettersson is the keystone forward of the Canucks. He'll be joined on the first line by Boeser and one of Kane or Jake DeBrusk, with the other playing on the second line, likely alongside Filip Chytil and Garland. Things get a little scary in the middle of the lineup, as Teddy Blueger looks set to be the third-line center while Aatu Raty, Max Sasson and Nils Aman will compete for the fourth-line spot. Those centers could also move to the wings, but Drew O'Connor, Nils Hoglander (ankle) and Kiefer Sherwood are virtual locks for the lineup. Hoglander is week-to-week after suffering an injury in preseason play. Kravtsov and Jonathan Lekkerimaki will have to push their way into more prominent roles, while Linus Karlsson and Mackenzie MacEachern fill out the depth. There's a lot of 50-point-ceiling players on this roster, and it's tough to see them collectively lifting each other up, which will make it tough for the Canucks to improve on their mediocre 2.84 goals per game from last season. 

The story is much the same on defense, with one standout player in Quinn Hughes, who will be a top-20 fantasy option overall. Around him are a bunch of useful but unremarkable blueliners. Filip Hronek is set to start the year on the first pairing, while Tyler Myers and Marcus Pettersson are set to be the second pairing. Elias Pettersson (the younger one) asserted himself well late last season and should start on the third pairing, while Derek Forbort (orbital fracture) and Victor Mancini are the leading candidates for the last spot on the blue line. There's a fantasy case to be made for at least five Vancouver blueliners, but players like Myers, both Petterssons and Hronek are better suited to deep formats. In goal, Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen have a lot of potential. Lankinen was excellent early last year while Demko worked his way back from injury. Demko struggled, but prior to his knee issue, he was trending toward being a perennial top-10 goalie. 

Overall, the Canucks benefit from being in a division with only two true playoff locks. If everything goes right, they're playing hockey in April and May at a minimum. However, that's asking a lot, and this won't be a fantasy-friendly team, as there's not a clear breakout candidate to target and very little upside throughout the roster. Only a few things have to go wrong for the Pacific's rising teams to zip ahead and leave the Canucks in the dust. 

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks have assembled an excellent framework, but consistency and further development are still needed. The good news is that they're also swimming in cap space, so a strong first half of the season can be rewarded with trades to reinforce the roster. There's still business to take care of, but if the end of last season's momentum carries into 2025-26, the Ducks could be the surprise team of the Pacific this year. 

Three big trades reshaped the Ducks' roster this offseason, with Trevor Zegras flipped to Philadelphia for fourth-line center Ryan Poehling, goaltender John Gibson dealt to Detroit for fellow netminder Petr Mrazek and winger Chris Kreider acquired from the Rangers. Zegras was viewed as part of the future, but his development stagnated, so the Ducks moved on. Also leaving the team was Isac Lundestrom, who signed with the Blue Jackets after not getting a qualifying offer. Brock McGinn (knee surgery) remains unsigned, while Robby Fabbri (Penguins), Oliver Kylington (Hurricanes) and Brett Leason (Wild) are on professional tryouts with new teams. It's no surprise the Ducks' free agents didn't attract much attention for various reasons, and it also explains why the team didn't go on a shopping spree to replace them. Mikael Granlund was the one big splash in the offseason on a three-year deal, similar to the signings of Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome in recent years to provide extra depth. Lukas Dostal got a five-year extension, while Sam Colangelo and Tim Washe were also signed to fill depth roles at forward. It took a contract dispute well into camp, but the Ducks also came to terms on a long-term deal with Mason McTavish, who should be a middle-six constant once he gets up to speed again. 

Troy Terry is still the consistent leader on offense for the Ducks, but he no longer has to do things alone. Leo Carlsson stepped up with a 20-goal sophomore campaign, while Cutter Gauthier reached that mark as a rookie. Add in McTavish, and that's a promising young quartet of forwards, which is augmented by veterans Kreider, Vatrano, Strome, Granlund and Alex Killorn to round out the top nine. The Ducks did a lot of mixing and matching last year, and it's unclear if head coach Joel Quenneville will settle on lines right away in his first year with the team. On the fourth line, Poehling, Colangelo, Washe, and Ross Johnston are in contention for minutes. Jansen Harkins (upper body) could also be in that mix eventually, but he will be out until late November. Colangelo looked good late last season, and Poehling has some deceptively strong offense for a defensive center, but none of those forwards are likely to move the needle in fantasy. 

