As we approach the beginning of the NHL season and teams are finalizing their rosters, our expectations are becoming clear for which teams should have Stanley Cup aspirations, which should hope to slip into the playoffs and which fan bases should have the 2015 lottery on their mind.
However, no matter how much we analyze roster strengths, there are always teams that surprise us. Last season, the Colorado Avalanche rose from taking Nathan MacKinnon with the No. 1 overall pick to the second-best record in the Western Conference.
Could there be a 2014-15 version of the Avs? We take a look at what must go right for the Vegas long shots -- according to the odds from the Westgate Las Vegas Sportsbook -- to become competitors:
Note: All advanced stats are courtesy of Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com and Behindthenet.ca.