Around the League- Feb 19

This blog was supposed to be also about hockey in general, not just Canucks stuff. So I'm going to stick to my word, and every Saturday (hopefully!) have a section called "Around the League." (Unless I think of a wittier name for it.)

Today I'm going to go around the west and take a look at how they're doing.

1. Vancouver Canucks- 83 points.
The Canucks have been plagued by the injury bug to their top d-men but are staying afloat atop the Western conference. With 83 points, they're 5 up on Detroit for first place. They're 7-3-0 in their last 10.

2. Detroit Red Wings- 78 points.
The Detroit Red Wings are finally starting to get healthy again, and are a dangerous team when fully healthy. They have 78 points and are also 7-3-0 in their last 10.

3. Phoenix- 71 points.
The Phoenix Coyotes once again have surpassed expectations and baffled the league by being 3rd in the West. They have moved up and taken the place of the Dallas Stars, doing so by winning 6 straight and again, 7-3-0 in their last 10.

4. Nashville- 70 points.
Time and time again the Predators are always in the mix, making the playoffs steadily year after year under bench boss Barry Trotz. They are 4-4-2 in their last 10.

5. San Jose- 70 points.
The San Jose Sharks, who have struggled this season so far, seem to finally have found their groove. For a long time they weren't in playoff contention, but being 7-2-1 in their last 10 does help.

6. Dallas- 68 points.
The Dallas Stars, once baffling the league by being 3rd in the west, have slumped lately and fallen to sixth, fighting for a playoff spot. They've lost 3 in a row and are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.

7. Los Angeles- 68 points.
The team who had only two wins on an 8-game homestand seems to have found their groove too. They weren't in playoff contention but have pulled themselves up to 7th. They are 7-0-3 in their last 10 games.

8. Anaheim- 68 points.
Fighting for a playoff spot, the Ducks currently occupy the final berth. They're 6-4-0 in their last 10, but have lost two in a row.

9. Calgary- 68 points.
The team who looked to be done for has somehow resurrected their season. Everyone thought they would have a nice long off-season for golfing, but the Flames have other plans. They're 7-1-2 in their last 10 games.

10. Minnesota- 67 points.
The Wild are somehow surprisingly, only one point out of the playoffs right now. They're fighting it out in the thick of the western conference. They're 7-3-0 in their last 10 games.

11. Chicago- 64 points.
The former Cup champs, only one year removed from their year of glory, are struggling this year, their team being dismantled after winning the cup. And having a record of 3-5-2 in their last 10 games doesn't help.

12. Columbus- 64 points.
The Bluejackets are near the bottom of the Western conference and don't have much hope of making the playoffs. They're making a bit of a push though, being 6-3-1 in their last 10. They're still only 4 points out of a playoff spot.

13. St. Louis- 61 points.
The Blues came out of the gate flying, with new goalie Jaroslav Halak, who had looked unbeatable in the 2010 playoffs. But lately he has looked more human, and the Blues are only 4-4-2 in their last 10. They have won two in a row, so things might be beginning to turn. They're 7 points out of a playoff spot.

14. Colorado- 57 points.
They used to be the second-best in the Northwest. Now, they're the second-worst, ahead of only the lowly Oilers. They held a playoff spot, but have not won for 9 games. They're 1-8-1 in their last 10. With 57 points, it's not looking good for the Avalanche.

15. Edmonton- 44 points.
The Oilers aren't going to make the playoffs this year. But with some promising young prospects, there's hope for the future. (Which is more than can be said about Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa...) They're 3-7-0 in their last 10, but have won 2 in a row.

Well, there you have it. A complete breakdown of the crazy Western conference, where everybody wants to make the playoffs but only 8 teams can. Should be interesting, as this is the stretch drive. Tune in next Saturday for, "Around the League!"