Ladies and gentlemen, American football is back. Granted, it's only the preseason. However, football is football, regardless of what part of the country you reside in.
Now, I say this because the Europeans refer to soccer as "football." They also don't measure their stuff by the foot. Something is up across the pond...
Anyways, the NFL season is upon us, which means hockey isn't far behind. It's time to celebrate the two wondrous seasons coming together for a relaxing time of sports fandom. After all, the kids are back in school and you don't have to deal with the constant screaming and snot flying.
So, let's have some fun. We're looking at the Pacific Division and which NFL teams they parallel. Some of these will sting hard, specifically for certain fan bases. However, it's all in good fun for the upcoming season. Let's get down and ready to throw a touchdown, shall we?
1.) Edmonton Oilers: San Francisco 49ers
This pains me so much because I'm a 49ers fan. However, the Edmonton Oilers have all the talent in the world and a brilliant head coach to boot. One could say that Trent Williams is akin to either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, dominating their very sport.
But that's the problem.
They. Just. Can't. Get. Over. The. Hump.
Much like how the 49ers refuse to address their offensive line, the Oilers don't like addressing their goaltending. In turn, it's coming back to bite them in the rear.
2.) Vegas Golden Knights: Los Angeles Rams
Both are glamorous teams in the Pacific Time Zone that get plenty of star power. It doesn't matter if it's Mitch Marner or Matthew Stafford. Both teams know a thing or two about getting big names.
Plus, both have a championship to their name in recent years. Both teams can hold it over their rival's heads, especially with both teams being well-run from top to bottom.
3.) Los Angeles Kings: Los Angeles Chargers
Aside from the Hollywood proximity, both franchises can't seem to get over the first-round hump. They always run into a tough foe (i.e. the Edmonton Oilers) or get in their own way (i.e. the Chargers).
Yet, both teams consistently make the playoffs and have some form of hype around them. Can they break the glass ceiling and overcome their obstacles? Stay tuned.
4.) Calgary Flames: Tennesse Titans
Not many people know that the Calgary Flames exist. It's like this:
"Oh they have a team in Alberta alongside the Oilers? I didn't even know they existed until now."
That's the same problem the Titans have as a team. Nobody gave a hoot when Cam Ward was picked first overall (partially because the Sanders clan dominated the attention) and they're still struggling to grab everyone's attention to this day.
5.) San Jose Sharks: Atlanta Falcons
What was once a dominating franchise turned out to go the rebuilding route. Neither the Sharks nor the Falcons have a championship despite their best efforts. Both also blew comfortable leads in the playoffs, en route to being eliminated from the playoffs.
However, both teams have exciting players coming up. For the Sharks, it's Macklin Celebrini and Yaroslav Askarov. For the Falcons, it's Bijan Robinson and Michael Penix Jr.
6.) Anaheim Ducks: Chicago Bears
I was going to use the New York Giants for this comparison. However, I feel the Bears are a more apt parallel since they're loading up on offensive weapons.
The same can be said for the Ducks, who are ready to break through the playoff dry spell. Getting Joel Quenneville and Chris Kreider is a massive step forward for a once-dominant franchise.
7.) Vancouver Canucks: Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins tried so hard to bring in star power in recent years. They picked up Tyreek Hill and drafted Tua Tagovailoa to get their offense going. However, they remain stuck in neutral.
The same can be said for the Vancouver Canucks, who have superstars like Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes. Yet, they remain a mid franchise.
8.) Seattle Kraken: New York Jets
Bad draft picks.
Terrible signings.
A front office that doesn't know what it's doing.
The Kraken remain poised to take the mantle of being the worst-run franchise in the Emerald City from the Seattle Mariners and run with it. They're also positioning themselves to become the New York Jets of the NHL, remaining stuck in mediocrity for all eternity.
So much for being a "greater expansion story" than the Golden Knights.