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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; If fan whipping boy Roberto Luongo\u00A0plays poorly against the offensively-challenged\u00A0Kings, calls for backup netminder\u00A0Cory Schneider will ring from the rafters in Vancouver. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;By Stu Hackel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you\u2019re looking for Stanley Cup predictions, you\u2019ve come to the wrong place. As we\u2019ve previously written, predictions are a waste of time. However, we\u2019re willing to take some stabs at what is each playoff team about. What do they have to do to win? What must they avoid to prevent things from going south?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So here are the keys to the first round match-ups in the Western Conference.\u00A0 You can find the Eastern Conference here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;VANCOUVER\u00A0CANUCKS\u00A0(1) vs. LOS ANGELES KINGS (8)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Canucks - Who they are and how they win:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0They shook off a late season malaise to finish 8-1-1 in their last 10 -- much of\u00A0the time\u00A0without Daniel Sedin\u00A0-- while playing dominant hockey down the stretch\u00A0and capturing the Presidents' Trophy. A superskilled\u00A0team with a some bite, Vancouver has the best offense in the conference and, potentially, a strong power play. The Canucks have \u00A0refined their roster this\u00A0season a bit, adding depth with a solid offensive performer in David Booth, a proven shutdown center in Sami Pahlsson, and some menace in Zack Kassian. The defense corps\u00A0excels\u00A0at moving the puck forward, and the only question in goal\u00A0is which guy, Roberto Luongo or Cory Schneider, will finish the series.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What could go wrong:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0If Luongo\u00A0plays poorly, Schneider remains an unknown when it comes to carrying a team in the playoffs. The power play struggled in the second half and if Daniel Sedin's\u00A0concussion symptoms keep him sidelined for an extended period (he was\u00A0ruled out for Game 1),\u00A0that probably won't help its improvement.\u00A0 Even if Sedin\u00A0returns, the Canucks, who haven't always gotten secondary scoring, \u00A0will need\u00A0it if the defensively proficient Kings can shut down\u00A0their top line.\u00A0And superior physicality could\u00A0allow\u00A0the Kings\u00A0to win more battles along the boards, in the corners and in the slot.\u00A0L.A.'s stiffling defense\u00A0has the potential to\u00A0frustrate\u00A0the Canucks into\u00A0taking penalties. If things go wrong and the\u00A0Vancouver fan base turns on the team, that could be a significant negative. And Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick is good enough to steal this series.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kings - Who they are and how they win:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0 They're the\u00A0epitome of Sutter-style meat-and-potatoes hockey. The Kings get it out, get it in, get to the front of the net, and smash the opposition, which is the way coach Darryl Sutter likes it. They don't score much -- the fewest goals in the league this\u00A0season -- but L.A. also doesn't allow many. Only the Blues surrendered fewer goals and, led by the shutdown duo of Rob Scuderi and Willie Mitchell, the Kings\u00A0don't allow many shots, either. They have the ability to get a goal or two and let Quick do the rest. They have, though,\u00A0added some guys who have had some\u00A0playoff success, most notably Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, to augment their few reliable scorers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What could go wrong:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0Very simply, if they don't get enough scoring, the Kings won't win, and Carter may not be 100 percent as he contends with an ankle injury. They are already without Simon Gagne, who is gone for the season with a concussion. Quick cannot be anything less than at his best. Should Vancouver's power play revive and the Kings run into penalty trouble\u00A0with their physical play, even L.A.'s penalty kill -- which is quite good -- might not be able to contain all of the Canucks' offensive threats.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ST. LOUIS BLUES (2) vs. SAN JOSE SHARKS (7)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Blues -- Who they are and how they win:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0They took a\u00A0leap in the West by\u00A0playing coach Ken Hitchcock's 200-foot game, pressuring the puck all over the ice. They block a lot of shots and don't allow the opposition\u00A0many chances to score,\u00A0giving up\u00A0the fewest goals in the league. They're\u00A0adept at keeping the puck in the other team's\u00A0end and wearing them down.