If there’s a team ready to exploit a seam in the West, it’s the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks are clearly the top two clubs in the Western Conference, but neither one of them has looked bulletproof this year.

I don’t care how good Detroit is, at some point in every playoff game and every playoff series, you need better goaltending than the Wings have been getting.

And what’s this I hear about springtime demons in San Jose?

Chicago is a young team and probably not a true contender, yet, but it has scoring depth up front, three very good defensemen and two goalies capable of stellar – though maybe not spectacular – play.

It still feels a little premature for the Hawks to leave the nest and fly with the big boys, but don’t count out Chicago as a possible Western Conference champ just yet.

The Hockey News ranks the teams 1-30 each Monday based on a combination of last week’s play and a squad’s overall outlook.

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