Pacific Division Power Rankings After December

Life has gotten harder for the Vegas Golden Knights after winning the Stanley Cup. Not only do they have a HUGE target in the Pacific Division, but everyone in the NHL is gunning for them. Nobody said it'd be an easy task trying for back-to-back titles.

However, the Golden Knights have handled matters well so far. They're atop the NHL mountain with 49 points, boosted by their hot start. Vegas's scoring depth and aggressive forecheck are proving to be too much for opponents.

So where do they rank in the Pacific Division? What teams are proving to be too much for the NHL? Lettuce break down the big cheeses in the Pacific Division while we warm up our buns for the winter (mmm... burger).

1. Los Angeles Kings

Did you know the Los Angeles Kings have the best road record in the NHL (13-2-1)? Forget LeBron James! Hollywood's resident royalty has shown they're the main attraction and will be a tough out for any playoff opponent come spring.

Luckily, the Golden Knights took the season series, 2-1-0, with Thursday's 3-2 win ending a four-game losing streak. If Vegas's goaltending tandem of Adin Hill and Logan Thompson can stay healthy and competent, the Kings will have their hands full in a potential matchup.

2. Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knight fans have given Logan Thompson the business throughout December. However, the goaltender silenced his critics with a stellar performance on Thursday. He stopped 32 shots and got the win against the Kings.

Once Adin Hill returns to the fold, Vegas should have a normal goaltending tandem again. The Golden Knights are hoping the injury bug doesn't bite them like it did last season. Otherwise, repeating will be a tall task.

3. Vancouver Canucks

The Hughes brothers are taking over the NHL. With Jack Hughes putting himself ahead of the Hart Trophy pack, it's easy to see why this family is becoming NHL royalty. But one Hughes brother who doesn't get enough love is Quinn.

The defenseman leads the best scoring attack in the NHL (136 goals) with 35 assists, making him into a younger version of Erik Karlsson. If Hughes and his crew can continue putting pucks in the net, it'll be tough to stop the Canucks when April hits.

4. Edmonton Oilers

It's easy to think of the Edmonton Oilers as a Stanley Cup threat. When you have two of the best hockey players in the world, it comes with the territory. That's why many analysts and experts can't get enough of them as a Stanley Cup champion pick.

However, the start of the season wasn't too kind to Edmonton. The Oilers started 2-9-1 and eventually fired their head coach, Jay Woodcroft, leading to a new shift in the team's mentality. But can Edmonton save their season, despite limping out of the gate?

5. Seattle Kraken

Vegas's Winter Classic opponent looks to take a New Year's Day win as the host. So far, it's been a rough go for the NHL's newest expansion team, so a win would be nice. However, getting points in eight of your last ten games is a good way to crawl back into the playoff fold out west.

One player who's been surprisingly good has been Joey Daccord. The goaltender was posting good stats (GAA of 2.45, SV% of .915), even picking up a shutout. In his last five games, he's gone 3-0-2, saving .942 of his shots and allowing an average of 1.94 goals.

6. Calgary Flames

Losers of six of their last nine, the Flames have been... non-existent. With a mediocre power play percentage of 12.3, Calgary hasn't been exciting to watch offensively.

Overall, the Flames are the NHL equivalent of watching paint dry. When your leading scorer is Nazem Kadri (25 points), that's a sign of concern. Calgary should be of no significance to the Golden Knights or the Pacific Division this season.

7. Anaheim Ducks

The good news for the Ducks is Trevor Zegras is back! That means a countless array of "Michigan" goals and fancy puck handling for Orange County hockey fans.

But the superstar isn't the only bright spot for Anaheim. Frank Vatrano (16 goals) and Mason McTavish (24 points) are growing as offensive weapons and Ilya Lyubushkin is a vastly underrated defenseman. It might not be the year of the Ducks... yet. But this team should go "quackers" all over the NHL soon.