How Was Your Favorite Team Built? – Pacific Division

I have always found it interesting how teams acquired the individual players that make up the team as a whole. Did they draft and develop them? Did they get chosen in free agency? Did the general manager make a big move to trade for them? Some teams are better at scouting players who would be a good trade option than scouting draft picks. Successful teams don’t seem to have a mold when it comes to how they were built so it really allows teams to be creative about making up their roster.

We’ve looked at the Central, Metropolitan and Atlantic divisions. Now it is time for the Pacific.

If you want see how teams in the Central were built, click here.

If you want to see how teams in the Metro were built, click here.

If you want to see how teams in the Atlantic were built, click here.

Goaltenders are included in the lists but are not factored in to the statistical analysis.

Another quick note, the Corsi-for-percentages are for even-strength and are only factored in for players who have played at least 100 minutes this season.

Los Angeles Kings

Acquired via trade – Jeff Carter, Marian Gaborik, Vincent Lecavalier, Milan Lucic, Matt Greene, Brayden McNabb, Luke Schenn

Acquired via free agency – Christian Ehrhoff, Jamie McBain, Jake Muzzin, Jhonas Enroth

Acquired via draft (round and year in parenthesis) – Andy Andreoff (3rd in 2011), Dustin Brown (1st in 2003), Kyle Clifford (2nd in 2009), Dwight King (4th in 2007), Anze Kopitar (1st in 2005), Trevor Lewis (1st in 2006), Jordan Nolan (7th in 2009), Tanner Pearson (1st in 2012), Nick Shore (3rd in 2011), Tyler Toffoli (2nd in 2010), Drew Doughty (1st in 2008), Alec Martinez (4th in 2007), Jonathan Quick (3rd in 2005)

Analysis

  • Players acquired by trade make up for 32% of goals and almost 29% of points scored by the above roster this season.
  • Those players have an average corsi-for-% (CF%) of 53.49 and an average cap hit of about $2.94M.
  • Free agents make up for just over 7% of goals and just under 13% of points scored so far.
  • They have an average CF% of 56.01 and an average cap hit of $2.03M per season.
  • Draft picks of Los Angeles make up for almost 61% of goals and over 58% of points scored this year.
  • Those draftees have an average CF% of 55.19 and an average cap hit of $2.96M per season.

Los Angeles has drafted really well and it has helped them stay so good for so long. Most players have cap hits that probably don’t match the value they would get if they ever hit free agency. The one thing that could kill the Kings is the sheer amount of term they have locked in some of those “good right now” deals. They have seven total contracts that last at least until 2020 on the books now. They are all worth the money now, but that could get ugly down the road.

San Jose Sharks

Acquired via trade – Mike Brown, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, Brenden Dillon, Martin Jones

Acquired via free agency – Joonas Donskoi, Melker Karlsson, Joel Ward, Dainius Zubrus, Paul Martin, Matt Tennyson

Burns Sharks
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Acquired via draft – Logan Couture (1st in 2007), Tomas Hertl (1st in 2012), Patrick Marleau (1st in 1997), Matt Nieto (2nd in 2011), Joe Pavelski (7th in 2003), Chris Tierney (2nd in 2012), Tommy Wingels (6th in 2008), Justin Braun (7th in 2007), Dylan Demelo (6th in 2011), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (2nd in 2005), Alex Stalock (4th in 2005)

Analysis

  • Players traded to the Sharks make up for just under 21% of goals and 25% of points scored so far.
  • Those players have an average CF% of 50.68 and an average cap hit of about $4.25M.
  • Free agent finds of San Jose make up for 23% of goals and just under 21% of points so far this year.
  • They have an average CF% of 51.09 and an average cap hit of $1.99M per season.
  • Draftees of San Jose make up for over 56% of goals and 54% of points scored by the above roster this season.
  • Those players have an average CF% of 50.74 and an average cap hit of $3.22M.

The draft picks of San Jose would have likely made up for quite a bit more of the scoring had Logan Couture not been injured for a good portion of this season. He’s played pretty well when he has been in the lineup. Pavelski is once again having an incredible season and once again, nobody is really talking about him. He’s my dark horse candidate for the Rocket Richard trophy and I would not be surprised at all to see him catch players like Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn in that race.

