Pacific Division Preview, Recent Expansion Teams - Seattle & Vegas

Seattle Kraken

2023-24 Regular Season Record: 34-35-13 (T-5 in Pacific Division)

2023-24 Season Result: Missed Stanley Cup Playoffs by 17 points

Additions: Brandon Montour, Josh Mahura, Chandler Stephenson

Subtractions: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Brian Dumoulin, Justin Schultz, Devin Shore, Tomas Tatar, Kailer Yamamoto

The Kraken enter their fourth season as an NHL franchise and will do so with a new bench boss. After leading the Kraken’s AHL affiliate - the Coachella Valley Firebirds - to a 94-32-18 record and two Calder Cup Finals in his first two seasons, Dan Bylsma returns to the NHL as a head coach. It’s been seven seasons since Bylsma last held a head coaching role in the NHL but the former Stanley Cup champion coach brings experience and a résumé filled with past success.

As for the Kraken’s roster, the organization is hoping for a bounce-back season after failing to get into the postseason in 2023-24. The Kraken were not able to follow up on a huge leap forward from Year 1 to Year 2, which included not just an appearance in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but a first-round series victory. Offensively, the Kraken struggled in 2023-24 and saw nearly a one goal per game drop off from the year prior. Going from fourth in the league in scoring in 2022-23, averaging 3.52 goals per game to 29th in the league in 2023-24 at 2.61 goals per game, the Kraken offseason saw players added to improve in that area. Adding a pair of former Stanley Cup champions, the Kraken made two big signings, one at forward and one on the blueline. The Kraken shelled out $93.750M between a pair of seven-year contracts for Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour this offseason and both will need to play integral roles if the Kraken want to get back to their 2022-23 scoring days. Stephenson, the two-time cup winner, joins the Kraken having scored 50-plus points in his last three seasons with Vegas. Montour joins Seattle after hoisting the Stanley Cup with the Panthers this past season, one year removed from totaling 73 points in 2022-23. While Stephenson is expected to slot into the Kraken’s top-6 up front, Montour’s offensive style of play is something the Kraken have needed on defense. Montour will join a blue line alongside Vince Dunn, who had a breakout offensive year last season with 46 points (11-35=46) in just 59 games. Montour brings one of the NHL’s hardest shots to Seattle as he ranked in the 97th percentile in top shot speed at 100.99 MPH last season.

Seattle is also looking for a return to 2022-23 form from center Matty Beniers. After winning the Calder Trophy for the NHL’s top rookie in 2023 with 57 points (24-33=57), Beniers offense declined by 20 points last season. Beniers now enters his first year of a seven-year, $50M ($7,142,857 AAV) deal and will be heavily relied upon to continue improving, especially on the offensive side of the puck The duo of Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord will tend the Seattle net, with Daccord establishing himself as an NHL regular alongside the veteran Grubauer a season ago.

Vegas Golden Knights

2023-24 Regular Season Record: 45-29-8 (98 points, 4th in Pacific Division)

2023-24 Season Result: Eliminated in First Round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

Additions: Robert Hagg, Alexander Holtz, Ilya Samsonov, Victor Olofsson, Akira Schmid

Subtractions: Michael Amadio, William Carrier, Anthony Mantha, Jonathan Marchessault, Alec Martinez, Chandler Stephenson, Logan Thompson

The Golden Knights went all-in again at last season’s trade deadline by acquiring Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl from a pair of in-division rivals, but the moves only helped them get into the playoffs as the Western Conference’s second and final Wild Card spot. Unable to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, the Golden Knights were dethroned in the first round of playoffs, falling in seven games to the Dallas Stars.

Unlike the Canucks, the Golden Knights were able to retain their prized mid-season acquisitions; but it came at a hefty cost. The Golden Knights ultimately extended Hanifin with an eight-year, $58.8M ($7.35M AAV) deal and by trading for Hertl, picked up $6.750M of his annual salary for the next six seasons. In doing so, the Golden Knights said goodbye to one of their original players from their expansion draft in Jonathan Marchessault, the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (514), goals (192), assists (225), points (417), power-play goals (42), game-winning goals (32) and hat tricks (5). Also departing from the Golden Knights are Stanley Cup winners Chandler Stephenson, noted above with joining Seattle, as well as former Kings Alec Martinez and Michael Amadio. Joining the Golden Knights on a one-year, $1,075,000 deal is Jack Eichel’s former linemate from their days with the Buffalo Sabres, Viktor Olofsson. The seven-year NHLer posted a career-high 49 points (20-29=49) in 2021-22.

Despite hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2023, the Golden Knights have been unable to find consistency and health at the goaltending position. Adding to their goaltender depth this summer, the Golden Knights brought in a pair more of netminders in Ilya Samsonov via free agency and Akira Schmid, who they acquired via trade from the New Jersey Devils alongside former seventh overall draft pick in 2020 Alexander Holtz. The 27-year-old Samsonov finished last season in top form with a 23-7-8 record for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the 24-year-old Schmid appeared in 19 games with the Devils. The two join Adin Hill in net for Vegas.