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[ahtikullervo]

Time to look at Western Conference teams and what they achieved in 2005. Who are hot and who are not. Sucsess stories and failures. The play off race...

[ahtikullervo]

1.

Detroit Red Wings 38 26 9 3 (145:100) 55

Mike Babcock dream came true when the Pavel Datsyuk saga ended in Detroit favour. Pasha is clubs #1 scorer (15+28=43) and his role can not be overlooked. Babs has proved that he is a great coach. Finals with Anaheim in game 7 and World Championship title... It is very different game, but in both sucsess. New NHL and its more offencive look has not been a problem for Iron Mike.

Key guys in Detroit have been Pavel Datsyuk and the Swedes. Henrik Zetterberg was another late addition. He is 2nd in points in Detroit with 17+22=39. Defenceman Niklas Lidström is almost as good as Scott Niedermayer (4th in Detroit with 7+28=35). Face off specialist and hard worker Tomas Holmström has been solid, but real suprise for me has been Mikael Samuelsson. I thought his role was vanishing with aquiring Datsyuk, but... 16+10=26 is much more than I ever expected! Anders Lilja has fought a place in roster and played in all 38 games. Another suprise... Niklas Kronwall is out with injury... The boys from ABBA country really have taken over from Russians (remember Commie Wings?)...

Detroit will carry on in the same key. Weak teams of the West - Chicago, Columbus and St.Louis guarantee the hockeytown guys loads of points. Most probably win the West and enter play offs #1 seed...

3 stars:

#1 Pavel Datsyuk

#2 Henrik Zetterberg

#3 Mikael Samuelsson

[ahtikullervo]

2.

Los Angeles KINGS 41 25 14 2 (144:121) 52

If someone would have tried to covince me that Kings are the 2nd best team in the West... I would have considered this someone at least a bit crazy... And I still am on my opinioin! Kings have played more games than any other team in West. They are exactly on half point of the season. And deserve very much positive credits.

In the beginning their #1 goalie Mathieu Garon was really struggling. But guys like Alexander Frolov (14+24=38), Pavol Demitra (20+30=50) and Craig Conroy (15+26=41) have been amazing. I guess no one really misses Ziggy Palffy! Lubomir Vishnovsky (9+29=38) might be the best offencive defenceman in the league at the moment.

And when the 1st line is having a bad day, then gus like Cammalleri, Armstrong and Belanger have stepped in and scored... Kings could have 6-7 20 goal scorers at the end of the season. They have the 3rd most goalsin the West.

But Kings are not so far away. We meet them 3 times in January. If (or when) we win allthose games + 2 what we have less played we are tied in points...

And speaking of Kings I can not forget a really nasy duo Avery & Roenick... But the guys mentioned above have deserved much more atention so far!

I believe Kings are one of the teams eventually battling for the places from 6th to 10th...

3 stars:

#1. Pavol Demitra

#2. Lubomir Vishnovsky

#3. Craig Conroy

[ahtikullervo]

3.

Calgary FLAMES 39 23 12 4 (105:100) 50

This is a place very many people expected Calgary to be in... But after aslow start it is still a bit suprising. On the same time Nortwest has been extremely competitive. Edmonton, Vancouver and even Colorado and maybe even Minnesota can not be counted out!

Calgary owes really much to Miikka Kiprusoff. He is #1 goalie in the league. After unbelivable Cup run in 2003/2004 and World Cup he has shown it again this season: he is the best. He leads the league in SO's... He is amazing night after night. And he is not even 100%. He playes injured!!! He has to miss Olympics.

Another guy I have been impressed in Calgary is rookie defenceman Dion Phaneuf. 9+14=23 is 3rd highest points in Calgary. While everybody talks of Ovechkin & Crosby, then my favourite rookie is Dion. Sidney and Alexander provide points, but they can not lead their teams to play offs. Phaneuf can.

Calgary icon Jarome Iginla leads in team stats in points (and goals) with 15+16=31, but is yet far from his best. When he finds his scoring touch,then Calgary will win their division. When not it is all very open.