Arizona Coyotes

Acquired via trade – Anthony Duclair, Tobias Rieder, Klas Dahlbeck, Nicklas Grossmann, Zbynek Michalek, Jarred Tinordi

Acquired via free agency – Kyle Chipchura, Boyd Gordon, Brad Richardson, Antoine Vermette, Joe Vitale, Kevin Connauton (waivers), Anders Lindback, Mike Smith

Acquired via draft – Mikkel Boedker (1st in 2008), Shane Doan (1st in 1995), Max Domi (1st in 2013), Martin Hanzal (1st in 2005), Jordan Martinook (2nd in 2012), Viktor Tikhonov (1st in 2008), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (1st in 2009), Connor Murphy (1st in 2011), Michael Stone (3rd in 2008), Louis Domingue (5th in 2010)

Analysis

  • Players who arrived in Arizona by trade make up for over 24% of goals and 22% of points scored by the above roster this season.
  • They have an average CF% of 47.06 and an average cap hit of $1.55M.
  • Free agent signings of the Coyotes make up for almost 14% of goals and over 16% of points.
  • Those players have an average CF% of 45.44 and an average cap hit of about $1.92M per season.
  • Draft picks of Arizona make up for almost 62% of goals and 62% of points scored this season.
  • They have an average CF% of 47.05 and an average cap hit of $2.46M.

I wonder what this team could do if they spent even close to the salary cap. They are sitting in a playoff spot right now and sure the Pacific has been awful but the playoffs are the playoffs. The young duo of Domi and Duclair has been ultra-entertaining to watch this year and they have a lot of young players stepping up so far. While nobody expects them to do much damage in the playoffs, nobody expected them to even be sniffing the playoffs in the first place.

Anaheim Ducks

Acquired via trade – Andrew Cogliano, Ryan Garbutt, Ryan Kesler, Patrick Maroon, David Perron, Jakob Silfverberg, Nate Thompson, Kevin Bieksa, Simon Despres, Korbinian Holzer

Acquired via free agency – Shawn Horcoff, Mike Santorelli, Chris Stewart, Clayton Stoner

Corey Perry
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

Acquired via draft – Ryan Getzlaf (1st in 2003), Corey Perry (1st in 2003), Rickard Rakell (1st in 2011), Cam Fowler (1st in 2010), Hampus Lindholm (1st in 2012), Josh Manson (6th in 2011), Sami Vatanen (4th in 2009), Frederik Andersen (3rd in 2012), Josh Gibson (2nd in 2011)

Analysis

  • Anaheim’s traded-for players make up for over 28% of goals and almost 32% of points scored by the above roster this season.
  • Those same players have an average CF% of 52.04 and an average cap hit of $2.63M.
  • Free agent finds for the Ducks make up for over 20.5% of goals and 14.5% of points scored this year.
  • They have an average CF% of 50.99 and an average cap hit of $1.89M per season.
  • Duck draft picks make up for over 51% of goals and almost 54% of points.
  • They have an average CF% of 54.92 and an average cap hit of $3.55M.

It has been a rough start for the Ducks but the players who weren’t doing well at the beginning of the season are starting to pick it up. They have some fantastic first-rounders in their lineup and Hampus Lindholm has been incredible for Anaheim. They probably could use a little more out of the players they have traded for, but newcomer David Perron has started quickly with his new club.

Vancouver Canucks

Acquired via trade – Sven Baertschi, Derek Dorsett, Emerson Etem, Brandon Prust, Brandon Sutter, Luca Sbisa, Jacob Markstrom

Acquired via free agency – Alexandre Burrows, Adam Cracknell, Radim Vrbata, Matt Bartkowski, Alex Biega, Dan Hamhuis, Christopher Tanev, Yannick Weber, Ryan Miller

Acquired via draft – Jannik Hansen (9th in 2004), Bo Horvat (1st in 2013), Jared McCann (1st in 2014), Daniel Sedin (1st in 1999), Henrik Sedin (1st in 1999), Jake Virtanen (1st in 2014), Alexander Edler (3rd in 2004), Ben Hutton (5th in 2012)

Analysis

  • Canucks who arrived via trade make up for over 16.5% of goals and 15.5% of points scored by the roster above.
  • They have an average CF% of 44.26 and an average cap hit of $2.3M.
  • Free agent signings in Vancouver make up for almost 22% of goals and 26% of points.
  • Those players have an average CF% of 46.78 and an average cap hit of about $2.86M per season.
  • Draft picks of Vancouver make up for over 61% of goals and 58% of points scored this season.
  • They have an average CF% of 47.79% and carry an average cap hit of $3.13M.

