Are the Top Eight Set in the East? When Will "Marty" Get His Due?

It was just a few weeks ago that seemingly every team outside of the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs still had a legitimate chance to lay claim to a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

That time has come and gone.

The Islanders have hit a wall. The Panthers haven't been able to find the back of the net on a consistent basis. Tampa Bay is 3-6-1 in their last ten. The Thrashers have lost four straight. The Rangers are winless in four.

Meanwhile, the Flyers and Bruins have are both 7-2-1 in their last ten, while the Canadiens have won four straight.

The difference between eighth (Bruins) and ninth place (Rangers) is now five points, and the Bruins have just 66 games played.

Can Atlanta get back in the race with their current roster? Doubtful. The Lightning have received Herculean efforts from Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos, and they're still having trouble piling up points in the standings. I thought Henrik Lundqvist, alone, would be enough to get the Rangers into the bottom of the top-eight. It doesn't look as if that's going to be the case - the Rangers just have too many problems...

Steven Stamkos is on fire (understatement of day). With 42 goals and 80 points in 66 games played, the 20-year old has seen more than his fair share of media attention, and right fully so.

But if you think Stamkos is the driving force behind the Lightning, you're sadly mistaken. That honor goes to former Hart-Trophy Winner Marty St. Louis.

Over the last three seasons, St. Louis has amassed 102, 83, and 80 points, respectively, and is on pace for 100 points here in '09-'10. But as far as media attention goes, St. Louis has taken a back-seat to two first overall picks, first Vincent Lecavalier and now Stamkos.

Think of him as the "sidekick" all you want - St. Louis is the little engine that runs the show in Tampa Bay. It was natural for Lecavalier, and now Stamkos, to get most of the attention. They've scored goals in bunches, and therefore get much of the credit. But watch one Lightning game and you'll realize much of that is due to the innate passing ability of St. Louis. There's a good reason that Stamkos is able to score the same goal with the man advantage, over and over again, from the top left circle.

St. Louis has an unbelievable knack for drawing defenders to himself before distributing the puck to the open guy. And, when that guy happens to have the shooting ability of a Steven Stamkos, the goals will come in flocks.

The 5'9'' (if he's actually 5'9'' then I'm Zdeno Chara) right-winger is great along the boards, plays well in all three zones, is great on special teams, and - most importantly - he makes everyone around him better.

Two Struggling Squads Faceoff in the Battle of the Hudson, Duchene Makes His Mark, The Headshot Debate

The Devils have lost two games in a row and are just 2-5-1 in their last 8. The Rangers are winless in three.

Something's got to give.

Tonight's contest at "The Rock" in Newark is a big game for both the Devils and the Rangers. The Devils - who lost their last game 2-0 to the lowly Oilers - have seen the Penguins fly past them in the standings to lay their hands on the top spot in the Atlantic Division, while the Rangers are simply looking for a way to close the three-point gap that separates them from the eighth place Bruins.

The Devils have surrendered 21 goals over their last five games, which won't make Head Coach Jacques Lemaire happy. The Devils need to get back to what makes them such a formidable opponent - stingy team defense, good neutral zone pressure, tenacious back checking, capitalizing on their opponents' mistakes, and timely scoring.

For the Rangers, the answers are far less easy to come by. While Olympians Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury are playing inarguably their best hockey of the season, Marian Gaborik - I'd call him the straw that stirs the drink offensively for the Rangers, but it might be more realistic to say he's the not just the straw, but also the cup that holds the drink, the hand that pours the drink...you get the picture - is struggling due to a leg injury. Rumor is it's his infamous groin (insert phony "groin" joke here).

If the Rangers are to find a way into the spring dance, it'll take more than just superb play from Henrik Lundqvist. Gaborik needs to get healthy, the secondary scorers need to do their job, and the defense needs to find some consistency...

It's often the case for many NHL rookies to slow down as the season progresses. See: Tavares, John; van Riemsdyk, James; Del Zotto, Michael. It's even more likely when that rookie is jumping directly into the "Big Show" right after being drafted.

But, this hasn't been the story for the second overall selection in the 2009 NHL Draft. While Matt Duchene's effort has been pretty even-keel all season long in Colorado, his offensive production has increased dramatically. After starting the season with two goals and seven points in his first 21 games, Duchene currently sits with 23 goals and 47 points through 66 games.

