Western Conference Final Pick: Who Survives the 2026 Grinder?

The West is doing what the West always does in spring, which is turning every prediction into a live-fire exercise. This piece looks at who has the edge to come out of the conference and reach the Stanley Cup Final, where one bounce, one matchup tweak, or one hot goaltender can flip the whole board. The fun part is that everyone has a theory this time of year, but the teams still have to survive the kind of hockey that exposes every soft spot in a hurry.