On Wednesday night, the most difficult quest for a Championship will begin. With no further introduction needed, here are my picks for the first round of the NHL Playoffs.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Jose Sharks (1) vs Anaheim Ducks (8)

The Sharks are coming off an impressive regular season which netted them the President’s Trophy after finishing with a 53-18-11 record, including 32-5-4 at home. However, we’ve seen this show before. For the past several seasons the Sharks have had a very solid season, only to fall far short of the Stanley Cup once the playoffs start.

The Ducks finished off a wildly inconsistent season where they squeezed into the playoffs finishing two points above ninth place Minnesota. The Ducks finished the season going 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and finished with a better road record than home for the regular season.

I still don’t see those factors being enough to allow Anaheim to pull off the first round upset. San Jose has the better overall team, more consistent goaltending and they have been on a mission all season to be the best team in the league.

My Prediction: San Jose in 6 games

Detroit Red Wings (2) vs Columbus Blue Jackets (7)

I’ve said this before, but Detroit is a franchise that I’m quite envious of. Despite having a salary cap after the lockout, Detroit has maintained their dominance and continued to win consistently. After winning the Stanley Cup last season, Detroit only went out and picked up Marian Hossa who chipped in 40 goals and 31 assists. I think if Detroit has one glaring weakness, its goaltending; however Chris Osgood seems to have a second gear that kicks in once the playoffs start. It will be interesting to see if he struggles since Dave Babcock has shown he is willing to make the switch between the pipes, much like he did last year.

Columbus has been a good story this season and they’ve earned their first playoff berth in franchise history. Rookie goaltender Steve Mason has been absolutely amazing going 33-20-7 with a solid 10 shutouts. There should be an all out conspiracy theory started if he doesn’t win both the Calder trophy and the Vezina this summer.

The Jackets will provide a good fight for Detroit, but ultimately I don’t see them winning this series. A lot of playoff match-ups come down to experience and Detroit has an overwhelming advantage in that category. I was going to predict this series ending in very few games, but Detroit has shown some slow starts in the first round before kicking it up so I’m taking that trend into consideration.

My Prediction: Detroit in 6 games

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs St Louis Blues (6)

As stated several times in my NHL rankings, the Canucks heated up in the second half and were easily one of the best teams in the league. They finished the season winning three in a row to net them a division title and home ice in the first round finishing just two points ahead of Calgary.

The Blues were on the verge of missing the playoffs one week ago, but instead of fading away, they turned it up a notch and took control of their own destiny. They finished 8-1-1 in their last 10 including a 1-0 shutout on the final day of the season which would’ve been the difference between facing the Canucks and facing the Sharks in the first round.

Both teams have been hot down the stretch and this should be an excellent match-up. I think when considering a series like this, there has to be one factor that stands out above all when making a prediction. In this series, it has to be goaltending. This is no knock on the Blues goaltending situation, but Roberto Luongo is one of the few goalies that falls into that “elite” category, and he will be the difference this spring for Vancouver.

My Prediction: Vancouver in 5 games

Chicago Blackhawks (4) vs Calgary Flames (5)

The Blackhawks finished off an impressive regular season which saw them eclipse the 100 point plateau for the first time since I stopped purchasing cassette tapes and listening to them in my walkman. Chicago finds themselves in the interesting situation of technically finishing with the third most points in the conference, but receiving the fourth seed due to division winners. This is a situation that Buffalo found themselves in back in 2005-06 when they fell 20 minutes short of going to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Calgary really flamed out during the stretch (pun intended). They finished the regular season with a solid home record of 27-10-4 but they went 19-20-2 on the road, which will be their downfall in the first round. I really expected more during the season from Calgary, but they let me down much like “Yes Man” did after viewing it this weekend. I have very little confidence in them making a run. I realize that if Miika Kiprusoff can get hot it will be the difference, but right now I just can’t pick Calgary until they prove it to me.

I think if Calgary had somehow won the division and this was a match-up between Chicago and Vancouver, I’d be picking the Canucks in a short series. There is something about Chicago that I don’t quite trust. However, they aren’t playing Vancouver and therefore will win their series in the first round.

My Prediction: Chicago in 7 games

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Bruins (1) vs Montreal Canadiens (8)

It’s funny how one season can change so much, but change so little. At this time last year, we were faced with picking between the top seeded Canadiens and the upstart Bruins, who just squeaked into the playoffs. The series ended up going a full seven games before Montreal pulled it out, only to choke it away in the second round.

This season it has been Boston who has pretty much reigned supreme in the Eastern Conference. If these two teams were a concert series, Montreal would’ve been that summer tour that was supposed to be the best, but instead ended up being some Skid Row tribute band that toured the clubs in North Dakota, while Boston was Ozzfest from the early 2000’s (before Sharon Osbourne ruined another good thing).

Most of the games between these two teams were close this season, so despite the large difference in team play throughout the regular season, I think the series could end up being close. Boston should prevail and it would be an epic disaster if they were upset in the first round, however I don’t see it happening.