He has 11 more points and four more goals than any other NHL rookie, and is also tied with Buffalo's first-year defenseman Tyler Myers for the rookie-lead in helpers.

Duchene's quickness, hands, and above all, hockey sense, have allowed him to quickly learn the tricks of the trade of scoring at the NHL level. He consistently goes to the net - that's where nearly all his goals have been scored - and makes those around him better.

Just ask the newly acquired Peter Mueller. The 21-year old ex-Coyote has notched two goals and six points in his first four games since coming to Colorado from Phoenix. Mueller has lined up with Duchene at even strength, and has also played the point on the first unit power play (which also includes Duchene).

Joe Sacco has certainly found something special in this young dynamic duo...

I was planning on ranting yesterday about the whole "Headshot Debate," but then I read Greg Wyshynski's (Puck Daddy's) response to a truly hilarious and idiotic rant on the subject of headshots by NESN's Jack Edwards (if you've watched a single Bruins broadcast you know Edwards is both a homer and, well, kind of an idiot. Good thing he has Andy Brickley - one of the best color guys in the league - to even things out).

Wyshynski echoes my exact feelings on the issue:

"I had more than a few battles Monday: on the blog, on the radio, and especially on Twitter. To restate the thesis: I'm in favor of a (clearly defined) ban on blindside hits, getting the Cooke hit and the Richards hit (which I'll continue to defend) out of the game. Perhaps even as the first step to something larger.

I'm not in favor of banning all contact with the shoulder to the head on hits, because it would penalize what are essentially good hockey plays (Doug Weight's hit on Brandon Sutter, close to the blindside but just a nasty open-ice hit) or the types of collisions that make hockey more entertaining for me ([Alex] Ovechkin's hit on [Jaromir] Jagr in Vancouver, which by the letter of the IIHF law was a head shot and should have been penalized)."

Banning all hits to the head is a slippery, slippery slope. Making the game safer is important, but penalizing all hits to the head in such a fast-paced, quick-moving sport is going over the top...

Weekend in Review: Wings Rounding into Form, Pens Gearing up for Playoffs (Sound Familiar?)

The Red Wings are finally healthy.

Sorry, Western Conference.

Detroit's 5-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks yesterday, which featured a five-goal Red Wing outburst in the second stanza, showed that the Wings are back - healthy, driven, and capable of causing one unlucky top-seeded Western Conference team some definite discomfort come first round in the playoffs.

(As a side note, could you imagine if San Jose draws Detroit in the first round? If that's the case, the "Hockey Gods" really are cruel.)

Remember when Nicklas Lidstrom had just 13 points in 37 games, and word was he lost a step? Well, he has 27 points over his last 28 contests, and is still an astounding plus 20 despite the Wings' injury troubles and the fact that he goes against the other teams' top lines, night after night.

Pavel Datsyuk has 18 points over his last 14 contests, and will only see his numbers continue to rise with the return of Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom. Heck, Datsyuk could go pointless for the remainder of the season and still be a force for the Wings due to his defensive prowess. We all know nobody makes watching defense as fun as Pavel does.

And there's one new, big plus for the Wings this season - they have a goaltender that has consistently played some great hockey. No offense to Chris Osgood, but his play over the past two seasons - which has seen the Wings in the Cup final both years - hails in comparison to the effort the Wings are receiving from Jimmy Howard.

The Wings can be fairly termed an "old" team, but don't let their age or position in the standings fool you - Detroit is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Let's put it this way - would you want your favorite team facing Detroit in a best-of-seven playoff series?

Didn't think so...

Remember last season when the Penguins sat on the outside looking in at the playoffs with 25 games to go, before going 18-3-4 down the stretch under Dan Bylsma?

Well, the Penguins might be better situated in the standings this time around, but they're certainly playing as if every game is a "must win."

Pittsburgh has strung together four straight wins since coming out of the Olympic break, and seem poised to send a message to the rest of the Eastern Conference heading into the playoffs.

As a collective team, the Penguins are hitting everything that moves (they set a record for hits an NHL regular season game against the Rangers on Thursday...and outshot them 55-16...boy, being a Rangers fan sucks right now.), and are getting contributions from up and down the lineup.

