As most teams inch their way past the mid season point, we look back at what we have seen and what is expected in the 2nd half.

We begin with the outlook in the Western Conference.  The West can be split up into 3 categories.  All of them are battles of the different kind.  1st overall in the conference battle, the playoff battle and the basement 1st overall pick battle.

The Blues, Blackhawks and Stars have been each taking turns at top spot in the conference.  Each week there seems to be a different team on top.  This showdown will definately head down to the final weekend and with the Blues and Hawks playing in the same division, the Stars could be the one to sneak into that top spot. 

The 2nd category is the playoff battle.  This includes 8 of the 15 teams.  Right now as it stands... The Avs, Sharks, Preds, Red Wings and Ducks hold onto those 5 playoff spots available.  However on the door step is the Coyotes, Wild and Kings.  Look for the outsider teams to sneak in at some point and hold a position but until the final horn blows on the final games no team is safe and every game will be important from here on out.

We are left with the Canucks, Flames, Blue Jackets and Oilers.  These 4 teams occupy the positions 26 to 29 in the League standings.  So its no doubt the goal of these teams.  To win the lottery and get the next big star into the league.  Mr. Taylor Hall.  The good news here is Tyler Seguin is also another big star so there is a daily double here.  Currently its a team in the East that actually holds the biggest chance of grabbing star number 1....... which is where we are headed now.....

The Eastern Conference may look much different comes the trade deadline and again much different come the end of the season.  Atlanta and Buffalo are up to the word battling for the conference title race, but look no far then to see 2 more teams that are about to enter that battle.  Carolina has shifted into a powerhouse and will be a contender to Atlanta's division lead and conference lead.  The Rangers are hot hot hot and will keep it going with their leagues best defence in the hunt to show defence can win championships. 

The 2nd half of the playoff seeds are currently the Caps, Leafs, Flyers and Panthers in that order.  Logic says no lead is safe, and by no means are any of these spots safe either.  Look to see these teams bulk up cause charging on are a better part of 5 teams on the outside.

Lightning, Islanders, Canadians, Bruins and Devils can all prove that with a little more chemistry and good run they can steal a spot away from one of the above. It will take alot of work considering they are behind the 8 ball but that ball is not cystal clear and this race is exactly that.  The Penguins and Senators are looking forward to playing some spoiler and plus adding their chances of getting a top draft pick in the upcoming offseason.

Top 5 Surprises in the first half:

5.  What's "Bruin" in Boston?   The team that many picked to be a contender from start to finish, has started soo badly for the team.  Ala like the NHL New Jersey Devils they will try and pull off mission impossible by battling back and cracking that top 8.

4.  Getting a soft spot?  There must be a brand new injury that is going around the league.  What is it called?  The flu of course and teams and players have been lost for up to a week with this so called flu injury.  Did not realize that an injury to your sinus can make you miss some games.

3.  Brandon "what am i doing at the top" Dubinsky...   Tampa Bay's own Dubinsky is lurking near the top of the leaderboard in the Art Ross chase.  While he is averaging a point per game 40 pts in 41 games he will need to do the unthinkable and continue to play the way he has if he has any shot at claiming a reward no one in the league would thought of at the beginning of the year. 

2.  Team Shutdown!!   Goalies now are lucky to get 10 shutouts a season and while the trap is gone to some extent for the new style offence that has been injected, 2 goalie are otherwise putting to rest that maybe setting a shutout record is in the works.  Ryan Miller has 9 shutouts in 38 games... considering he probably can only play 70 games cause of backups he is on pace for 16 shutouts.  And his competitor Pekka Rinne currently at 8 shutouts in 41 games and on pace for 13 shutouts.  Who will win?

1.  Spoiler Alerts.. Trades and lots of them!   There have been 58 trades since the start of the season (October)  and while there is easily a month to go to the trade deadline set for approx March 23rd, we might see a 100 trades come through, believe it or not.

