Bartnick's 1st Quarter Western Conference Grades
Teams in the NHL’s Western Conference are more spread out in
the standings than in the Eastern Conference. The West has the
2 best teams in the NHL, Colorado and Dallas. The West also has
the two worst teams in the NHL, Calgary and Nashville. Like the
East grades are based on eyetests and expectations.
CENTRAL:
Colorado A+, Colorado has only 2 regulation losses and its mid-
December. The Avs have the best center Nathan MacKinnon and
defenseman Cala Makar in the NHL. Goaltenders Mackenzie
Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood have been superb.
Dallas A, Dallas has an embarrassment of riches upfront.
Different forwards are taking turns carrying the scoring. Mikko
Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson are lethal.
Roope Hintz hasn’t even been playing up to his best.
Minnesota A, Minnesota has the NHL’s best goalie tandem in Filip
Gustavsson and Jesper Walllsted. No superstar winger means
more to his team than Kirill Kaprisov. Matt Boldy is really good
too.
St Louis D, St. Louis was supposed to have a solid duo in net
Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer. They have been spotty. So
have elite forwards Rob Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. The team is
waiting for GM Doug Armstrong to make some moves.
Utah B, The Mammoth are a high flying team who can outscore
anyone. They need to work on not having too. Especially with
sensational Logan Cooley on the IR. Karel Vejmelka
inconsistency in net is a product of Utah’s lack of defensive
commitment.
Nashville D, Nashville had its second straight horrible start to a
season. Now everyone is wondering where former champion
forwards Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly will be in April.
Goaltender Juuse Saros and Head Coach Andrew Brunette may
be gone as well.
Winnipeg B, The Winnipeg Jets are playing their steady brand of
regular season hockey.They withstood injuries to Captain Adam
Lowry and now goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
Chicago B+, Chicago’s never ending rebuild is finally paying off.
Connor Bedard is quieting critics and making a case for the
Canadian Olympic team. Frank Nazar is a capable Batman to
Bedards’s Superman. Spencer Knight is claiming his spot as
Chicago’s franchise netminder.
PACIFIC:
Anaheim A, Anaheim is on top of the Pacific Division. Legendary
coach Joel Quenneville has got the most out of his kids up front
Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier Beckett Sennecke and old men
Chris Kreider and Mikail Granlund. Same on the backend with
seasoned Radko Gudas, JacobTrouba and youngsters Jackson
LaCombe, Olen Zellewegger. The Ducks now have to overcome
goaltender Lucas Dostal’s injury.
Los Angeles B-, Los Angeles is trying to send their retiring
Captain Anze Kopitar out in style. They need to play better at
home. They may also need to find his replacement. Quinton
Byfield has regressed after a hot start and Phillip Danault is on
the trade block.
San Jose A, San Jose is challenging for a playoff spot. No one
saw that coming. Macklin Celebrini is the NHL’s best young
player. Young guns WIll Smith and William Eklund are helping
Celebrini with the offense. Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov is
starting to get some traction in the NHL.
Vegas B, Vegas is right where they want to be, in a playoff
position. This franchise will not stand pat at the deadline giving
the team whatever it needs for a long playoff run. Mitch Marner
has fit in seamlessly with this team. Alex Pietrangelo has been
missed on the blueline.
Seattle C-, Seattle was not expected to be a good team but do
they have to be this boring. This franchise is as depressing as the
weather in Seattle.
Vancouver C-, Vancouver’s Czar Jim Rutherford stated before
Halloween the Canucks were open for business. Unfortunately for
Rutherford the only player anyone wants is Quinn Hughes.
Calgary C, Calgary is not a good hockey team but they play hard.
Dustin Wolf is an above average goaltender. GM Craig Conroy is
against trading veterans so the Flames will probably screw
themselves out of a good spot in the lottery.
Edmonton B, Edmonton is once again got off to a slow start.
Stuart Skinner is still a sieve half the time. Evan Buchard is still a
liability in his own end. Edmonton still has Connor McDavid and
Leon Draisaitl. So no one is betting they won't make the Stanley
Cup Final.
