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As the Western Conference gets set to move into the conference semifinals, it does so by entering uncharted waters.

There's a serious void in this year's proceedings.

Teams with previous postseason success, particularly in recent years, are absent from the proceedings.

Detroit, winner of the Stanley Cup 11 times -- most recently in 2008 -- is gone. Vancouver, last year's Western Conference champion and two-time Presidents' Trophy winner -- gone. Chicago, the Stanley Cup champs in 2010 -- they're out. And San Jose, which made the conference finals the last two years -- booted from the tournament.

So as we move into a new era, the final four teams in the West this year are the St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings and Phoenix Coyotes.

The number of Stanley Cup titles for that quartet? Zero.

So is this a changing of the...

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Related Topics: NHL, Stanley Cup Playoffs 2012, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, nashville predators, Phoenix Coyotes