Western conference

Sporting News, The, Jan 12, 2004 by Kara Yorio

WHAT HAS GONE RIGHT AND WHAT HAS GONE WRONG

ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS Identifying what has gone wrong is much easier than identifying what has gone right. Early injuries to D Keith Carney and C Steve Rucchin hurt a team that hasn't gotten good goaltending from playoff sensation Jean-Sebastien Giguere. C Sergei Fedorov has not taken over the team, and free-agent signee LW Vaclav Prospal has struggled. Consistency and a true personality have not been found by this team. Coach Mike Babcock hasn't discovered this season's equivalent to "greasy hockey." The Ducks haven't been able to win on the road and have pitiful scoring. On the bright side, G Martin Gerber has played well when Babcock sits the slumping Giguere.

CALGARY FLAMES How quickly right goes wrong. The November trade for G Miikka Kiprusoff was a huge plus for this turned-around team. With No. 1 G Roman Turek out because of a serious knee injury, Kiprusoff stepped in and was outstanding. He and backup G Jamie McLennan helped the Flames continue to gain points. But Kiprusoff has sprained a ligament in his knee and will be out at least a month. Even with the loss of Kiprusoff, and despite the improving play of RW Jarome Iginla, who is finding his scoring touch, the team needs more offense more than anything. Iginla and RW Shean Donovan, an offensive threat, must step it up even more.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS The serious injury to G Jocelyn Thibault reduced this team's chances of having a successful and playoff-bound season. Add serious injuries to LW Eric Daze and C Alexei Zhamnov, and the Blackhawks have had an uphill battle. Because of that, they looked for more from three young forwards, C Tyler Arnason, LW Kyle Calder and RW Tuomo Ruutu. Up front at even strength, the Blackhawks are getting the job done well enough to be competitive if they can reduce the goals against. The power play is pitiful, but the return of key injured players will help.

COLORADO AVALANCHE Rarely have all the components of the high-powered lineup been healthy at the same time. But LW Alex Tanguay and RW Milan Hejduk have handled the offense in the absence of the bigger names. The biggest question mark before the season is what has gone right: G David Aebischer has played well and earned the confidence and respect of his teammates. Something else that has gone right: G.M. Pierre Lacroix's acquisition of LW Steve Konowalchuk from the Capitals has added surprising scoring.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS Getting RW Nikolai Zherdev to Columbus amid all the red tape and international intrigue was something that has gone right. Beyond Zherdev, the Blue Jackets have LW Rick Nash, and that's just about it on most nights. This team is a one-trick pony when it comes to scoring, and that won't carry any club out of the conference basement in this league. The Jackets do have enough talent, however, to shock unprepared opponents in this day of parity.

DALLAS STARS G Marry Turco's slow start hurt, but he wasn't the only thing going wrong in Dallas. Coach Dave Tippett's job was put in jeopardy because star players, such as C Mike Modano and D Sergei Zubov, among others, have played at mediocre levels. It wasn't all from a lack of effort; the injury to RW Jere Lehtinen hurt. He is one of the most underrated players in the league, and his was a significant absence. But Turco led a turnaround in December and seems to be hitting his stride. He is the primary reason the team has eked its way into the top eight and the best example of what has gone right.

DETROIT RED WINGS The luxury of keeping two top goaltenders has produced an unusual development. Dominik Hasek's iffy groin is going to force the Red Wings to hold on to Curtis Joseph as an incredibly expensive insurance policy, and it will unsettle the locker room when Hasek returns. Hasek isn't the only one who has been bothered by injuries--this team has overcome serious injuries to D Derian Hatcher, D Chris Chelios and C Henrik Zetterberg. Through it all, C Pavel Datsyuk has emerged as a star, capable of leading a team of veteran stars while putting his name up with the league's scoring leaders.

EDMONTON OILERS The penalty-killing unit has been the Oilers' biggest downfall. At times, it has been the worst in the league. A power-play goal gives the opposition confidence and takes a little life out of the shorthanded team. The Oilers need to play with more desperation and find a way to regain their confidence. They need an offensive player to score and spark his teammates. Calling RWs Brad Isbister, Ales Hemsky or Radek Dvorak. What has gone right? Ridding themselves of the distraction that was the Mike Comrie trade rumor mill puts the focus on the ice.

LOS ANGELES KINGS The club has been wronged more than it has done wrong. Is there another team that has dealt with a string of serious injuries to players as significant as RW Adam Deadmarsh and C Jason Allison, who haven't played since last season? D Lubomir Visnovsky, LW Ian Laperriere and C Esa Pirnes have suffered concussions, and C Jozef Stumpel was out for a stretch. Now the Kings have lost G Roman Cechmanek to a serious hip injury. Still, coach Andy Murray has kept this team at or near the top of the Pacific Division thanks in large part to the play of RW Ziggy Palffy. Palffy and Murray--a sure candidate for coach of the year--are what's going right in L.A.