My Prediction: Boston in 7 games

Washington Capitals (2) vs New York Rangers (7)

I have no idea what to make of this series. Washington has definitely earned the second seed in the East, but they don’t strike me as that elite team like San Jose, Detroit or even Boston. There is just something about the Caps that tells me they will fall flat on their face in the playoffs.

I think it has to be their lack of solid goaltending. Comparing Jose Theodore and Henrik Lundqvist is like comparing Winger to AC/DC. Having an elite goalie like Lundqvist definitely puts the Rangers in good shape for the first round upset. Combine that with playoff hero Chris Drury, goalie assassin Scott Gomez and the biggest pest in the league Sean Avery, and you can definitely make a case for the Rangers.

Despite their lack of solid goaltending, the Capitals finished the season with a goal differential of +27 goals compared to -8 for the Rangers. That is my main reason in picking Washington. Alexander Ovechkin is one of the few players in the league that most teams must fear heading into a playoff series and I’m sure he wants to prove himself in the post-season since that is the one category that Sidney Crosby has over him.

My Prediction: Washington in 6 games

New Jersey Devils (3) vs Carolina Hurricanes (6)

This has to be the most uninteresting, most boring series for the entire league. Not only do I have zero interest in either team, but I think its going to put most of America to sleep before the second period even starts.

The Hurricanes finished the season on a tear before getting shellacked by Buffalo on Thursday night and then finished it off with a loss to…the Devils!! Ok, maybe I shouldn’t be so excited by that, but something has to spice this series up.

My Prediction: New Jersey in 4 games

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs Philadelphia Flyers (5)

This is one of the most intriguing match-ups in my opinion. These two teams are very evenly matched and this has the potential of being a very high scoring series. Both teams finished the season with exactly the same amount of points and goals scored, but the Penguins had one more win in the standings which gives them the extra home game (if needed).

Before I started writing this, I was leaning towards the angle of saying how inconsistent the Flyers goaltending situation is with Martin Biron between the pipes. Then I looked at the goal differential of Pittsburgh (25) and Philadelphia (26) and my decision only became that much harder.

Pittsburgh pretty much owned Philadelphia this regular season when it came to head to head games, so my pick is pretty obvious in this close series.

My Prediction: Philadelphia in 7 games

Can you feel the excitement? We’re a mere two weeks away from the end of the NHL regular season. Things are starting to heat up and for some teams; the playoffs have pretty much started already.

The Sharks took another step towards the President’s Trophy taking a four point lead over Detroit in the West with an equal amount of games remaining, and a five point lead over Boston with the B’s having one game in hand.

Florida and Buffalo are turning the heat up in the Eastern conference as well. Florida has won two games in a row and Buffalo was won three games in a row, benefiting from the return of Ryan Miller. The Rangers shut out New Jersey last night to regain a four point lead over Florida and seven point lead over Buffalo. Right now it looks like it will be Montreal, Florida and Buffalo fighting it out for the final playoff spot.

Out West, the Blues have taken over the 8th spot winning their last five games and seven of their last ten. Vancouver is holding down the fifth spot in the West and after that, all bets are off. I have a personal interest in seeing the Blues make the playoffs since two of their players won a championship for the Erie Otters of the OHL in 2002.

Just a little note since we're only two weeks away, both myself and Scott will be making playoff predictions round by round. We've done this before in the past and it has been a huge success each time (except for the fact that Scott always wins). I'm mentioning this now because we'd love to invite any and all readers to participate as well and we'll post the results on the site. The details will be ironed out as time goes on, but if anybody is interested, a simple e-mail letting us know is all we need right now.

1. San Jose Sharks (2) – Like I previously stated; the Sharks are hot right now and in the driver’s seat for the best record in the league. They picked up three of a possible six points last week and have some crucial games this week. San Jose has two games against Edmonton coming up this week that will help shape out the West. They defeated Calgary last night and are clearly in control of the West.

2. Boston Bruins (4) – I’ve been down on Boston lately and for good reason. However, they came to play last week and have temporarily shut me up. They had a light week but made use of it picking up all four points to stay on top in the East. They have a relatively easy week coming up with games against Tampa Bay and Ottawa, before facing the Rangers on Saturday.

3. Detroit Red Wings (1) – The Red Wings struggled a bit last week going 1-2-0 to drop two spots in the rankings. Normally I wouldn’t put much stock into the race for the President’s Trophy, but home ice might be pivotal if San Jose and Detroit face off for a trip to the Finals.

4. Vancouver Canucks (5) – We’ve seen it in the NFL playoffs and we might see it this season in the NHL. It’s not necessarily the team that has played well all season, but the team that catches fire right before the playoffs that ends up winning it all. The Canucks went 3-1-0 last week and continue their hot play heading down the stretch. They have four more games before the next set of rankings come out so there is a good chance they will be even higher if they keep things up.

