Drop the Puck Pt. 2

By TaronzaPelham

• Dropping Dimes

Oct. 13, 2016

Yesterday I talked about the contenders in the Eastern Conference to lift Lord Stanley's Cup and today I'll do the same in the Western Conference.  The West is again loaded this season and there are to me at least 3 teams that could win it all.  Let's start in Chicago with the Blackhawks.   Any time you talk about Chicago, the conversation has to begin with Hart Trophy winner Patrick Kane.  One of the top 5 players in hockey right now, the Blackhawks will lean on him heavily if they are to win their 4th title in 7 years.  Add in Jonathan Toews, Artemi Panarin, last year's Calder Trophy winner and Marian Hossa just to name a few, the Blackhawks chances to win the cup are as good as anybody's.  They will need great goaltending again from Corey Crawford if they are to emerge from a stacked Western Conference.   Last year's Stanley Cup finalists, the San Jose Sharks, are poised for another run at the Cup.  This could be a team that could help Joe Thornton finally get a championship ring.  Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, Logan Couture and Marc-Edouard Vlasic lead a roster that can rival any roster in the NHL.  In recent history, the following year hasn't always been kind to the Stanley Cup runner-up, but the Sharks have the team to defy that logic.  If Martin Jones continues to excel in goal, the San Jose Sharks could possibly be on the opposite end of their bitter loss in the Finals last year.  In what looks like the toughest division in the NHL, the Dallas Stars will try to navigate the rough waters in the West.  As has been the case the last few years, the Stars will ride their offense, led by Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, to success this year.  The Stars led the NHL last year in goals scored and they will need that scoring prowess again this year.  The Stars made a shrewd move to sign Jiri Hudler.  Hudler should get many of opportunities to score goals playing in this high-scoring offense.  To me it will come down to the goaltending for the Stars.  The question is will Antti Niemi be able to keep out enough shots and let the offense win games for them.   These are the favorites in the West, but there are plenty of teams that could stand in the way (Winnipeg, St. Louis, and LA).  It is going to be fun watching the Western Conference all season and see who will be standing after the dust clears. 


NHL

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TaronzaPelham

Dropping Dimes

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