One Bold Prediction for Each Pacific Division Team

The NHL season is off and running, and the Pacific Division has everyone’s attention. The defending Western Conference champions, the Edmonton Oilers, are attempting to win the conference for a third consecutive year, but they face stiff challenges in their own division. Can a team overtake them? There’s a chance, as we dive into bold predictions for each team in the Pacific Division.

Anaheim Ducks - Lukas Dostal Finishes Top-10 in GAA and Save Percentage

Armed with a new contract, Lukas Dostal becomes an unquestioned number one and it is reflected in where he finishes amongst the NHL goaltenders this year. He will have a goals-against average (GAA) below 2.80 and a save percentage above .907 (his previous NHL best).

Calgary Flames - Dustin Wolf Will Be a Vezina Trophy Finalist

Back-to-back goalie bold predictions to kick off the Pacific, but this one feels a bit less bold than the one for Dostal. Wolf was excellent as a rookie in Calgary, and his success will be the biggest reason why this team takes another step forward. His rise continues and he finishes as a Vezina Trophy finalist in his second full NHL season.

Edmonton Oilers - Oilers Lose in 1st Round of Playoffs

It’s almost a certainty that the Oilers and Los Angeles Kings will meet in Round 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking their fifth straight meeting in the opening round. The Oilers are 4-0 in those series, but the Kings are going to end their run of back-to-back Western Conference championships.

Los Angeles Kings - Quinton Byfield Scores 35 Goals

Byfield’s already accumulated over 250 NHL games, but this is just his third full NHL campaign. He’s raised his scoring totals from 20 to 23 goals in 2023-2024 to 2024-2025, but this year it takes a monumental leap and he enters the 30-goal club.