2012 NBA Mid-Season Report

Mid-Season Awards

MVP – Kevin Durant – Thunder

Rookie – Kyrie Irving – Cavaliers

Coach – Frank Vogel – Pacers

Defensive Player – Serge Ibaka – Thunder

Most Improved – Kyle Lowry – Rockets

Sixth Man – James Harden – Thunder

Executive – Neil Olshey – Clippers

Elite Class

Chicago Bulls (27-8)

Even without Derrick Rose for a good portion of the season the Bulls still remain atop the Eastern Conference thanks to their tremendous depth. Luol Deng, Richard Hamilton and C.J. Watson have picked up the slack, but they will need Carlos Boozer to play better if they are to get past the Miami Heat.

Miami Heat (27-7)

You can’t deny that it looks as if LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh have finally figured out how to put it together for another shot at a title together. They have the right role players in place, but their lack of depth in the frontcourt may come back to haunt them towards the end.

San Antonio Spurs (24-10)

Just when you thought you could count out the Spurs. This time around Tim Duncan isn’t the most dominant player on the team. It’s Tony Parker. Even with Manu Ginobili’s injury woes the Spurs have enough depth to counter that problem. Time will tell if they can last through a rigorous Western Conference playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder (27-7)

Easily the best team in the West this year. It’s hard to find any weaknesses in the Thunder. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are a great duo. Even if Westbrook isn’t a prototypical point guard. Serge Ibaka is becoming a force defensively. And James Harden is their diamond in the rough off the bench. It will be hard to bring this team down.

Contenders

LA Clippers (20-11)

It has been a wild ride for the Clippers this year. Chris Paul has made all the difference in the world for them. Time will tell if they can hold off the Lakers for the top spot in the division, but they are here to stay. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are a great duo in the frontcourt. However, they will miss Chauncey Billups leadership on the floor in tight games.

LA Lakers (20-14)

Whether or not the Lakers make a trade they are still considered a contender because of their size in the frontcourt. If they realize this maybe both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol can get them back to the Finals for another title. Kobe Bryant is still going about his business, but all the trade talk has affected him and the team this year.

Dallas Mavericks (21-13)

They are still the defending champs. For now at least. They have the depth to make another run, but will Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd hold up for another long playoff run during a fast paced season? That’s where guys like Lamar Odom and Vince Carter will come in handy, but neither one has really accepted their new roles on this team just yet.

Indiana Pacers (21-12)

No surprise here about the Pacers. They gave the Chicago Bulls fits in the playoffs last year and they are looking to get home court for the first round this year. Darren Collison is an excellent point man for this team. Roy Hibbert is having an All-Star season and Danny Granger is able to maximize his abilities thanks to the emergence of Paul George. This is a deep team capable of shocking some other contenders.

Philadelphia 76ers (20-14)

They have been the talk of the Eastern Conference all year besides the Miami Heat. They are at the top of their division and it’s a testament to their coach Doug Collins. He has preached defense first since arriving and the young Sixers have responded. Jrue Holliday has emerged as a great floor general for them. Andre Iguodala is able to maximize his skills from the wing instead of trying to create his own scoring chances. And their depth is scary good in the frontcourt.

Middle of the Pack

New York Knicks (17-18)

Thanks to the emergence of Jeremy Lin the Knicks have become the talk of the NBA going into the second half. They could easily win their division with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire back playing together, but with the addition of J.R. Smith that will only help this teams depth in the now ultra competitive Eastern Conference.

Boston Celtics (15-17)

They are now on the outside looking in, but you can’t count them out just yet. Now is the time when they usually get themselves ready for the playoffs. There has been a lot of talk about trading Rajon Rondo, but as long as they remain in contention they will remain intact for the final run of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett on the same team.

Orlando Magic (22-13)

We’re now in the stretch run of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes. Will he or won’t he be traded? Orlando is a contender with him, but without him they are barely in the playoffs. This Orlando team isn’t even better than the team that went to the Finals a few years ago with Howard. And Orlando decided to dismantle that team. Now they will have to decide their future in the next few weeks.

Atlanta Hawks (20-14)

It’s tough to say that their playoff hopes rest with Joe Johnson’s health, but they do. So goes Johnson so goes the Hawks. When he’s at his best the Hawks are a tough team to beat. When he has 4-17 shooting performances they are an average team. Not having Al Horford has put a damper on their season, but they are hopeful he will be ready when the playoffs start.

