The NHL’s trade deadline made something clear: The race to the top of the Western Conference should be intense.
The fight for the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl appears to be wide open after each contender added to its team. Unlike the Eastern Conference, where the Tampa Bay Lightning are heavy favorites, there are six teams in the West with a 10 percent chance or greater to go to the Stanley Cup Final, according to Hockey-Reference.com.
That should make the last month-plus of the season interesting as teams jockey for playoff position.
“You have to grab your confidence where you can,” Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice said.