The blue line is young, but youth was not a bad thing last year. Jackson LaCombe was a breakout star with 14 goals and 43 points, which ultimately made Cam Fowler dispensable in a midseason trade to the Blues. Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger are also on the young side as left-shot blueliners. Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba will provide balance and high-end physicality in top-four roles, while Drew Helleson was quietly successful on the third pairing last year with 13 points and a plus-6 rating over 56 games. Ian Moore and Tristan Luneau should also push for roster spots in training camp, so none of the young blueliners should feel like their place in the lineup is guaranteed just yet. Look to LaCombe and Zellweger for the power-play minutes. In goal, Dostal proved he could be a starter last year with a 23-23-7 record, 3.10 GAA and .903 save percentage. He'll get plenty of starts with Mrazek as the backup, and Ville Husso is also in the organization as an experienced No. 3 option should either Dostal or Mrazek miss time. 

The Ducks have a good blend of older and younger players, and the trade of Zegras indicates that the team's rebuild has reached the part where potential is traded in for proven talent. This may not be the year they get back to the playoffs, but it doesn't feel like the Ducks are all that far away.

Calgary Flames

Against all odds, the Flames were in the playoff hunt right to the final week of the season last year. Luck was on their side, even when most players didn't have a particularly impressive season. They have a top-tier goalie in place, which means the rebuild is never going to fully bottom out, but it will still take some time for the rest of the roster to catch up. Expect regression, but this team might be able to defend its way onto the bubble for a second year in a row. 

Since last year's moderate success was unexpected, the Flames made few moves this offseason outside of housekeeping. Forwards Kevin Rooney and Anthony Mantha walked in free agency, as did Dan Vladar. Joel Hanley tested free agency but came back on a two-year deal, and Ivan Prosvetov will attempt to make an NHL roster again after a year away from the league in Russia. Extensions were given to Matthew Coronato, Dryden Hunt, Adam Klapka, Justin Kirkland and Kevin Bahl prior to free agency opening, while Morgan Frost, Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil all got new deals later in the summer. The Flames have 14 skaters under contract for 2026-27, but there are enough players with one or two years left on their current deals to create some movement at the trade deadline if the team isn't in contention. 

Calgary's forward group doesn't pop off the roster sheet for one big reason -- they averaged just 2.68 goals per game last season, which isn't good considering how many veterans are on the team. Nazem Kadri was still effective despite the team's poor play, and he'll slot in as the top-line center. Jonathan Huberdeau and Zary worked well in the top six, but the veteran two-way duo of Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman took a step back in 2024-25. Coronato should also be in the top six and has top-line potential if he can elevate his game from last year's 23-goal, 47-point performance. Frost and Joel Farabee occupied a third-line role after coming over from the Flyers last year, but they could push any number of players for minutes if they can get fully settled with the Flames. Yegor Sharangovich is a solid middle-six forward, and the fourth line should consist of some combination of Ryan Lomberg, Pospisil, Klapka, Kirkland and Hunt. Keep an eye on prospects Aydar Suniev and Samuel Honzek, who could be at the top of the list for call-ups during the year if they start off well at AHL Calgary. 

Changes are looming on defense, as the expected arrival of Zayne Parekh has made Rasmus Andersson redundant. It's widely believed Andersson will be traded at some point this season, but he may get a chance to rebuild his value after a disappointing 2024-25. At least to start the year, MacKenzie Weegar is the top blueliner, and he offers power-play potential as well as plenty of non-scoring stats as one of the best well-rounded defensemen for fantasy. Bahl returns to the top four as a shutdown option who could ultimately be Parekh's partner once Andersson is moved. On the third pairing, Hanley and Jake Bean are on the left side, while Brayden Pachal and Daniil Miromanov are on the right. The Flames have a decent stable of defense prospects, with Parekh headlining that group, while Hunter Brzustewicz and Etienne Morin are among the better options in the system. Calgary likely won't need to dip too far into their depth, allowing the team's many prospects to develop in the AHL. Amid the potential blue-line turnover, Dustin Wolf is emerging as a rock in between the pipes. He was a Calder Trophy finalist last year and fell one win short of 30 for the season. There's no question about his No. 1 status, but it'll either be Prosvetov or Devin Cooley who gets the backup job, and neither one should give fantasy managers much optimism. Wolf may approach 60 games this year, and with that in mind, his ratios may take a hit due to the heavier workload. 