5. New Jersey Devils (3) – The Devils have only gotten one point in their last five games and have dropped to the 3rd spot in the Eastern Conference. I’m not ready to completely drop them yet because I have plenty of confidence that they will turn it around before the season ends. If they don’t, they are looking at an early April exit from the playoffs.

6. Carolina Hurricanes (12) – The Hurricanes have been a team possessed recently. They have won six games in a row and have surged up the conference standings. If this keeps up, they could still catch Washington for the division, although that seems unlikely. Regardless of that, Carolina was a team on the edge of the playoffs to a team that will most definitely be in them now.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (6) – The Penguins picked up all four possible points last week, including a win against the Rangers, to continue their hot play. I know what you’re all saying, they are playing well and they still drop in the rankings? Well, yes, but only because of how well Carolina has been playing lately. The Penguins play them this Saturday so that will help settle this little debate. They then play Florida the following night which should be a very interesting game.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (7) – The Flyers went 1-2-0 last week with their only win coming against the lowly Islanders. With two games against Toronto and one against Ottawa this week, this is their chance to get back on track before they lost home ice in the first round to Carolina.

9. Washington Capitals (8) – I feel somewhat bad putting the number two team in the East this low in the rankings, but I honestly feel this is where they should be. If they were to lace up the skates against any of the teams listed above them, I’d say those teams beat them 8 out of 10 times. They have three winnable games this week so this is their chance to go on a little winning streak before the season winds down.

10. Calgary Flames (9) – Getting shutout twice last week really isn’t a good way to play during the stretch run. They have a tough week coming up with games against Dallas and Minnesota, after dropping one to San Jose last night.

11. Columbus Blue Jackets (11) – If the Blue Jackets want to make the playoffs, the two games this week against Nashville are going to be huge games. Columbus makes that very small list of expansion teams that I don’t want to see removed from the league, so more power to them if they end up in the playoffs this year.

12. New York Rangers (10) – I think it’s safe to say with only two weeks remaining, along with the Sabres making a run to qualify for the playoffs, the next best thing would be the Rangers missing out on the playoffs. The Rangers are on the cusp of missing out right now but got a big win against New Jersey last night. Still, with games against Carolina and Boston this week, they definitely not a sure thing just yet.

13. Chicago Blackhawks (14) – The ‘Hawks got two big wins against the Sharks and Devils last week, before running into the brick wall known as the Vancouver Canucks. They have four more games this week with three of them going against St Louis, Nashville and Columbus. Those games will be pivotal towards the race in the West.

14. Nashville Predators (13) – Remember that list I spoke of when mentioning Columbus? Yeah, the Predators are on that list. Regardless, they have been pretty good this year and if they keep on winning, they can punch their ticket to another first round playoff exit. They did pick up seven of a possible eight points last week so they are doing their part in at least getting that far.

15. St Louis Blues (NR) – I already mentioned what I thought of the Blues before the rankings, so there isn’t a whole lot to say right now. At the risk of sounding like a typical Erie journalist, I’ll refrain from talking about former Erie Otters from this point going forward. The Blues have games against Chicago, Detroit and Dallas this week. They will be pushing their winning streak almost to double digits if they continue their winning ways.

Another week is in the books in the NHL season and I’ve officially hit “Buffalo Bills mode” on the season. To explain better for the people who don’t understand, that is the point in the season where I start trying to figure out some crazy mathematical scenario where my team can still make the playoffs because they are all but eliminated from the post-season.

I thought the Sabres season would be in grave danger when Scott Gomez “accidentally” injured Ryan Miller a month ago, but I still held out hope that Patrick Lalime could get the job done. After this past weekend, I have no doubt that if Miller isn’t back on the ice for Wednesday night’s game, or worst case scenario, Friday night against Toronto, the Sabres will be mathematically eliminated. Simply put, Lalime just isn’t good enough to play in goal for the long haul. If he plays the second half of a back to back stretch and that works out to about 15 games a season, that is fine, but not for an extended period of time.

I’ve been a pretty big defender of Lindy Ruff over the years, but even I have to question his judgment this past weekend. I have no doubt in my mind that the Sabres would’ve beaten Philadelphia this past Friday if Lalime even slightly resembled an NHL goalie. Considering the way Mikael Tellqvist played against Ottawa the previous game, I thought for sure he would start Saturday night against New York. But no, Lalime was back at it and the Sabres lost out on two more points.

The Sabres do have something working to their advantage though. Normally when a team would struggle as bad as Buffalo, they would already be cooked; however that isn’t quite the case. Montreal and Florida have been doing their part in losing almost every night which is keeping open that glimmer of hope. Montreal, Florida and Buffalo all have 10 games remaining in the season. Buffalo trails Florida by four points and Montreal by five for the eighth and final playoff spot. Montreal has Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Buffalo this week. Florida has Carolina, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Dallas. If, and this is a big one, Montreal and Florida continue their slide and lost those games while Buffalo wins, there you go. Considering the fact that Buffalo plays them both this week with a game against Toronto in the middle, their season is on the line this week. They must win all three or they are finished.