Houston Rockets (20-14)

They have managed to play well with what they have even though they could have had Pau Gasol before the season in the botched Chris Paul trade to the Lakers. Luis Scola and Kevin Martin who were apart of that trade have been model citizens all year. Also Kyle Lowry is a game changer for them. Always doing the little things for them that don’t always make the national headlines.

Memphis Grizzlies (19-15)

They were expected to be higher in the standings, but it’s probably best that they don’t. They flew under the radar last year and it worked for them. This year they have a healthy Rudy Gay and are hopeful that Zach Randolph will return fully healthy for another playoff run. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are quietly becoming great players at their respective positions.

Portland Trail Blazers (18-16)

Talk about a team flying under the radar. Portland is in the middle of perhaps the toughest division in the NBA with Denver, Oklahoma City, Utah and now Minnesota fighting for playoff spots. LaMarcus Aldridge is finally getting the recognition he deserves. Jamal Crawford is paying huge dividends for the Blazers off the bench and late in close games. They could be this years Memphis Grizzlies if they make the playoffs.

Denver Nuggets (18-17)

Don’t look know Knicks fans, but Denver is built to contend for many years thanks to the Carmelo Anthony trade. Danilo Gallinari quite possibly could have been an All-Star if not for an ankle injury. He should return shortly to help get the Nuggets back into playoff contention. Nene has been a force in the middle for them. And Andre Miller has been a model citizen all year after his tumultuous stay in Portland.

Outside Looking In

Phoenix Suns (14-20)

Not being talked about as much is whether the Suns will trade Steve Nash to a contender. He and the team are going about it the right way, but the question begs to be asked. What do the Suns get from hanging on to him when they aren’t contenders right now? How much longer will he play when they are contenders again? It could be a while for the Suns.

Golden State Warriors (13-17)

Depth has always been a huge concern for the Warriors. Injuries to Stephen Curry this year have hampered their plans this season, but David Lee and Monta Ellis have been great. And Ekpe Udoh has broken out into a legitimate threat down low for the Warriors. The future looks bright, but they need more depth.

Utah Jazz (15-17)

The future is now for the Jazz. They have some nice pieces in place with Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward as their frontcourt lineup. But who will be the point guard? Devin Harris isn’t a long term solution. But their fan base is very loyal and they should be able to find that franchise point guard in the next offseason.

Minnesota Timberwolves (17-17)

Surprised to see them playing at .500 basketball are you. What’s even more surprising is that this is basically the same team from last year. They’ve just added two rookies in Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams. It goes to show you just how great of a coach Rick Adelman is to get these guys and specifically Kevin Love to play up to their abilities and even exceed them.

Milwaukee Bucks (13-20)

You could say that I’ve been eating some crow on the Bucks the last two seasons now, but I don’t mind. They were a good team two season ago and I couldn’t have predicted that Andrew Bogut would suffer freak injury after freak injury. They have a good coach in place in Scott Skiles, but now they have to worry about keeping their best player Brandon Jennings around.

Cleveland Cavaliers (13-18)

I’m happy for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mainly for their coach Byron Scott who had a rough deal when he first took the job thinking that LeBron James was going to stick around. Well he has Kyrie Irving this year and the Cavs are actually a competitive team this year. A far cry from the embarrassing season they had last year. Put a couple more pieces in place and they could be back in the playoffs in no time under Scott.

Waiting for the Lottery

Toronto Raptors (10-23)

It’s amazing to think that Bryan Colangelo hasn’t been able to turn around the Toronto Raptors like we all thought he would when he took the job. What he did with Phoenix was amazing, but he’s had a stroke of bad luck and some puzzling deals in Toronto. It seems unlikely that he would be let go anytime soon, but he might have to make some moves to keep his job safe for a little while longer.

New Jersey Nets (10-25)

Like Orlando with Dwight Howard what will New Jersey do with Deron Williams? Will they try to acquire Howard to entice Williams to stay? Or will they trade Williams and start from scratch with the move to Brooklyn next year? The latter is highly unlikely since they have free agency to try and make a move then. But the key to a Howard trade starts and ends with the Nets.