\u00A0St. Louis\u00A0has very good depth on its\u00A0big, mobile defense, led by a pair of young puckcarriers, Alex Pietrangelo\u00A0and Kevin Shattenkirk.\u00A0The blueline\u00A0corps\u00A0will lean on opposing forwards and make life difficult for them. There's also size at the forward positions --\u00A0where captain David Backes\u00A0is emerging as a star performer with David Perron not far behind him --\u00A0and Cup experience in Jason Arnott\u00A0and Jamie Langenbrunner.\u00A0The Blues\u00A0play a rugged, tight checking playoff-style game all season, so they won't have to change the basics of their game plan.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What could go wrong:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0They didn't finish particularly strong, so\u00A0could their physical style have worn them down? While the coach and some vets have been through the playoff wars, the young core of the club is not very experienced in the postseason, and\u00A0its' regular season results carry expectations\u00A0it may not be able to carry. The Sharks' greater experience could be a factor, especially if they can break down Pietrangelo\u00A0and Shattenkirk\u00A0with physical pounding. If the Blues\u00A0get into penalty trouble, their good PK could face a big challenge from an excellent Sharks power play. While goalie Jaroslav Halak, who faltered in the late going, has been a playoff hero, he doesn't do well playing long stretches of games. Brian Elliott, who is not 100 percent physically, has little NHL playoff experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sharks -- Who they are and how they win:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0An experienced postseason club, San Jose turned it up in the late going with a strong finish to grab a playoff spot and could be peaking at the right time. The Sharks\u00A0are led by three terrific playmakers, the two Joes -- Thornton and Pavelski\u00A0-- and Logan Couture. Most years, Patrick Marleau\u00A0has been a consistent playoff goal scorer. Like the Blues, the Sharks \u00A0have good puckmovers\u00A0on the back end\u00A0and try to\u00A0exit their own zone quickly to grind it out in the opposition's end, although they had less success at that for large stretches this season. Unlike the Blues, they have a very good power play (ranked second in the NHL as opposed to St. Louis at 19) and\u00A0a Cup-winner in goal\u00A0in Antti\u00A0Niemi, who has been known to elevate his game at the right time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What could go wrong?&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0If the Blues can shut down Thornton and Pavelski, it will take a big part of the Sharks' offense away. Marleau\u00A0could have one of his occasional\u00A0postseason off-years. Should St. Louis be able to dictate the play, come with their hard forecheck, and keep the Sharks stuck in their own\u00A0zone too much, that could cascade into problems, slowing their defense corps (if not crippling it) and increasing the pressure on Niemi, who can be inconsistent regardless of his Cup experience. Should the Blues penalty kill stifle San Jose's power play, that could sink the Sharks, too. They have historically underachieved in the playoffs and while this year's below par regular season may take the pressure off them, they might also just not have playoff success in their DNA.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PHOENIX COYOTES (3) vs. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (6).&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Coyotes - Who they are and how they win: &lt;/strong&gt;A well-coached team by Dave Tippett, the Coyotes don't beat themselves. They play with structure and discipline, keeping opponents frustrated and the shooting lanes clear for MVP goalie Mike Smith to get good looks at most of the\u00A0things coming his way. Typically under-the-radar, the Coyotes may have the best defenseman in the NHL no one knows about in Oliver Ekman-Larsson-- a strong skater and puck-mover who consistently makes good decisions in all situations\u00A0and is\u00A0excellent positionally. He can be a difference-maker. And in Radim\u00A0Vrbata, they have their first 35-goal scorer since Keith Tkachuk\u00A0notched 36 in 1998-99. But they win through team defense and their 194 goals-against was fifth best in the league. There's also\u00A0excellent leadership with veterans Ray Whitney and captain Shane Doan keeping everyone focused through the franchise's interminable off-ice woes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What could go wrong:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0Playoff success has eluded this franchise forever and the Coyotes will\u00A0be going into a raucous building in Chicago, a theater that might prove too big for them. Their reliable offense remains limited to a few players, so if Chicago can shut them down, that could doom the desert dogs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Blackhawks -- Who they are and how they win:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0When healthy, this is a rock solid lineup, four lines deep up front and strong on the blueline, especially at the top end. It's a team with big bodies and the ability to dictate the run of play with\u00A0its puck possession game. Well-coached by Joel Quenneville, they\u00A0are only two years removed from winning it all and\u00A0know what it takes.