3. For the Vegas Golden Knights, their window's now
On the note of trade deadline acquisitions, the Vegas Golden Knights are going all-in on their Stanley Cup window. They have the unit they like and that bodes well for fans in the short term. However, the question of when that window closes will eventually come.
With teams like the Vancouver Canucks experiencing a renaissance, the squeeze will be on in Sin City. Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson are coming into their own and the Canucks have a solid goaltender in Thatcher Demko. Vancouver will give Vegas a run for their money in the near future.
But it isn't just the Canucks to watch for. The Anaheim Ducks are also developing a young squad, with studs like Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson arriving. Anaheim is developing its scoring and blue lines, which should make it a tougher team in upcoming years. It shouldn't be long before hockey fans see the return of the "Mighty" Ducks, something Orange County has waited for in recent years.
Let's not forget the young Seattle Kraken, who just fired their head coach, Dave Hakstol. The Kraken made the playoffs last season, taking the Dallas Stars to a winner-take-all game in the second round. There are young, exciting players for Seattle and the right coach will catapult them to the Pacific Division throne.