The season is under way for the Kings, and it’s time to see where Los Angeles ranks in the Pacific Standings.
Here’s a breakdown of every Pacific rival and how the Kings trajectory compares to these teams.
Bottom Feeders
San Jose is a young rebuilding team that finished with only 20 wins last season. For a team that barely collected 20 points last season, they are nowhere close to contending for the playoffs. While Macklin Celebrini and William Eklund have very bright futures, the Sharks still need plenty of more pieces if they want to crack 70 points, let alone compete in the Pacific.
Seattle peaked in their second season of existence. After a playoff series win over the Avalanche in 2023, the Kraken seemed to be on the rise in the NHL. However, since that series win, the Kraken have been a squad without an identity. Lane Lambert will be the third coach in three years for a team that has lived in the bottom half of the division standings. Maybe Joey Daccord will improve the goaltending, as well as Shane Wright and Matty Beniers taking the next step. In the meantime, the Kraken are just a subpar team with very little expectations.
Calgary is the most promising of these bottom teams. While the Flames re-signed most of their players, they didn’t improve their roster. Last season, the offense struggled immensely and was one of the worst in the league. Nazeem Kadri has not worked out as the number one option and has not been the playmaker needed at the center position. With the other teams improving in the Pacific, the Flames are closer to the back end.
Unlike every team mentioned, the Kings are not a team struggling to find an identity. Los Angeles is a perennial playoff team that is nowhere close to a rebuilding phase. The Kings have much more talent than the Sharks, Kraken and Flames. It’s safe to say that the Kings will finish higher than these teams.
Bubble Teams
Anaheim was one of the most active players this off-season. The Ducks traded for Chris Kreider to provide speed at the left wing position. Mikael Granlund was also signed for depth and experience to give Anaheim a higher IQ unit. The biggest signing was bringing back Lukas Dostal to protect the net. Dostal recorded a .903 save percentage in his first season with more than 50 games played. The Ducks are aiming to make their first playoff push since 2018.
Vancouver was on top of the hockey world in 2024 but fell apart completely this past season. The main factor for the steep decline was major injuries to important players. Goaltender Thatcher Demko was injured and missed the majority of the 2025 season. Along with that, top line players like Quinn Hughes and Elias Peterson missed some time as well. With Vancouver returning their starting goaltender and key players from 2024, the Canucks should be a force. When the Canucks are a healthy team that can compete for the playoffs.
The Ducks and Canucks are squads that have the potential to be better than the Kings. Anaheim is coming into the season with the belief that the off-season additions will pay off. As Vancouver believes injury returners will rekindle the fire this team once had. Nonetheless, these teams both have bigger question marks than the Kings. These rosters actually succeeding are only based on speculations without the proof. On the contrary, Los Angeles has shown to be a top three Pacific roster and that will remain until proven otherwise.
The Contenders
Vegas stole the NHL off-season hype as they brought in 100-point scorer Mitch Marner from Toronto. Add that to the team that finished with 110 last season and the result is a dangerous Stanley Cup contender. The Knights still have firepower with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone to cement one of the best offenses. The defense is strong as well, with Shea Theodore leading the way. The Knights might not only be the best team in the Pacific but also the best in the NHL.
Edmonton is the two-time defending Western Conference Champions and have run through the Pacific. The Oilers are led by Conor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the most successful duo in the league. With these two stars on the roster, it is impossible to write off Edmonton as a threat to win it all. McDavid and Draisaitl are determined to claim their first Stanley Cup. As the only path for them is to once again show they’re team to be in the Pacific division.
Through the last five years, the Kings have shown they can make the playoffs, but they haven’t had the success of the Oilers or Knights. Through these last three years, Vegas and Edmonton have both made trips to the Stanley Cup. On the other hand, the Kings haven’t won a playoff series, let alone the entire conference. The Oilers and Knights have more prolific star power and both offenses are much more dynamic than the Kings. There’s no indication that the Kings have improved enough to jump either team.
Predicted Standings
- Edmonton Oilers – 109 Points
- Vegas Golden Knights – 108 Points
- Los Angeles Kings – 97 Points
- Vancouver Canucks – 95 Points
- Anaheim Ducks – 90 Points
- Calgary Flames – 82 Points
- Seattle Kraken – 74 Points
- San Jose Sharks – 58 Points
