NHL Sleeper Picks: NHL Western Conference Regular Season Champions

The Western Conference has a far different dynamic than the Eastern Conference.

The east has teams that are on a higher level (Ex: Pittsburgh Penguins) than the rest of the conference on paper. The west is far more convoluted.

Yes, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings hail from the Western Conference, but they were the eighth-best team during the regular season.

The Presidents' Trophy winner Vancouver Canucks got knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. And, with a bit of drama surrounding their goaltending situation, they may not be the favorites to take the top spot.

Are the Los Angeles Kings the favorite? According to Oddschecker's Vegas odds, they are. 

The Western Conference really has two favorites, the Canucks and Kings, each for their own reasons.

The Canucks have won the last two Presidents' Trophies.

The Kings return everyone from their Stanley Cup champion team that dominated playoff competition (16-4). 

Here are some sleepers in the Western Conference that could sneak into the top spot.

Full Oddschecker Vegas Stanley Cup odds:

Los Angeles Kings 19/2

Vancouver Canucks 11/1

St. Louis Blues 11/1

Chicago Blackhawks 13/1

Detroit Red Wings 13/1

Minnesota Wild 18/1

San Jose Sharks 20/1

Nashville Predators 22/1

Phoenix Coyotes 25/1

Dallas Stars 33/1

Anaheim Ducks 35/1

Edmonton Oilers 35/1

Colorado Avalanche 40/1

Calgary Flames 55/1

Columbus Blue Jackets 175/1

Chicago Blackhawks

The Central Division has arguably the best competition in the Western Conference. Last season, four teams recorded over 100 points and had four of the top six playoff seeds.

The Chicago Blackhawks finished fourth in the division with 101 points, thanks in part to a strong finish (6-1-3).

With players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Viktor Stalberg and Marian Hossa, the Blackhawks' lines are pretty solid.

Defensively, Duncan Keith, Nick Leddy and Brent Seabrook command the pairs that protect the goaltenders.

The goaltending is the question in Chicago. Corey Crawford and Ray Emery are good, but the Blackhawks have expressed interest in upgrading in net, potentially with Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Crawford went 30-17-7 last season. Emery matched him with a 15-9-4 record. But both goaltenders had goals-against averages in the high-twos and neither 'tender recorded a shutout.

The Blackhawks can never be counted out, especially if their stars play to their level. Special teams will need to improve drastically. 

2011-12 Rankings:

Offense: T-Fifth (2.94 goals per game) 

Defense: 22nd (2.82 goals-against average)

Power Play: T-25th (15.2 percent)

Penalty Kill: 27th (78.1 percent)

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild improved drastically this offseason signing the two biggest names on the market, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Their signing has many speculating that the Wild are Stanley Cup contenders.

Before those two went to Minnesota, the Wild weren't getting much respect for their success last season.

What success? They didn't even make the playoffs. They only had 81 points.

The success came early for the Wild in 2011-12. Through the midway point of the season, the Wild had 48 points and sat just five points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the division lead.

Go earlier to Dec. 12, the Wild were the top team in the league. They had 43 points and led the Canucks by six points in the division. They were 10-4-1 at home, 10-3-2 on the road and had won seven straight.

Then, the wheels came off. The end of January came around. The Wild had added just 12 points and were barely clinging to the eight spot.

They lost that spot but showed that they have the ability to be a premier team in the Western Conference.

You add Parise and Suter...could the Wild hit the top of the West?

2011-12 Rankings:

Offense: 30th (2.02 goals per game)

Defense: T-13th (2.65 goals-against average)

Power Play: 27th (15.1 percent)

Penalty Kill: 15th (82.1 percent) 

St. Louis Blues

At this point in the offseason, the St. Louis Blues are my Western Conference favorite.

Ken Hitchcock has the Blues poised to get to the top of the standings and stay there. Had the Blues not struggled down the stretch (4-3-3), they would have been the top seed in the West.

Unfortunately for the Blues, the Canucks finished the year 8-1-1 and took the Presidents' Trophy by two points over the Blues. 

The Blues have everything you need in hockey to win a championship. Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott provide strong goaltending. Kevin Shattenkirk and Alex Pietrangelo anchor a young, but talented, defense.

St. Louis finished second in the league last season in 5-on-5 goal differential (1.34). If they can improve in the face-off circle (T-13th, 50.4 percent), that will help them in every aspect of the game.

Up front, David Backes, T.J. Oshie and Patrick Berglund lead a talented offense.

As a personal favorite, I'm excited to see what young gun Jaden Schwartz will do for the Blues. He has been successful at every level of competition.

I got the pleasure of watching him play and talking to him while he was in the USHL for the Tri-City Storm, and I thought he had NHL-type talent. We could see that break out.

He has three points in seven career NHL games.

The Blues have all the pieces in place. Can they duplicate the success from last season and avoid a late collapse?

2011-12 Rankings:

Offense: 21st (2.51 goals per game)

Defense: First (1.89 goals-against average)

Power Play: T-18th (16.7 percent)

Penalty Kill: Seventh (85.8 percent)