We are in the stretch run of the 2023-24 NHL regular season and the playoff races are heating up. While the Eastern Conference has a hodgepodge of teams fighting it out for two spots, the Western Conference race kind of stands out a little bit more, mainly because of who all is involved in it.
In the first Wild Card spot you have an extremely surprising and underrated team in the Nashville Predators who have exceeded most expectations under first-year head coach Andrew Brunette.
Just behind them, and very much on the playoff bubble, is a team that isn't getting much attention as a bubble playoff team -- the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.