The rest of the Pacific Division looks... underwhelming
The Vegas Golden Knights don't look like they're prying the Pacific Division away from the Vancouver Canucks or Edmonton Oilers. When your team has players such as Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Quinn Hughes, you'll be at the top. That much is a given.
However, the rest of the division leaves plenty to be desired. Calgary was giving away pieces like Jacob Markstrom, signaling they're tearing it down. The San Jose Sharks are rebuilding. People don't know when the Anaheim Ducks will become a playoff team. Even the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings have newer head coaches to fix things.
Fans might panic that all's not well in Las Vegas. But the rest of the division, sans Vancouver and Edmonton, are dysfunctional or rebuilding. Kelly McCrimmon sees this and knows there's an opportunity to stay the course. It's a gamble that could surprisingly work in Vegas's favor.