Anyways, that is my rant for the week and now we can get back to the NHL in general. The Bruins got a big win against New Jersey to clinch the Northeast Division; however it’s not enough to jump any spots in my rankings. The middle of the pack stayed somewhat the same while one team dropped off and one team makes their return after a brief hiatus. And with that, here are my rankings for the final full week in March.

1. Detroit Red Wings (2) – Detroit has won their last four games in a row but their grip on the number one seed has loosened a bit thanks to San Jose. This should be a pretty tight race down the stretch which will be pretty important if these two teams face each other in the Western Conference Finals.

2. San Jose Sharks (3) – The Sharks have come back around recently and control their own destiny. Both they and Detroit have an equal number of games remaining, so they are in the driver’s seat. They also have a game in hand on Boston so they look to be on course for the President’s Trophy as well.

3. New Jersey Devils (1) – The Devils split their games last week going 2-2, although one game was against Carolina and featured Kevin Weekes in net. Martin Brodeur finally passed Patrick Roy for the all time wins mark so now we can officially have the debate about whether or not he is the greatest goaltender in NHL history. Do I smell another debate with Scott?

4. Boston Bruins (4) – Boston got a big win against New Jersey yesterday, but that is their first regulation win since March 14th against the lowly Islanders. I had to fight myself in putting Boston at the four spot with two teams playing so well below them, so this is most likely their last week in this spot unless something dramatic happens this week.

5. Vancouver Canucks (5) – Vancouver got blown out at Phoenix (how does that happen?) but won their other two games last week for a 2-1 record since the last rankings. Looking at the big picture they are still 7-2-1 in their last 10 which is mighty impressive.

6. Pittsburgh Penguins (6) – Similar to Vancouver, Pittsburgh lost this weekend but finished the week with a 2-1 record to continue their impressive play. Just thinking if Pittsburgh made the Cup Finals against this year, wouldn’t it be funny to see Hossa win it for Detroit just to rub a little more salt in the wound?

7. Philadelphia Flyers (9) – Philadelphia also went 2-1 last week with their only loss coming to the mighty Red Wings. After the game last Friday, I’m fully convinced that they will need much better play from Martin Biron if they want to make another playoff run. Sometimes he is on his game, but most of the time he is just average. Hopefully in the case of my fantasy team, he plays even better this week.

8. Washington Capitals (7) – Instead of just discussing how Washington did in the previous week, I’d like to give my two cents on the A.O. goal celebration that came against Tampa Bay. Honestly, what is the big deal? We’re okay with players scoring the goal, jumping against the glass, and doing all kinds of other things to show up the other team, but we have a problem with what Ovechkin did? Really? It was all in fun. If more players consistently put up 50 goal seasons like him, maybe they would want to join in on the fun. And the nerve of Rick Tochett, who said “I think he’s a terrific player. He went down a notch in my books after that.” Oh I’m sorry Mr. Tochett, maybe if Ovechkin was involved in conspiracy and a nationwide gambling ring he would’ve gone up in your books. What…a…joke.

9. Calgary Flames (8) – The Flames split their games last week going 1-1 and have struggled somewhat recently. As a whole they are 4-6-0 in their last 10 and haven’t looked very impressive. I’m pretty confident they will turn it around sooner rather than later, but I have been wrong about these things more than once.

10. New York Rangers (12) – The Rangers went 2-1 last week and look to be in fairly good shape for the playoffs. I wouldn’t say they are a sure thing, even though their fans seem to think so. Sean Avery has fully come back into his own form with plenty of after the whistle cheap shots which made him famous in New York. It’s funny that he gets away with all those things on the ice and gets the hefty suspension for talking to the media. You got to love the consistency of the NHL sometimes.

11. Columbus Blue Jackets (13) – Columbus went 2-0 last week to continue their impressive play. As of right now, they are sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference and are only five points out of the fourth spot.

12. Carolina Hurricanes (NR) – Carolina has taken off recently going from a team on the cusp of missing the playoffs, to a team that is pushing Montreal right out. They went 3-0 last week and pushed themselves right up the conference standings. It still probably isn’t enough to catch Washington for the division, but stranger things have happened.

13. Nashville Predators (14) – Nashville lost both games last week but still gained a point in each game. They play Anaheim tomorrow night and that will be extremely important to their playoff chances. They also have San Jose, Los Angeles and Detroit this week so this could be a make or break week for the Preds.

14. Chicago Blackhawks (11) – The ‘Hawks are slipping as each week passes. They did get four out of a possible six points last week, but it still might not be enough. Columbus is nipping at their heels and they will have to play their best hockey this week to hold on. They have San Jose, New Jersey and Vancouver this week. That wouldn’t exactly fill me with confidence if I were a Chicago fan.

15. Edmonton Oilers (NR) – Edmonton is coming on strong at just the right time. They went 3-1 last week including an 8-1 shellacking of Colorado. They also have four more games this week so we’ll have a much better idea at their playoff chances come next Monday.

