Division Analysis: Central

Tonight I'm going to finish up the Western Conference by discussing the Central Division. Home to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, perennial threat Detroit Red Wings, always surprising Nashville Predators, along with the young St. Louis Blues and the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Central gives a very varied host of teams from contender to sellers at the deadline. It could be an interesting deadline for those teams in the mid-west.

The Blackhawks are fresh off of their Stanley Cup Champion season and have seen a major roster turnover since the summer months. Out are Antti Niemi, Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Colin Fraser, Christobal Huet, Kris Versteeg, Brent Sopel, John Madden and Adam Burish and in are several rookies and new players who have made a difference. Jack Skille, Brian Bickell, Jake Dowell, Viktor Stalberg, Fernando Pisani and John Scott have been effective in replacing the lost players, yet the Blackhawks are not a lock to make the playoffs. Patrick Sharp has exploded offensively, while Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have been good but not great. 11 players have seven or more goals this season, which has aided in the loss of certain players. Also, Marian Hossa missed time early on and has 25 points in 32 games. The defense has been lead by Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, being aided by Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brian Campbell. Goaltending has been an interesting topic for the Blackhawks, as neither free agent signing Marty Turco nor rookie Corey Crawford has claimed the starting job. Like last season, the Blackhawks will probably stick with one guy down the stretch as they did with Niemi. Can Crawford evolve into a playoff starter like Niemi did last year? That question will be answered later in the season.

The Blackhawks are not great defensively, and could use a veteran bottom-6 forward or two to help with penalty killing as well as their 5-on-5 play. Chuck Kobasew or Antti Mietinen of the Wild could be good fits, as could Atlanta's Steve Bernier or Rostislav Olesz.  They could also make an upgrade to their scorers, possibly dangling Seabrook as trade bait with Nick Leddy, Ivan Vishnevskiy and Dylan Olsen waiting in the wings. Look for Chicago to make a few moves, as they are under high expectations to make the playoffs this year.

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Columbus had a hot start this year, having some believe that this could be the season that Columbus progresses to a good, playoff-bound team. Unfortunately, the wheels have fallen off since, and in their last 13 games are 4-7-2 which includes a five game losing streak. Rick Nash leads the team in scoring (shocking, I know) with 23 goals and 44 points in what shows to be another excellent season in the power forward's career. Young forwards Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek have 35 and 32 points respectively and have shown flashes of the promising potential these two players have going forward for the rebuilding Blue Jackets. R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette have provided secondary scoring, aiding in the attack and on defense as well. Fedor Tyutin, Jan Hejda and Rostislav Klesla are the core defense for the Blue Jackets, and have provided steady yet unspectacular play this season. The Jackets are tied for 13th in the West, yet are only six points out of a playoff spot. Unless they turn their play around, however, they should be sellers at the trade deadline.

That being said, there are several interesting players that the Blue Jackets could send off for promising prospects and draft picks to build towards the future. Veteran Jan Hejda is an excellent defensive-minded defender, and would make a great compliment to a team aspiring for the Stanley Cup. As an added bonus, he is a free agent at the end of the season. Veterans Chris Clark, Ethan Moreau and Andy Murray are also all free agents at season's end, and could greatly improve a team looking for forward depth to make a post-season drive. Samuel Pahlsson is signed through next season, yet provides excellent defensive play and veteran leadership and has won a Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2006-07. Columbus could get many important picks and prospects in return for their veterans at the trade deadline.