Worth mentioning is also Kristian Huselius. This Swede aquired from Florida has blossomed in Olympic City.

I believe Iginla will break through and Calgary will be 2nd or 3rd in West. Home advantage in the 1st round of play offs!

3 stars:

#1. Miikka Kiprusoff

#2. Dion Phaneuf

#3. Jarome Iginla

[ahtikullervo]

4.

Nashville PREDATORS 37 24 10 3 (120:107) 51

Nashville so high is the sign of new NHL. And more that in one sense. With cap system this small market team could afford Paul Kariya. With this new more offencive game his and Steve Sullivans skills help a lot.

This duo has ruled in the light of points in country music home. Paul (12+22=34) and Steve (17+17=34) are tied in points. This duo is followed by defencemen Kimmo Timonen (5+23=28) and Marek Zidlicky (9+18=27). Paul has scored some SO goals too...

Nashville battles hard every night and has been very strong at home. That is mind our win there last night was extra fun! This team has the face of their coach Barry Trotz. He gets out really a lot from this bunch. Another key guy is goalie Tomas Vokoun. He plays with "wrong hand" and Teemu has spoken how incredibly hard it is to get used to that specially in Vokoun connection.

Nashville like Detroit benefits from being in Central division. It means 12 "easy" games in comparison with Northwestern and Pacific clubs... 12 games is 24 points!

I believe Nashville will continue in the same tempo. 4th or 5th will be their place in final standings, if nothing seriously suprising will not happen! Still this team is small in size and has a short bench... Injuries could be killing. Walker and Legwand are really missed at the moment.

3 stars:

#1. Tomas Vokoun

#2. Paul Kariya

#3. Kimmo Timonen

[ahtikullervo]

5.

Dallas STARS 37 24 12 1 (124:99) 49

True leaders of Pacific? If they use 4 extra games they have in hand in comparison with LA... The most Finnish team in the league: Jere Lehtinen, Niko Kapanen, Antti Miettinen, Jussi Jokinen and recent aquasition from Florida Panthers Niklas Hagman. I have to like 'em... They all have played more than well and it was kind of suprise that only 3 first one of them were picked to Olympic squad of Santa Claus homeland...

Marty Turco has been solid in goal. He is just a kindof guy who can make the difference, when it really counts. Swede Johan Hedberg has been not bad back up either.

Jere Lehtinen a double Selke Trophy winner is the leading goal scorer (20+10=30). In points the main leader is still team Captain Mike Modano (15+24=39). Bill Guerin (8+14=22) has been dissapointment...

Sergei Zubov is their leading defenceman and with his 5+20=25 he belongs to the level of Lidström, Niedermayer, Pronger, Vishnovsky, Timonen... Dallas will make play offs. My guess is they are the strongest candidates to win Pacific.

We are going to Dallas soon. So far Stars have owned us. Time to change that!!!

They are all Stars, but 3 best guys are:

#1. Jere Lehtinen

#2. Marty Turco

#3. Mike Modano

[ahtikullervo]

6.

Edmonton OILERS 40 22 14 4 (133:127) 48

They're not the powerful Oilers of the 1980s, but recently they've shown signs of being similar to the mighty offense of those years. This is a team with strong leaders and lots of deapth.

Shawn Horcoff (9+31=40), Jarret Stoll (14+26=40), Ales Hemsky (11+27=38), Ryan Smyth (17+14=31) are new version of Gretzky, Kurri, Messier & Anderson? Hardly, but enough strong bunch to take the club to play offs. Chris Pronger is major player (4+20=24). This future Hall of Fame guy is better than Coffey, Lowe or Huddy. Besides huge minutes on ice he has brought locker room leadership to this young squad! Edmonton has been scoring more goals than Calgary, but...

... professional Duck killer Jussi Markkanen, Ty Conkilin & Mike Morrison are the weak spot of the team. Neither of them has been convincing this season. Without a great goalie it is possible to get to the play offs, but to win Stanley Cup? I would say not!

Edmonton will be another team that will battle for places from 6th to 10th. And injuries are once again key factor. This team can not lose Pronger & Smyth... It would make the deifference.

