Bodog Beat

When you look at the West it all starts with the Detroit Red Wings. (AP Images)

Last season's conference champ and eventual Stanley Cup winner is easily the heavy favorite at +150. They added Marion Hossa and have a large part of their roster returning to the fold. So who could give the Wings a run for their money considering the overall balance of power seems to be moving to the East?

San Jose (+400), Dallas (+700), and Anaheim (+700) are three solid bets. Don't be tempted by the Sharks, however, since they fizzle out in the playoffs every year.

From there the field becomes wide open, with several average teams looking for big years.

Calgary (+1200), Chicago (+1100), and Minnesota (+1200) all boast the skills to pull off a shocker, mostly because of goaltending, but it does not seem likely they can unseat Detroit.

The true longshots are Columbus, Nashville, and St. Louis, all checking in at +3300 to win. Get all your NHL hockey betting in the Bodog Sportsbook today.