NHL News Break

The NHL Season is approximately one-third over and with that in mind NHL NB will now look at the playoff picture for the rest of the season.

#1. SAN JOSE SHARKS, 43 Points,

The Sharks have scored the most points in the league with 97. They have given up 59 points which is the fourth best in the NHL this season. Currently San Jose is undefeated at home (13-0-1) while posting an impressive 9-3 road record. The 97 goals means alot of scoring is going on with seven Sharks having at least 20 points. Two of the seven are not LW Milan Michalek and RW Jonathan Cheechoo which is even scarier to think of. WATCH OUT FOR: RW Devin Setoguchi (plus+14) who is on an absolute tear over the last month, averaging 0.5 goal per game, 0.8 assists per game, 0.8 plus (versus minus) per game, 0.5 power play points per game. Linemate C Joe Thornton has one more point than Setoguchi with 30 for the season thus far and 26 penalty minutes to go along. Coming right third in points is LW Patrick Marleau (plus+14) with 28. These guys can flat out score, but in leagues where penalty minutes are important WATCH OUT for RW Ryane Clowe (25 penalty minutes). Clowe recently strung together a stretch of 9 goals in 10 games, and has recently gone assist streaking with six assists in the last four games. C Joe Pavelski is on fire right now with four goals and six points in the last three games. Finally, the Shark defense of Dany Boyle, Christian Erhoff, and Rob Blake have been outstanding leading the offensive charge combining for 43 assists. Goaltender Brian Boucher has been another bright part of the San Jose equation as the Evgeni Nabokov/Boucher Monster has combined to allow a 2.30 goals against average. (See the NB’s Early Season Prediction About these Bloodthirsty Savage Sharks).

#2. DETROIT RED WINGS [DEFENDING STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS], 36 Points

First of all Marian Hossa is doing what the preseason hype believed Hossa would do as he had done against his former foe now team Red Wings. Meanwhile Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg have 24 points each with nine and twelve power play power respectively. The Wings’ depth and offensive prowess (84 goals) have padded G Chris Osgood’s 10-1 record and masked his 3.05 GAA. Backup G Ty Conklin has been strong posting a 0.905 save percentage in nine games played. Not that he is sneaking up on anybody this season but WATCH OUT for Johan Franzen if you can get the Machine for a good bargain. ROAD RECORD: 10-2-2

#3. VANCOUVER CANUCKS, 30 Points,

Aside from his injury, the best goaltender in the league is Roberto Luongo with five shutouts this season in 19 games played. Luongo has never had more than seven shutouts in a season which would lead one to think that this could be Luongo’s best campaign yet.

#4. Anaheim Ducks, 31 Points,

Man these guys are too good for the defense to be so bad. C Getzlaf and RW Corey Perry have been shining stars for the Ducks and fantasy owners are thanking them. These guys are the all around total package with plus 30 points and penalty minutes. RW Teemu Selanne is proving his worth with 24 points (see Teemu Selanne Story Below). G Jonas Hiller has outplayed G Jean Sebastian-Giguere thus far and Hiller is making a stand for number one with his 0.934 save percentage.

#5 MINNESOTA WILD, 29 Points,

Marian Gaborik has been out for the year and is not going to be rushing things. Niklas Backstrom has logged 21 games and his 610 saves gives him 59 less than Calgary G Miikka Kiprusoff who has played in three more games than Backstrom. C Mikko Koivu shines for the Wild with 27 points and 26 penalty minutes.

#6 CALGARY FLAMES, 29 Points, G Kiprusoff has played in 24 games this season but the Flames are 5-6 on the road. The team is a combined negative-51. RW Jarome Iginla is on a 36 goal pace while he scored 50 last season.

#7 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS, 26 Points,

Patrick Sharp began the season very well and continues with plus 20 points and PIMs. Sharp has two game winning goals and WATCH OUT: Patrick Kane has 28 points and 11 power play points. The team is combined Plus-35.

#8 NASHVILLE PREDATORS, 26 Points, [see picture for example of Predators and Blackhawks fighting for the last two playoff spots]. WATCH OUT: D Shea Weber with 10 goals, 23 points and 33 PIMs.

Currently not in the playoffs, WATCH the Great One Wayne Gretzky in Phoenix to make some moves and score some more goals (only 59) while continuing to play good defense. The Kings are another team that could be in this playoff hunt if they can too start getting more goal production(62 goals).

COLUMBUS, COLORADO, PHOENIX [see Shane Doan on a mission/Olli Jokinen on the IR], LOS ANGELES [WATCH OUT G Erik Ersberg], ST. LOUIS, EDMONTON, DALLAS