Detroit Pistons (11-24)

It really has become a depressing scene in Detroit. Besides the economic troubles in the city the team has been tough to watch. There has been a few bright spots. Greg Monroe looks to be a fixture in the post for many years, but he doesn’t have much support from Rodney Stuckey. Nor the free agent acquisitions of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva a few years ago.

Washington Wizards (7-26)

They’ve already fired Flip Saunders who really had no control of the team. It wasn’t entirely his fault as upper management let him down with the players they brought in. JaVele McGee is at the top of that list. And suddenly John Wall doesn’t look like the franchise point guard from a year ago. There’s still time for both McGee and Wall, but they better wake up sooner rather than later for a starving franchise.

Charlotte Bobcats (4-28)

Can the NBA close the book on having an NBA team in Charlotte once and for all. This franchise was in turmoil under their original owner Bob Johnson. Both financially and on the court. It’s still in turmoil on the court under new owner Michael Jordan. I’m sure he is wondering what more does he have to do to get this team to win. And the answer isn’t to pick up a #23 jersey and suit up.

New Orleans Hornets (8-25)

How’s that Chris Paul trade to the Clippers working out for the Hornets right now? Well Eric Gordon was the main piece of that trade and he hasn’t played in more than a hand full of games for them. They want to trade Chris Kaman and Al-Farouq Aminu has been a non-factor. The other would have given the Hornets Luis Scola, Kevin Martin and Lamar Odom.

Sacramento Kings (11-22)

They will be playing in Sacramento for many more years thanks to a financial agreement with the city. But will they be contenders for any of those seasons? They have too many wing players and not enough frontcourt players or even a point guard going forward. DeMarcus Cousins is a great talent, but they will have to decide if they want to continue to deal with his personality or they will continue to fire more head coaches.

Linsanity

It has been an insane month hasn’t it. I almost wrote a post about New York Knicks PG Jeremy Lin during the first week of his emergence. But I held back. Why? I wanted to give it some time to see if he would continue to play at such a high level against better opponents. He most certainly did. His performance against the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks has shown me that he can beat and compete with the best teams in the NBA.

Now this entire month you have had varying view points from every angle on Jeremy Lin. There’s the basketball angle. Is he really this good or is it a by product of their head coach Mike D’Antoni’s system? You also have the New York angle. Would he be getting this much attention if he were playing on a different team? And unfortunately you have the race angle. It started with boxer Floyd Mayweather spouting off a tweet about Lin only getting this attention because he’s asian. He went on to claim that black players don’t get this kind of attention in the NBA. Keep telling yourself that Floyd.

My take is that Jeremy Lin is a good basketball player. It’s a legitimate question to ask if Mike D’Antoni’s system is helping, which I think it is, but Phoenix Suns PG Steve Nash was a great player before playing in D’Antoni’s system. To me Lin is exactly what the Knicks have been lacking for a long time. A legitimate point guard to run their offense cohesively.

It’s absolutely true that if he were playing for another team he wouldn’t be getting this much publicity. The biggest media market in the world had nothing to write or talk about. Spring Training was still another month away in baseball. Even though the New York Giants just won another Super Bowl, the football season is over. The New York tabloids and sports headlines were craving a story and they got one. Now if the Knicks weren’t winning, it wouldn’t be much of a story either.

I have to say that what Jeremy Lin has done is nothing short of amazing. He has done all this in such a short period of time. And he was already let go by two NBA teams this season. But thanks to Floyd Mayweather it had to take a different turn. Bigotry and racism are two things that define Mr. Mayweather. There’s also cowardice and selfishness, but I digress. It should be confronted when someone chooses to go down that path when there is never a discussion for it.

With that said. I want to ask you a question. When you hear or read the phrase, “chink in the armor” what does that mean to you? Have you ever heard or read that phrase before? I know I have. It is a phrase that has been used in medeval times meaning that there is a weak point in your armor. Now I have heard it being used in sports analogies for quite some time. Not often, but enough to know that when I hear or read it I know that it’s being used as an analogy to describe a weak point in a team or player.

Now why did ESPN fire an editor who wrote the headline “chink in the armor” and suspend an anchor for 30 days when he said “chink in the armor” in proper context? When you answer that question ask yourself this. Has it gotten so bad that we can’t even say anything any word at all that may have another meaning if we use it in proper context?

