I said yesterday that I though the Western Conference in the NHL was significantly stronger than the East. Why do I think that? Because the best teams in the West are much better than the best teams in the East. In the East, it's pretty clear that Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh are at the top. In the West, you really can't say who the top team is. Is it Chicago? Is it San Jose? Is it Anaheim? Is it LA? Is it St. Louis? Is it Dallas? An argument really could be made for any of them.
The West is much more top-heavy than the East, though. I will say that. With the exception of the wild cards, the playoff spots, for the most part, seem to be already locked in. Because for all the West's haves, there are plenty of have-nots (Arizona, Edmonton, Vancouver).
Last season, the Chicago-LA rotation finally came to an end, with both of them getting knocked out early in the playoffs. But those odd-year Blackhawks figure to be right back at the top again. Jonathan Toews just won the World Cup and Patrick Kane is last season's Hart Trophy winner. They know how to win and have to be disappointed with the way last year ended. Don't be surprised if the Blackhawks are once again playing deep into May.
What's crazy, though, is that the Blackhawks might not even be the best team in the Central Division. Nashville has gone all-in for 2016-17. They traded their franchise player--Shea Weber--to Montreal for P.K. Subban, arguably the best defenseman in the game, which capped a busy offseason that also saw the addition of Ryan Johansen (for Seth Jones). And they've still got Pekka Rinne between the pipes. Nashville's got all the tools to challenge Chicago for the Central Division crown. In fact, they might be the two best teams in hockey (once again exposing the flaws of the current playoff format, but that's a topic for another day).
St. Louis finally broke through (somewhat) last season and made that long-awaited Conference Final appearance. The Blues have made a lot of changes, though. They might've missed their chance. The same could possibly be said for the Dallas Stars, too. Although, they've still got Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. The Stars can score with anybody, so they'll never be out of a game.
If there's one middle-of-the-pack Western Conference team with a chance to break through, it's Minnesota. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter could definitely use some help, though. But if there's an opening for a wild card spot, the Wild could easily seize it. Colorado and Winnipeg, meanwhile, are locked into also-ran status. If I had to pick one of the two as a potential playoff party-crasher, it'd be the Avalanche. But I expect them both to be watching hockey come mid-April rather than playing it.
In the Pacific Division, it's still all about California. After years and years of playoff disappointment, San Jose finally played for the Cup last season. And this year's edition of the Sharks isn't that much different than last year's. Assuming that last year wasn't just a fluke and they've finally crossed the threshold into a perennial contender, they could easily get back.
Los Angeles is too good to be counted out. The Kings finally had their streak of even-year Cup wins snapped, but this team is young and talented. Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick are probably the most important players on that team. The Ducks are seeing their window close. Of the three California teams, they're the weakest. They're still better than Arizona and the three teams in Western Canada, though, which should mean a playoff spot.
One Western Conference team that missed the playoffs last season and I'm not really sure how is Calgary. After that postseason run two years ago, I was expecting to see Johnny Gaudreau and Co. become playoff regulars. Instead they had a very disappointing 2015-16. Can they rebound and make it back this year? With former Blues goalie Brian Elliott now in the net, I'd be surprised if they didn't.
Of the other three teams, Edmonton might be the closest to contention. You don't suck for so long and stockpile No. 1 picks without eventually reaping the dividends. Maybe not this year, but next year is possible. Vancouver still has the Sedin twins, but not much else. Like the Oilers, the Coyotes are built around young talent. Their young talent isn't as good as Edmonton's, though. I wonder whether or not they'll even be better than Las Vegas next season.
So, my Western Conference top eight are pretty clear. It's basically the usual suspects once again. Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis out of the Central. San Jose, LA and Anaheim out of the Pacific. With Dallas and Calgary grabbing the wild cards. As for my Stanley Cup pick from the West, it's an odd-year season, so I've gotta go with the Blackhawks. And they win the Cup once again. Beating Tampa Bay in the Final.
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