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The Blues are in an interesting spot at this time during the season. Like the Blue Jackets, they got off to an incredibly hot start led by goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Now due to inconsistent play at times the Blues are in the cellar of the West yet are only six points out of a playoff spot. They are tied with Columbus for 13th, and have several options leading up to the deadline. If management deems that they can make the playoffs this season, they can keep their team as is or make a few subtle changes to try and propel into the top eight. If they decide to continue to build towards the future with their young core, they could acquire important building pieces in what is sure to be a sellers market. Veteran Alex Steen leads the team in points with 38, with All-Star power forward David Backes right behind him with 37. Young guns Patrick Berglund and Matt D'Agostini have 30 and 25 points, respectively. Finally able to carve out a spot on the NHL roster, Alex Pietrangelo has 24 points in 47 games. Erik Johnson, Eric Brewer and Barret Jackman lead from a defensive standpoint, providing good two-way play. T.J. Oshie, Andy McDonald and David Perron have all missed significant time with injuries, though Oshie and McDonald have returned to play recently. After a very hot start where he built off of his heroic post-season play, Jaroslav Halak has fallen back to earth with a .910 Sv % and a 2.62 GAA.  Veteran Ty Conklin has provided good work in a backup role for the young Blues.

If the Blues take advantage of a sellers market at the trade deadline, they could certainly get away with a few steals to help them into the future. Eric Brewer is a free agent after this season, and is a good top-4 defenseman on most teams. He could determine the market price, as he is a two-way defenseman that could fetch a pick and a prospect. Carlo Colaiacovo is an interesting name, as he can move the puck, work the point on the powerplay and he is also signed through next season. Brad Winchester is a good bottom-6 grinder that can also score goals, and would make an excellent addition to a playoff team. If the Blues were looking to seriously shake things up, they could dangle center Andy McDonald who is signed for two more years with a $4.7million cap hit. McDonald has the ability of a true #1 center with speed, vision and offensive creativity. He could fetch a hefty return for a team looking to boost their young core of Oshie, Berglund, Backes, Perron, Johnson and Pietrangelo.

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Until I looked at his stat line, I didn't realize how good of a season Nashville's Pekka Rinne is having. .930 Sv %, 2.10 GAA, 17 wins in 35 starts. He is ranked second in the league in both save percentage and goals against average, and if it were not for Tim Thomas' monster season he would have more publicity about it. Nashville may not be a traditional hockey market, but they have something going right for once after two former starting goalies have been traded away when they failed to live up to expectations after breaking out. On the offensive side of the puck, the Predators are not gifted with elite level skill or a budget as high as the cap yet are able to remain competitive with coach Barry Trotz at the helm. Shea Weber leads the team with 32 points, and is also the premier defender of the squad. At the skills competition, he showed his blistering shot that was well over 100 MPH. A 30-goal man one year ago, Patrick Hornqvist is one of the better players up front with 28 points. Sergei Kostitsyn has that same total, and has revitalized his career after playing his way out of Montreal. Veteran J.P. Dumont has played in 51 of the Preds' 52 games this season, yet most people would not have noticed. The winger has only 17 points on the season, and has been a non-factor for a team that looks for scoring from anywhere. This team will only go as far as Rinne can carry them. They do not have the firepower to get past the first round of the playoffs, a place Nashville has never been.

Nashville is a low-budget team team that does not have cap flexibility that a team like the New York Rangers or the Toronto Maple Leafs has. They have been able to make moves before (see: Peter Forsberg), but for the most part will have the same roster going forward, with maybe one or two acquisitions in the works. Nashville has a good shot at a playoff spot, but again may not get past the first round. If they want to bring in a veteran, they have excellent prospect depth both in net and on defense, dangling one of Jon Blum, Mark Dekanich or Chet Pickard. They could also send off Dumont or winger Martin Erat with a prospect for one better winger that is available from one of the selling teams.

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Second in the West and tops in the Central Division, the Detroit Red Wings continue to play with a dominating style against their opponents. Pavel Datsyuk was on pace for a great season with 39 points in 33 games, yet has missed a month with a broken hand. In the absence of arguably the league's top two-way threat, the Red Wings continued to play their system under coach Mike Babcock and have again been successful. Johan Franzen leads the team with 26 goals, while Henrik Zetterberg has 40 assists and 56 points.Valtteri Filppula, Todd Bertuzzi, Dan Cleary, Darren Helm, Patrick Eaves and Jiri Hudler have all made contributions to aid in scoring when Datsyuk and other players went down to injury. On the defensive side of the puck, 40-year old Nicklas Lidstrom has played like he is 15 years younger. He has 44 points and is one of the top offensive blueliners in the league again this year. Nicklas Kronwall has provided a steady two-way game, aiding in moving the puck along with dishing out big hits and blocking shots. Brian Rafalski and Brad Stuart have both missed time with injuries during the season, while Jonathan Ericsson, Ruslan Salei and Jakub Kindle have been good defensively as well. In net, Jimmy Howard has been hot and cold, currently sporting a .900 Sv % and 2.85 GAA.

