The 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Wednesday, and a Western Conference team will try to bring the championship back to the left side of North America - as the Pittsburgh Penguins have captured it in each of the last two years.
We'll take a look at the eight Western Conference playoff teams, and break down their chances of winning the 2018 Stanley Cup.
Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks don't need to be reminded about their constant playoff meltdowns. They won the Stanley Cup in 2017, but the club also experienced heartbreaking Game 7 losses in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. They reached the Western Conference Finals in 2017, but fell o the Nashville Predators in six games.
Anaheim is always dangerous in the playoffs, but they won't be scaring teams as much this time around. Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler have all slowed down a bit, and goalie John Gibson has been dealing with injuries all season.
The Ducks draw a dangerous San Jose Sharks team in the opening round. If they win that, Anaheim will then have to play the Vegas Golden Knights or Los Angeles Kings before they clash with a Central Division giant like the Nashville Predators or Winnipeg Jets.
Chances: Not Very Good
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche didn't qualify for the playoffs until they defeated the St. Louis Blues in the opening round of the playoffs. Give Colorado credit for going from worst in the NHL a year ago to the postseason, but they really don't have much of a chance.
Colorado has a good group of forwards, led by Nate MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. But their blue line doesn't have what it takes to match up against Nashville's high-flying forwards, nor do they have a P.K. Subban or Roman Josi on their team.
Pekka Rinne is a shoe-in for the Vezina Trophy. Colorado will rely on career journeyman backup Jonathan Bernier to finish the job. There's no way the Avalanche beat the Predators, which means there's no shot at the Cup.
Chances: Dream on
Los Angeles Kings
With a core that's build around Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick, the Kings have a solid chance at winning their third Stanley Cup in the 2010s - which would classify them as a dynasty.
The Kings will have a somewhat favourable matchup against an inexperienced Vegas Golden Knights - who won't be catching them off guard this time around. Los Angeles is as dangerous as the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup championship teams, but the West also features more powerhouses in 2018.
L.A. also doesn't have much depth outside of Kopitar, Brown, Jeff Carter and Doughty. We saw the San Jose Sharks skate circles around them in the 2016 playoffs, where they ousted the Kings in five games.
Los Angeles may get past Vegas, but it's tough envisioning them beating teams like the Sharks, Ducks, Jets and Predators to reach the Stanley Cup.
Chances: Okay
Minnesota Wild
You can interpret the Minnesota Wild as a darkhorse contender that shocked the Central Division champion Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Or you can think of a Wild team that was ousted in the opening round of the 2016 and 2017 playoffs.
Minnesota is always one that must be taken seriously in the playoffs, but they haven't been past the second round since 2003. Thing is, they play a far-better Jets team in the opening round, and top blueliner Ryan Suter is out for the season.
Hard to see the Wild going far, considering that they're over-reliant on Eric Staal and Jason Zucker up front.
Chances: Not Good
Nashville Predators
The Predators led the NHL with 117 points, winning their first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history. Considering they were also the Western Conference champions just last season, it's easy to peg them as the overwhelming favourites to win the Stanley Cup.
Nashville carries four guys who scored 20 goals in the regular season, two elite blueliners in Roman Josi and P.K. Subban, plus the likely Vezina Trophy winner in Pekka Rinne. And they'll have an easy first round matchup against Colorado.
It's hard for teams to reach consecutive Stanley Cup Finals', but the Predators are more well-geared for it than most others in recent memory. Consider them the easy favourites to win the Stanley Cup.
Chances: Great
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks had a late-season slump that cost them home advantage in the opening round against the Ducks. But this team is only two years removed from a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, and they may be even better this time around.
Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Brent Burns and Evander Kane round out a dangerous score, and Martin Jones is a proven playoff performer. 11 different Sharks had double-digit goals last season, so few teams can match their depth.
If San Jose can get by Anaheim in Round 1, they'll draw a favourable matchup against the Kings or Golden Knights. After that, they need to win just four more games to get into the Stanley Cup Final.
Chances: Good
Vegas Golden Knights
Many NHL prognosticators projected the Golden Knights to finish as the NHL's worst team in 2017-18. But because hockey is fun, the wound up winning the Atlantic Division with 109 points.
No doubt that the NHL's fifth-best team from the regular season is scary, but don't get too caught up just yet. Many of Vegas' players have little to no playoff experience, and Marc-Andre Fleury has a track record of being quite awful in the postseason.
The Golden Knights will have to get past two California powerhouses before they reach the Western Conference Final. It's been a fun year, but they won't be sneaking up on any of the more experienced teams in the meaningful games.
Chances: Okay
Winnipeg Jets
Finally. After assembling a roster of young world class talent, the Jets finished with 114 points, good for second in the NHL. Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine, Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor and Bryan Little form a dangerous group of forwards.
Connor Hellebuyck set a record for most wins in a season by an American-born goalie with 44. He's complemented by solid blueliners in Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba.
For Winnipeg, their biggest challenge may be the Predators - whom they'll face in round two should both clubs take care of business in the conference quarterfinals. And the Jets should scare Nashville more than any other team.
Chances: Very, Very Good
