Right now the standings in the Western Conference are as
follows:
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Games Played
|
Wins
|
Losses
|
OT Losses
|
Pts
|
|
1
|
Chicago
|
30
|
24
|
3
|
3
|
51
|
|
2
|
Anaheim
|
29
|
22
|
3
|
4
|
48
|
|
3
|
Minnesota
|
29
|
17
|
10
|
2
|
36
|
|
4
|
Los Angeles
|
30
|
17
|
11
|
2
|
36
|
|
5
|
Vancouver
|
30
|
15
|
9
|
6
|
36
|
|
6
|
St. Louis
|
29
|
16
|
11
|
2
|
34
|
|
7
|
Detroit
|
30
|
14
|
11
|
5
|
33
|
|
8
|
San Jose
|
29
|
13
|
10
|
6
|
32
|
|
9
|
Dallas
|
30
|
14
|
13
|
3
|
31
|
|
10
|
Columbus
|
30
|
12
|
12
|
6
|
30
|
|
11
|
Phoenix
|
31
|
13
|
14
|
4
|
30
|
|
12
|
Nashville
|
31
|
12
|
13
|
6
|
30
|
|
13
|
Edmonton
|
29
|
11
|
11
|
7
|
29
|
|
14
|
Calgary
|
28
|
11
|
13
|
4
|
26
|
|
15
|
Colorado
|
29
|
11
|
14
|
4
|
26
|
Teams that are guaranteed a playoff spot are: Chicago and
Anaheim. That’s not a lot in a fifteen team conference but that just goes to
show how tight the race has been and how amazingly dominate these two teams
have been. They can pretty much coast the rest of the way into the playoffs if
they play .300 hockey, which is not asking a lot.
Teams that might make it are: EVERYONE! That might be a bold
statement but the difference between 15th and 8th in the
West is a mere six points, and the difference between 15th and 6th
is only two points more. Calgary and Colorado who sit 14th and 15th
respectively in the Conference could be in playoff contention if they win three
games in a row. Who makes the playoffs is going to depend on who wins the last
game of the year.
It’s safe to say that the Vancouver Canucks will most likely
make the playoffs because of their prior history but for all the other teams
that sit alongside them in playoff purgatory it’s a little less of a sure
thing. Minnesota hasn’t made the playoffs since 2008 and though they have new
additions, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, the teams scoring is still an issue as
they are 9th in the West in goals for (2.65 a game). San Jose has
been terrible on the road this year going 5-9-2. They also share scoring issues
with Minnesota despite having former Hart Trophy winner Joe Thornton.
Columbus
has been a fun surprise this season and is in playoff contention because they’ve
become hot of late. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has put partner Steve Mason to
shame by proving that good goaltending is all the Jackets needed to make the
playoffs, or at least to be in contention. Edmonton has a lot of young players and
is reminiscent of the early Chicago Blackhawks post 2005 lockout. If they make
it don’t expect them to be in there too long but a little playoff experience
will go a long way to making this team a Stanley Cup contender. Nashville and
Phoenix are in similar situations where they are a good team that has played
poor the last ten games (they both have a 3-6-1 record over their last ten).
Detroit and San Jose are much like the Roman Empire as they are both a
crumbling remnant of a once mighty power. But they might have one last fight
left in them.
It’s anyone’s guess who’s going to make it in the West so
don’t be surprised if your favourite team’s fate is decided in the final game
of the season.
Here are my predictions for who is going to make the Western
Conference this year.
1. Chicago
2. Anaheim
3. Vancouver
4. Los Angeles
5. Detroit
6. Nashville
7. San Jose
8. Columbus
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