Detroit is primed to make another great post-season run. They have plenty of veteran leadership and also have some youth added into the mix. In Grand Rapids (AHL), the Red Wings have some steady prospects developing to add to their group in the future. If the team makes a move at the deadline, it will be in an attempt to add a veteran backup netminder and possibly a depth defenseman. Detroit has the ability to go deep into the playoffs, led by Datsyuk, Franzen, Zetterberg and Lidstrom. Detroit is an organization that teams will look to copy and mold in attempts to be successful, as they have the recipe for success year in and year out.

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So, the Western Conference is now all covered. 14 of the 15 teams have a legitimate shot at the playoffs, and it will be a seller's market at the deadline. Teams will have to overpay for players as few teams will be willing to give them up. I predict that Detroit, Nashville and Chicago will make the playoffs, while Columbus and St. Louis will miss out. If Halak can get hot for the Blues, he could provide a boost and give St. Louis a much better shot. Again, these are all just my thoughts. I am not an insider with sources, though neither are some more "prestigious" hockey blogs. Let me know what you think in the comments below. AW over an out.

Division Analysis: Pacific

I apologize, as my analysis of the Northwest Division was incredibly long. This time I'll try and shorten up the analysis of each team's season. Today's topic is the Pacific Division, home of the surprisingly good Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks, as well as the resurgent San Jose Sharks, hard-working Phoenix Coyotes and skilled LA Kings. Each of these five teams has a chance to make the playoffs, so you can expect moves to be made to add players to each of these teams at the deadline.

Dallas is at the top of the division, led by All-Star and potential Hart Trophy candidate Brad Richards. His 58 points lead the team, as he is their #1 center and powerplay point man. Scorers Loui Eriksson, James Neal and Brendan Morrow all have at least 18 goals on the year, while Mike Ribiero has 36 assists and Jamie Benn has 33 points in 46 games. Stephane Robidas and Trevor Daley headline the back end in Big D, playing good two-way games and making solid passes out of the zone. Matt Niskanen was expected to expand his role as an offensive defenseman, but with only six points in 40 games has not been able to fulfill expectations. Nicklas Grossman, Jeff Woywitka and Marc Fistric (when healthy) are able to provide Dallas with good defensive play. Last season's key acquisition, Kari Lehtonen, has proven that he has what it takes to be a starting goalie in the NHL. Plagued by the injury bug in Atlanta, he got a fresh start with the Stars last season and has performed admirably as the undisputed #1 goalie in Dallas. His .920 Sv % and 2.61 GAA have provided much more consistent goaltending than what Marty Turco had provided in years past.

The Stars are cash-strapped as owner Tom Hicks has defaulted on his loans. The team is being monitored by the NHL, but GM Joe Nieuwendyk has been able to show that his team will continue to push towards a deep Stanley Cup run. While Brad Richards may not re-sign with the Stars, Dallas is not going to move their best player at the deadline. Losing him in free agency as many have speculated is a risk that the Stars have to take if they have any chance to succeed this year. The Stars have plenty of firepower up front, and could use a veteran depth defender to solidify their team for a cup run. Jamie Langenbrunner was brought in to solidify the bottom-6 with veteran experience, and the Stars have a very good group for the post-season. Nieuwendyk could dangle disappointing defenseman Matt Niskanen as a roster player for trade bait, but aside from that do not have many interesting prospects or available players. Dallas may make a move at the deadline, but don't expect it to involve Brad Richards and don't expect it to shakeup the roster significantly. They are poised to go deep into the playoffs this year.

