Ramblings: Training Camp Questions for the Pacific Division, Including Cooley, Byfield, Beniers, and More – September 5

My last couple of Ramblings have gone over a training camp question looming over each team in the NHL. We started with the Atlantic Division and then moved to the Metro. Today, we’ll be making our way all the way to the left coast and looking at the Pacific Division. The reigning Cup Finalists are […]

‹My last couple of Ramblings have gone over a training camp question looming over each team in the NHL. We started with the Atlantic Division and then moved to the Metro. Today, we’ll be making our way all the way to the left coast and looking at the Pacific Division.

The reigning Cup Finalists are looking to make another deep run, doormats from recent seasons are starting to bring their franchises back around, and then there are middling teams that may be overlooked. Let’s get to the Pacific to see what we should be paying attention to when camps open.

Edmonton Oilers: The Jeff Skinner/Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Duality

Buffalo bought out Jeff Skinner’s contract and the winger went and signed in Edmonton. Skinner has one of the top producers in the league across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons before a down year in 2023-24. It is probably worth noting that across the 2019-20 and 2021 COVID seasons, Skinner had 37 points in 112 games, and then in 2021-22 he jumped to 33 goals and 63 points in 80 games. He is now 32 years old, but we have already seen him have multiple down years only to bounce back in a big way. This time, he gets to another chance to do the same thing but only with either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl as his even strength centre.

The more interesting idea is how the team will use him on the power play. Edmonton has long had a top PP forward quartet of McDavid, Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. However, both Skinner and RNH are left-hand shots that can fill a similar role with the man advantage. Is there a chance Skinner takes some time from RNH? My guess is not right away, but maybe eventually, and that’s crucial for fantasy value. Maybe training camp will clarify this for us.

San Jose Sharks: Who is Running the Power Play?

It seems as if things are lining up for Henry Thrun to run San Jose’s top PP unit, especially with Calen Addison not being brought back and Ty Emberson being traded. However, the Sharks used Thrun for just 19% of the team’s PP time last season, trailing both Addison and Jacob MacDonald, according to Frozen Tools. Maybe Thrun just takes Addison’s time and he’s closer to 60%, but that’s not a guarantee yet.

Do the Sharks give Jake Walman some run? Do they try a five-forward power play? We won’t go long here because too much seems up in the air, but hopefully we get a solid indication once training camps get underway.

Utah: Is Logan Cooley Going to Be The Guy or A Guy?

Nick Schmaltz has often been a centre for Arizona and the team re-signed Barrett Hayton. However, Logan Cooley took tremendous strides as a rookie last season and showed promise with Dylan Guenther. No disrespect intended towards Schmaltz and Hayton, but Cooley is the future top-line centre of the team. The question is whether that future is in 2024-25 or later than that.

There is a chance Cooley will be a top line/top power play centre for Utah immediately. There is also the chance he’s a third line/second power play centre for Utah immediately. It is the difference between being a 40- to 50-point guy and a 60- to 70-point guy. Where he’s being used in training camp might (and probably should) influence is low ADP quite a bit.