PACIFIC DIVISION: Reasons to Believe the West Is the Best
In the 2011 regular season, the Dallas Stars won 42 NHL games, lost 29 and tied 11. You might be tempted to say, "Hey, that's a damn fine season." And if the Stars were in any division other than the Pacific, you'd be right.
The problem, of course, is that Dallas failed to make the playoffs. In fact, the four other teams they compete against for championship honors all had even better records, so what could have been a second place finish in another division landed them at the very back of the pack here.
That's just one example of how competitive it is in the Pacific Division, which also includes the Phoenix Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. Together the five franchises claimed 226 victories in 2011 and sent every team but Dallas to the playoffs, a performance unmatched by any of the other five divisions.
Back in 1993, the Pacific Division was formed out of the old Smythe Division to become part of the new Western Conference. The Mighty Ducks, Kings and Sharks were joined here by Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. In 1995, the Colorado Avalanche was added, making seven teams in total.
During realignment in 1998, the Canadian contingent went to the Northwest Division, along with the Avalanche. Replacing them were Phoenix and Dallas from the Central Division to compete the group of five. And in 2006, the Anaheim franchise dropped the "Mighty" from their name, which may or may not have played a role in winning their first Division Championship the following year.
Dallas used to dominate play in the Pacific, taking four titles out of five in 1999-2003 and adding a fifth in 2006. More recently, San Jose has been the team to beat, winning six championships in total, including all four from 2008 to 2011. In fact, in 2009, the Sharks won the NHL President's Trophy for finishing their regular season with the most points scored in the entire league.
Remembering which teams make up the Pacific Division can be a bit troublesome, with two of the five franchises located nowhere near the coast. You might find it useful to think "Dallas and PALS" (for Phoenix, Anaheim, L.A. and San Jose) or CAT (for California, Arizona and Texas). Or if you are more into graphic memory--a king protecting his duck from sharks and coyotes under the stars.
More information about NHL Betting lines at nhlsportsbooks.ca
The problem, of course, is that Dallas failed to make the playoffs. In fact, the four other teams they compete against for championship honors all had even better records, so what could have been a second place finish in another division landed them at the very back of the pack here.
That's just one example of how competitive it is in the Pacific Division, which also includes the Phoenix Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. Together the five franchises claimed 226 victories in 2011 and sent every team but Dallas to the playoffs, a performance unmatched by any of the other five divisions.
Back in 1993, the Pacific Division was formed out of the old Smythe Division to become part of the new Western Conference. The Mighty Ducks, Kings and Sharks were joined here by Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. In 1995, the Colorado Avalanche was added, making seven teams in total.
During realignment in 1998, the Canadian contingent went to the Northwest Division, along with the Avalanche. Replacing them were Phoenix and Dallas from the Central Division to compete the group of five. And in 2006, the Anaheim franchise dropped the "Mighty" from their name, which may or may not have played a role in winning their first Division Championship the following year.
Dallas used to dominate play in the Pacific, taking four titles out of five in 1999-2003 and adding a fifth in 2006. More recently, San Jose has been the team to beat, winning six championships in total, including all four from 2008 to 2011. In fact, in 2009, the Sharks won the NHL President's Trophy for finishing their regular season with the most points scored in the entire league.
Remembering which teams make up the Pacific Division can be a bit troublesome, with two of the five franchises located nowhere near the coast. You might find it useful to think "Dallas and PALS" (for Phoenix, Anaheim, L.A. and San Jose) or CAT (for California, Arizona and Texas). Or if you are more into graphic memory--a king protecting his duck from sharks and coyotes under the stars.
More information about NHL Betting lines at nhlsportsbooks.ca
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