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Anze Kopitar has lead the Kings this season as their key cog in the system, but he has not been as successful as he was last season. After missing out in the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes Los Angeles had to make due with what was available, and with important players staying healthy and being productive, the Kings could make the playoffs for the second straight season. Kopitar has had a successful year scoring 49 points in 52 games, yet has regressed as a weapon on the powerplay. He has five powerplay goals this season, yet scored 14 last year. Drew Doughty has also had an up and down season, but has been heating up lately and looks to contribute as he did last year. Justin Williams has stayed healthy, and has proven that he can be a good scorer in his walk year to free agency. Dustin Brown, Ryan Smyth and Jarret Stoll have also had good seasons to provide the punch for LA's attack. Jack Johnson has had an excellent season and signed an extension earlier to stay with the Kings for the foreseeable future. Jon Quick has provided good performances in net, sporting a 23-14-1 record with a .920 Sv % and an excellent 2.12 GAA. Jonathan Bernier's rookie season has been less than stellar, yet not terrible. He has a 5-8-1 record with a 2.84 GAA and a pedestrian .900 Sv %.

Like most teams, the Kings could use another scorer to help solidify their top-6. In addition, a veteran defenseman could really help in buckling down in front of Quick down the stretch. Dean Lombardi is not afraid to make big moves, and could move a significant piece if a deal can bring in a superstar player. Linked to such superstars as Kovalchuk, Jarome Iginla and Brad Richards, a tier I player could be added at the deadline to push the Kings over the top. Currently tied for eighth in the West, LA will look to make a strong late season push to make it into the post season.

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Jonas Hiller has stood on his head at times this season, bailing the Ducks out of games they had no business of being in. His .920 Sv % and 2.56 GAA are both proof that Ducks' GM Bob Murray made the right decision in trading J-S Giguere to the Leafs last year. Hiller has ran with the starting job, though he has not had much competition from backup Curtis McElhinney. Corey Perry and veteran Teemu Selanne, the ageless wonder, have lead the Ducks up front. Perry is averaging a point per game, while Selanne has 15 goals and 30 assists on the year. Ryan Getzlaf was on pace to have another great year with 37 points in 40 games before he was injured. He is coming back soon, which will be a much needed boost to their offense. Lubomir Visnovsky is having a monster of a season from the back end, having scored eight goals and assisting on 35 others. Rookie surprise Cam Fowler is having a successful first NHL campaign with 27 points on the year. Bobby Ryan continues his goalscoring ways with 23 already on the year, while Joffrey Lupul is healthy again and has 13 points in 25 games.

The Ducks most glaring need is in the top-6, and another winger to aid the cast of Ryan, Getzlaf, Perry and Selanne would be very welcome. Anaheim has also had a very shallow defense this year, having to deal with the loss of Scott Niedermeyer due to retirement. Toni Lydman has played well on the backend, but with poor play from Andy Sutton in a season where he has struggled to stay healthy, acquiring a veteran defenseman would certainly aid in their quest to make the playoffs and go deep this year.

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Aside from the twitter sensation that is BizNasty2point0, the Coyotes have had some very good surprises so far this season. A team that finished with 107 points last season, the Desert Dogs are not on pace for as good of a season but are still poised to make the playoffs; their second time in two seasons under coach Dave Tippett. Defenseman Keith Yandle got an All-Star bid as a replacement this season, and leads the team in points with 45. That total also currently leads all NHL defenseman in points, having a higher total than more expected candidates like Nicklas Lidstrom and Dustin Byfuglien. Veterans Ray Whitney and Shane Doan have also had good seasons in the desert, providing leadership and scoring on a younger team that needs it. Kyle Turris' first full NHL season since his rookie year has had its ups and downs, as he currently has 17 points on the year. Rookie defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has provided another weapon on the back end, with one goal and ten assists on the year in 37 games. Ilya Bryzgalov has continued to be a rock in net, sporting a .910 Sv % and 2.74 GAA. He continues to bring excellent play to Phoenix game in and game out, which is something that was lacking before he was claimed off of waivers.