Now that the trade deadline has passed, we can officially hit the stretch run to the playoffs. It was an exciting trade deadline to say the least. Even though the stars predicted to move on rumor sites didn’t move, teams made quite a few moves to beef up for the playoffs.

The Rangers picked up a few players last week, including old pal Sean Avery as they look to turn things around and make the playoffs. Pittsburgh also added veteran Bill Guerin in hopes that his leadership will provide a playoff berth. Boston tried to add Mark Recchi for the playoffs but so far it hasn’t quite worked out. Buffalo traded away shootout specialist Ales Kotalik for a 2nd round pick which turned into Toronto forward Dominic Moore. Carolina also traded away Justin Williams in a deal that had Erik Cole returning to Carolina after a few years in Edmonton. Those were just a few deals made in the Eastern Conference on deadline day.

1. New Jersey Devils (1) – Despite a horrible blowout loss to the Islanders this weekend, the Devils are still 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and my top team in the league. When looking at the conference standings, this is the one team I wouldn’t want to face in the first round.

2. Detroit Red Wings (2) – The Red Wings have also been impressive as of late going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. I’m still not completely sold on their goaltending, but they have so much offensive firepower that it might not matter.

3. Boston Bruins (3) – I’m not sold on Boston at all. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t see them making it past the 2nd round of the playoffs. If Buffalo were to squeak into the playoffs as an 8 seed and play Boston, I would love that match-up. Let me repeat that, I would LOVE that match-up. There is nothing about Boston that strikes fear in me.

4. Calgary Flames (6) – Calgary made a few impressive moves at the deadline bringing defenseman Jordan Leopold and forward Olli Jokinen back into the fold. Although they have dropped their last two games, I don’t see the slide going on for long. One thing Calgary has going into the playoffs that works to their advantage; an elite goaltender. I would not want to face the Flames in the post-season.

5. San Jose Sharks (4) – The Sharks haven’t been sharp lately, losing their last four games. They also didn’t make their customary splash on deadline day, so who knows how far they will go. I will say this though, those moves have never worked out in the past for San Jose so maybe it’s a good thing that they stayed put.

6. Washington Capitals (5) – The Caps have also lost four in a row, but luckily they play in an easy division. With Carolina coming on strong though, they may want to get their game corrected sooner rather than later.

7. Philadelphia Flyers (8) – The Flyers made a few moves, but nothing “major” on deadline day. I thought they might move goaltender Martin Biron, but they decided to hang on to him. He will hit the market this off-season so that should be interesting. They also released two players to clear cap space for Danny Briere, only to have Briere leave the game with the same groin injury. He said he shouldn’t be out too long, but I suspect Philly fans have already lost their patience with him.

8. Chicago Blackhawks (7) – Chicago is kind of hanging around and appear to be a lock for the post-season. They were also on the list of teams that didn’t make any major moves, so we’ll see how well that works out for them. If their goaltending can get hot, or even consistent for that matter, they should make it to the second round before heading home.

9. Montreal Canadiens (9) - Montreal was suspiciously quiet on deadline day. After all this nonsense babble I read about them making a move on Lecavalier, they didn't do anything. It showed later that night when Buffalo tossed them around. They rebounded over the weekend and still maintain a slight grip on a playoff spot.

10. Vancouver Canucks (11) - Vancouver has been a tear and it continued last week. They have won four in a row and are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. I think the Canucks fall into that area that the Flames do in terms of playoffs. Once they are there, if goaltending gets hot, look out. I don't know about everyone else, but I'd like to see a Vancouver/Calgary match-up at some point in the post-season.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins (13) - Pittsburgh got another huge victory Sunday at Washington to run their streak to six games and an 8-1-1 record in their last 10. I still don't know if firing their coach was the right idea, but apparently it was. That being said, if they are really this good and were really tanking it to get him fired, shame on them.

12. Florida Panthers (10) - Florida didn't sell on deadline day so I have to give them credit. I don't see any way possible that the Panthers will be able to keep Jay Bouwmeester, unless of course the market is hit hard with the current economic situation. Unless they collapse down the stretch, they have proven themselves playoff worthy.

13. New York Rangers (14) - The Rangers made some moves to throw themselves into the contender category. They picked up Derek Morris, Nik Antropov and Sean Avery. If they can get on a roll and get some solid goaltending from Lundqvist, they should return to the post-season.

14. Carolina Hurricanes (NR) - What is up with Carolina lately? Two blowout victories this weekend gave the Carolina fans a good weekend for hockey (assuming anybody was watching). But seriously, even through all that they are still looking up at Pittsburgh for the 8th spot as of right now. The addition of Erik Cole should definitely help but I don't know if he will push them over the top.

15. Nashville Predators (12) - The Predators are 6-3-1 and have been getting very solid goaltending from Pekka Rinne as of late. I think I've seen this before, but I see Nashville squeezing into the post-season and possibly facing Detroit in the first round.

News is flying but none much is official yet. We’re about 24.5 hours away from the NHL trading deadline and a few moves have been made today. Some of them are being made in anticipation for moves tomorrow so things should get interesting.