All 6 Canadian teams making play offs this season? It seems very much possible at the moment.

3 stars:

#1. Chris Pronger

#2. Ryan Smyth

#3. Jarret Stoll

[ahtikullervo]

7.

Vancouver CANUCKS 38 21 12 5 (129:120) 47

Can a team with a weak goalie make it? And when their main guy is out the situation becomes almost unbearable... Rumours link every possibly available goalie with Canucks. Luongo, Brodeur, Giguere, Kölzig... These are all fine names, but when the fans enter their stadium they have to see Alex Auld and/or Maxime Ouellet or even Rob McVicar...

Markus Näslund (21+23=44) - Todd Bertuzzi (12+26=38) is one of the best duos in the league at the moment. Sedin brothers are breaking through: Henrik (9+24=33) and Daniel (11+18=29) are doing fine. Goals are there, but they lamp burns too often in own end.

Still this is a well built team has all the chances to qualify for the play offs. Mr. Burke did good job in this Canadian city and it will not vanish immediately. Like in Detroit the 2nd language in locker room is Swedish... ABBA club (Näslund, Sedin twins, Mattias Öhlund, Salo & Jarkko Ruutu - finnish guys usually speak swedish too) is still getting smaller...

Rumours are circling around all key players though: Näslund, Bertuzzi, Jovanovski, Sami Salo.

Canucks are another team battling frommthe 6th to 10th... Right now thigs look solid and after they finally get a starting goalie of NHL elite nlevel they could pull away and lleave this battle group fighting from 7th on...

3 stars:

#1. Markus Näslund

#2. Todd Bertuzzi

#3. Mattias Öhlund

[ahtikullervo]

8.

Colorado AVALANCHE 40 20 17 3 (149:137) 43

The same story as told in Vancouver case, but with even more troubelsome sound. 2nd best scoring team in entire league and by far strongest in West is really weak in goal. Swiss hero David Aebischer, Slovak Peter Budaj and Kazakh Vitaly Kolesnik are really dissapointing. In Colorado they must sigh for Patrick Roy still...

Offence is impressing even after departure of Peter Forsberg, Paul Kariya and Teemu Selänne (all leaders oftheir current teams!): Joe Sakic (17+26=43), Alex Tanguay (13+30=43), Marek Svatos (20+14=34), Pierre Turgeon (10+25=35) and Co can do the job... Nothing to complain.

Rob Blake is not as impressive as his firs year in Denver, but 7+22=29 are really solid numbers. Better than most other teams leaders put up. +/- sector shows -14! This is not usual...

From our perspective Colorado is our main rival in play offs race at the moment: 1 point ahead of us, but we have game in reserve... And their current form will be tested by Nashville on Thursday... So the difference can grow before Friday again...

Colorado is also in every rumour concerning goalies: Biron, Luongo, Kölzig... Enough said. And Colorado has something they can give up!

If the goalie situation will not be solved soon, this team could be in huge trouble. If solved... it makes it harder for the rest. But this can not be all bad: while taking more points, it means that division rivals (and others) get less! Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Minnesota. These are all clubs with play offs dream alive. 6th to 10th with current squad!

3 stars:

#1. Joe Sakic

#2. Marek Svatos

#3. Alex Tanguay

[ahtikullervo]

9.

Phoenix COYOTES 40 20 18 2 (117:117) 42

I expected this team to be clearly in the celler of Pacific. No doubt. And we know how to play them in 5 games we have 4 wins and 1 OT loss. 9:2. But Wayne Gretzky can coach his squad against other teams far better. And Coyotes have the same amount of points as we, but with more wins. On the other hand we have a game in reserve!

The biggest news in this team all season has been Wayne Gretzky. Major events like future Hall of Fame hero Brett Hull retiring have been secondary... Wayne here, Wayne there... This is the story of Phoenix.

For a long period ex Duck Mike Leclerc (9+8=17) was their leading scorer. Now 1st line guys Ladislav Nagy (13+31=44), Mike Comrie (14+16=30) and Shane Doan (11+19=30) have taken over.

