We're officially one week away from puck drop for the 2018-19 NHL campaign.
To help ring in the new season, we're predicting point totals for every team. Here are the 15 Western Conference clubs.
(All point totals are taken from Bookmaker.eu; be sure to shop around for the best numbers available.)
Anaheim Ducks
Pick: Under 94.5 points
The Ducks were below average in scoring last season, but they made up for that in the crease with John Gibson. And given the team just lost Corey Perry for roughly five months due to knee injuries, Gibson will likely have to carry the load once again.
Perry's injury is another big blow to an offense that's still waiting to get back Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves after respective setbacks. Added together, I don't think Gibson can bail out the team for a second straight year.
Arizona Coyotes
Pick: Over 82.5 points
So much for the leap forward.
If fresh blood and Year 2 under new management was a call for improvement, Arizona was disappointing in 2017-18. But, after finishing somewhat strong, there's reason to believe a step forward is right on the doorstep. Seeing as the season finished with 70 points, it'd be tough not to take it.
There are certainly some "ifs" with Arizona, too. If Antti Raanta can perform even close to as well as he did last season, if Clayton Keller and Christian Dvorak can make strides, if the Coyotes can stay healthy - especially on the blue line - then sure, why not? You're not asking for more than a couple lucky bounces and a slight improvement from the 'Yotes.
#TrustInChayka.
Calgary Flames
Pick: Under 94.5 points
Take away the offseason moves and I'd probably be on the opposite side of the fence with the Flames. Whether shipping out Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and Adam Fox to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm was a knee-jerk reaction or a deal the Flames thought would benefit them long term, I thought Calgary should have stayed put.
The Flames still have the talent to improve on their 84-point total from a season ago, but I don't think they'll be 11 points better.
Chicago Blackhawks
Pick: Over 85.5 points
It's not easy being a Blackhawks fan - going from watching a dynasty blossom before your eyes to seeing your core get older and all that success blow away in a single year.
Even still, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews pack a scoring punch (albeit while facing age-related declines), Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Sikura are youngsters who can be productive, and Brandon Saad is an offensive factor.
But the defense? Whew. The goaltending? Chicago's going to need Corey Crawford to thrive in the worst way.
Overall, the Blackhawks fell off hard last season. It was the first real nosedive after rattling off three Cup wins in six years, and has many people thinking the team is officially a bottom-feeder in the NHL.
I don't think it's that bad. Not yet, at least.
Colorado Avalanche
Pick: Under 88.5 points
I'm not breaking new ground here by pointing out that the Avalanche, to some degree, will regress in 2018. Expected goals, shot share, and other metrics are calling for a huge downturn for Colorado - to the extent that projecting a team that posted 95 points last season to go under 88.5 isn't exactly "sharp" in this sense.
Dallas Stars
Pick: Over 94.5 points
The entire Stars offense should have been pasted on the back of every milk carton in Dallas last season. After enjoying a lot of past success, the scoring completely dropped off under one-and-done head coach Ken Hitchcock, who's since been replaced by Jim Montgomery.
The style of play last season completely wrung the talent from the Stars' cloth, and I'd be surprised if the drop-off in offensive production continues in 2018-19.
Edmonton Oilers
Pick: Over 89.5 points
Edmonton was nothing more than a paper tiger last season. After posting 103 points and losing a tough second-round series in 2016-17, the huge expected jump never materialized. Instead, the Oilers fell flat with a 78-point campaign.
Edmonton will likely split those two numbers this season - and given this point total has been driven down in most shops, I'll take the over.
Los Angeles Kings
Pick: Under 91.5 points
Los Angeles is being judged as a so-so team, and it sounds about right. As good as the top six is, the bottom six absolutely isn't. Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin tote the load on the blue line, but the talent level takes a huge dip from there. On the other hand, the Kings won the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes and still have Jonathan Quick between the pipes, so those are two pluses.
It's a tight number for a team with some volatility. I'll take the under.
Minnesota Wild
Pick: Under 95.5 points
The Wild are essentially the Washington Capitals of the West, to a lesser degree. The annual aspirations might not be as high, but if there was an award given to teams that consistently make the playoffs and lose in the first round, the Wild's trophy case would be full.
Unless Minnesota goes all-in at the trade deadline, I'm not sure how a team that made no significant roster additions can expect to be in the thick of things.
Nashville Predators
Pick: Over 104.5
Let's make this short and sweet - the Predators are going to clean up in the Central and compete with the Sharks to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.
St. Louis Blues
Pick: Over 96.5 points
I'll join the masses on the St. Louis hype train. The Blues put up an extremely quiet 94 points last season, and pass the "on paper" test with flying colors after making some offseason additions. If the main concern is goaltending - the Blues are fine elsewhere - I'll pay to find out.
San Jose Sharks
Pick: Over 101.5 points
Erik Karlsson! Erik freakin' Karlsson! The addition of the superstar defenseman has obviously affected the market, but I'm not sure it matters given the competition (or lack thereof) within the division.
Vancouver Canucks
Pick: Under 75.5 points
A changing of the guard and a roster flush with youth is expected to turn the Canucks in the right direction. I'll still call for at least one more year of toiling away in the basement of the West before the team starts turning heads.
Vegas Golden Knights
Pick: Under 99.5 points
Remember when the Golden Knights hit their point total by like, October last season? Sheesh, what the franchise did in Year 1 was Team Building 101.
I don't think the Golden Knights are in for a regression that will send them out of the postseason completely, but it's going to be extremely difficult to match the production they got last season from certain players.
I verbally shouted, "Give me the Vegas point total 'under,' whatever the number is next season," once the horn sounded in the Stanley Cup Final. I'm not rescinding my choice.
Winnipeg Jets
Pick: Under 105.5 points
Winnipeg had been scratching the surface of something special, and finally broke through last season with 114 points.
The Jets are still extremely talented, but the difference between them and the other contenders in the West is that Winnipeg's roster makeup is lopsided. Of course, there's so much scoring to go around that it might be enough to overshadow the holes on the left side of the defense.
Or, maybe it won't. I'll sell high on Winnipeg.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.
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