The NHL trade deadline might not have been quite as crazy as some expected, but there were a handful of trades that could change the shape of the Western Conference playoff race and determine which club ends up with the best shot at the top pick in the draft.
Let's have a look at how the West shakes out as we head down the final stretch of the season, and be sure to check out the Eastern Conference breakdown here.
Stanley Cup contenders
These teams are the most likely contenders to represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final.
Nashville Predators
Key stat: 56.3 percent goals for percentage at even strength, No. 1 in the West
Last year's representative from the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final is a favorite to return after stacking up the lineup even more this time around. The Predators rank in the top 10 in goals scored, goals against, power play and penalty kill, in part because Kyle Turris and Nick Bonino have helped create impressive depth in Nashville's lineup. It also doesn't hurt that P.K. Subban is doing P.K. Subban things and leading the team in scoring or that Pekka Rinne is making a run at the Vezina Trophy.