- Sean Avery is officially back with the Rangers. I’m sure my hatred for the guy will boil over in about two weeks.

- The Minnesota Wild signed goalie Niklas Backstrom to a four deal with yanks him off the trade market. He is getting a significant pay raise to stay in Minnesota, which is a good deal for both sides.

- Last evening the New Jersey Devils beefed up their defense when they acquired defenseman Niclas Havelid from the Atlanta Thrashers.

- Brendan Morrison, Miroslav Satan and Gary Roberts were all placed on waivers today. Nothing surprises me about Satan. He is about as worthless as they come and I at least got a hearty laugh out of Pittsburgh signing him last off-season. Gary Roberts is a player, depending on his health, that I wouldn’t mind having in Buffalo for the remainder of the season.

- The Sabres are still trying to work out a deal with Tim Connolly but if they don’t, I see a very good chance of him being moved before the deadline tomorrow. He is an impact player, but at what cost? The Sabres have eaten quite a bit of the money from his last contract and they will be cautious in spending a ton on the guy. I’d like to have him back in Buffalo but only at the right cost. If he wants too much and the alternative is losing him in July for nothing, I’m not opposed to moving him if it means getting something worthwhile in return.

Be sure to check in as more stories develop over the next 24 hours.

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6:05EST Update

- Toronto forwards Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore are being held out tonight which almost guarantees that a trade is in the works. There is no information at this time as to what team(s) are involved.

- There is still no word on Bill Guerin and where he is going. He was held out last night for the second straight game so I'd be shocked if a deal didn't go down by tomorrow, although I expected it would've happened by now.

- There are some rumblings that Buffalo is looking to bring back goalie Martin Biron from Philly. I'm not sure if this would be for a rental or if they would eventually want Biron to be the back-up to Ryan Miller again and move Patrick Lalime (which I wouldn't understand).

Here we go. We're a mere two days and a few hours away from the NHL trading deadline. This will tell how bad the winners want to win, who is selling, and who is trying their best to make a playoff run. It's always a fun time and I'm looking forward to it.

This isn't for sure, but I'm planning on blogging throughout the day during the deadline with updates on rumors, completed trades, etc. Be sure to check in with us throughout the day for the latest news and headlines.

1. New Jersey Devils (5) – I had these thoughts before Martin Brodeur came back and now they have been proven true. New Jersey is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. They held on and did well without the best goalie in the league, and now they are even better. He is healthy, rested and ready to go. Look out everybody.

2. Detroit Red Wings (3) – Despite getting blown out 8-0 at Nashville on Saturday, Detroit won two out of three games this past week including a game against San Jose, whom they are competing with for the top spot in the West. They need to solve their goaltending situation at the trade deadline, and if they do that I think they will be the team to beat in the West.

3. Boston Bruins (2) – Boston is holding on to the top spot in the East but they need to step up their game if they want to hold off New Jersey. Things that won’t help them hold on to the top spot: letting in a game winning goal from 80 feet out. I still am fully against Tim Thomas being the starter for Team USA in the Olympics next year, but that isn’t for sure.

4. San Jose Sharks (1) – San Jose split the week winning two out of four games, but losing to Detroit hurts. I don’t foresee them doing anything major at the trade deadline, but you never know. They have been known to add a piece or two for the playoff push, although it has never really worked out.

5. Washington Capitals (4) – Washington is currently tied in the East with New Jersey so if things continue with the way they are going, I see Washington finishing third in the East again. There have been a few rumors of them acquiring Bill Guerin before the deadline from the Islanders, but it’s been two days since Guerin didn’t dress on Saturday and no news, so again, who knows.

6. Calgary Flames (7) – Calgary and Chicago have been neck and neck this season in the rankings but Calgary makes the jump this week since they went 2-1 last week. Rumors are rampant that Calgary is going after Olli Jokinen but I’m hoping he lands on the other team he is rumored to be going to. Then again, these rumors I read are rarely true.

7. Chicago Blackhawks (6) – Chicago should be a buyer this week as the push for the playoffs heats up. They have a nice core but they should be looking to add at least another piece to the puzzle to ensure they survive the first round.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (8) – The Flyers have continued their steady play in the past week as they hold on to a playoff spot in the East. They had to make a few moves last week to make room for the return of Danny Briere. Assuming he can stay healthy and bring some more scoring and leadership to the Flyers, they should be fine in terms of making the playoffs.

9. Montreal Canadiens (14) – What a difference a week makes. The team went from free falling to winning all three games last week and looking like the team everyone thought they would be. I suppose this is what happens when you get solid goaltending and good play all around.

10. Florida Panthers (9) – Florida split their schedule last week but had an embarrassing loss on Saturday to New Jersey. They rebounded nicely yesterday to pick up a win which showed me that they are a real team. It’s usually a good sign when a team can come back the next day after a severe beating and get two points. I think at this point they would be crazy to trade Jay Bouwmeester unless they get some kind of amazing deal.