There is so much good to be told about Jeremy Lin, but when something ugly rears its head we only focus on the bad. Columnists all over the country are now talking about how we must re-focus our attention as a culture to be sensitive to the needs of those who can’t stand up for themselves. I’m for that, but they are all missing the point.

You can’t assume someone’s intent based off one headline. And when someone says the phrase “chink in the armor” in proper context there is no way that he or she was showing any ill will towards that person in the analogy. I didn’t even think about race when I read the headline until ESPN apologized for it a few days later.

We have focused our attention in the wrong place when it comes to bigotry and racism. We laughed off Mr. Mayweather’s tweet as ‘Floyd being Floyd’ but I will hold him accountable as the bigoted person that he is.

I am rooting for Jeremy Lin. I think his story is a good one that reminds us that we can still dream and if we work hard that dream will come true. But some folks just won’t get that. They will always try to look for another angle to the story when it isn’t there. My focus is strictly on sports, but others don’t see it that way.

Super Bowl XLVI Recap

Final: New York Giants 21 New England Patriots 17

It wasn’t the best all around game that I’ve ever seen. But it sure was a good chess game. I expected the pass rush of the Giants to be all over Tom Brady. To the Patriots credit they did a great job protecting Brady. The Giants only had two sacks the entire game. I also thought that the game would end on a last second field goal. But that prediction came up short.

Either way it sealed one quarterbacks legacy and brought to light the others. Tom Brady is this generations greatest quarterback. You don’t get to 5 Super Bowls on pure luck. However, if you want to be in the conversation of the greatest of all time you have to most if not all of them. Brady has now lost two straight Super Bowl games.

For Giants QB Eli Manning his legacy is now beginning to take shape. He is now among the top 5 best quarterbacks in the NFL today. For me the list includes Brady, Eli, Peyton Manning (when healthy), Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. You can put them in whatever order you would like, but those are the top 5.

The Giants did just enough when they had to. They started the game with a safety on the Patriots first possession. Then Eli threw his only touchdown pass to this years breakout player WR Victor Cruz. New York was down 10-9 going into halftime and at the start of the second half they were down 17-9. That didn’t matter.

New York picked away at the lead with good defense and two field goals to make it 17-15 in the 4th quarter. Then when they needed it most Eli made a perfect throw that had a perfect catch by WR Mario Manningham near the sideline. Not near the David Tyree type of catch back in Super Bowl XLII, but pretty impressive nonetheless.

The result was an Ahmad Bradshaw touchdown run that gave the Giants the lead for good. Tom Brady still had a chance to win the game for the Patriots. And that proves just how great he is when he still can win a game for you when it doesn’t seem possible.

Under Tom Coughlin the New York Giants have been an opportunistic team. When the time is right they will make a run at a championship. Just like I have been saying the last couple years, I can’t seem to figure out any of the teams in the NFC East. Maybe now I’ve figured out the New York Giants.

Super Bowl XLVI Preview

New York Giants (9-7) vs. New England Patriots (13-3)

Ranks

Offense

Giants – 8th

Patriots – 2nd

Defense

Giants – 27th
Patriots – 31st

I have made it through two weeks of the non-stop conversations on ESPN and the NFL Network about this game. It has become an unnecessary circus the last 10 years at least with everything except the actual game. This year offers us the rarity of a rematch, but in a not so classic way. There are some similarities with the personnel involved, but both teams have different philosophies this time around. It should bode for an interesting chess match.

Coaches

Two of the oldest and without a doubt the most knowledgable head coaches in the NFL today. The question came up whether Bill Belichick or Tom Coughlin would retire if they won this game. It’s an interesting question, but I don’t think either one would. They absolutely would consider it, but if I were to pick one who would walk away I would say Coughlin. He has had to put up with a lot in the New York media and frankly I would understand if he retired after winning another Super Bowl. ‘Go out on the high note’ we always say. But he does have his work cut out for him again going against Bill Belichick. He is this generations best coach and it will be tough to beat him twice in this game, but if anyone can do it, you have to think Tom Coughlin can do it.

