Western Conference Roundup: Heading Into Week Three
Ashley Landis / Associated Press
Quite a few storylines have come out of the Western Conference in weeks one and two of the 2023-24 NHL season. As the Pacific and Central Divisions are looking to produce another Stanley Cup champion in 2024, these first few games have showcased that competitiveness.
Kopitar Sets Record For LA
Despite a 2-4 loss against the Boston Bruins, Saturday night still managed to be a pretty special one for the LA Kings. Captain Anze Kopitar officially passed former captain and Kings icon Dustin Brown for the most games played in franchise history. With 1,297 games played in an LA uniform, Kopitar is now the sole titleholder of that honor.
Vegas Sets NHL Record
While many predicted the reigning Stanley Cup winners to have a championship hangover, quite the opposite has occurred so far. With a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night, the Golden Knights improved to a 6-0-0 record on the season. In the history of the NHL, no defending champion has ever began the next season with a record better than that. Since coming into the league in 2017, Vegas has been entertaining the league and setting records left and right. While it is still early on in the regular season, there is no reason to doubt that Vegas is capable of going back-to-back.
Edmonton’s Struggles Get Worse
After making it to the second round of the NHL playoffs just a few months ago and expected to make another run in 2024, the start that the Edmonton Oilers are off to is less than ideal. Edmonton began the season with a blowout 1-8 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, and more problems have followed. Their only win came 6-1 against the Nashville Predators, but that has really been the only positive within weeks one and two. Captain Connor McDavid suffered an injury and was not able to finish the last game against the Winnipeg Jets. If the Oilers slip out of the top three in the Pacific, there may be cause for concern due to the extreme competition for the two wild card spots in the West this season.
Coyotes Are Currently in Third
While it is no shock that the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars currently occupy the top two spots in the Central Division, it is absolutely a shock that the Arizona Coyotes have the third. Arizona began its season with a 4-3 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils, a team expected to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. The team then went on to win against Central competitor St. Louis and Western rival Anaheim. While there are still a multitude of off-ice problems that need to be addressed, such as the sustainability of Mullett Arena, the Coyotes are proving that they can provide some fun and entertainment to fans, unlike previous years.
Sammy Walker Gets Sent to Iowa
With injuries to Alex Goligoski and Matt Boldy, the Minnesota Wild recalled prospect camp standout Sammy Walker from Iowa. However, after just two games in Minnesota, Walker has been sent back down. Unfortunately, the forward was not too notable in the time he spent in the major league, which ultimately led to him heading back to the AHL today. With Goligoski on LTIR and Boldy remaining week-to-week with his injury, the Wild will likely try an Iowa teammate of Walker’s for the open roster spot.
Bedard Update
Calder Trophy favorite Connor Bedard is quickly finding his footing with the Chicago Blackhawks. Veteran newcomer Corey Perry leads the team with five points on the season and Bedard sits right behind him with four — two goals and two assists. His second goal in the NHL came less than two minutes into a late night matchup against the defending Stanley Cup champions on the power play. As he is currently playing on the top line with Taylor Hall and Taylor Raddysh as well as the first power play unit, it is evident that Bedard is now a staple in Chicago’s lineup.