11. Vancouver Canucks (10) – Vancouver’s winning streak ended last week but they still won two out of three to continue their solid play. They are another team that should be buying at the deadline in hopes of making a deep playoff run. Although I don’t think the Canucks are a “great” team, you can never fully rule out a team with such a good goalie. If he gets hot in the playoffs, look out.
12. Nashville Predators (NR) – I had to do a double take this weekend when I flipped stations and saw Nashville winning 5-0 with several minutes remaining in the first period against Detroit. How does that happen? One thing is for sure, I’m very happy I picked Pekka Rinne up on my fantasy team, even though the playoffs are a long shot right now. (for me, not Nashville)

13. Pittsburgh Penguins (NR) – The Penguins finally made the leap from 10th to 8th with a victory over Dallas yesterday. It’s still a tight race so they are by no means a lock. I’m sure the execs in the NHL office are praying for a first round match-up between Pittsburgh and Washington.

14. NY Rangers (15) – The Rangers move up a spot, but mostly because Buffalo slipped so far this week. They fired their coach in a move that I disagree with, but they appear to be playing different hockey with John Tortorella now. Then again, are they? They blew a 1-0 lead in the third period against Florida that resulted in a 2-1 regulation loss. Those kinds of games are killers this time of year.

15. Buffalo Sabres (11) – The Sabres are picking the worst time to not show up in games. There is absolutely no excuse to lose a game to the Islanders, let alone get shutout. It will be very interesting to see what they do at the deadline. They are expecting Thomas Vanek back this Wednesday so that will be an addition in itself, and Ryan Miller should be back sooner rather than later.

The Rangers re-acquisition of Sean Avery is now very much in question. Earlier this season when he was jettisoned from Dallas, many hockey fans and experts predicted that he would go back to the Rangers.

Well he has since cleared waivers and is currently playing in the AHL for the Rangers affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack. He is still property of the Dallas Stars but just about everyone is expecting the Rangers to bring him back into the fold. Even captain Chris Drury, who isn’t the biggest fan of Avery, is willing to welcome him back on the team which should tell you how desperate the Rangers are.

Well now that they have fired their coach Tom Renney and brought in former Lightning coach John Tortorella, the acquisition of Sean Avery is in doubt. Why? Well this is what Tortorella said right around the time of the Avery suspension from the NHL when he was working for TSN.

He's embarrassed himself, he's embarrassed the organization, he's embarrassed the league and he's embarrassed his teammates, who have to look out for him. Send him home. He doesn't belong in the league." (National Post)

Obviously I have no inside information on this story and Avery could be acquired today which would make my statements false, but I can’t see a guy who makes comments like this about a player then welcoming him on to his team.

With only a little over 20 games to play and 9 days away from the trading deadline, it's time for another set of rankings for the NHL Top 15.

As always, it was an exciting week of hockey. The Sharks returned home and returned to their winning ways. Unless they go on another extended losing streak, they are the front runners for the President's Trophy over Boston or Detroit. I don't know how they will do in the playoffs facing off against Detroit, but that will be an entertaining series for sure (assuming they play each other). The Hurricanes are coming along and challenging for a playoff spot while Pittsburgh continues to toil around in the 10^th spot. Lucky for them some injuries are happening to other teams that could improve their chances. And the Canadiens… well I don't know what to say about them. They were already free falling and now are facing allegations of being involved with organized crime. They seemed to rally around that on Saturday but we'll see if that keeps up or if this is just too much to handle.

1. San Jose Sharks (4) – Like I said above, the Sharks went back West and got back on a roll. The President's Trophy is theirs to lose when you consider the amount of games in hand that they have on the others in the race. Upcoming games: Dallas, Detroit, Ottawa and Montreal.

2. Boston Bruins (1) – I'd like to thank the Bruins for screwing up my streak for the cash on ESPN. Anyways, when they screwed that up they also got shut out by Florida in a huge game for both teams. If Florida were to squeak into the playoffs and face Boston in the first round, they would have to like their chances. Upcoming games: Florida, Anaheim and Washington.

3. Detroit Red Wings (3) – With a week until the trade deadline, we'll see if the Wings make a move to shore up their goaltending. Since last week's rankings, they have given Chris Osgood a little rest to see if he can re-gain some momentum heading into the stretch run. I haven't seen a ton of Red Wings games this year, but I would think Ty Conklin is a solid choice in net. Upcoming games: San Jose, Los Angeles and Nashville.

4. Washington Capitals (5) – The Caps got a fairly easy win in Hype Fest yesterday when they beat Sidney Crybaby and the Pens 5-2. As if there was any doubt to my article a few weeks about whether or not Ovechkin should be the face of the NHL, someone should watch his goal against Montreal from last week. Upcoming games: Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston and Florida.

5. New Jersey Devils (2) – The Devils have dropped a little in the rankings, but it could only be temporary. Martin Brodeur is expected back this week and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. The Devils have been extremely hot this season without him and it could either screw up the team chemistry or make them that much better. Upcoming games: Colorado, Florida and Philadelphia.