Players to Watch

We all know who the quarterbacks are. Eli Manning for the New York Giants and Tom Brady for the New England Patriots. If you don’t by now, best of luck to you. But I want to watch a couple other players that should get the most attention in this game. And no one of them isn’t Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski and his ankle. Instead it’s his fellow teammate TE Aaron Hernandez and for the New York Giants it’s DE Jason Pierre-Paul. With Hernandez it does have to do with Gronkowski’s ankle. Hernandez has benefited from being in single coverage all year long. If Gronk’ has be absent for any length of time or is ineffective can Hernandez step up and be Brady’s go-to guy? With Pierre-Paul he wasn’t around for the last Super Bowl, but DE Osi Umenyiora, DE Mathias Kiwanuka and DE Justin Tuck were. Put those four together and you have one hell of a defensive line to combat Tom Brady and the Patriots passing attack.

Key of the Game

It’s a simple one. Knock the quarterback on his butt. The Giants know that’s what they have to do to beat the best quarterback in the NFL. And the Patriots know that is the only thing that’s going to slow down or even stop Eli Manning from having another come from behind victory. Both teams don’t really run the ball enough to offset the opponents pass rush, but they will be trying to set up the defense for the big pass plays. Make no mistake that whoever wins will have the most sacks at the end of the game.

Who will win?

Last year I came pretty close to the score, but I predicted exactly how the Green Bay Packers were going to pull away with the victory. To refresh your memory I said that Aaron Rodgers would throw a game winning touchdown pass to Greg Jennings. This time around I’m going to a different route. The final score will be the New York Giants beating the New England Patriots 27-24 thanks to their kicker Lawrence Tynes kicking the game winning field goal just before time expires. It won’t be as good as the original, but this sequel should be good right til the very end.

2012 NHL Mid-Season Report

I know I haven’t written enough about the NHL. It’s an 82 game season though so that’s my excuse. Either way we are at the halfway point and it’s time to see where we’re at as far as contenders and those that should start thinking about next season. Lets see shall we.

Elite

New York Rangers (31-12-4)

There really isn’t a more balanced team this season. They have the perfect goalie tandem in Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Biron. Both have goals against averages under 2.00. Their star player Marian Gaborik is on pace to score 40 goals this season. And the young players are developing at a great pace. To go along with perhaps the best coach in the NHL in John Tortorella who is the right guy for the biggest pressure cooker that is New York.

Philadelphia Flyers (29-14-5)

Claude Giroux has been phenomenal for the Flyers. He and Scott Hartnell are the reasons why the Flyers are still among the top teams in the NHL. Even after all the offseason upheaval with the roster both have taken their games to another level. Kimmo Timonen has done well with the absence of Chris Pronger. And goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has actually been better than Ilya Bryzgalov in net. But they will need Bryzgalov playing better come playoff time.

Boston Bruins (31-14-2)

All those concerns about their Stanley Cup hangover are now a thing of the past. This is still the team to beat. Tyler Seguin and Patric Bergeron are having breakout seasons. They appear to be even better than last years team. Even goalie Tim Thomas is having a Vezina trophy winning type season. Better than last year. And his backup Tuukka Rask would be any other teams best goalie if Boston were to let him part.

Detroit Red Wings (33-16-1)

It’s a wonder how Detroit manages to stay afloat when their time appears to be running out. Thanks to the usual suspects, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen and Nicklas Lidstrom, the Red Wings are once again atop the Western Conference. Also goalie Jimmy Howard has been easily the best goaltender this entire season. He’s a workhorse the likes of which haven’t been seen since New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur was in his prime.

St. Louis Blues (29-13-7)

The surprise of the NHL and all it took was a coaching change. Since Ken Hitchcock took over the Blues haven’t looked back. Young stars David Backes and T.J. Oshie have been properly motivated and Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk are becoming a formidable blue line duo. With Jaroslav Halak’s struggles seemingly over now in net it’s still good to know that they have a great backup in Brian Elliott.

Vancouver Canucks (30-15-4)

Goalie Roberto Luongo isn’t having a great season, but now the Canucks know they have a viable backup in Cory Schneider. It also helps that they have the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel still playing at elite levels, but they must be better when the playoffs start. Once again their depth is what got to them to the Stanley Cup finals last year and it might help them get there again.

Above the Crowd

San Jose Sharks (27-14-6)

Their level of consistency is amazing considering they have some new pieces in place this year. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are both playing at elite levels this year. Youngsters Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski are both emerging as the next generation of stars in San Jose. Dan Boyle is playing stellar defense and goalie Antti Niemi is having a career year. The Sharks pieces are in place for a deep playoff run.

