Who could be a surprise in the Pacific and who is going to be the best in the Division?

Who could be a surprise in the Pacific Division?

NHL Network: Bruce Boudreau on which team in the Pacific Division could be a surprise this season.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Erika Wachter: “Let’s talk about the team now that could surprise us this season, who do you got?”

Boudreau: “Who did I have?”

Wachter: “The Sharks.”

Boudreau: “Yeah.  I know I had it. I know I had but, And I said, I said, the Sharks. And the reason is they signed, you know, if Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini, are any kind of the players that we believe that they are. And I think you add the Tyler Toffoli‘s, Alex Wennberg, Barclay Goodrow, Jake Wallman, and now they’ve got some NHL players to go in there.

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I think, I think it’s going to be a lot different than it was two, than last year, the year before. They’re not going to start 0 – 12. I and I think they’re going to make it difficult for a lot of teams. And they’re going to look at the signings, and they’re going to come in and they’re going to say, ‘boys, that was embarrassing last year. We want to get to the full house in San Jose again’

Because when that that team was good, that place was a rockin’ and I’m, it was a tough place to play in. And I think they’re, they’re not going to be in last place this year. I think they’re going to surprise some teams, and I think they’re going to be an awful lot tougher team to play against.”

Wachter: “Yeah, the Shark Tank and the fans there looking to see number one overall pick, Macklin Celebrini as well, hopefully, I’m assuming, out there as a Shark this season.”

Who is going to be the best team in the Pacific Division?

NHL Network: Bruce Boudreau on which team in the Pacific Division is going to be the best.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Erika Wachter: “We’re going to finish in this division with the team that you expect to be the best team in the division.”

Boudreau: “Well, I expect Edmonton to be the best team. They’re not going to start out 2-9-1. Look at Vancouver, had a tremendous year. And I mean, they, they went out and they moved six free agents for six free agents.

But if you look at this team, and they start out even 5-5 at the start of the year, they’re going to win the division. And they’ve just got, they got the two best players in the, in the world, probably in (Connor) McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl, or at least two of the top five.

And I mean, when you have that, if Hyman can repeat anywhere close to his 56 goal season, and you throw in Skinner with 40, Arvindson with 25. Boy, I can’t see a team beating them, especially knowing how they started out last year.

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And you know, an interesting story is, and I said it last night was, a friend of mine has had a son playing summer hockey, and they were playing in a summer league, and who were they playing against that night? Was Draisaitl and McDavid.

And so, I mean, I’m sitting there going, what are they doing on the ice in July, playing summer hockey. These guys are just built to play hockey, and they want to do it all the time. So I can’t see Edmonton starting out the way they did, but I can see them finishing off the way they did.