The Wild West

The Avalanche Don’t Know A Goalie When They See One

It was late in the 2009-10 season and the Colorado Avalanche were in an improbable position. Just one year prior they finished with only 69 points which was good enough for dead last in the Western Conference, but now Matt Duchene could send them to the post-season with a shootout goal against the Vancouver Canucks. Duchene calmly walked in and slid the puck to his forehand and buried it past Roberto Luongo. The Avs poured onto the ice in celebration of their trip to the post-season.

Could the Canucks move Schneider and keep Luongo?

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. That’s a classic proverb that I’m sure Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis doesn’t want to hear at the moment. The trade deadline came and went and Roberto Luongo remains a Vancouver Canuck. It’s certainly not for lack of effort on Gillis’ part who has been trying to deal Luongo for what is quickly closing in on a calendar year.

Amato takes a look at 41-year-old Jaromir Jagr's strong season

When Jaromir Jagr signed with the Dallas Stars last summer it probably raised quite a few eyebrows. The Stars haven’t made the playoffs since the 2007-08 season, and if they aren’t in a full rebuild mode with their roster, they are certainly retooling. You wouldn’t think that would be the ideal destination for a veteran player trying to end his career on a high note. Then again, Jagr has been anything but conventional during his playing days and has always marched to the beat of his own drum. Taking a three-year hiatus to play in the KHL was clearly evidence of that.

Amato takes a look at Columbus' surprising run at a playoff spot

When the Columbus Blue Jackets traded Rick Nash last summer it signaled the end of an era. The skilled winger had spent his entire nine year career in Columbus, was the team captain, and the face of the franchise. His highlight reel goals and presence as one of the league's elite players gave Blue Jacket fans a sense of pride.

Michael Amato takes a look at Sam Gagner's strong play in 2013.

One could make an argument that the Edmonton Oilers have been one of 2013's biggest disappointments so far. With a roster stocked full of young talent, the Oilers are still on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. This is a spot Edmonton fans know all too well as the team has been taking up real estate as one of the National Hockey League's cellar dwellers for the past several seasons.

Michael Amato looks at Jimmy Howard's strong play in 2013.

When Nicklas Lidstrom retired this past off-season it certainly would have given fans and many in the Detroit Red Wings organization a fearful outlook on the future. Perhaps what worried everyone more than the loss of their franchise defenseman, was the fear of the unknown. Lidstrom had been a fixture on the Red Wing blueline for 20 years. Some young fans in Detroit probably couldn't imagine a scenario without the seven-time Norris Trophy winner being a part of the squad.

What's Up With Drew Doughty?

With the NHL Lockout delaying the start of the season until mid January, the Los Angeles Kings would have had to have been confident that they could avoid a Stanley Cup hangover. Playing well into June as the Kings did last summer meant plenty of bumps and bruises, as well as some significant injuries. Los Angeles started a little slow out of the gates, but they seem to have turned things around and their top scorers are all rounding into form nicely. All except Drew Doughty that is.

The Blackhawks Have Their Swagger Back

It’s not like the Chicago Blackhawks have played poorly since they captured the Stanley Cup during the 2009-10 season, but when you have the type of talent Chi-Town has, expectations are high. Chicago followed their championship with a couple of first round exits from the playoffs, after finishing in eighth and sixth respectively in the West over the last two years. Early round losses aside, the Blackhawks were still a good team, but just not a great one.

The Waiver Wire: Western Conference Style

The National Hockey League season is almost a month old, and in this shortened campaign that means over 25% of the games are in the books. This now gives us a decent sample size to look at players and what to expect from them going forward. Right now may be the perfect time to scour the waiver wire to see what you can find.

If ice-time and SOG are any indicators of fantasy success, this week’s column will be a good accompaniment in identifying a few trends moving forward. We’ll examine several advancers and decliners out West to help you get through that mid-season lull. Remember we’re now in the portion of the season where it’s win and move on or lose and go home. So when it comes down to making a tough decision, think of the “here and now” implications rather than the “what could possibly happen” two-three weeks down the road.