\u00A0Chicago is also quite\u00A0good down the middle, led by one of the game's great young players\u00A0and leaders in Jonathan Toews. Dave Bolland is\u00A0one of the top shutdown centers in the game.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What could go wrong:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0If\u00A0 Toews\u00A0or Bolland or both\u00A0aren't 100 percent or miss games due to injury, that will cripple the Hawks' chances. While their goaltenders, Corey Crawford and Ray Emery, have struggled at times, both have raised their games in the postseason before and they'll have to do it here against a very opportunistic team that likely won't give up many goals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NASHVILLE PREDATORS (4) vs. DETROIT RED WINGS (5)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Predators - Who they are and how they win:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0Like the Blues and Bruins, the Preds\u00A0play a strong game all over the ice. They've got an all-world puckstopper\u00A0in goal\u00A0with Pekka\u00A0Rinne. Their defense corps, led by the league's top tandem of Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, got stronger at the deadline\u00A0with the acquisition\u00A0of Cup champion Hal Gill. Other in-season additions bolstered Nashville. Alexander Radulov\u00A0and Andrei Kostitsyn\u00A0give them an added offensive dimension, and Paul Gaustad\u00A0supplies aggression and the ability to win face-offs. A pair of unheralded youngsters, rookie Craig Smith and Matt Halischuk, have given them some good scoring depth. This is a very good team, under the radar.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where it could go wrong:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0The Preds\u00A0have never beaten Detroit in a postseason series or won a playoff game in Detroit. That's some heavy baggage to shed, and if the Wings are in their heads, it may adversely effect Nashville. If the Preds\u00A0don't win both of the first two games at home, it will give\u00A0the Red Wings\u00A0confidence knowing\u00A0that they can keep the voodoo going. Also, should the Preds top ranked power play not kick into gear, that will take a big part of their offense out of the equation. And finally, after their top pair on defense, the Preds could be vulnerable, especially if Gill is not 100 percent. That could be the opening Detroit needs to get to Rinne.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Red Wings - Who they are and how they win: &lt;/strong&gt;For the first time in ages, they're&lt;strong&gt; a&lt;/strong&gt;n underdog heading into a series. Detroit still combines high-end\u00A0skill, speed, puck possession and a good amount of grit with a commitment to team defense,\u00A0solid goaltending and excellent coaching. Injuries derailed the Wings\u00A0in the second half and still pose questions. Jimmy Howard, through his own bouts with injury, has been very\u00A0good in goal\u00A0for most of the season. Both Pavel Datsyuk\u00A0and Henrik Zetterberg are world-class two-way forwards\u00A0who can shut down any opposing center.\u00A0And, of course, the Wings have\u00A0been very tough to beat at Joe Louis Arena this season.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What could go wrong:&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0Lingering injuries to Darren Helm and Dan Cleary plus the loss of Patrick Eaves for the season due to concussion could hurt Detroit's team speed and special teams play. In fact, special teams have been a Wings' weakness this season and should that continue, it could prove fatal. The Preds' big forwards could dominate Detroit's smaller group and if Nashville's size and determined play translate into a high number of shots and scoring chances, Howard, even at his best, may not be enough to stop them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Those are the keys in the West. The keys in the East are here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That's a very well-known version. It's been recorded and performed countless times by everyone from Little Walter, B.B. King, and Big Bill Broonzy to the Steve Miller Band and the Derek Trucks Band. But here's the original:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;h1&gt;What\u2019s next for the season\u2019s\u00A0also-rans&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets |  Comments &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Both the Stars and Flames are in for some serious evaluation -- in Dallas, it starts in the front office; in Calgary with a veteran roster that may require turning iconic captain Jarome Iginla into trade bait. