NHL Player Power Rankings: Western Conference Playoff Elite Eight –Part 1
The National Hockey League’s regulation season is on the verge of coming to an end and teams are ready to begin talking strategy with their management for the playoffs. All the teams except Vancouver are still fighting for either a playoff position or securing
their postseason appearance.
Bottom teams, Nashville, Anaheim and Chicago, are still in danger of losing a postseason spot if the teams below the border line capitalize on their remaining games.
Franchises that are placed fifth and above are safe from being thrown out (unless some miracle happens), but are still unsure about what their standing is.
Every team has a key player, which leads the team through tough times and guides them when there is darkness.
There is always a player on the team that is used in the most critical situations and at that moment a legend is defined.
We will discuss some of those legendary player prospects, who look to be the most important for the teams in the Western Division.
Daniel and Henrik Sedin: Vancouver Canucks
You would fear playing against a team that had a Wayne Gretzky like player, but when you’re faced with a franchise that has two legendary players, the thrashing never seems to end.
The Sedin Twins, Henrik and Daniel, are two perfect examples of that. Combined and separate, they make an unstoppable offensive force which cannot be reckoned with.
They lead the NHL in most points and assists. What could be a greater combination than that? Daniel leads the league in points with 100 plus, including 41 goals and 59 assists for a total plus-28 rating while his brother has the most assists in the league
with 73 and a plus-25 rating.
Looking at their season record, one can notice when some major players are either out with injury or are facing a slump in their game, but both the twins never stopped performing.
They have been consistent since the beginning and do not show signs of a dip in their form.
Vancouver Canucks is an overall team, oozing greatness.
Other than the Sedin twins’ own amazing statistics, Vancouver is the team which scores the most goals, kills the most penalties and allows the fewest goals to be scored against them in a game.
Pavel Datsyuk: Detroit Red Wings
One of Detroit’s most valuable players, Pavel Datsyuk, finally returned to the line-up on Sunday for their match against Minnesota Wild, and he surely did not disappoint. After missing seven straight games, Datsyuk made a few assists and played for only
about 18 minutes.
That return brought sudden improvement in Detroit’s play as if a saint had entered the arena.
He might have only played 52 games this season, but whenever he is on the ice, it is bound to be a good game for Red Wings.
Datsyuk leads his team in scoring with 1.12 points per game.
If he can participate in the postseason fully recovered and at his best, than Detroit can hope to go deep this time around. If not, it could cause them to suffer.
Jonathan Toews: Chicago Blackhawks
Even post All-Star Game break, Chicago Blackhawks was beneath the playoff’s boundary line. The 2010 Stanley Cup champions gave an impression that they had no interest in defending their cup this time.
Jonathan Toews was the man to really light that spark in his team and draw a line.
Toews helped them raise their first cup since 1961, last year, and intends to do it again.
He has a team full of talented players like Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa. It is just the lack of motivation that is affecting this team.
Chicago Blackhawks will probably face Vancouver Canucks if they retain the playoff position that they are in right now.
It will be a do or die situation for them, if they beat them in a seven game series, but the road ahead will be much easier.
Otherwise, it is always better being knocked out first than playing all the way to the end when you know you’re just going to lose.
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