Kraken rising, Canucks reeling: Pacific Division roundup

Sunday’s action underlined two very different storylines in the Pacific Division: the Seattle Kraken continued to push upward in the standings, while the Vancouver Canucks slid further into an early-season funk. Above them, the Golden Knights and Oilers held strong at the top without hitting the ice.

Kraken keep rolling with win in Washington

In Washington, Seattle skated away with a 5–3 victory over the Capitals. La Presse notes it was the Kraken’s third win in four games, giving them an early 4-2-0 record and 8 points, pulling them level with Anaheim and into the middle of the pack in the Pacific. Frédérick Gaudreau scored again, and, according to Sportsnet, Seattle managed to overcome Alex Ovechkin’s first goal of the season to secure the win.

Canucks overwhelmed at Madison Square Garden

Things went the opposite way for Vancouver. The Canucks were beaten 6–2 by the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, undone by three third-period goals as highlighted by Sportsnet. Elias Pettersson did provide a bright spot with a shorthanded marker to draw the game level late in the second period, but Vancouver dropped to 2-5-0 and remains sixth in the division with 4 points.

Sportsnet described the latest road defeat as a “slap in the face,” with the Canucks outworked and overmatched. The Hockey Writers also pointed back to New Jersey’s 4–1 win over Vancouver on Saturday, while Daily Faceoff reports that Devils forward Evan Rodrigues was fined for a high-sticking infraction against Marco Rossi before a faceoff in that game.

Golden Knights, Oilers setting the pace; Ducks and Flames in the spotlight

At the top of the division, the Vegas Golden Knights sit first with 10 points from a 5-1-0 start. The Hockey News is already asking whether Jack Eichel’s hot opening to the 2026–27 season could finally make him a front-runner for major individual awards.

Right behind them, the Edmonton Oilers are 4-0-1 with 9 points and remain the only team without a regulation loss. The Hockey Writers points to a week ahead in Edmonton built around storylines like Evan Bouchard’s dominance and a trade involving Filip Hallander, while another piece from the outlet notes that Saturday’s 3–1 Oilers win over the Sharks — in which San Jose held Edmonton to 20 shots — was actually an encouraging sign for the Sharks.

In Anaheim, The Hockey News says Tristan Luneau’s surprising $43.2-million contract, signed after just 14 NHL games, is quickly looking like a steal as the Ducks have opened with 8 points in 5 games (4-1-0).

At the bottom, the Calgary Flames are still searching for their first win at 0-5-0. The Hockey Writers calls this a pivotal early stretch for Calgary, citing lineup flexibility and road challenges after an off-season of subtle tweaks, and notes that Colorado recently routed the Flames 7–3. In the same publication, another article even questions how much the Battle of Alberta still matters right now, given the teams’ diverging paths.