Pacific Division Power Rankings: Playoff Edition

With the Stanley Cup playoffs in full swing, 16 teams are vying for supremacy and the most prestigious trophy in sports. This time around, 15 other teams look to knock the Vegas Golden Knights off their "golden" throne. It's good to be the king, huh?

But that might not be the case, with the Golden Knights laying waste to the top-seeded Dallas Stars. Up 2-0, the defending champions head back to T-Moblie Arena on Saturday with all the momentum... and a Death Star lineup. The 15 remaining teams might want to rethink their strategies for attacking the champions. It seems the machine is rolling at full capacity.

But what is the competition going to do? How can they reinvent their strategies so they can claim the throne? It's a complex question that teams like the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers are asking themselves, hoping to end Stanley Cup droughts. As for the other teams, well, some are hoping to win their first, while others want to extend their competitive windows longer.

While it would be nice to dive into all 15 teams, it would be too long and tedious for the reader to consider. After all, there are the Wednesday "Knight" Wisdom articles that try to accomplish this goal in bite-sized writing. So how can the teams be ranked for the playoffs?

That's the thing: Let's focus on the Pacific Division and the teams here. After all, there are only four Pacific Division teams that qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs this season. That includes the defending champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, who are looking to repeat with authority.

Let's look at the remaining four Pacific Division teams and where they currently stand. The regular season positions are thrown out the window, with those eliminated tossed out as well. Here's where the West Coast teams lie as the Stanley Cup playoffs turn.

1. Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights are picking up where they left off from last postseason, dominating the Dallas Stars. They're up 2-0, thanks to a dominating top line, Mark Stone returning, and Logan Thompson in net. Life's good for the defending champions, who are getting everything in sync for another playoff run.

The Golden Knights are benefiting from an air-tight defensive system that takes away quality shots. By aggressively forechecking and taking away shooting lanes, the Golden Knights are settling in and cranking up the pressure. In turn, Vegas is creating turnovers and generating offensive opportunities.

That was on full display in Game 2 when the Dallas Stars gave the puck away nine times. The Golden Knights aren't afraid of letting the Stars shoot, a hallmark of Pete DeBoer-coached teams. Vegas only cares if those shots aren't quality shots, where they can capitalize on their opponent's mistakes.

Some say the Stars-Golden Knights match-up is essentially the Western Conference Finals matchup. Some people are also worried the Vegas Golden Knights are stuck in a harder path by traversing through the Central Division. However, it seems Vegas is throwing all conventional wisdom out the window, looking to repeat with their newfound superteam.

3. Vancouver Canucks

What happens when a team loses their starting goaltender for the rest of the playoffs? Should they freak out and pull their hair out? Should they set themselves on fire, scream, and wave their arms around? That's the question the Vancouver Canucks are asking, for they've lost goaltender Thatcher Demko. Life gets harder for a Canucks team searching for their first Stanley Cup.

With the San Diego native out of the picture, Casey DeSmith takes the reins. However, this is another setback for a Vancouver team that was hoping to take the next step. With young stars like Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, the Canucks have ascended to the top of the NHL. The pressure's also on DeSmith to carry the load, keeping Vancouver in the game. That will be a tall task in itself.

However, that ascension appears to be in jeopardy with the goaltender's injury hurting the team. Their opponent, the Nashville Predators, were the fifth-hardest hitting team this season (2,145 team hits). Granted, the Canucks were ahead of them (fourth in the NHL with 2,189 team hits). However, a long, physical series can benefit Nashville without Vancouver having Demko. Therefore, they must rely more on their offensive firepower to carry them into the next round.

4. Los Angeles Kings

Can the Los Angeles Kings shock the world and beat the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series? They got off on the right foot by defeating the Oilers in overtime on Wednesday, 5-4. Thanks to Anze Kopitar's overtime winner, hope has been restored in Hollywood for a good ending for the Kings.

One area Los Angeles can hang their hats on over the Oilers is their goaltending. Cam Talbot has been a pleasant surprise this season, carrying a 2.50 GA/G and a save percentage of .913. David Rittich has also been reliable for Los Angeles, with a GA/G of 2.16 and a save percentage of .921 in 24 games.

If the Kings are to shock the world, their goaltending must be top-notch. Luckily, Los Angeles employs their vaunted 1-3-1 neutral zone trap, which prevents any offensive zone work from being done. With three defenders in the neutral zone, it clogs the zone and acts as a wall. It's a system that's frustrated many teams and people, with some wondering if the neutral zone trap's bad for hockey. However, it's how the Kings got to the postseason this year and it's one that could bring them the Stanley Cup.