For the money some of those traded-for players make, their statistics are rough so far this season. It doesn’t help that Sutter has been hurt for a good portion of the season but they need more out of that group. So far the trend in the Pacific division has been team draft picks making up for a majority of points and goals. Vancouver didn’t break that mold as their draft picks have performed well this season.

Calgary Flames

Acquired via trade – Brandon Bollig, Joe Colborne, David Jones, Matt Stajan, Dougie Hamilton, Kris Russell, Ladislav Smid, Dennis Wideman, Karri Ramo

Acquired via free agency – Michael Frolik, Jiri Hudler, Josh Jooris, Mason Raymond, Deryk Engelland, Mark Giordano, Jonas Hiller

Acquired via draft – Mikael Backlund (1st in 2007), Sam Bennett (1st in 2014), Lance Bouma (3rd in 2008), Micheal Ferland (5th in 2010), Johnny Gaudreau (4th in 2011), Markus Granlund (2nd in 2011), Sean Monahan (1st in 2013), TJ Brodie (4th in 2008)

(Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)
(Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)

Analysis

  • Flames who came to Calgary by trade make up for almost 25% of goals and over 27.5% of points scored by the above players this season.
  • They have an average CF% of 45.69 and an average cap hit of $3.34M per season.
  • Free agent signings of Calgary make up for over 25.5% of goals and almost 26% of points scored this year.
  • Those players have an average CF% of 48.34 and an average cap hit of about $3.23M per season.
  • Draft picks of the Flames make up for over 49.5% of goals and over 46% of points scored this year.
  • They have an average CF% of 47.9 and carry an average cap hit of $1.85M per season.

If the Flames didn’t have Gaudreau and Monahan on entry-level deals they would be in an even worse position than they are now. Luckily they have some iffy contracts coming off the books to make room for those two getting nice raises. Overall the draft picks have been the top producers while being the lowest-earners.

Edmonton Oilers

Acquired via trade – Matt Hendricks, Rob Klinkhammer, Lauri Korpikoski, Teddy Purcell, Eric Gryba, Anders Nilsson, Cam Talbot

Acquired via free agency – Luke Gazdic (waivers), Mark Letestu, Iiro Pakarinen, Benoit Pouliot, Mark Fayne, Justin Schultz, Andrej Sekera

Acquired via draft – Leon Draisaitl (1st in 2014), Jordan Eberle (1st in 2008), Taylor Hall (1st in 2010), Anton Lander (2nd in 2009), Connor McDavid (1st in 2015), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1st in 2011), Nail Yakupov (1st in 2012), Brandon Davidson (6th in 2010), Oscar Klefbom (1st in 2011), Darnell Nurse (1st in 2013)

Analysis

  • Players who arrived in Edmonton via trade make up for over 30% of goals and almost 28% of points scored by the above roster this year.
  • Those same players have an average CF% of 46.47 and an average cap hit of $2.165M.
  • Free agent finds of the Oilers make up for 26.5% of goals and over 22% of points scored this year.
  • They have an average CF% of 47.89 and an average cap hit of $2.92M per season.
  • Players drafted in Edmonton make up for over 56% of goals and over 60.5% of points scored this season.
  • Those players have an average CF% of 50.2 and an average cap hit of $2.57M.

All those first round picks are starting to pay off, at least when it comes to goal scoring. The Oilers still find themselves in the lottery discussion but it has been a better year for them. They have gotten some rotten luck with injuries to key guys like McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins and Yakupov. I think they will have a strong second half with those draft picks leading the way.