I do not expect the Coyotes to make many moves at the trade deadline, as they have a young team that is going to get better with experience. The Coyotes have lots of younger players who are still developing with the team or in the minors, and the best days are yet to come. In an effort to continue to build for the coming years, Phoenix could offer veteran players such as Ed Jovanovski, Adrian Aucoin, Taylor Pyatt, Vernon Fiddler and Scotty Upshall. I do not think that the Coyotes will be sellers at the deadline, however I do not expect them to move young and important pieces for veteran help this year. Times are looking bright for the Coyotes on the ice, even if their off-ice situation is less than ideal.

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The Sharks are not used to having to fight for a playoff position, as they are usually more worried about match-ups in the playoffs instead. Unfortunately due to the inconsistencies of the team as a whole, the Sharks have had a roller coaster season. Staple netminder Evgeni Nabokov left for greener pastures in the KHL (or so he thought), and the team turned to two free agent goalies at the start of the season. Both Antero Niittymaki and Antti Niemi have had their struggles this year, and neither has grabbed the starting job outright. Niemi has started in 31 games, and Niittymaki has started in 21. The tandem has not been spectacular, becoming a major part of the issues of this Sharks team. What also doesn't help is that Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley have combined for a -30 rating. Jumbo Joe is on pace for his worst statistical season since 2001-02, while Marleau has also taken a step back from the 38 and 44 goals he has scored in the last two years. Following the trend, Dany Heatley may not score more than 35 goals, as he has surpassed 38 in each of the last five seasons. It has not been all bad for the Sharks this year as the man featured in the picture above, rookie Logan Couture, leads the team in goal scoring with 22 on the year. In addition, Ryan Clowe has played above expectations to post 41 points in 48 games. Dan Boyle leads a shallow defense on both offense and defense, as only he and Jason Demers have more than 15 points on the year from the blueline.

That leads me to what the Sharks must address at the coming trade deadline. The Sharks must acquire a veteran defenseman, as the loss of Rob Blake has been felt badly this year. If the Sharks decide that this is their year, they could dangle one of their skilled forwards, say Ryan Clowe or Devin Setoguchi. These two players could be very good base pieces to a larger deal that brings in a veteran defenseman that can help stabilize the group. If the Sharks don't act fast, they will be on the outside looking in for the first time since 2002-03.

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There it is folks; my thoughts on the Pacific division. There will be lots of movement in this division, as each team attempts to gear up for the playoffs and make a statement that they are there to win. I feel that more players will be brought in to the Pacific than sent out, so the balance of power in the West could shift to the state of California. It should prove to be an exciting time in the coming weeks. AW, over and out.

Division Analysis: Northwest

Let's talk about the teams of the Northwest division. There are teams at the top of the West, as well as the bottom, and several of these teams can be challenging for a playoff as this season wraps up. I'm going to talk about each team and also what they might do at the trade deadline.

Let's start with the Edmonton Oilers. A rebuilding squad, this season has been all about the young players. Overall, there have been seven rookies in the Oiler's lineup this season, and there have been three in particular that are creating buzz for Edmonton fans. First overall pick Taylor Hall has had a good but not spectacular rookie season. He currently sits second on the team with 31 points, including 16 goals. Hall is actually on pace to score around the same point total that All World player Steven Stamkos had three short years ago, so there should not be concern among the Edmonton faithful. Jordan Eberle also made his NHL debut this season and has suffered through some injuries, playing in 37 games while scoring 23 points. Those include some highlight reel goals, including his first NHL goal which was a beauty shorthanded against Calgary in the season opener. The third Edmonton rookie that the Oilers look to get contributions from in the future is Magnus Paajarvi. He sits with six goals and 19 points this season, which are not bad totals for the young Swedish forward, as he will mature and progress with more NHL experience. Ales Hemsky is currently tied for third on the team in scoring, yet has only played in 32 games this season. His most recent injury was a concussion that has kept him out of the lineup, and this has been the story for the past two years. The talent is there, but he has not been able to stay healthy on a consistent basis. When healthy, Hemsky is a top talent. After a revelation season, Dustin Penner is back to his frustrating ways with 16 goals and 32 points in 49 games this year. Some thought Penner finally realized his potential as a power forward last season when he scored 32 goals and 63 points, but he has regressed. Sam Gagner has also had yet another disappointing season, with 11 goals and 29 points on the year. It can be argued that the young forward was rushed to the NHL, but Gagner's best season was his rookie year in 2007-08, as every year since his totals have gotten worse.