Evgeni Malkin, whose having a somewhat disappointing season point-wise by his standards, just recently had a 15-game point streak snapped. Jordan Staal has been arguably the best Pittsburgh forward coming out of the break, and has notched two goals and five points over his last four contests. Sidney Crosby has continued to lead the charge for the Pens, as he's recorded a point in each of the four post-Olympic Pens' games, and six in total.

The fact that Pittsburgh has at least one of Crosby, Malkin, or Staal on the ice at almost all times is what makes it so hard for me to see the Penguins losing to any Eastern Conference Team over a seven-game series...

Lapierre Embarrasses Himself...Like Usual, Another Idiotic Anti-Fighting Article, Wolski Sticks it to His Former Mates

Maxim Lapierre has little respect amongst many in the hockey world. His actions last night certainly won't help his cause.

While Lapierre has never been suspended (he should after this blatant cross-check to the back of an unsuspecting Scott Nichol), he's been in on more than his fair share of "dirty" play. I've seen him put his stick into peoples' skates as they are skating towards or near the boards, refuse to fight after chirping or throwing a dirty hit - all sorts of shenanigans.

*EDIT: Lapierre has been suspended for four games - sounds about right, to me.*

The animosity towards Lapierre is fierce - from both players and hockey analysts, alike.

Much was made of an incident in which he refused to fight the Bruins' Andrew Ference earlier this season, to which TSN analyst Pierre McGuire said that Lapierre had a reputation for talking the talk, but refusing to walk the walk. In last year's post-season, Milan Lucic was suspended two games for cross-checking Lapierre in the face.

Lapierre's reputation is well earned. He constantly acts tough and talks a big game, but shows little desire to get involved physically until the officials stand between him and his opponent. For a guy that makes his living playing on the edge and pissing off whoever the Habs' rival happens to be that night, he's dropped the mitts just eight times in his 260 NHL regular-season and post-season games.

His opponents show just the kind of "courage" Lapierre possesses:

P.J. Axelsson
Keith Ballard (twice)
Zach Bogosian
Steve Downie
Brian Lee
Petr Prucha
Maxime Talbot

Look, I'm not suggesting Lapierre should be "dropping 'em" with the NHL's heavyweights on a nightly basis, but your reputation is going to take a huge hit when you're unwilling to answer the bell for your actions, and an even bigger hit when you enter the ring versus players who will never be confused with Bob Probert.

But, hey, so long as the NHL continues to sport the Instigator Rule - the worst rule in all of sports - gutless agitators like Lapierre can hide behind the zebras whenever the going gets tough.

Why let the players handle it themselves? I'm sure somebody like Lapierre running around like an idiot doing stuff like this without any on-ice repercussions is safer...pssst.

After Lapierre's ugly hit on Nichol last night, TSN analyst and long-time NHL player Ray Ferraro had this to say:

"This is garbage. Gutless play by Max Lapierre...when they figure it out somebody should go fix his wagon...Now it's safe, Max, get in there, the linesman's there...Look at this play by Lapierre. Garbage. Gutless...this is what players talk about the lack of respect by players - that's it right there. That's a vulnerable position. Lapierre is a cheap player, at times...That is a gutless play by Max Lapierre. [camera shows Lapierre laughing on the bench] He thinks it's funny. I think the way he plays is funny. He's lucky he didn't play 15 years ago, 'cause he'd be playing with a different set of circumstances."

Right on the money, Ray, right on the money...

If you haven't read this anti-fighting article by Bob Ford making its rounds in the "Twitter world," check it out for a good chuckle.

Apparently the reason that the Olympics were wildly successful as far as number of viewers and far exceeded the popularity of the NHL is due to the fact that fighting is banned (suspension-worthy) under IIHF rules, while it's legal in the NHL.

Yeah, Mr. Ford, it doesn't have anything to do with the Olympics pinning the best players in the world against each other, the Americans' successful run, or a Canada/America overtime finale.

What a ridiculous article...

Props to Wojtek Wolski for sticking it to his former mates last night in his first game with the Coyotes.

Wolski scored the game-winning goal with just 22 ticks left in regulation, earning his new team a big two points while also denying the Avalanche from adding to their point total in the standings.

If Wolski is willing to get more involved physically and go to the dirty areas in the offensive zone, he will become wildly successful out in the desert.

Peter Mueller has chipped in with a goal and an assist in his first two games with the Avs, and after looking a little tentative and unsure of himself in his first game, looked much more confident and composed in the period and half I watched him last night.

