NHL rookie camps are winding down, quickly giving solution to full coaching camps and preseason motion. With the common season nearing, let’s look at key place battles for each staff within the Western Convention.
You may also learn our breakdown of Eastern Conference camp battles and evaluate high-profile battles.
Anaheim Ducks: Energy-play configuration
The Geese haven’t got conventional roster battles, however one space of curiosity is the facility play. Anaheim’s league-worst 11.8 p.c conversion charge on the person benefit performed an enormous position in limiting their upside final season. Trevor Zegras, fourth amongst Geese forwards in time-on-ice per game on the facility play, is gone. Enter energy ahead and deflection artist Chris Kreider, recent off his worst goal-scoring season (22) since dropping a part of 2017-18 to a blood-clotting concern. The massive query: Will it’s Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger or Pavel Mintyukov operating the purpose on the primary unit?
Calgary Flames: Rasmus Andersson’s successor on protection is …
We might not know the reply to this out of coaching camp, however the protection place can be one to observe in camp, pre-season and early into the season. An Andersson trade has been a source of headlines in Alberta for months, and the Flames have potential right-handed choices who might vie for the position of inheritor obvious in prospects Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz. Parekh, the No. 9 total choose in 2024, is the seemingly favourite to interrupt camp with the Flames.
Chicago Blackhawks: Battle royale on protection
Chicago’s protection corps is so younger and overloaded with top-end prospects that this may be the one true battle royale place battle within the league. There are in all probability three lineup spots and a bench spot for six rivals. Prime prospects Artyom Levshunov (2024 No. 2 total choose) and Kevin Korchinski (2022 No. 7 total choose) may have a serious alternative. Promising prospects Sam Rinzel (2022 No. 25 total choose), Nolan Allan (2021 No. 32 total choose) and 2021 fourth-rounder Ethan Del Mastro must also get a glance. Then there’s veteran journeyman Matt Grzelcyk, nonetheless combating for his NHL future at age 31.
Colorado Avalanche: No. 3 heart spot
Colorado is not precisely rife with place battles, however forwards Jack Drury and Ross Colton are seemingly in line for turns on the No. 3 heart place for the Avalanche, doubtlessly even buying and selling forwards and backwards on the identical line.
Dallas Stars: Prime 9 puzzle items
Dallas is bringing again basically its whole roster from final season, which does not actually make for significant camp battles. But, with new coach Glen Gulutzan again for his second stint in Dallas, he has an opportunity to make adjustments to the traces that Pete DeBoer ran. It appears Dallas is aware of the 9 forwards who will make up its first three traces, however the place all of them match can be sorted in camp.
Edmonton Oilers: Mainly, all the winger group
With Zach Hyman on the shelf due to damage, the Oilers have a hodgepodge winger group that features journeymen (Kasperi Kapanen and Curtis Lazar), reclamation initiatives (Vasily Podkolzin), an assortment of veterans at various levels of their careers (Andrew Mangiapane, Adam Henrique and Trent Frederic), a 29-year-old Czech who has by no means performed within the NHL (David Tomasek) and two younger, touted offense-first winger prospects (Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard). Solely three of those wingers listed performed for Edmonton final season.
Los Angeles Kings: Brandt Clarke on the facility play
Clarke ceded more than a minute of energy play time-on-ice per sport when Drew Doughty returned from an damage that value him the primary 47 video games of the season. Clarke, the No. 8 total choose in 2021, had only two points on the facility play after Doughty returned from damage. He should present extra to reclaim high power-play minutes.
Minnesota Wild: The defensive puzzle items
Minnesota has room for a younger defenseman to doubtlessly declare a job and a possibility for 2 of them to take that battle into the common season whereas Jonas Brodin recovers from an undisclosed surgery to his higher physique. Zeev Buium, the No. 12 total choose in 2024, enters with vital fanfare after a stellar run within the NCAA with the Denver Pioneers. He is prone to spar with David Jiricek (No. 6 total in 2022) and Carson Lambos (No. 26 total in 2021). Brodin’s return would seemingly imply solely one in all these younger defenseman will stick this season within the NHL.
Nashville Predators: Down the center
The Predators have small battles occurring all over the place after final yr’s catastrophe of a season. They in all probability overplayed Steven Stamkos at heart, and finally, that is the query this season. Stamkos is at his finest when centered on scoring whereas different gamers take a few of his defensive and forechecking tasks. Will 22-year-old Fyodor Svechkov, calmly penciled in because the No. 2 heart, win the job in camp and permit the Predators to maintain Stamkos on the wing?
San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa’s long-shot bid
It is arduous to say that the newest No. 2 total choose is a protracted shot, however there is a chance that no participant drafted in July is able to making their staff out of camp. Misa has a legit alternative after placing up an eye-popping 134 factors (62 targets, 72 assists) in 65 video games in his draft yr for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. San Jose does not essentially have a longtime second-line heart, as there is a chance rising star Will Smith might transfer to play on the wing.
Seattle Kraken: Shane Wright’s position increasing?
Although Seattle is missing in top-end expertise, it bought a very stellar rookie season from heart Wright. The 21-year-old did not get caved at five-on-five and scored 44 factors in 79 video games. Chandler Stephenson, an enormous free-agent signing for Seattle final summer season, has been overmatched within the second-line position. A powerful camp might lead to Wright pushing Stephenson for minutes at five-on-five.
St. Louis Blues: Logan Mailloux’s inside observe
The Blues leveraged the depth of their ahead property to accumulate defenseman Mailloux this summer season. The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder was a 2021 first-round choose for Montreal however was blocked from enjoying time. The sphere appears clear for Mailloux if he can maintain off an assortment of unlikely challengers, together with Blues 2024 first-round choose Adam Jiricek.
Utah Mammoth: The subsequent wave of youth
The Mammoth, once they performed in Arizona, spent years accumulating draft picks and younger property. Now closing in on precise competition, Utah used free company to complement a core of younger gamers it’s already enthusiastic about in facilities Logan Cooley and Barrett Hayton and wingers JJ Peterka and Dylan Guenther. The query can be whether or not extremely touted prospects Tij Iginla and Daniil However (each forwards) can take a job from a veteran depth forwards Alex Kerfoot or Liam O’Brien.
Vancouver Canucks: Thatcher Demko vs. Kevin Lankinen
The Canucks have a number of intriguing battles however maybe none greater than Demko and Lankinen. They’re each big-money goaltenders after signing contract extensions. Demko’s prolonged damage historical past will nearly assure Lankinen alternatives to steal the web.
Vegas Golden Knights: Backup goalie
The Knights let Ilya Samsonov stroll, giving Akira Schmid the within observe at claiming the job behind Adin Hill. Schmid solely appeared in 5 video games in reduction, posting a .944 save share. The previous Devils playoff hero should not have a difficulty holding off any of Vegas’ younger prospects.
Winnipeg Jets: Can Brayden Yager steal a job?
Winnipeg’s lineup is hard to crack, particularly if the Jonathan Toews comeback story goes the way in which Jets brass is hoping. The Jets lean towards the older aspect down the center exterior of fourth-liner Morgan Barron. Yager, a 2023 first-round choose, is coming off a rock-solid 82-point season in simply 54 video games break up between WHL Moose Jaw and Lethbridge. It is not inconceivable that he might impress in camp whereas a veteran falters.
