Pacific Division Futures: Favorites, Contenders & Prediction
Updated September 24, 2026
The Pacific Division enters 2026-27 with Edmonton and Vegas again leading the way, but the gap behind them is getting smaller.
Updated September 24, 2026
The Pacific Division enters 2026-27 with Edmonton and Vegas again leading the way, but the gap behind them is getting smaller.
Vegas won the division and reached the Stanley Cup Final last season, while Edmonton still has Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The question is whether Los Angeles can remain competitive, as younger teams such as Anaheim and San Jose are beginning to make the Pacific considerably deeper.
Edmonton and Vegas sit at the front of the Pacific Division futures market. What's coming behind them is a bit more up in the air though, with Los Angeles reaching the playoffs last year, but can the veteran core reach all the way or will they be caught by young teams like San Jose and Anaheim. Both teams have moved up the board after taking significant steps forward last season, while Seattle, Calgary and Vancouver enter with much longer prices.
The division still runs through its established contenders, but there are more realistic challengers than there were a year ago.
Edmonton finished second in the Pacific last season before suffering a disappointing first-round playoff exit against Anaheim.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to give the Oilers an offensive ceiling few teams can match. Edmonton also made major changes around them, including hiring Mike Babcock as head coach and adding Frederik Andersen and Devon Levi to the goaltending group.
Goaltending and team defense remain the biggest questions. Andersen is expected to miss the beginning of the season, leaving Tristan Jarry and Levi to carry the early workload.
If Edmonton improves defensively, the Oilers have more than enough high-end talent to win the Pacific.
Vegas enters 2026-27 as the defending Pacific Division champion and Western Conference champion.
Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone and Tomas Hertl give the Golden Knights one of the deepest veteran forward groups in the West. Vegas has also consistently found ways to remain competitive despite frequent roster turnover.
There are changes this season, including Ryan Craig taking over as head coach and Pavel Dorofeyev leaving the organization.
Still, Vegas has reached the playoffs in eight of its first nine NHL seasons and remains one of the most reliable teams in the Pacific.
Los Angeles finished fourth in the Pacific last season and again failed to advance beyond the first round.
The Kings now enter a new era following Anze Kopitar's retirement. Quinton Byfield is expected to take on even more responsibility, while Erik Haula and Mats Zuccarello were added to provide veteran help.
Peter Laviolette also takes over behind the bench.
Los Angeles remains strong defensively, but replacing Kopitar and generating enough offense will determine whether the Kings can challenge Edmonton and Vegas over a full season.
Anaheim was one of the NHL's biggest breakthrough teams last season.
The Ducks finished 43-33-6, returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and eliminated Edmonton before losing to Vegas in the second round.
Cutter Gauthier scored 41 goals and leads an increasingly dangerous young core alongside Leo Carlsson. Lukas Dostal also gives Anaheim a long-term option in goal.
The biggest concern is a revamped defense after several offseason departures. Anaheim may not be ready to win the division yet, but the Ducks can no longer be treated as an afterthought.
San Jose continues to move rapidly in the right direction behind Macklin Celebrini.
Celebrini produced 115 points last season, while Will Smith also continued his development. The Sharks finished 39-35-8 and stayed in the playoff race much longer than in previous seasons.
San Jose also added more experience to its defense, including Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse.
The biggest question is whether the Sharks can defend well enough and receive improved goaltending. If they do, San Jose could become one of the division's most interesting challengers.
Seattle remained in the playoff race for much of last season before fading badly down the stretch.
The Kraken added Bobby McMann and Mackie Samoskevich to help an offense that finished near the bottom of the NHL, while Matty Beniers, Shane Wright and Berkly Catton remain important parts of the team's younger core.
Seattle still lacks the elite offensive talent of Edmonton or Vegas, but improved scoring could put the Kraken back into the playoff conversation.
Edmonton enters with McDavid and Draisaitl and may have the highest offensive ceiling in the division. Anaheim and San Jose are also getting closer.
Vegas remains the team I trust most over the course of an 84-game regular season.
The Golden Knights won the Pacific last season and reached the Stanley Cup Final, while Eichel, Marner, Stone and Hertl give them elite talent throughout the forward group.
There are questions surrounding the coaching change and some of the offseason turnover, but Vegas has repeatedly shown an ability to adjust without falling out of contention.
The Golden Knights are my pick to win the Pacific Division in 2026-27.
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