The Western Conference Is Madness Right Now

The Ducks came into 2025-26 with little to no expectations, especially in a division that houses the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers. Their great play so far this season can be attributed to a number of factors, including the play of Leo Carlsson, Lukas Dostal, and, recently, rookie Bennett Sennecke. 

Leo Carlsson has quietly been one of the best young players in the league this season, especially considering how well he’s keeping pace with superstars Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini. Carlsson leads Anaheim in points (34) and is tied with Cutter Gauthier for the team lead in goals (16). His production has taken a step forward in his third NHL season, and the Ducks are benefitting from it in the way they hoped they would when they selected him second overall in 2023.

Although he hasn’t been on the ice since late November due to an injury, Dostal was one of the best goaltenders in the league early on in 2025-26. The five-year veteran found himself with a pathway to the number one spot with the departure of John Gibson, and he has taken advantage of it so far. His 11 wins in 17 starts showed his capability to keep goals off the board, much to the delight of Anaheim fans and players. The sooner they can get him back, the better, especially with the competition in the Pacific Division heating up. 

The Pacific Division leaders are also getting some help from their rookie Bennett Sennecke, who has settled into the NHL pace of play nicely in the past few games. Sennecke, the Ducks’ 3rd overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, leads all rookies in goals (10) and points (26) entering play Thursday, and has thrown his hat into the ring for the Calder Trophy. The right winger has seemingly bought into Anaheim’s culture, and it seems to be working out well for the 19-year-old.

Nathan MacKinnon Is Nearly Unstoppable For The Colorado Avalanche

Looking further into the Western Conference, The Avalanche had quite the disappointing end to the 2024-25 season as they lost to the Stars in Game 7 to end their postseason run. Given that they were supposed to be one of the better teams in the conference, their exit was a shock to most. It seems as though assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon has made it his personal mission not to have it happen again, as he’s been the best player in the league all season long. 

MacKinnon, who was named to Canada’s Olympic team in June, leads the NHL in points and goals throughout 2025-26 and seems well on his way to his second Hart Trophy. The center has been instrumental to the Avalanche’s success as they try to win their second Stanley Cup championship in five years. His leadership on the ice has paid dividends for Colorado en route to their NHL-best 21-2-7 record, and it seems to be rubbing off on his teammates as of late.

Dallas Stars Finding Success After Years Of Playoff Heartbreak

The Stars have had their last few seasons defined by one word: heartbreak. Dallas has made the last three Western Conference Finals, only to fall short each time.The team seems determined not to let that be the case in 2025-26, with Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen leading the charge. 

Robertson has been the best player on a high-scoring Dallas team for most of the season, with a team-best 19 goals entering play Tuesday. The California native’s production is a huge reason why they’re keeping pace with the Avalanche in the Central Division. That’s not all the center is playing for, though. Robertson, 26, is also playing for something bigger than just Dallas; he’s showcasing just how well he would fit in with Team USA at the Olympics. He’s scoring at a pace unseen for him throughout his career, and that might just be enough for him to secure a spot on the team when rosters are finalized on December 31st. 

Rantanen has been everything the Stars hoped for when they traded for him, and he has been one of the driving forces behind their success in 2025-26. The right winger leads Dallas with 42 points through 30 games played this season and is riding a seven-game point streak dating back to November 28th. His consistency has provided the Stars with another high-powered offensive weapon as they hope to win their first title in over 20 years. If the team can get past Colorado, I don’t see many other teams having what it takes to stop them.

End Of My Western Conference Rant

The Western Conference has taken a bit of a backseat in the past few years, with the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning both repeating over the past six seasons, but they may be on the rise once again. The Ducks, Avalanche, and Stars are all doing their part to give the conference a chance in 2025-26, and their records reflect a change in tide. 

With that said, they will have to battle one another when the time comes if one of them is to hoist the Stanley Cup. I would expect a knock-down, drag-out type of series from any one of these teams, given how determined they look to bring the Cup home, and I’m looking forward to it. It should be quite the year for teams in the Western Conference after a couple of years of heartbreak and disappointment.