Goalie Curtis Joseph has played some huge games, but has been struggling in others. The same story with the back up guys Brian Boucher and David LeNeveu...

I can not believe Phoenix will make it. Actually I expect them to drop a few places and end 11th or 12th...

3 stars:

#1. Ladislav Nagy

#2. Dhane Doan

#3. Mike Comrie

[ahtikullervo]

10.

MIGHTY DUCKS of Anaheim 39 18 15 6 (112:108) 42

So here we are. The team everybody said depending on 3-4 guys. Feds is gone now, Ozo in rehab, Jiggy playing well and Teemu his old himself. Next round of talked guys: Getzlaf and Perry in AHL.

Baby Ducks and spare parts, scurbs, etc. have done a pretty decent job. Ducks have a new look. Todd Fedoruk, Todd Marchant, Tyler Wright, Travis Moen, Francois Beauchemin, Joe diPenta ... this is new concept not just new names. The key guy is naturally our new Captain Scott Niedermayer (5+21=26).

Scoring hs been the job of Teemu Selänne (18+15=33), Joffrey Lupul (15+15=30) and Andy McDonald (12+15=27). Chris Kunitz, Rob Niedermayer and Jonathan Hedström have added a few big goals.

I am a bit confused. I believed it would be easier to be higher, but... Lately we are pulling more and more through. Duo Jean-Sebastien Giguere - Ilya Bryzgalov is the best in Pacific, maybe in entire West!

We are in the beginning of new era. When Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Penner join Lupul in A team, we might be in situation when we have solid offence, not just 1 line! The future is bright!

I believe we have a team that must make play offs this season. I believe we need 100% in shape Sandis Ozolinsh or some new guys before trade line in March... We can go far! 7th or 8th is minimum that will satisfy me!

3 stars:

#1. Teemu Selänne

#2. Scott Niedermayer

#3. Joffrey Lupul

[ahtikullervo]

11.

Minnesota WILD 39 18 17 4 (111:98) 40

This is a team that suprises every year. They are supposed to suck, but nobody tells them? Marian Gaborik (12+12=24 in 22 games) is a star. Mikko Koivu (5+8=13 in 24 games) is the younger brother of Saku and hope of Finnish hockey future.

Brian rolston (17+22=39) and young Pierre-Marc Bouchard (7+22=29) have been the leading guys. But Jaques Lemaire behind the bench is maybe the biggest wizzard, who makes this team play. New NHL was supposed to be the end of his triumph, but even in new NHL nobody can underestimate Minnesota Wild!

Goalie duo Manny Fernandez - Dwayne Roloson is almost as good as ours, in the light of numbers even better... Both will be free agents in the end of season. Will Minnesota gamble and trade one of them away. Which one???

Minnesota is a nightmare that will not go away. Actually we will have to face it on Friday... They will not vanish in the end of season, they will be battling for 6th to 10th for sure!

3 stars:

#1. Brian Rolston

#2. Manny Fernandez

#3. Dwayne Roloson

[ahtikullervo]

12.

San Jose SHARKS 37 16 16 5 (114:118) 37

This is suprise. Again. Lot of suprises. And this is a negative one. Many predicted Sharks to be the rulers of Pacific. I myself was not on that opinnion, but play offs and far above Phoenix was one thing I was sure of.

And Sharks started quite OK. Then they faded. I have always been amazed in their confidence in Yevgeni Nabokov. When they traded Kipper I was shocked. Now I believe Vesa Toskala to be far better than Nabby...

Then Sharks really shook things up. Joe Thornton (14+40=54) itrade is huge. Bigger than us trading Fedorov away! And that was global news. Now the center duo of Jumbo Joe and Patrick Marleau (15+27=42) is maybe the best in league. Scott Hannan (2+7=9) has been dissapointment. As many other guys...

On paper everything is great. On ice too. But then suddenly all collapses. And not one night, but more often... Sharks is mystery. But they are in not a pleasent position. Some very good teams are ahead and they all win. Will the team believe in its doing and carry on patiently? Or will the dream of play offs remain on horizon?