It is a rebuilding season for the Oilers, and I cannot imagine any players not named Hall, Eberle or Paajarvi that are not on the block. Hemsky and Penner can be valuable assets to any team looking for a scorer, while forwards Gagner and Cogliano are also rumored to be on the trading block. Cogliano was supposedly part of the deal that would have brought Dany Heatley to Edmonton, but Heatley refused the deal with his no-trade clause. Veteran defensemen Kurtis Foster and Jim Vandermeer are solid players that can add depth to any team looking to make a deep playoff run, with Vandermeer a UFA at the end of the season and Foster signed through next year. Sheldon Souray is also an interesting case, playing for the Hershey Bears of the AHL. Edmonton may expose him to re-entry waivers, but might also explore trade options once again. It will be a selling season for the Oilers come the trade deadline in a few weeks.

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The Calgary Flames have had an interesting year, having an excellent home record (14-9-1) yet a less than desirable record on the road (11-12-5). It could be lucky for the Flames, but more than half of their remaining games are at home which could propel them into the playoff spot that they are in the hunt for. The Flames currently sit in twelfth place in the West, yet are only two points out of eighth place. That is truly evident of how close the Western Conference is, as at any moment a team can propel up or down the standings with a win. After a dreadful start to the season, Jarome Iginla leads the Flames with 22 goals and 47 points. Right behind him in scoring is Alex Tanguay, who is in his second tour with Calgary. He leads the team with 26 assists, and has 38 points on the year. Olli Jokinen has come back on a much more reasonable contract, but the enigmatic forward has only scored 30 points on the year. Signed in training camp, Brendan Morrison has 28 points and has been a pleasant surprise for a team lacking depth at the center position. Rene Bourque is on pace to continue his streak of over 20 goals, having 15 on the year already. Rookie center Michael Backlund has 11 points in 44 games, adjusting to the rigors of the NHL game. Mark Giordano and Robyn Regehr have led the team on defense, Giordano on the offensive side of the game and Regehr the defensive end. Giordano leads all defensemen on the team with four goals and 21 assists, while Regehr has 115 hits and 85 blocked shots. Miikka Kiprusoff has had a lackluster and forgettable season, going 21-18-2 with a 2.73 goals against average and a dismal .900 save percentage.

It remains to be seen as to what will happen at the trade deadline for the Flames. GM Jay Feaster is not afraid about making moves, and many have speculated that to be successful Calgary needs to blow up their roster. What makes matters more confusing is the fact that the team is 7-1-2 in their last 10 games, propelling them back into the thick of the playoff race. If Calgary believes that they can make the playoffs, then roster players and/or picks must be moved, as Calgary has one of the shallowest prospect pools in the NHL. If the team decides to sell, there are many pieces that could be moved to teams looking for help in the playoffs. Jarome Iginla has been informed by the team that he will not be traded, and I do believe that he won't be moved at the deadline. Robyn Regehr's future is not as certain. There have been rumors circulating all season that Regehr could be a major piece moved to start the Calgary rebuild. One rumor has Regehr being sent to Buffalo along with pending UFAs Curtis Glencross and Alex Tanguay in exchange for Drew Stafford and UFAs Tim Connolly and Craig Rivet. While I do not see that deal materializing, Regehr could fetch a good young player such as Stafford, and that is exactly what Calgary needs. Other players that could be moved by the time the deadline comes include center Brendan Morrison, utility forward Glencross as well as defenders Steve Staios and Anton Babchuk. We may not know if the Flames are buying or selling right up until the day of the deadline, but it will be an exciting and active period either way.