Realistically, the Flames aren't going to pull off a quick turnaround despite last year's flash of hope. General manager Craig Conroy has taken a careful and methodical approach, and while he won't have top-tier prospects to work with this season, he's amassed a high quantity of capable players and should still have a few more years to stock the cupboard. Fantasy managers will have to wait and see if the team's offense improves -- otherwise, there will be just a handful of players with widespread appeal in 2025-26. 

Seattle Kraken

The Kraken did a decent job of selling off at the trade deadline last year, and with minimal moves in free agency, that should open the door for a few prospects to take roster spots. Seattle has taken a slow-burn approach to developing talent and building into a competitor -- barring a full step forward, it'll be another year of mediocrity for this team, which is now at risk of getting stuck in the league's dreaded no-man's-land. 

Trades played a big part in changing the shape of the team, as Mason Marchment was acquired from Dallas for picks. Andre Burakovsky was dealt to Chicago for Joe Veleno, but the subsequent acquisition of Frederick Gaudreau from Minnesota led to Veleno getting bought out and signing in Montreal. In free agency, Michael Eyssimont went to Boston, which was the only major loss from the roster. The Kraken were able to re-sign John Hayden, Josh Mahura and Cale Fleury before free agency, then added Ryan Lindgren and Matt Murray to the fold. During the summer, the Kraken took care of business by re-signing restricted free agents Ryker Evans, Kaapo Kakko (hand) and Tye Kartye. With so many players coming back, the prospects will have to earn a job -- it won't be handed to them right away. 

Only five forwards exceeded 40 points for the Kraken last year, and just two topped 50. Jared McCann (lower body) and Chandler Stephenson (undisclosed) are the veteran leaders on offense and virtual guarantees for the top six, though both have battled injuries in camp. Jaden Schwartz, Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle should also feature in the top six. Kakko, who will miss the first few weeks of the season due to a broken hand, and Shane Wright represent younger options to see significant minutes as well, especially if they can help strengthen the team's offense by pushing for a 50-60 point pace. Marchment and Eeli Tolvanen could fill second-line roles, but their gritty play style is a good fit for the third line. Under Dave Hakstol and Dan Bylsma, ice time was distributed pretty evenly in Seattle, but it's possible new head coach Lane Lambert takes a different approach. Gaudreau looks like a lock for the fourth line, while Hayden and Mitchell Stephens are veteran options for that role. Kartye and Jani Nyman are younger options, as are prospects like Jagger Firkus, Ryan Winterton, Eduard Sale or Berkly Catton. Given the team's propensity to let younger players develop in junior hockey and the AHL, even a high-end prospect like Catton faces an uphill battle to make the Opening Night roster, though it's still possible, especially given the injury concerns piling up early. 

The defense is almost unchanged for 2025-26, with Lindgren coming in for a top-four role. Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour (ankle) are proven scoring threats from the blue line and guaranteed top-four roles, while Adam Larsson should serve in a shutdown capacity alongside Dunn. Montour underwent a minor procedure before the season but is expected to be ready early on. Evans is the wild card here, as he could push for top-four minutes and power-play time, which could bump Lindgren down the lineup. Jamie Oleksiak should also be in the lineup regularly, but he's a top trade candidate as the only pending free agent, though he has a 16-team no-trade clause. Mahura and Fleury will see limited action aside from when the Kraken are missing blueliners. The team has a few prospects on defense, but none are particularly close to being NHL ready. In goal, it's an expensive duo of Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer, with Murray being the organizational No. 3. Daccord has ascended to the top spot in the crease, and after Grubauer spent a stint in the AHL after clearing waivers last year, he'll be looking for a bounce-back season. Murray could also stay in the NHL, as his track record could make him a target for goalie-hungry teams on waivers. Given the team in front of them, wins will be hard to come by, but Daccord has proven capable of providing steady ratios as a solid No. 2 in fantasy. 

