After examining the fatal flaws of the Eastern Conference team it’s a wonder that any of them could be deemed fit to hoist the Stanley Cup. In all serious though, the ability of a team to overcome their weakness is part of what makes them great.

Certainly the things that we see from afar are just as obvious to the people who are paid so handsomely to correct their imperfections. If the fans and journalists can see them on our electronic screens and in person, chances are there is a member of a coaching staff or management that is cringing along with us.

Here are the Western Conference nominees and the kryptonite that can derail them.

1.St. Louis Blues: The Blues look every bit like the favorites to blow through the conference and battle for the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The weight of empty rafters can be daunting for a team looking to hang their first banner. The addition of Ryan Miller looks like it could be the final piece for a Blues’ championship bid, but could also bring a little bit more pressure as the number one seed. It might sound like a reach but both the pressure of never owning a Stanley Cup and being the prohibitive favorite are factors that lead to human error. Holding the stick too tight and over thinking things have been known to happen to teams that were anointed the “chosen ones”.

2. San Jose Sharks: The Sharks have had some weird streaks this season that have shown the best and the worst of the team. At the moment they are on an upswing and have taken over first place in the division. There is an odd outlier for the Sharks, which could haunt them in the postseason. Their odd impotence with the man advantage is a real head scratcher. With offensive studs like Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture there is no excuse for the 23rd ranked power play in the NHL. The second weird stat is that there are only

3. Anaheim Ducks: After spending most of the season at the top of the standings, the Ducks have cooled off and need to regroup for the playoff push. One key area to keep an eye on for the Ducks has been Jonas Hiller. He had an 18 save shutout in his first game back after the Olympics but has since put up subpar numbers (2-2-2 with a save percentage around .886 and a goals against average just under three). The team as a whole has struggled which could reflect on to Hiller’s stats, but the streaky Swiss goaltender will need to step up his game in the playoffs.

4. Chicago Blackhawks: Dare I say, “Corey Crawford’s glove hand”? As ignorant as that premise was during last year’s Stanley Cup run, the oversaturated media will attach itself to the biggest, ripest piece of low-hanging fruit. Chicago’s biggest challenge will be the target on their back as the defending champs. No team has repeated as champions in the NHL since 1998 and with even more parity in the NHL, back-to-back titles has gotten even harder to accomplish.

5. Colorado Avalanche: I always hate to say that inexperience will keep a team from playoff success, but there is some merit to the “been there before” adage. The Avs have a ton of talent and play the game like Patrick Roy filled their jocks with Tiger Balm. In addition to the inexperience, you can add in a thin defensive corps to the shortcomings in Colorado.

6. Los Angeles Kings: The Kings are like the Minnesota Wild on steroids. Their defense is the best in the NHL and the offense is actually worse than Minnesota’s. Los Angeles has only two players (Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar are the only two players on the roster with more than 20 goals through 72 games. The Kings managed to bob and weave through the playoffs in 2012 with an equally anemic offense, but it will be an uphill battle.

7. Minnesota Wild: The Wild and their defense have been consistent all season. Sadly, their offense has been consistently bad all year too. Defense might win championships, but the Wild need to be better than the bottom fifth in the NHL. After Jason Pominville and Zach Parise Minnesota is void of any offense.

8. Dallas Stars: The Stars got a stroke of good luck when Phoenix net minder Mike Smith went down with a lower-body injury. The Stars still have some work to do in order to reach the playoffs, because the Coyotes certainly won’t roll over and play dead. However, the Stars’ special teams have been suspect on both ends. With any and every advantage magnified in the playoffs, ranking in the bottom ten in power play and penalty kill could be a death sentence.

BONUS COVERAGE

Phoenix Coyotes: With the injury to Mike Smith on Monday night, a coffin and rapid-fire nail gun immediately appeared on the Phoenix doorstep. The timing could not have been worse for a club that had managed to jump over Dallas into the eighth and final spot for a playoff berth. If the Coyotes want a shot at the second season, they’ll need a superhuman effort from Thomas Greiss.

Vancouver Canucks: Goaltending. Eddie Lack could be the goalie of the future in Vancouver, but he is not yet ready for prime time. Nor is he ready to withstand the chaos that he found himself in this year. He shown remarkable composure given the circumstances, but the Canucks are a long shot to even make the playoffs at this point.