St. Louis -- It was the kind of game that was a reminder of just why the playoffs are so special. The Blackhawks and Blues went toe to toe through a scoreless regulation and into overtime until someone blinked, if you can call a puck going in off a skate blinking. Up high in the press box, Blues GM Doug Armstrong and Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman took it all in. It's out of their hands now. They've done their work.

Down the hall from them were scouts from all over the league, including those from nonplayoff teams. Their work is just beginning.

They're gathering intel to be used during what should be a fascinating offseason because of the possibility of two potentially dramatic shifts at once -- expansion and a tightening salary cap. They're keeping an eye on a guy like Troy Brouwer, who is an unrestricted free agent, or perhaps Andrew Shaw, who could shake loose via trade if the Blackhawks find themselves in cap trouble.

There are 14 front offices out of the playoffs, all of them digging in to get their teams into a position to put this season's disappointment behind them. Those in the West can do much worse than emulating the work of Armstrong and Bowman, two of the best in the game.

Each nonplayoff Western Conference team faces a particular challenge that could be the difference between a successful offseason and another year languishing outside the postseason. Here's what their key objectives should be this offseason (and click here to read about the keys for the Eastern nonplayoff teams).