It all comes down to confidence for Mueller - something he's lost since suffering a concussion midway through last season.

I really like Joe Sacco's decision to put him on the point on the top power play unit and alongside Matt Duchene at even strength. Coaching young players is all about putting them in positions in which they can most easily find success - something Sacco has shown an ability to do.

It will be very interesting to see how this trade turns out down the road...

NHL Trade Deadline Breakdown

Oh, Edmonton Oilers, you never cease to make me laugh.

Seriously Steve Tambellini, have you watched Ryan Whitney play over the past two seasons? Whitney is constantly caught out of position, and is prone to looking foolish in his defensive zone - on the reg.

Lubomir Visnovsky is a vastly superior player, and has been one of (okay, maybe the only) bright spot in a horrific Edmonton Oilers lineup this season. At 33, there is little doubt in my mind that Visnovsky will continue to be a prolific performer for the duration of his contract, which still has three years left after this season at a cap hit of $5.6.

Whitney has three years left, too, at a $4 million cap hit. Rebuilding or not, does $1.6 million a year in cap space over the next three seasons justify trading a top pairing, puck-moving defenseman for a player that has struggled mightily since his sophomore season in the big leagues? Definitely not.

If the Oilers are expecting a reincarnation of Whitney's '06-'07 season in Pittsburgh when he notched 59 points, they are in for a rough awakening. As far as I know, he won't be playing with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Sergei Gonchar, and Ryan Malone alongside him with the man advantage anytime soon in Oil Town.

Can Whitney regain his confidence and become a key contributor on the backend in Edmonton? Possibly, but I don't see it. Awful trade for Steve Tambellini and the Oilers.

As for the Ducks, their playoff push just got a big lift. Visnovsky's contract becomes even more feasible when one considers that this is likely Scott Niedermayer's final season in the NHL. Regardless, a $1.6 million increase in payroll (not actual payroll, but "salary cap" payroll) is well worth it for a significant and much needed defensive upgrade. Visnovsky will help them with the man advantage, as well as transitioning out of their own zone...

How many people thought that the Coyotes might find themselves in the position of "buyer" at the NHL Trade Deadline?

Don Maloney pulled the trigger on seven - yes, count 'em, seven - deals this morning. The reacquisition of Derek Morris will add a stabilizing figure to the backend (still don't really understand why the Bruins made this move...Morris is better than Dennis Seidenberg, who they acquired from Florida). Mathieu Schneider - essentially a low cost Hail Mary - will get a chance to bring a much needed boost to the Phoenix power play.

But the most intriguing move made by Maloney was the addition of Wojtek Wolski in exchange for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter.

Wolski, a pending restricted free agent, is a very interesting player. He's in the midst of a career season, and has the talent to be a top-line winger. But, is he willing to go into the dirty areas and become a go-to guy? He will certainly help Phoenix for the present, and I could see him having a lot of success alongside of Shane Doan.

Mueller needed a change of scenery. As a 19-year old rookie, Mueller potted 22 goals and 54 points under Wayne Gretzky as 'Yotes Bench Boss. But since sustaining a concussion during his second NHL season, he hasn't been the same. His desire to play hockey has also been called into question. If he pans out - and a young Avalanche team with a coach (Joe Sacco) who has shown the ability to put young players in positions to succeed is just the ticket - this trade could be a homerun for the Avalanche. And, it's not as if Kevin Porter is a "throw-in". Porter registered 183 points during his 162 games at the University of Michigan, and has shown the ability to score at the AHL level over the parts of two seasons since...

I like what Caps' General Manager George McPhee did at the deadline, but I still would've liked to see him bring in a veteran stay-at-home type defenseman.

Joe Corvo is a high risk, high reward type player, but could potentially thrive on the backend under Bruce Boudreau. Bringing Milan Jurcina back? Eh, not a big deal.

The additions of Eric Belanger and Scott Walker up front will bring help in the form of solid two-way play and penalty killing. Belanger can be used either on a secondary scoring line or in a checking role. Walker will bring the toughness and sound defensive play that is needed for any team to enjoy a long playoff run.

Still though, adding some more stability on the backend would've helped. I'm not sold that the Capitals can win a cup giving up the number of goals they do. It's not as easy to score in bunches to hide defensive mistakes come playoff time...