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While everyone is talking playoff matchups and predicting the number of stitches that doctors will need to close the combined\u00A0wounds of the Penguins and Flyers, there are 14 other clubs who are packing up for the summer and planning for next season. Here\u2019s a roundup of the NHL\u2019s also-rans and what might be in store for them during\u00A0the offseason. We\u2019ll start at the bottom of the league and work our way up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Columbus \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0Yes, the Blue Jackets\u00A0won seven of their last 11 games and ownership continues to back the hockey department, but the team\u2019s\u00A0dreadful start when so much was expected,\u00A0its last place finish, the coaching change, the fan protest, and the Rick Nash mess all made for a dreadful season. The future of interim coach Todd Richards is uncertain, but the huge question mark is Nash\u2019s fate. If he is traded \u2014 which is widely expected \u2014 what will embattled GM Scott Howson get in return? Will it be enough to reverse this club\u2019s direction and win back the many discontented fans? Michael Arace of &lt;em&gt;The Columbus Dispatch&lt;/em&gt; summed it all\u00A0up over the weekend.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Edmonton \u2014 &lt;/strong&gt;This was the sixth straight non-playoff season for the Oilers\u00A0\u2013 ever year since their 2006 run to the Stanley Cup Final \u2014 and one in\u00A0which they\u00A0fell short in some observers\u2019 expectations. Their 12-point improvement over last year (and the year before) disappointed those who had\u00A0hoped this young club would at least make a run at the playoffs. That never happened. Whether GM Steve Tambellini\u00A0and/or coach Tom Renney\u00A0could take the fall for that is an open question, but there is a crying need \u2014 as there was a year ago \u2014 for the Oilers to strengthen the defensive side of their game. Jim Matheson of &lt;em&gt;The Edmonton Journal&lt;/em&gt; has more here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Montreal \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0The Canadiens\u2019 misery has been well-chronicled. Their last place finish and bizarre\u00A0off-ice moves were an embarrassment\u00A0to this legendary\u00A0franchise. A new GM is the first order of business and he\u2019ll most likely hire a new coach. Serge Savard is rumored to be in line for a senior VP position (he\u2019s denied it). Injuries, especially to Andrei Markov, played a role,\u00A0but the Habs had only one productive line and they\u00A0badly need to build offensive depth. CTV\u2019s Brian Wilde discusses the Habs\u2019 plight with &lt;em&gt;La Presse\u2019s&lt;/em&gt;\u00A0Francois Gagnon and TSN\u2019s John Lu in a video seen here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;New York Islanders \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0It\u2019s been\u00A0five years now\u00A0since the Isles last appeared in the postseason and, like the Oilers, they\u2019ve been collecting young talent up front but have shown weaknesses on the back end. This team\u2019s defense corps\u00A0is not particularly\u00A0speedy in an increasingly fast NHL, nor\u00A0is\u00A0it effectively physical. While GM Garth Snow said he\u2019s not expecting any big changes to the roster\u00A0during the offseason (meaning, don\u2019t expect a big free agent signing, as this team likes to keep its budget low), he does have to try to hold\u00A0on to\u00A0one of his own important pending free agents: P.A. Parenteau, who a number of other teams hope remains unsigned by July 1. Arthur Staple of &lt;em&gt;Newsday&lt;/em&gt; poses more questions facing the Islanders here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Toronto \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0There\u2019s enough blame to go around for their\u2019 8-18-4 collapse\u00A0during the\u00A0final two months and even\u00A0Maple Leafs\u00A0fans\u00A0are getting a share.\u00A0They\u2019re calling for GM Brian Burke\u2019s head, so this could be an unstable situation with new ownership coming in shortly and probably not willing to put up with continuing the team\u2019s 45 years of futility. It seems that no part of the roster or hockey department functioned as hoped, but Burke needs to address\u00A0at least two glaring problems he thought he\u2019d solved a year ago:\u00A0the need for\u00A0an\u00A0NHL-proven goaltender and a true Number One center to play with Phil Kessel and Joffrey\u00A0Lupul.