NHL Olympic break

10 things I've learned in the NHL before the break.

1. Detroit Red Wings due to free agency and inconsistency, the team only has 66 points and could miss the playoffs for the first time in 20 years. A brave new world in the NHL.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins  Sidney Crosby and Jordan Stall are growing up to become men in the NHL as the team has 74 points.
3. San Jose Sharks are great and powerful as usual with (former captain) Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle and Rob Blake with league leading 89 points. Will the Sharks stop being the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers from 1986-1992 and finally with the Stanley Cup...only time will tell.
4. My favorite team the Vancouver Canucks have been tested on the road throughout the season with a division leading 74 points. Will the Canucks have enough scoring and a rested G Roberto Luongo to end the Winter Olympic road trip?
5. Atlanta Thrashers are only 4 points short of the Boston Bruins for final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but already trading away Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils probably ended the teams season.
6. Calgary Flames trade roughhouse D Dion Pheneuff to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Olli Jokinen to the New York Rangers to not only inprove the second line, but was also a message sender for Jarome Iginla, Mikka Kiprusoff and Jay Bouwmeester to get the team in order as the team is holding of the Dallas Stars for the final playoff spot with 67 points in the Western Conference.
7. Chicago Blackhawks were a team that I thought they would be, not only growing up with Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and acquiring Marian Hossa in the offseason has fueled the teams resurgence with 83 points recorded.
8. Phoenix Coyotes are back from the dead with 77 points recorded. Radim Vrbata scoring 20 goals and Shane Doran recorded 29 assist could be leading the Coyotes to first playoff appearance in Glendale, Arizona and first playoff appearance since 2002. Great story of a team rising amid bankruptcy, relocation rumors and terrible drafts throughout the tears, Wayne Gretzky couldn't help coaching the team.
9. Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings is riding the shoulders of the team is Dwayne Wade does for the NBA Miami Heat seemingly every night by scoring 27 goals and 36 assist. Every good scorer in hockey needs a good goalie as Jonathan Quick GAA is at 2.57 as the Kings have 75 points and could reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
10. Alexander Ovechkin does have scoring help behind him after all as the Washington Capitals had won 14 consecutive games before losing the last two games to arrive at the Winter Olympic Break. Nicklaus Backstrom, Alexander Semin and veteran Mike Knuble has improved Stanley Cup Final hopes. Capitals heed a younger version of Jose Theodore to go further in the playoffs as the team has 89 points, 14 points in the clear of the New Jersey Devils.