Nashville Predators (30-16-4)

Pekka Rinne is a big reason why the Predators are among the best teams in the Western Conference. His .924 save percentage is among the best in the entire league. Also defenseman Shea Weber is in line for his first Norris Trophy the way he’s playing this year. David Legwand and Martin Erat are both living up to their contracts this year with 30+ points so far this season. Nashville could be in position for a Stanley Cup run.

Chicago Blackhawks (29-15-6)

There is no doubt about the talent that Chicago has in place. What everyone is wondering is if they can keep it up for the playoffs. You’d think that the talent pool would stop with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. But then comes Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp and now Viktor Stalberg. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are holding down the fort in defense. Corey Crawford and Ray Emery are doing an adequate job in net, but a trade might be in the works.

Ottawa Senators (27-19-6)

Craig Anderson isn’t having the kind of season he had a few years ago for the young upstart Colorado Avalanche, but he’s doing just enough in Ottawa. It also helps that Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek are having bounce back seasons for the Senators. Also Erik Karlsson has become a Norris Trophy candidate almost overnight. These Senators are a rejuvenated bunch going into the stretch run.

Pittsburgh Penguins (28-17-4)

Even without their captain Sidney Crosby the Penguins are a solid hockey team. Evgeni Malkin could be a Hart Trophy candidate this year with his comeback performance. James Neal has provided the necessary scoring with the absence of Crosby. They will need Kris Letang healthy though if they are to compete for the Stanley Cup. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been outstanding in net for Pittsburgh and will need to be well rested for the playoffs.

Middle of the Pack

New Jersey Devils (26-19-3)

A nice resurgent season for New Jersey. Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise are having good seasons scoring over 40 points. Patrik Elias is leading the team in scoring and David Clarkson is becoming a great goal scorer. The question will still remain with goalie Martin Brodeur and his stamina. Does he have another playoff run in him? And if not can Johan Hedberg replace him?

Toronto Maple Leafs (25-19-5)

This is the make or break season for the Brian Burke – Ron Wilson era in Toronto. Their success rested in net with goalies James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson. They’ve both been good in net, but one will have to step up for the stretch run. Toronto knows what to expect from Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf, but the amazing comeback season from Joffrey Lupul has made the difference in Toronto.

Washington Capitals (26-19-3)

It has been a long season for the Capitals. New head coach Dale Hunter has done a good job in getting them back on track, but Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom haven’t regained their elite status yet. That’s a good thing considering they are in first place in their division. Health continues to be a problem for them, but their depth will keep them from missing the playoffs altogether. As will goalie Tomas Vokoun.

Florida Panthers (22-15-11)

It looks to be an uphill for the Panthers. They are fortunate to be only a few points behind Washington this late in the season, but Winnipeg is right behind them. Will goalie Jose Theodore keep Florida afloat towards the playoffs? Can they get by with just Kris Versteeg and Tomas Fleischmann as their best goal scorers? And will Brian Campbell last playing as much as he does on the blue line? Their future is bright, but they might fall short this year.

Winnipeg Jets (22-22-6)

I didn’t have them as the worst team in the NHL. Mainly because their new fan base was going to keep them competitive this year. I didn’t expect them to be in playoff contention this late in the year though. Evander Kane and Blake Wheeler are becoming the future of this franchise leading the team in points. Considering the circumstances goalie Ondrej Pavelec has done a great job in net for the Jets. The couldn’t win 22 games without him being apart of 18.

Minnesota Wild (24-18-7)

They were on top of the NHL for about a month. They have fallen quite a bit, but they’re still in contention because of their goalie tandem. Niklas Backstrom has regained his form and Josh Harding has been a great backup. The Wild’s offense is much better with Dany Heatley leading the way. Mikko Koivu must stay on the ice though if Minnesota is to make a return to the playoffs.

Colorado Avalanche (26-23-2)

It has been a long season for Colorado. They were off to a good start when the season began, but they have fallen quite a bit in the standings. Their bright young stars Paul Stastny and Matt Duchene have had rough seasons, but rookie Gabriel Landeskog is looking to be a fixture for them. Erik Johnson hasn’t panned out in Colorado since he was acquired last year. The only thing keeping the Avs playoff hopes alive is veteran goalie J.S Giguere and his 2.10 goals against average.