\u00A0 More on possible roster moves here from Terry Koshan of &lt;em&gt;The Toronto Sun&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anaheim \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0A poor start, a coaching change, and a strong second half, but a slip in March took the Ducks on a rollercoaster\u00A0ride in which some of their top players were thought to be on the way out of town. GM Bob Murray didn\u2019t pull the trigger on any big moves and now faces an offseason in which he has to take a hard look at his club, an also-ran in two of the last three seasons. If 41-year-old Teemu\u00A0Selanne \u2013\u00A0its top scorer \u2014 retires, Murray will have a big hole to fill. But he\u2019s also got to gauge whether some other big names have the offensive consistency to make the Ducks a force in the West again. Their defense corps needs an upgrade as well, which may or may not come from signing collegiate star Justin Schultz, who could opt for free agency. These topics and more are covered in a video discussion between Tanya Lyon, Eric Stephens and Jeff Miller of&lt;em&gt; The Orange County Register&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota \u2014 &lt;/strong&gt;The Wild\u2019s collapse started earlier than Toronto\u2019s. This was the NHL\u2019s surprise team for the first 30 games, then it\u00A0plummeted\u00A0as injuries dragged\u00A0it down and the organization\u2019s depth was tested and didn\u2019t really pass. That was\u00A0the result of poor personnel\u00A0moves prior to\u00A0and since Chuck Fletcher became GM. Fletcher has tried to make up for some of what he inherited, but the Wild still lack enough top-end talent, especially on\u00A0offense. They were the league\u2019s lowest scoring team this season, with only 166 goals, or\u00A02.02\u00A0per game.\u00A0This won\u2019t be a stellar summer for free agency, but you can expect Fletcher to take a run at what is available, especially local product Zach Parise if the Devils can\u2019t keep him from hitting the open market. Michael Russo of &lt;em&gt;The Minneapolis Star-Tribune&lt;/em&gt; examines the Wild\u2019s trading and drafting and Fletcher\u2019s performance here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Carolina \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0The late November coaching change from Paul Maurice to Kirk Muller helped turn their season around (they went 20-12-10 in the new year) and has them believing they aren\u2019t too far away from returning to the postseason. They have some very good high-end youngsters in popular Jeff Skinner (whose season was interrupted by a concussion) and young d-man Justin Falk. Still, they need a goal-scoring winger to play with Eric Staal, having let Erik Cole walk away in free agency last summer, and could use some depth on defense. GM Jim Rutherford says he\u2019ll take a run at a big free agent. More on the \u2018Canes season from Chip Alexander of &lt;em&gt;The Raleigh News-Observer&lt;/em&gt; here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winnipeg \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0The honeymoon with the fans was great, but it probably won\u2019t linger deep into next season if the club falters again. The Jets are\u00A0set in goal\u00A0with Ondrej Pavelec, but their team\u00A0defensive play badly needs work. In his postmortem with the media, coach Claude Noel talked about the players\u2019 collective mindset needing improvement, which is hard to comprehend considering the fan support they receive. So GM Kevin Cheveldayoff\u00A0may be in the hunt for some character guys\u00A0during the offseason. He\u00A0 has a number of UFAs\u00A0and RFAs to contend with, and there is a need for this club to be more physical, especially up front. Kirk Penton of &lt;em&gt;The Winnipeg Sun&lt;/em&gt; lists the areas he thinks need improvement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tampa Bay \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0Every season, it seems, one team makes a surprise leap forward only to fall back the following year. That was the Lightning\u2019s story, stumbling after last year being one game away from the Cup Final \u2014 and in both seasons it had something to do with the play of 42-year-old goalie Dwayne Roloson. He and Mathieu Garon\u00A0were less than advertised this season (after the team let Mike Smith walk away in free agency), but a top\u00A0netminder\u00A0is only one area\u00A0in which\u00A0GM Steve Yzerman\u00A0must improve his team. Victor Hedman\u00A0is still developing, but the Lightning have never really replaced Dan Boyle as a true Number One defenseman. If one becomes available in free agency \u2014 like, say, Nashville\u2019s Ryan Suter \u2014 expect Yzerman\u00A0to be in the long line to sign him. Led by Steven Stamkos, this club has no problems scoring, but\u00A0its once-formidable special teams play, like the season as a whole, went slip sliding away. &lt;em&gt;The Tampa Bay Times\u2019&lt;/em&gt;\u00A0Damian Cristodero breaks down the Lightning\u2019s