Teams to watch in the 2nd half.

With the Buffalo Sabres taking the ice tonight all thirty teams will have started the 2nd part of the NHL season since the All-Star Break.

Today I want to take a look at which teams sitting outside of the top eight in each conference has the best chance of making the playoffs and which teams in the top eight is most likely not to make it.

Usually if your are 10 points out of the final playoff spot at the All-Star break you can start making plans for next season. We'll start in the East. 

Eastern Conference: 

Carolina Hurricanes - Ok, this isn't much of a stretch since only three teams in the East are within 10 points of the final playoff spot. Buffalo & Florida are having trouble finding the back of the net so if any team on the outside from the East has a chance to make the playoffs it's the Hurricanes.

Carolina is 10th in the NHL in scoring with 151 goals on the season. Eric Staal is leading the team in goals (25) & points (52). Jeff Skinner is a Calder Trophy candidate with 18 goals & 22 assists & Tuomo Ruutu is having a career year tied for 2nd on the team with 40 points (12 G, 28 A).

The Hurricanes also have four game remaining against the team they are chasing for the final playoff spot, Atlanta. Three of those games are in Raleigh.

I picked the Hurricanes to finish 7th in the Eastern Conference at the start of the year. I'm not sure if they will but they should be good enough to finish in the top eight. 

Team they will replace: 

Atlanta Thrashers - I think the Thrashers have been one of the better stories this season. Dustin Byfuglien has been a wonder on defense for Atlanta, tied for the team lead in goals (16) with Andrew Ladd & points (41) with Tobias Enstrom.

However when your top scorer is a defenseman that means someone needs to pick up the scoring up front. Right now Ladd looks like the only one ready to break out & do that.

Another reason I don't think the Thrashers make the post-season is the team goal differential is -19. The teams chasing them are Carolina (-6), Buffalo (-7), & Florida (-2). I don't think Atlanta's goaltending is as good as the three teams behind them.

The team ahead of Atlanta, The New York Rangers, are currently five points ahead of the Thrashers & have a goal differential of +20.

I think the Thrashers have a nice core of players to build around. However unless they find another goal scorer & cut back on the goals they allow they won't make the post-season.

Another key is how they do head-to-head against Carolina. 1st of four meetings is Saturday night in Raleigh.

As for the Western Conference it is a little harder to predict because every team but Edmonton has a chance at the post-season although time is running out for Columbus & St. Louis.

Right now you have nine teams battling for five spots. This will flip flop many times during the next two months but if I had to pick any teams outside of the top eight to make the playoffs in the West it would be... 

Chicago Blackhawks- Yes there has been a hangover for the defending Stanley Cup champions. But there is too much talent on the roster for the Hawks to miss the post-season.

Chicago is the 4th highest scoring team in the league & they have a goal differential of + 20. Corey Crawford looks to have won the job in net from Marty Turco & he has Duncan Keith & Brent Seabrook playing in front of him.The pair did a good job of making Antti Niemi look good last year they should be able to do the same thing with Crawford.

The key to making the playoffs in the West is taking care of your own business before it is too late. They have a pair of games in February against Phoenix & Minnesota both of whom they are chasing.

If Chicago can start playing like they did last spring they will make the playoffs and be a tough match up for whoever the face in the playoffs. I think they put it together & get one of the final playoff spots. 

Team they will replace: 

Anaheim Ducks - When I watched the Ducks play the Wild back in November they looked like a team with one good scoring line, a good goaltender & a team that looked like it had no interest in playing defense.

Well the Ducks are a -7 in goal differential this season. Plus they don't have the shutdown defenseman they had back when Chris Pronger & Scott Niedemeyer played there. Cam Fowler may be that player someday but with a team low -15 on the ice it won't be this season.

The Ducks only have two lines that are a threat to score when they are on the ice. If you can contain those lines you have an excellent chance to beat them.

Well if you look at all the teams around the Ducks you will find that all have a group of defenseman that are capable of doing that. Add in the fact that the Ducks play in the toughest division in the NHL, The Pacific, & I don't like their chances to make the playoffs.

A couple other teams to keep your eye on in the West are Phoenix, Minnesota & Los Angeles.

Phoenix is a well coached team with good goaltending & a good group of defenseman. The Coyotes play well on the road & they have three balanced lines that can score when on the ice.

Minnesota seems to have broken out of whatever funk they were in between Thanksgiving & Christmas. They are 11-3 in 2011 and have played well on the road all season. They are due to get back Marek Zidlicky & Guillame Latendresse next month which will have just as big of an impact as acquiring someone at the trade deadline.

Los Angeles is just like Chicago where they have way too much talent to miss the playoffs. They are a +20 in goal differential on the season and are very strong in goal & on defense. Plus they have the cap room to go out & get a goal scorer at the trade deadline if needed.

A lot will change in the next few months out west but in the end I expect Chicago & Los Angeles to find a way in the playoffs with Anaheim missing out.

As to who the other team that will miss out will be? Well we will just have to wait & see.