Calgary Flames (23-21-6)

Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff can only do so much. He’s still going strong with a .919 save percentage, but the Flames need to pick up the scoring output. Acquiring Mike Cammalleri from Montreal helps a little, but they need a healthy Alex Tanguay and a wakeup call from Jay Bouwmeester. Captain Jarome Iginla needs more support.

Los Angeles Kings (24-16-10)

It has been a struggle all year for the Kings to score some goals. They didn’t expect at this point of the year that their leading goal scorer would only have 15 goals. The only good thing going for the Kings has been their health. And their defense has been stellar. Goalie Jonathan Quick is the leading contender for the Vezina Trophy. But that Dustin Penner trade is looking more and more awful after every game.

Dallas Stars (25-21-2)

Kari Lehtonen was off to a great start to the season. He has dropped a bit, but he’s still the reason why the Stars are in contention. Jamie Benn is becoming a good complement to Loui Eriksson. As is Michael Ryder. Brenden Morrow must become more aggressive on offense for the stretch run if Dallas is to clinch any of the last remaining playoff spots in the Western Conference.

Better Luck Next Year

Anaheim Ducks (18-23-7)

It wasn’t exactly what Teemu Selanne had in mind when he decided to return to Anaheim for another season. He will probably end the season as their leading point scorer when Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan had their worst seasons playing on the same line. However, they have brought back some respectability with Bruce Boudreau as their new head coach. But this team lost a lot of luster on defense and with goalie Jonas Hiller.

Phoenix Coyotes (22-20-8)

While they’re not out of the playoff race just yet they might want to start thinking about what to do with the trade deadline approaching. Goalie Mike Smith has been great being tasked to replace Ilya Bryzgalov in net. Ray Whitney and Radim Vrbata have been the best scoring options for the Coyotes. It would be strange to see Shane Doan play for another team in the playoffs, but Phoenix might just do that this year.

Edmonton Oilers (18-26-5)

The young Oilers are up and coming, but they have a long way to go yet. Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins together will be household names in Edmonton so long as the team can keep them there. Like with most young teams though they have relied too much on their veterans to keep them in contention. Goalie Nikolai Khabibulin might be dealt to a contender who will need a proven Stanley Cup winner.

Columbus Blue Jackets (13-30-6)

The lowly Blue Jackets got off to a dreadful start this season. It also doesn’t help them to know that their franchise goaltender Steve Mason has lost his mojo. They do have some bright spots for the future, but don’t be surprised if Rick Nash begins to want out sooner rather than later. Columbus’ big offseason acquisitions Jeff Carter and James Wisniewski have been rattled with injuries and their depth has come into question.

Carolina Hurricanes (18-24-9)

Carolina has two bright spots on offense in Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner. After that it’s hit or miss. Tuomo Ruutu has had a good year and will most likely be dealt before the deadline. Whether the Hurricanes can continue to rely on Cam Ward as their goaltender will be a big question mark going forward with a new coaching staff already in place for next year.

Tampa Bay Lightning (21-23-4)

They had such promise going into this year. Thankfully for them they could turn this around in a weak division, but last years Dwayne Roloson isn’t going to show up in net for the Lightning. Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis have been playing great hockey. Vincent Lecavalier still has time to heat up. But they have had almost nothing from their blue line other than Marc-Andre Bergeron.

Buffalo Sabres (20-24-5)

They have one of the deepest teams in the NHL, but with all that depth they must all perform at a high level. Other than Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek the Sabres haven’t had much else on offense. To top it off their franchise goalie Ryan Miller is having the worst season of his career. It likely won’t be the start of a rebuilding project, but the Sabres don’t have much time with this current group.

Montreal Canadiens (19-21-9)

There has been no fight in the Canadiens for much of the season. That’s what Mike Cammalleri said and was then sent off to Calgary. There is some offense in Montreal. Erik Cole and Max Pacioretty have done their part. Whether Montreal can get anything from their blue line is another matter. Carey Price has done everything he can in net and it still isn’t enough.

New York Islanders (19-22-7)

Besides the future of the team being on Long Island fans are growing more concerned with whether or not their star player John Tavares will be around long term. With the team constantly having losing seasons it will start to wane with him. Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau are having career seasons, but it won’t be enough. Evgeni Nabokov has done well in net and will most likely be dealt to a contender.