Hockey
The whims are worth every dollar. The richest NHL player will lead the team to a sensation
Forecasts for the Western Conference before the start of the 2025/26 season.
Last season, Minnesota could have become the main discovery of the West. The Wild were in the lead, but due to injuries to leading players, the team slowed down significantly. In the 2025/26 season, Kirill Kaprizov’s club has every chance to surpass the previous result and even cause a sensation.
The upcoming regular season will also answer other interesting questions. Can Vegas end Edmonton’s dominance? Did McDavid make the right choice? Will the composition of the playoff participants change?
New winner of the West
Winnipeg won the Western Conference last season. The Canadian club dominated throughout the regular season and deservedly won the President’s Cup, scoring 116 points after 82 matches.
However, there is a good chance that the Jets will not be able to repeat their success and take this trophy for the second year in a row. But there is no doubt that Scott Arniel’s team will make it to the playoffs, most likely finishing in the top three in the Central Division.
So far, Colorado and Dallas look more competitive for the division lead, despite Winnipeg having three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck and Norris Trophy contender Josh Morrissey.
But the best team in the entire Western Conference may well be Vegas. The Golden Knights, who have impressive depth on their roster, signed their top free agent this offseason in forward Mitchell Marner. The Marner-Eikel-Barbashev line has the potential to become one of the most dangerous in the league.
Edmonton dreams of a third final in a row
Perhaps the strongest hockey player on the planet, Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, lost two finals in a row to Florida. Of course, McDavid is the owner of many records and the most prestigious personal awards, but above all, he needs the Stanley Cup.
For the sake of his dream, Connor even signed a modest two-year contract worth $25 million. He could easily have overtaken Kirill Kaprizov ($17 million per year) in terms of average annual salary, but the Canadian gave management room under the salary cap to strengthen the roster. For example, you may finally find a goalkeeper who can consistently perform at a high level.
The short duration of the agreement also speaks to McDavid’s desire to take the title. If he doesn’t win a trophy in two seasons with the Oilers, he might look for a new team. In the 2025/26 season, Edmonton has a good chance of repeating last year’s run and reaching the finals again.
Yes, the players of the Canadian club played more matches during this period than their competitors in the West, but the presence of Connor in the application relegates fatigue and burnout to the background. But this is in the playoffs, but in the regular season the Oilers are unlikely to strive to climb to the top of the conference, leaving this right to Vegas.
In the Stanley Cup, the Oilers and the Golden Knights are the main contenders to reach the finals. At the same time, many North American experts call the “knights” future champions.
Kaprizov will justify his record contract
Before the start of the 2025/26 season, Kirill Kaprizov signed a record eight-year contract with an average annual salary of $17 million. What does Kaprizov need to do so that Minnesota does not regret their decision to issue such an agreement? Kirill can become the most valuable player of the regular season and win the Hart Trophy, and also take aim at the Art Ross Trophy, competing for the title of top scorer.
And the Russian is quite capable of taking both prestigious awards. Last year he was the strongest player in the league until he got injured. However, the Wild expect something completely different from their leader – reaching the second round for the first time since 2015. And now Minnesota has an excellent chance to finally show progress.
Moreover, after buying out the 13-year contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2021 for $98 million, the Savages entered the offseason for the first time with relief – the amount of the buyout of their agreements decreased to $1.7 million.
In addition, young players joined the team who are not only ready to fight for a place in the starting lineup, but also to produce results: Danila Yurov, Liam Egren, Ziv Buyum, David Jiříček. The Wild also signed the most experienced Vladimir Tarasenko, who is able to help the team on the ice and become an authority for young hockey players.
And if Minnesota does not again encounter injuries to its leaders, the team may well reach the second round of the playoffs.
Breakthrough contenders
Last season, Utah failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup, finishing 11th in the West. However, Mikhail Sergachev’s club has every chance to correct the situation and show significant progress. Mammoth signed one of the best forwards on the free agent market – Jon Peterka.
Defender Nate Schmidt, forward Brandon Tanev and goalkeeper Vitek Vanecek also joined the roster. In addition, Russians Dmitry Simashev and Daniil But, who won the Gagarin Cup with Lokomotiv, will try to get a place in the team.
Many North American experts highly appreciate Utah’s chances for the playoffs, but the team simply won’t succeed. The clubs that took part in the Stanley Cup last year also strengthened their strength. Therefore, even two points can separate Andre Tourigny’s team from the main task for the season. Much will depend on stability and the start of the regular season.
Playoff participants from the West
Central Division – Dallas (1), Colorado (2), Winnipeg (3).
Pacific Division – Vegas (1), Los Angeles (2), Edmonton (3).
Wild card: Minnesota and Utah.
Source: Sportbox
I’m a sports enthusiast and journalist who has worked in the news industry for over 8 years. I currently work as an author at Sportish and my work focuses mainly on sports news.