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A young squad that surprised many last year by making the playoffs, the Colorado Avalanche are in the think of the playoff race, sitting tenth overall in the West while only two points out of a playoff spot. Like many other teams, the Avalanche have not been consistent enough to separate their talented team from the pack. The goaltending has been part of the problem, as last year's surprise in net Craig Anderson has a 3.12 GAA and a .900 Sv % to go along with his record of 13-12-3. Backup netminder Peter Budaj has not fared any better, going 12-7-3 with a 3.17 GAA and a .890 Sv %. Luckily, the forwards have been able to bail out the goalies with All-Star seasons from Paul Stastny and Matt Duchene as well as excellent production from key role players. Duchene's sophomore season has seen him improve, as he is currently leading the team in goals and points with 20 and 45 respectively. Stastny sits second with 43 points on the year. Veteran sniper Milan Hejduk is on pace for his best year since 2003-04, having registered 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points in 43 games. Defenseman John-Michael Liles exploded early in the season, and has kept his production up with 35 points in 50 games to lead the blueline. David Jones has been able to stay healthy and has 16 goals on the year, while Tomas Fleischmann had 21 points in 22 games after being acquired from Washington in exchange for Scott Hannan, before ending the season with blood clots in his lungs. Chris Stewart injured himself in a fight earlier in the year, and he was deeply missed from the lineup. In the 29 games he has played this year, Stewart has 11 goals and 27 points. Rookie and New Rochelle native Kevin Shattenkirk excelled early on when he was called up from AHL Lake Erie, and has settled in nicely as an offensive compliment to support Liles. The Avalanche have the potential to make the playoffs, and one or two moves to help the team may give them enough firepower to do some damage in the post-season.

Colorado has had two problems this years. The first is goaltending, as explained above. The second is health on the blueline, as there are several key contributors missing on the back end. Acquiring a veteran defenseman could really aid in shutting down opposing forwards which could in turn aid in improving the goaltending performances of Anderson and Budaj. A veteran scorer could also aid the team going forward, as a team can never have too many contributors offensively. A top-6 of Stastny, Hejduk, Duchene, Stewart, Jones and Galiardi is good, but improving that sixth slot could be crucial. Fleischmann was brought in to fulfill that, and he did until his season was ended. The Avalanche have lots of prospect depth on defense and in net, and could spare some of their prospects along with draft picks to make a move at the trade deadline.

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Minnesota currently sits at ninth in the West with 57 points so far this year. They are one point out of eighth and only four points behind fourth place Nashville. The Wild have only scored 131 goals on the year so far which would rank them twelfth overall in the West, yet it is their defense that has kept them in the hunt for the post-season. Only three Western Conference teams have better defenses than the Wild, who have yielded 134 goals against. Four players are tied for the team lead in goals, which exemplifies how the Wild have had to score by committee instead of being able to rely on certain players. Mikko Koivu, Martin Havlat, Brent Burns and Cal Clutterbuck all hold a claim to the lead in goals for Minnesota, and the team could not be happier with the aid in production. Havlat leads the team in points overall with 44 on the year as this is a reclamation season after a disappointing year in 2009-10. The captain of the Wild, Koivu, is only one point behind Havlat's pace and is one of the key cogs in Minnesota's overall game. Cal Clutterbuck, arguably the best name in hockey, has added an offensive part to his overall game. Known as a tenacious forechecker that works hard, Clutterbuck has 227 hits on the year. No, that is not a typo. 227 hits in 49 games. The closest teammate to that total is Eric Nystrom who currently has 122. Matt Cullen has provided a veteran presence and additional scoring with 10 goals and 31 points. He is a versatile forward that can play any position and can line up at the point on the powerplay. Veteran Andrew Brunette continues to contribute as a secondary scorer, as do Antti Miettinen, P-M Bouchard and Chuck Kobasew. Brent Burns, as mentioned above, has 14 goals as well to lead the defense for the Wild. He has a heavy point shot and has been good in both ends of the ice this season. Marek Zidlicky has been injured this year, and Cam Barker has been an utter disappointment with only five points in 41 games. Dependable blueliner Nick Shultz has 13 points and 85 blocked shots on the year. The goaltending has been superb for Minnesota as Niklas Backstrom has a .920 Sv % and a 2.43 GAA while backup Jose Theodore has a .910 Sv % and a 2.66 GAA.

