NHL Futures: Kings look like a strong bet in the West

Yesterday, we took a look at the Eastern Conference ahead of the new NHL season, and now we turn to the other side of the league. The new hockey season starts Friday, it's time to apprise ourselves of the big moves this offseason and where each team stands in the betting market.

The West's best teams last year

Playoff teams

1. Colorado Avalanche (119 points)
2. Minnesota Wild (113 points)
3. Calgary Flames (111 points)
4. St. Louis Blues (109 points)
5. Edmonton Oilers (104 points)
6. Los Angeles Kings (99 points)
7. Dallas Stars (98 points)
8. Nashville Predators (97 points)

The Avalanche went on to win the Stanley Cup last season, with Cale Makar bringing home the Conn Smythe Trophy. The West was far more competitive for their final wild card spots, with both Las Vegas and Vancouver within five points of Nashville by season's end.

Last two standing

Colorado defeated the Edmonton Oilers in just four games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton had beaten Calgary in the Battle of Alberta the previous round and the Avalanche had advanced past the Blues in Round 2.

Non-playoff teams that made big offseason additions

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks poached a pair of New York Rangers forwards this offseason, signing both Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome to long-term deals. The Ducks also secured the services of defensemen John Klingberg off a strong season in Dallas. Anaheim should be more competitive this season, especially with the continued development of Trevor Zegras.

Seattle Kraken

Seattle is building something here. The two biggest moves were signing forwards Andre Burakovsky (61 points last year) and trading for Oliver Bjorkstrand (57 points). Both players offer a major boost to what was a lowly Kraken offense in 2022, as Jared McCann led the team with just 50 points. The move that has Seattle fans most excited was getting Shane Wright fourth overall in the draft, a forward that many consider the most talented and pro-ready prospect. We'll see when Wright joins the team, but there's reason for optimism for the NHL's newest franchise with Wright and Matty Beniers in the fold.

Odds to win the West in 2023

Betting odds are courtesy of DraftKings.

1. Colorado Avalanche (+190)
2. Edmonton Oilers (+600)
3. Calgary Flames (+600)
4. Minnesota Wild (+700)
5. Vegas Golden Knights (+1100)
6. Los Angeles Kings (+1500)
7. Nashville Predators (+1600)
8. St. Louis Blues (+1800)
9. Dallas Stars (+1800)
10. Vancouver Canucks (+2200)
11. Winnipeg Jets (+3000)
12. Seattle Kraken (+5000)
13. Anaheim Ducks (+7500)
14. San Jose Sharks (+8000)
15. Arizona Coyotes (+30000)
16. Chicago Blackhawks (+30000)

Colorado is understandably the betting favorite here after winning it all last season. While the Avalanche lost Nazem Kadri and goalie Darcy Kuemper, they have two of the five best players in the world in Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, they'll be right back in the fold as one of the West's best teams.

Edmonton was able to retain their team from 2021, while Calgary added Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar to replace the losses of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Both teams have a good a chance as any to finally break the Canadian Stanley Cup drought. The Oilers are hoping the addition of goalie Jack Campbell shores up their issues in the net. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl remain one of the most talented forward pairings in the NHL.  The Flames' Jacob Markstrom was one of the top goaltenders a season ago and should remain a force in the net to keep Calgary among the league's best this season.

Consider me a bit surprised to see Vegas sitting here as one of the favorites out of the West. Sure, they dealt with injuries last season that caused them to miss the postseason for just the first time in their young franchise's history, but they didn't get better this offseason. Salary cap issues forced the Golden Knights to dump Max Pacioretty and Evgenii Dadonov, I don't see this team making the playoffs in 2023.