Ilya Kovalchuk is looking right at you, and the New Jersey Devils are looking at a return to the playoffs if they keep their current play up for the next few months. (Julio Cortez/Associated Press)
We've had the all-star break. The NHL trade deadline is less than four weeks away and the playoffs are fast approaching with only 9 ½ weeks remaining in the regular season.
We officially have entered the stretch drive in the 2011-12 season. The battles among the league's elite certainly get interesting this upcoming week with a visit to the Vancouver Canucks from the Detroit Red Wings and a Bruins-Penguins matinee in Boston.
We'll see how the Red Wings survive in Vancouver, but until then they remain our top team. Chat it up below or @wharnscbcsports.
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1. DETROIT RED WINGS (34-16-1) After a disappointing effort in Montreal before the all-star break, Detroit bounced back with an efficient effort in Calgary. (Last Week: 1) |
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2. NEW YORK RANGERS (31-12-5) On the heels of Marian Gaborik's all-star game hat trick, the Rangers dropped a 4-3 shootout in New Jersey to begin again. (Last Week: 2) |
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3. NASHVILLE PREDATORS (31-16-4) ): The amazing Predators have climbed from 11th in the West to fourth with a 19-5-0 run. (Last Week: 4) |
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4. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (29-17-4) With the confusion surrounding Sidney Crosby's concussion woes and now neck injury, the Penguins have won eight in a row. (Last Week: 5) |
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5. VANCOUVER CANUCKS (31-15-4) It was a good sign to return with a 3-2 win in overtime against the rival Blackhawks, but what was up with Cory Schneider getting the start? (Last Week: 7) |
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6. BOSTON BRUINS (32-14-2) Embattled netminder Tim Thomas received a warm reception from the local fans in his first game back since the White House flap and won. (Last Week: 6) |
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7. ST. LOUIS BLUES (29-13-7) Veteran centre Andy McDonald has shed his non-contact sweater in practice and a return from his concussion appears around the corner. (Last Week: 3) |
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8. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (29-14-6) They're thankful there are no shootouts in the playoffs. They have gone 1-4 in the penalty-shot competition this year and 20-38 in their history. (Last Week: 8) |
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9. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (29-15-7) Injured forwards Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews returned to action, but the Hawks dropped a third straight game in Vancouver on Tuesday. (Last Week: 9) |
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10. SAN JOSE SHARKS (28-14-6) The Sharks have a busy second half with 35 games in 68 nights, compared to 47 games in the first 115 days of the season.(Last Week: 10) |
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11. LOS ANGELES KINGS (24-16-10) The Kings have gone 9-2-6 under new coach Darryl Sutter, but down to stretch they need to sort out their league-worst offence. (Last Week: 12) |
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12. NEW JERSEY DEVILS (27-19-3) The Devils stopped a four-game losing streak with an important shootout win over the Rangers on Tuesday.(Last Week: 15) |
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13. OTTAWA SENATORS (27-20-6) A four-game losing streak has Ottawa in trouble. If the teams right below in the East standing win games in hand, the Senators would drop to ninth.(Last Week: 11) |
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14. FLORIDA PANTHERS (22-15-11) If the Panthers are going to end this embarrassing long playoff-less streak, goalie Jose Theodore will need to step up and play better. (Last Week: 14) |
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15. MINNESOTA WILD (24-19-6) The Wild wasn't the only team to suffer a third-period meltdown upon their return (see No. 18), but the loss to Nashville stopped a two-game win streak.(Last Week: 16) |
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16. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (22-23-4) Five wins in a row have the Lightning thinking playoffs. They're eight points back of the eighth-place Maple Leafs with a game in hand. (Last Week: 17) |
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17. ANAHEIM DUCKS (19-23-7) An impressive 9-1-1 run has the Ducks back on track, but there still is a 10-point deficit between their current situation in 13th to eighth. (Last Week: 24) |
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18. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (25-19-6) It will be interesting to see how the Maple Leafs rebound from their embarrassing finish in Pittsburgh to begin a home-and-home set. (Last Week: 18) |
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19. WASHINGTON CAPITALS (26-19-4) The Capitals have gone a mediocre 5-4-2 since centre Nicklas Backstrom was knocked out of action with his concussion. (Last Week: 13) |
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20. WINNIPEG JETS (23-22-6) If the Jets are going to keep their playoffs hope alive they will need a strong three months from their overworked goalie Ondrej Pavlec. (Last Week: 23) |
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21. DALLAS STARS (25-21-2) The return of injured players Jamie Benn and Brendan Morrow will help the Stars cause. They only have won twice in their last eight games. (Last Week: 21) |
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22.COLORADO AVALANCHE (26-24-2) It always stings when you lose to a team below you in the standings and that happened to the Avs with a loss to Edmonton to begin the second half. (Last Week: 19) |
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23. CALGARY FLAMES (23-22-6) They opened up the post all-star break with a tough loss to the Red Wings at home. (Last Week: 20) |
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24. NEW YORK ISLANDERS (20-22--7) The Islanders have four wins in six starts and could play a spoilers' role in the East down the stretch.(Last Week: 25) |
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25. PHOENIX COYOTES (22-21-8) They're in a tough spot. They need at least 43 points in 31 games to reach the postseason for the third season in a row. (Last Week: 22) |
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26. BUFFALO SABRES (21-24-5) With their big win in Montreal to return to action, the Sabres won back-to-back outings for the first time in 11 weeks.(Last Week: 28) |
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27. EDMONTON OILERS (19-26-5) It appears the Oilers want no part of finishing 30th for the third straight season. They have collected five out of six points in three games. (Last Week: 29) |
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28. MONTREAL CANADIENS (19-22-9) Ouch, that loss at home to Buffalo hurt. The Habs were unable to build off their dominating win over Detroit last week. (Last Week: 26) |
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29. CAROLINA HURRICANES (18-25-9) There isn't much hockey joy in Raleigh these days, especially when they get beaten by 21-year-old Islanders goalie Kevin Poulin in the last outing. (Last Week: 27) |
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30. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (11-26-5) Where will Jeff Carter be dealt? Will Rick Nash stay or go? Can Steve Mason find his form? There are too many questions with this struggling club. (Last Week: 30) |
Tim Wharnsby
Tim's worked the sports beat at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Sun, specializing in Canada's one true sporting obsession - hockey. He knows the players, the coaches, the backroom boys and most importantly, the fans. That's what he brings to his stories. Knowledge, fairness and understanding are trademarks of a Wharnsby story. That's what you will get here as he writes for CBCSports.ca.