This is the fifth season for the Kraken, and their approach has required patience. More will be necessary this year as the team still lacks a bonafide superstar at any position. Getting stuck in neutral means another finish near the bottom of the Pacific is likely, but the team is holding ample draft capital to swing a big trade if the right player becomes available. 

San Jose Sharks

The future is incredibly bright, with multiple top-tier draft picks in the fold. However, the Sharks are only full of potential right now, and they have too many holes on defense and an unproven but talented goaltender, which means this is unlikely to be their year. Don't let the results get in the way of a good time, as the talented players should start figuring out how to work together. 

The Sharks shed a number of players that didn't fit into their future, buying out Marc-Edouard Vlasic and letting Noah Gregor, Alexandar Georgiev, Jan Rutta, Nikolai Kovalenko, Klim Kostin and Georgi Romanov all walk prior to free agency. What followed was a bit of shopping trip, as Philipp Kurashev, John Klingberg, Dmitry Orlov, Adam Gaudette and Jeff Skinner were all signed. Trades also brought in Alex Nedeljkovic and Ryan Reaves, while Nick Leddy was claimed off waivers from the Blues. Henry Thrun went to Toronto in the Reaves trade. There's no doubt the team's defense is in a better place than it was at the end of last season, but the goaltending remains unproven and many of the forward signings could block the team's prospects for at least part of the year. Adding some veteran to the mix isn't a bad idea, especially since premium ice time is still up for grabs. 

Macklin Celebrini is the present and the future for this team, and while he wasn't 2024-25's Rookie of the Year, losing out to Montreal's Lane Hutson, he was still quite good with 63 points in 70 games. It took Celebrini hardly any time to solidify his place on the top line and first power-play unit, but a mystery injury has limited him during training camp. Will Smith got some chances with Celebrini later in the year, and both players thrived, setting a strong foundation for the future. Also in top-six contention are Tyler Toffoli, Alexander Wennberg and William Eklund (wrist). The Sharks may take a look at Michael Misa in a top-six spot as well, but it's also possible he'll head back to juniors after a nine-game audition. That could open the door for Skinner, Kurashev or Gaudette to get more ice time. Lower in the lineup, the Sharks aren't lacking in physical players, with Reaves joining a team that also features heavy hitters like Carl Grundstrom, Ty Dellandrea and Barclay Goodrow. If the Sharks want to go with more skill, Collin Graf, Cameron Lund or Egor Afanasyev could make the Opening Night roster. Cap space won't be a problem, so any decision will come down to if the team wants players to play regularly in the minors or watch and learn at times at the NHL level. 

A remodeled blue line should help the Sharks, who leaked 31.8 shots per game (second-most in the league) and 3.78 goals per game (most in the league) in 2024-25. Orlov will be a shutdown defenseman who can lighten the workload of Mario Ferraro. Power-play minutes are still up for grabs, but they'll likely go to some combination of Klingberg, who has battled an upper-body injury during camp, Timothy Liljegren and Shakir Mukhamadullin. Jack Thompson could also be in that mix if he makes the roster. Leddy and Vincent Desharnais won't do much for fantasy managers while seeing third-pairing minutes. Luca Cagnoni is an option for a call-up from AHL San Jose, while 19-year-old Sam Dickinson was fantastic with OHL London last year and could shake up the Sharks' plans as one of the best blue-line prospects in the league, though his NHL arrival doesn't appear to be imminent. The goaltending should also be better, but Nedeljkovic isn't a particularly intriguing option behind a defense that still has holes. How much time he gets will depend on how well Yaroslav Askarov does. It would be fair to expect a timeshare unless Askarov runs away with the job this year. 

The Sharks are not aiming for this to be the year they make their move. With 10 pending unrestricted free agents, openings will become available next year, allowing one more season of smart and patient development before turning things over to the kids. With the talent already in place, the Sharks' offense should be exciting to make their rising stars and some players adjacent to them valuable in fantasy. 

There's one more division to take a look at, and that's the Metropolitan, which gets its moment in the spotlight Thursday.