In the spirit of the holiday season here's a look at what the NHL's
Western Conference teams might have on their Christmas wish lists.
Anaheim Ducks: A better second half. The Ducks have been
among the league's biggest under-achievers this season, struggling
between the pipes, on the blueline and except for Ryan Getzlaf and
Corey Perry in offensive production. The Ducks have a reputation as
a strong second-half team and remain in striking distance of a
playoff berth but need a strong overall performance in the second
half to get there.
Calgary Flames: Scoring depth. Currently only four Flames
forwards have 10 or more goals or 20 or more points. As usual their
offensive production drops off significantly beyond the Jarome
Iginla line and will remain a problem area for the Flames unless
management can address it by the trade deadline. Their hopes at Cup
contention this season could depend on it.
Chicago Blackhawks: Salary-cap space. The recent re-signings
of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith have maxed out
what the Blackhawks can commit toward next season's payroll. A
significant increase in next season's salary cap could lessen the
number of salary-dumping trades they'll have to make in the
offseason.
Colorado Avalanche: Improved defense. They've been battling
with the Calgary Flames for first in the Northwest Division, thanks
to a combination of rising young talent and goaltender Craig
Anderson. Their defensive play, however, is another matter as
they're among the league's worst in shots-against. To avoid burning
out Anderson they must improve in their own end if they hope to
clinch a playoff spot.
Columbus Blue Jackets: An experienced puck-moving defenseman.
The Jackets have slid down the standings in recent weeks, winning
only one of their last 10 games heading into this week, in part
because of the loss of blueline stalwart Rostislav Klesla to a
groin injury. Management has been shopping for some time for a
skilled defenseman, a search likely to continue in the coming
weeks.
Dallas Stars: Blueline depth. The Stars are more improved
than they were a year ago but in recent weeks their defensive depth
has become an area of concern. They could use an experienced
puck-moving defenseman and another solid stay-at-home defender, but
those won't be easy to find as the playoff races tighten up in the
second half.
Detroit Red Wings: A healthier roster. The once-mighty Red
Wings have been bitten hard by the injury bug, losing regulars
Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Nicklas Kronwall, Valtteri
Filppula, Jason Williams and Jonathan Ericsson since October.
Amazingly the Wings remain in playoff contention and once most of
their injured return — and if the rest stay healthy —
have a shot at a postseason berth.
Edmonton Oilers: A starting goaltender. Veteran starter
Nikolai Khabibulin is out indefinitely with a back injury and
backup Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers appears to be struggling to carry
the load in his absence. If Khabibulin remains shelved for the long
term it could force Oilers management to look to the trade market
for help.
Los Angeles Kings: Better goaltending from Jonathan Quick. He
recently earned praise from GM Dean Lombardi for his performance
this season but despite a 20-11-3 record Quick has struggled at
times. He will have to elevate his game in the second half if the
Kings hope to nail down their first playoff berth since 2002.
Minnesota Wild: A healthy Martin Havlat. The Wild's horrific
start to this season was due to a lack of offensive production and
while things have improved in recent weeks, the Wild remain in the
bottom third of the league in goals-for and power-play percentage.
A big reason for that poor production was an injury-hobbled Havlat,
and the Wild will need him healthy if they're to gain ground in the
standings.
Nashville Predators: An experienced scoring forward. The
Predators have made strides offensively in recent weeks as several
players, including veterans Steve Sullivan and David Legwand, have
stepped up their performances. Still, the Predators' playoff hopes
could be enhanced if they could land another goal-scorer later in
the season.
Phoenix Coyotes: Fan support. The good news for this
struggling franchise is they're off to their best start in years
and are currently in playoff contention. The bad news is they're
still having trouble attracting fans, understandable given the
uncertainty over the franchise's future in Phoenix. Hopefully the
Coyotes' improved record will start drawing more fans in the second
half of the season.
San Jose Sharks: Shed the "choke" label. For the past several
years the Sharks have garnered a reputation as a strong
regular-season team which comes up short in the postseason, earning
the dubious honor of playoff "choke artists." This season could be
their last best chance to finally shed that reputation.
St. Louis Blues: Their young players to step up. A major
factor in the Blues' improvement last season was the impressive
play of T.J. Oshie, David Perron, David Backes, and Patrik
Berglund. This season, however, their offensive production is down
from last year and if the Blues hope to return to the playoffs
they'll need those players to regain their scoring touch in the
second half.
Vancouver Canucks: Consistency. The Canucks have recently
developed a habit of beating strong clubs like Washington and Los
Angeles only to lose to bottom feeders like Anaheim and Carolina,
frustrating their fans and head coach Alain Vigneault. Given the
heightened expectations heading into this season the Canucks will
need a better overall effort in the second half.