Top 3 disappointments so far:

3.  No place like home.   Jere Lehtninen has been traded 4 times in the first 41 games.  From Pittsburgh to Calgary to Nashville and now Edmonton his season has been a long distance travel.  At least he is able to play in the pros and not demoted to minors.

2.  Minus a star!  8 million dollars signing on but Shane Doan is mired in a category that will haunt him.  He currently sits at a league low -20 and a player of his caliber things cannot get any worse for him.

1.  Live or die.   The Penguins lived on the edge but since the departure of a great GM, destruction has arrived and no player is safe and the season that started with promise has ended.

Leading candidates:

Its always nice to follow players in particular parts of the season but one comes to mind as who is leading the way in the races for some hardware.

Art Ross:  A08... After the blockbuster move by Rex to send him to a rival club.  Ovechkin certainly can taste the feeling that the trophy is within his grasp playing with some of the leagues best players.

Challenger:  Only the one called Sid can catch this phenominal player and to do it will have to shift his role into another gear and beginning tearing up the league that alot of players and fans know he can.

Vezina:  Can we call this the big bacon classic double. Oh wait thats football but none the less its hands down between Rinne and Miller.  Both goalies are top 2 in wins, top 2 in GAA and top 2 in shutouts. 

Challenger:  Brian Elliot.  All he needs to do is get more action. The more he plays as the number 1, the more he has a shot at entering the Vezina trophy Picture.

Norris:  Mike Green.  Simply put it this guy is offence.  He is a bit of a liability on the backend but if he can continue to lead all Dmen in scoring and get his plus minus up a bit more there is no reason he can win it.

Challenger:  2 canadians and 1 swiss make up the rest.  The swiss miss is none other than Mark Streit is who definately the underdog but will be seeing value as he progresses thru, however your 2 canadian big challengers are Duncan Keith and Dan Boyle.  Both are at the top of the pack in scoring but they too need to work on the defence to gain more attention.

Calder:  Surprise here.  Daroll Powe.  Yes that is correct. The team with no GM can maybe win some cash as of the half way point he leads all rookies in scoring with 24 points.  

Challenger: Ex teammate of Powe in long Island, Tyler Ennis. Currently 5 points back but just barely ahead of the big likes of Tavares and Duchesne this race needs more excitement.

Hart (MVP) :  Pekka Rinne.  Simply put the Rangers arent where they are without him.  He has provided soo many close games and big time saves the Rangers will need to continue have him come up big in order to steal this prestigious award.

Challenger:  A08.  Even though he has switched jerseys if Atlanta wants to hold on to the conference lead and win it... they will look to him for inspiration, dedication and perservation to win it. 

Top Contender Trade of the year:  The staal brothers to Philly for Ovechkin, Theo Peckham James Vandermeer Glen Metropolit Prospect: David Wohlberg.  While this trade should already have no favor of a winner considering the players here it should be noted that Philly is trying to cement themselves into the playoff and gaining the Staal's might put them over the top.

Challenger:  Nashville aquiring Johan Franzen Prospect: Anton Khubdobin Dana Tyrell
Carter Ashton 4 Marty Turco and Nick Leddy.  Nashville spent alot on the offseason in bringing Brodeur but offence was still needed and bringing Franzen might have given this team their first playoff appearance in their BRHL2 existance.

Rebuilding trade of the year:  Toronto Maple Leafs aquring  Brett Sonne, Eric Fehr, Karl Alzner, Keith Ballard and prospect Joe Colburne from LA has 3 guys that are very young and ready to play and a prospect who is capable of being a top 6 forward in a year or two time. 

Challenger:  Columbus gaining the servies of Nick Leddy, goalie Corey Crawford and a draft pick for T.J. Galiardi.  Getting a young goalie is a place to work around when building up a franchise from rubble and getting a solid dman in Leddy is defiantely 2 steps forward.

There you all have it.  We have witnessed one good first half of the season but thats only 1/2 of course.  part 2 of the season begins Monday and there will be more heartbreaks, more stories, and definately more hockey hockey hockey.

Keep your stick on the ice.