The Los Angeles Kings are making a charge for the playoffs at the quarter mark of the NHL season. The Los Angeles Kings are making a charge for the playoffs at the quarter mark of the NHL season. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Thrashers and Buffalo Sabres became the final two clubs to hit the first-quarter pole or 21-game mark in the 2009-10 NHL season on Wednesday evening.

There were many compelling individual storylines in the first quarter, such as the start of youngsters Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles), Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay) and Tyler Myers (Buffalo), Brad Richards's comeback with the Dallas Stars and Marian Gaborik's play with the New York Rangers.

Club-wise, though, how about the play of most of the non-playoff teams of a year ago?

Of the seven teams that were sitting on the post-season sidelines in the Western Conference last spring, Colorado, Nashville, Los Angeles and Phoenix are all pushing for a playoff spot after the 21-game mark.

Over in the Eastern Conference, Buffalo, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and the New York Islanders have moved into contention.

After 21 games

Eastern Conference

POS TEAM W L OT PTS
1 Washington 13 4 4 30
2 New Jersey 14 6 1 29
3 Pittsburgh 14 7 0 28
4 Ottawa 12 6 3 27
5 Buffalo 12 7 2 26
6 Philadelphia 12 8 1 25
7 Atlanta 11 7 3 25
8 Tampa Bay 9 5 7 25
9 NY Rangers 11 9 1 23
10 NY Islanders 8 6 7 23
11 Florida 10 9 2 22
12 Boston 9 8 4 22
13 Montreal 10 11 0 20
14 Toronto 4 11 6 14
15 Carolina 4 12 5 13

Western Conference

POS TEAM W L OT PTS
1 San Jose 14 4 3 31
2 Chicago 14 5 2 30
3 Colorado 13 5 3 29
4 Calgary 13 6 2 28
5 Columbus 12 6 3 27
6 Los Angeles 12 7 2 26
7 Detroit 11 6 4 26
8 Nashville 12 8 1 25
9 Phoenix 12 9 0 24
10 Dallas 9 6 6 24
11 Vancouver 11 10 0 22
12 St. Louis 8 9 4 22
13 Edmonton 8 10 3 19
14 Anaheim 7 11 3 17
15 Minnesota 7 12 2 16