performance here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Colorado \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0A team that touted itself as much improved when the season started didn\u2019t play that way until the second half, and that was\u00A0only after GM Greg Sherman tinkered with his roster. Still, the end result\u00A0was positive \u2014 a shot at the postseason\u00A0and a 20-point improvement. By season\u2019s end, the Avs\u00A0had the NHL\u2019s youngest roster. The offseason will reveal\u00A0whether captain Milan Hedjuk, the link to the Avs\u2019 glorious past, returns and whether Sherman decides to keep Paul Stastny, who some believe underperforms. But their biggest need is a top defenseman, especially on the power play. Once upon a time, they had Kevin Shattenkirk. More thoughts on the Avs\u00A0from Adrian Dater in his full-time gig for &lt;em&gt;The Denver Post&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buffalo \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0After all their offseason moves and heightened expectations, the only way to classify this season is as a disappointment. Even the late run\u00A0at a playoff spot, and the injury bug excuse,\u00A0haven\u2019t provided much solace\u00A0because a large number of Sabres players had down seasons. Just where that leaves this organization is anyone\u2019s guess. One team executive said during the season that\u00A0the club was considering breaking up\u00A0its core. Even Ryan Miller was thought to be available. Management will have a tough debriefing job assessing whose shortcomings deserve a second chance and whose merit being shipped elsewhere for fresh faces. John Vogl of &lt;em&gt;The Buffalo News&lt;/em&gt; reflects on a lost season.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dallas \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0A team in transition, from behind the bench to the ownership suite\u00A0to the ice, the Stars missed the postseason for the fourth straight year. Some people are\u00A0beginning to question GM Joe Nieuwendyk\u2019s\u00A0performance. He has, however, been hamstrung by the drawn-out ownership mess that tarnished the franchise and cut the team\u2019s budget, allowing Brad Richards to walk away last summer in free agency. With the team\u2019s finances no longer a problem, the Stars will look to add depth to all areas of their game\u00A0during the offseason, with the exception of goaltender, where they look strong, led by Kari Lehtonen. Owner Tom Gaglardi\u00A0shared his thoughts on the club with ESPN Dallas\u2019 Mark Stepneski here.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Calgary \u2013&lt;/strong&gt;\u00A0Like the Oilers, the Flames have not won a playoff series since their last trip to the Stanley Cup Final, but unlike their Albertan rival, they don\u2019t have a roster filled with promising young talent, although there are some promising youngsters on the way. But until the cavalry arrives, the Flames need to get better for next season, and that could mean decision time on some of their veterans, most notably Jarome\u00A0Iginla\u00A0and Miikka\u00A0Kiprusoff, whose trades could bring a lot in return. It would be emotionally painful to part with those two cornerstones, but the need to create cap space and bring in new bodies could leave GM Jay Feaster with little alternative. In &lt;em&gt;The Calgary Sun&lt;/em&gt;, Steve MacFarlane makes the case for a Flames rebuild.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It\u2019s a tough time to be a fan if your team is done for the year, and if you need more to cheer you up, you might want to read this Ryan Kennedy piece for &lt;em&gt;The Hockey News&lt;/em&gt; website. Like your team, you\u2019ve got to look ahead and not let it get you down.\n&lt;strong&gt;COMMENTING GUIDELINES: We encourage engaging, diverse and meaningful commentary and hope you will join the discussion. We also encourage, but do not require, that you use your real name. Please keep comments on-topic and relevant to the original post. To foster healthy discussion, we will review all comments BEFORE they are posted. We expect a basic level of civility toward each other and the subjects of this blog. Disagreements are fine, but mutual respect is a must. Comments will not be approved if they contain profanity (including the use of abbreviations and &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;punctuation marks instead of letters); any abusive language or personal attacks including insults, name-calling, threats, harassment, libel and slander; hateful, racist, sexist, religious or ethnically offensive language; or efforts to promote commercial products or solicitations of any kind, including links that drive traffic to your own website. Flagrant or repeat offenders run the risk of being banned from commenting.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/nhl/home-ice/2012/04/11/first-round-keys-western-conference>