6. Chicago Blackhawks (6) – Chicago and Calgary continue to do battle in the Western Conference standings and in the rankings. Just like the past few weeks, the teams stay put for this week. Neither has done anything amazing, just been solid and consistent. Upcoming

games: Nashville, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

7. Calgary Flames (7) – Speaking of amazing highlights, did anyone else see the stick save by Miika Kiprusoff last week? This guy is a great goalie and I don't think he always gets the credit he deserves. He could be a deciding factor in the playoffs, assuming he isn't worn out from playing so many games. Upcoming games: Columbus, Minnesota and Tampa Bay.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (8) – The Flyers are holding on to the 4^th spot in the East, but it's far from over. They got a big win over Buffalo on Thursday, despite the goaltending of Martin Biron. They should be getting Danny Briere back soon which should bolster the team a little more. Upcoming games: Washington, Los Angeles, Montreal and New Jersey.

9. Florida Panthers (9) – The Panthers got a very big win against Boston on Saturday night. Since we're hitting the final days before the trade deadline, expect a TON of trade rumors involving Jay Bouwmeester, none of which should be taken seriously (if you're getting them from hockey's "best" rumor site). Upcoming games: Boston, NY Rangers, New Jersey and Washington.

10. Vancouver Canucks (NR) – The Canucks vault into the rankings going from unranked to the 10^th spot. They have been on a tear as of late and led by goalie Roberto Luongo. I look at them in a similar way to Calgary, where they are a good team but the goaltending could really push them further than expected. Upcoming games: Montreal, Tampa Bay and Columbus.

11. Buffalo Sabres (10) – Buffalo suffered a big loss against Philly and an even bigger loss Saturday night when Scott Gomez took out Ryan Miller on a very questionable play. I'm sure he'll be getting thank you cards from the other Eastern Conference teams this week. The Sabres will now have to depend on Patrick Lalime if they plan on making the playoffs. Upcoming games: Anaheim, Carolina and NY Islanders.

12. Carolina Hurricanes (15) – Carolina continues to push for that playoff spot in the East. The injury to Ryan Miller mentioned above should increase their chances. They will have a chance to face Buffalo this week which will either put them ahead or push them further behind. Look for Buffalo to bring it in that game after the embarrassment they had on home ice a week ago. Upcoming games: Ottawa, Buffalo and Atlanta.

13. Dallas Stars (13) – The Stars stay put in the West, but only by a strand. They have been one of the hotter teams since the All-Star Break but suffered an injury to Brad Richards which will hurt the team. Look for them to make at least one deal at the deadline to alleviate the loss of Richards. Upcoming games: San Jose, St Louis, Anaheim and Pittsburgh.

14. Montreal Canadiens (12) – Montreal rebounded on Saturday against Ottawa but it will take

more than one game to bring them back into the picture. They sent star Alex Kovalev home early last week and he responded well on Saturday, but now Montreal is facing the allegations of being involved in organized crime. The NHL sent officials to Montreal to investigate so we'll see how this affects the team. Upcoming games: Vancouver, Philadelphia and San Jose.

15. New York Rangers (15) – The Rangers should be embarrassed. They put together a star studded line-up and they play like a minor league team most of the time. The Sabres beat them again on Saturday to move to 3-0 this season against the Rangers. I could go on and on about what happened last Saturday night, but I'll choose my words wisely. I'd say it would be interesting to see those two teams play again this season, but chances are Buffalo won't respond the way they should've on Saturday. Upcoming games: Toronto, Florida and Colorado.

We’re just a mere two weeks away from the trade deadline, so things will definitely get interesting as we progress through this season. Usually the trade deadline exposes teams that are willing to sacrifice a little bit now for some help at a cup, and teams that are conceding although they are still mathematically in it.

I’ve said it time and time again, but Florida is the team I’m watching. They are very much in this race and can make some real noise in the playoffs, but not without Jay-Bo. From what I’ve read, he has already turned down a 6.5 million per season deal to stay with Florida, so they may opt to trade him and get anything they can in return. If they don’t get enough, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Florida slip out and Carolina snatch up that last spot.

Pittsburgh also made the decision to fire their head coach this weekend, having him take the fall for the team’s poor performance. I wasn’t the biggest fan of this guy, but he is less than one season removed from taking the Pens to the Stanley Cup. Meanwhile, since last season, they have lost a ton of key players and replaced them with the likes of slacker Miroslav Satan. Seriously? Miroslav Satan? I think the GM should’ve fired himself.

1. Boston Bruins (1) – The Bruins retain the top spot for the third straight week, but the Devils are nipping at them. The Bruins have lost four in a row and if they continue that stretch, the Devils will not only overtake them in these rankings, but also in the standings. Boston has three winnable games this week; Carolina, Florida, and Tampa Bay.

2. New Jersey Devils (4) – The Devils continue to win and play very solid hockey.