They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference ( NFC ) in the National Football League ( NFL ).

They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ( NHL ), and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks.

After defeating the St. Louis Blues in seven games the Wings would fall in the Western Conference Finals to the eventual champion Colorado Avalanche.

The following season, the Wings looked poised to " three-peat " for the first time in franchise history, acquiring three-time top blueliner Chris Chelios from his hometown Chicago Blackhawks in March 1999, but they would end up losing the Western Conference Semifinals to Colorado in six games.

The Wings posted the league's best record in the 2001-02 regular season and defeated Colorado in seven games in the Western Conference Finals after beating the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues in rounds one and two.

The Red Wings finished the season second in the Western Conference and third overall in the NHL.

The Wings finished first in the Western Conference and tied for first in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, but the Sabres were awarded the Presidents ' Trophy by virtue of having the greater number of wins.

The Red Wings lost to the eventual Stanley Cup winning team-the Anaheim Ducks, in the Western Conference Finals four games to two.

The Wings entered the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the second overall seed in the Western Conference.

This run helped them secure the fifth playoff seed in the Western Conference.

They earned the # 3 seed in the Western Conference for the Stanley Cup playoffs ( extending their professional sports record of post-season appearances to 20 seasons ), finishing behind the Vancouver Canucks ( 117 ) and San Jose Sharks ( 105 ).

The map of Europe was redrawn at the Yalta Conference and divided as it became the principal zone of contention in the Cold War between the two power blocs, the Western countries and the Communist bloc.

However, under head coach Weeb Ewbank and the leadership of quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Colts would go onto a 9 – 3 record during the 1958 season and reached the NFL Championship Game for the first time in their history by winning the NFL Western Conference.

In the years 1953 – 66 the Colts played in the NFL Western Conference ( also known as division ), but were never known to have a significant rivalry with any of the other franchises in that alignment, seeing as they were the eastern-most team and the rest of the division included the Great Lakes franchises Green Bay, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and after 1961, the Minnesota Vikings.

Category: Western Conference Pro Bowl players

For the 1997 Major League Soccer season, their record was 21 – 11 ; they won the Western Conference regular season championship.

The Wizards had losing records for the 1998 and 1999 seasons, ending up last place in the Western Conference both years.

The Wizards would finish the 1999 season with a disastrous record of 8 – 24, which put them in last place in the Western Conference once again.

Despite getting back Preki, the Wizards sat in last place in the Western Conference in 2002.

The Wizards lost only 2 games in September and finished the season on a 6 game unbeaten streak to finish 14 – 9 – 9, for the Western Conference regular season championship.

Bob Costas filled in those games, and Albert returned to call Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings.

They currently participate in the North Division of the National Football Conference ( NFC ); prior to that the Vikings were in the NFC Central Division, and before that they were in the NFL's Western Conference Central Division.

Since the breakup of the Chicago Bulls championship roster in the summer of 1998, the Western Conference has dominated, with the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs combining to win the title in nine of fourteen years.

According to an independent study by Ronald Beech of Game 6 of the NBA 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Kings, although the refs increased the Lakers ' chances of winning through foul calls during the game, there was no collusion to fix the game.

In the playoffs, Colorado won the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Dallas Stars in five games, but lost in the Western Conference Semifinals against the San Jose Sharks in a six games.

In the Western Conference Semifinals the Avalanche were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.

They returned to the NBA Finals after winning 57 games, winning a close 6-game 1st round series against the Portland Trail Blazers ; dethroning the NBA Champions of the past two years — the Los Angeles Lakers — in the Western Conference Semifinals ( four-game sweep ); and defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games in the Western Conference Finals on home court in Dallas to win their second Western Conference Championship.

The Blackhawks beat the fifth-seeded Calgary Flames in six games to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time since 1996.

Yzerman scored perhaps the most memorable goal of his career in the 1996 playoffs, stealing the puck from Wayne Gretzky and beating St. Louis Blues goalie Jon Casey with a slap shot from the blue line to win the Western Conference Semifinals in double overtime of game seven.

Statistically though, Duncan remained strong ; after another convincing season with averages of 22. 3 points, 12. 4 rebounds, 3. 1 assists and 2. 7 blocks, he led the Spurs into the Western Conference Semifinals.

In 2002, the Starzz made it to the playoffs again, and this time beat the Houston Comets in the Western Conference Semifinals 2 games to 1.

In the Western Division Semifinals, the Stars would go on to sweep the Texas Chaparrals and then stunned the Pacers in game 7 of the Western Division Finals, earning a spot in the ABA Championship.

| 2001 || 5 || 5 || 0 || 2nd Western || Won Semifinals ( Orlando )< BR > Lost Million Dollar Game ( Los Angeles )

In 2002, the Starzz made it to the playoffs again, and this time beat the Houston Comets in the Western Conference Semifinals 2 games to 1.

Dallas lost in the Western Conference Semifinals four games to one to the San Antonio Spurs, but it marked the beginning of a memorable run for Nash and the Mavericks.

In May 2009, Cuban made a reference to the Denver Nuggets being " thugs " after a loss to the Nuggets in game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

The Los Angeles Kings became the latest franchise to record such a feat when Mike Richards recorded one in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the St. Louis Blues on May 3, 2012.

In the second game of the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks, Webber suffered a career-threatening knee injury while running down the lane untouched that forced him to miss nearly a year of action.

* May 4, 2008: Brenden Morrow scores on San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov at 9: 03 of the 4th overtime period in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals series between the Sharks and Stars.

Hardaway shares the record for second most steals in an NBA Playoffs game, with 8 in Game 2 of the 1991 Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers and in Game 4 of the 1992 Western Conference First Round against the Seattle SuperSonics.

His best success came in 2001, when the Kings forced the Colorado Avalanche to a seven-game series in the Western Conference Semifinals.