As you might have guessed, the problem for the Wild is offense. They are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL, and the next few weeks will determine if they will be buyers or sellers at the deadline. This is the case with most of the teams in the West. If they are buyers, then they could use a top winger to aid in scoring goals or setting them up. Toronto's Kris Versteeg could be a target, as could Carolina's Jussi Jokinen, Ottawa's Milan Michalek or NJ's Brian Rolston. If they decide to sell and build for the future, Chuck Kobasew, Andrew Brunette and Antti Miettinen are all UFA's after this year and can provide forward depth. It is highly doubtful that the Wild will shop a defenseman, but Greg Zanon is an excellent defensive defenseman who would be a great compliment to a playoff team. Jose Theodore could be traded to provide goaltending depth, as prospect Anton Khubodin has played well in limited NHL ice time.

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I definitely chose a difficult division to start with, as this team is the only sure thing of the bunch. The cream of the crop in the west, the Vancouver Canucks have set the pace for the rest of their rivals. Having only lost ten times in regulation, The Canucks have both the best offense and best defense (tied with Nashville) in the west, with 169 goals scored and 122 goals against. Leading the way are the Sedin twins as always, ranking one and two for points on the team. Daniel leads the team with 66 points, having scored 27 goals and 39 assists. Brother Henrik has been an assist machine this year, registering 51 to go along with 11 goals on the season. Ryan Kesler has truly emerged as one of the best, if not the best two-way talent in the NHL, having scored 28 goals to lead the team along with 20 assists, a +19, 78 hits and 51 blocked shots. The depth continues with contributions from Alex Burrows, Mikael Samuelsson, Mason Raymond and Raffi Torres. Each of those four players has between 21 and 29 points on the season, aiding in the Canucks' offensive dominance. The defense has been just as good at scoring points, as Alex Edler has 31 points and Christian Ehrhoff has 30. Unfortunately for Vancouver, Edler was injured and is out for the remainder of the season. He may be able to return come playoff time, and he will be a welcome addition to the lineup. With Edler out, the Canucks will count on Keith Ballard and Dan Hamhuis to contribute more and lessen the blow. Manny Malhotra is justifying his three-year contract signed over the summer, as he has provided a good defensive presence up front. The goaltending of Vancouver is a tremendous story for this season, as both Roberto Luongo and rookie Cory Schneider have been outstanding. Luongo owns a 23-8-7 record with a .920 Sv % and a 2.27 GAA. Even more impressive is the stats line of Schneider, who is 9-2-2 with a .930 Sv % and a 2.25 GAA in 15 games overall.

With that in mind, Vancouver has two excellent trade chips to add pieces at the deadline. Cory Schneider deserves the starting job somewhere, and my guess is that New Jersey could make a bid for him to be their goaltender of the future after Brodeur retires. If not New Jersey, then I could see Washington or Tampa Bay making a play for him during the off-season as he will be a star in the NHL. Mikael Samuelsson is another trade piece that can intrigue many teams. He is a proven post-season veteran who can contribute to any team seeking scoring depth, and will fetch a good return for the Canucks with either a good roster player, prospect or draft pick. The Vancouver Canucks are positioned to make a deep playoff run carried by the Sedins, Kesler and Luongo.

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There it is, folks; my thoughts on the Northwest division. Vancouver is the only lock to make the playoffs, as the other four teams are currently on the outside looking in. Of course, anything can happen between now and the last game of the season. My prediction is that the Canucks and the Avalanche make the season, while Minnesota barely misses out and Calgary sinks to the bottom of the conference. Edmonton, not surprisingly, will get another lottery pick to continue building a young core. The next analysis will be on the surprisingly good Pacific Division. AW over and out.