Sharks will be among those teams who will battle for the final play offs spot(s) till the very end! And I believe they have all the chances to make it!

3 stars:

#1. Joe Thornton

#2. Patrick Marleau

#3. Tom Preissing

[ahtikullervo]

13.

Chicago BLACKHAWKS 37 13 20 4 (101:131) 30

This team is performing ... as it is supposed to... Or maybe a bit worse. Tuomo Ruutu and eric Daze out with injuries again, Adrian Aucoin and Nikolai Khabibullin have not been rainmakers.

Place 13th is more or less expected... But being out of play off race not so much. Khabibullin was supposed to be the guy who would pull the miracle. Night after night. He has turned out new "J. Thibault"...

Original 6 team that is out of race, like Boston in the East...

What to do? There is no quick care. No big trade that could immediately change the big picture. Major shakedown would be nice. Most probably Chicago will trade Khabibullin, Aucoin and maybe some others to clean the house. And try to rebuild via free agency next summer. This season is over!

13th will most probably be the place in standings, if the suits do not decide to join the race for "Kessel Trophy" more activly...

3 stars:

#1. Mark Bell

#2. Tyler Arnason

#3. Nikolai Khabibullin

[ahtikullervo]

14.

Columbus BLUE JACKETS 39 12 26 1 (82:139) 25

What could go wrong has gone wrong. If You look on paper this team should be a monster. Sergei Fedorov - maybe one of the best guys in the game (at least a couple of years ago), Rick Nash (the best scorer in NHL last time hockey was around), David Vyborny (Captain of World Champion Czech republic team), Nikolai Zherdev (one of the most talented Russian kids), Trevor Letowski and Manny Malhotra (guys who are on the edge of breakthrough), Adam Foote (Colorado and Team Canada icon), Bryan Berard (was once very good) and many other big names.

Nash injury was a huge blow. I do not understand why this team is so out. But it just is. Every single year I have been comparising them with Minnesota Wild and every time I have been sure Columbus is much better. And then I see the results...

Fish starts rottening from the head. I believe fundamental changes in front office are the ones this team is crying out for!!! With all those names it is not just possible to perform so poorly! I remember our struggle againt 'em last week. Pure pain.

This season this team is not after Stanley Cup, but Kessel. And they are not front runnersin that show either...

3 stars:

#1. Nikolai Zherdev

#2. Rick Nash

#3. Sergei Fedorov

[ahtikullervo]

15.

St. Louis BLUES 36 9 22 5 (96:142) 23

This is the end of the era. After a really long play offs history when this team is out, it is out.

Tkachuk coming to training camp overweight shows the attitude. And attitude is where it all starts.

Not much to say about the performance this far. No performance!

Front runners for last place in West. Many gift points to detroit & Nashville. Making our life harder. They tried to make that on ice too. Ended up giving us our 1st OT (SO) win... Not bad!

Struggling on every area on ice, this is pure pain for fans in Savvis Center. And nothing will change this season. It will be interesting to know where Keith Tkachuk, Doug Weight and Petr Cajanek, Eric Brewer will finish their season...

Where St.Louis finishes we all know - in the Western cellar!

3 stars:

#1. Keith Tkachuk

#2. Mike Sillinger

#3. Doug Weight

[TeMoZ]

wow rolston and fernandez look like twins

[ahtikullervo]

wow rolston and fernandez look like twins 

Not anymore...

[Ducksrule08]

where did you get that picture of Lupul, too funny

Some really good reports, Did you do that all yourself? If so, how do you follow all those teams!!!

[ahtikullervo]

where did you get that picture of Lupul, too funny

Some really good reports, Did you do that all yourself? If so, how do you follow all those teams!!!

Photo from all the others...

I did it myself...

I am just a hockey junkie...

[Ducksforcup]

Really nice, informative reports ahti!!! Easy to read and fun to read.

Thanks for doing this.

[DropThePuck]

Thanks for your great assessment "hockey junkie" Ahti!

[Dark Knight]

Ahti's actually Don Cherry

[ahtikullervo]

Ahti's actually Don Cherry

[Dark Knight]