With one of the best defenses in the NHL, the Ducks will be great at the blueline. Veteran defenseman like Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer, Sean O'Donnell, and Mathieu Schneider are physical and capable of putting the puck in the net as well.
Anaheim has arguably the best goaltending tandem in the NHL, with the incredibly consistent Jean-Sebastian Giguere and the very steady Jonas Hiller. Hiller is a very good backup, who could one day become a starter for another team.
The Phoenix Coyotes had a great offseason, as far as offense is concerned. The Coyotes acquired star Panthers' forward Olli Jokinen, in exchange for Nick Boynton, Keith Ballard, and a second-round pick.
Shane Doan, Peter Mueller, and Kyle Turris will be solid offensively with Olli Jokinen. The Coyotes also have strength, with Todd Fedoruk. It seems Phoenix's offense has taken a step in the right direction.
The defense, however, took a step back. The losses of Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton leave the Coyotes thin at the blueline. Ed Jovanovski, Derek Morris, and Zbynek Michalak will have to step up if Phoenix wants to be able to stop anybody.
The Coyotes' goaltending will be decent with Ilya Bryzgalov and Mikael Tellqvist. Bryzgalov will most likely start, with Tellqvist as a solid backup.
The Kings will be good in the future, but it's still going to be few years before the Kings contend for a playoff spot.
The Kings look solid offensively on paper, with forwards such as Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov and Derek Armstrong. Building good chemistry has been a problem for the Kings' young team. If they can develop four solid lines, the Kings will improve from last season.
The Kings will be solid defensively in the future, with Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson. The present defense, on the other hand, will be decent at best. Tom Priessing and Denis Gauthier Jr. will be steady at defense, for the Kings.
In between the pipes, the Kings are extremely young. The oldest goaltender with Los Angeles is Jason LaBarbera (28). The starting net-minder position seems to be a mystery. The Kings are hoping they can get to the bottom of this mystery before the season starts.
The Pacific division will be extremely competitive this season. In my opinion, the Stars, Sharks, and Ducks will make the playoffs. The Kings and Coyotes will be improved this season and could definitely be spoilers to watch for near the end of the season.
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