How great is the second half of the season going to be? Only a handful of teams are truly and fully cooked in terms of the playoffs. Count the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche out in the Western Conference. The New York Islanders are a colossal mess, and I don't like the chances of the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings or New Jersey Devils in the East, but other than that it's going to be a frenzied fight for the top eight in each conference. With the pressure on the players to get their teams into the playoffs, here are five to keep an eye on in the second half.
Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings
Kopitar has been a head-scratcher as he's struggled through one of the most difficult offensive seasons of his career. When the Kings captain scored against the Dallas Stars on Monday, it was his first goal in 13 games and just his fourth of the season. Coming off a 25-goal, 74-point season, Kopitar seemed poised to remain perpetually in the discussion for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's top two-way forward, an award he won for the first time last season. But he is tied for fifth on the Kings in scoring as they try to hang on to the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Does anyone, however, really think Kopitar won't reel off a monster second half? Nope.
Patrice Bergeron, C, Boston Bruins
Almost as confounding has been the slow offensive start for the Bruins' three-time Selke Trophy winner. Bergeron, who has just 17 points in 41 games, is coming off a 32-goal, 68-point season. Both Kopitar and Bergeron played through to the finals of the World Cup of Hockey in September, so maybe there's something there. But Bergeron's point totals are in direct opposition to his level of play at the World Cup, where he centered the tournament's best line with Brad Marchand and Sidney Crosby. Bergeron's frigid start might be thawing, as he has seven points in his past seven games. Although what remains concerning is his lack of even-strength production -- the Bruins' most important player has just nine even-strength points, well off his pace of a year ago, when he had 39. Getting back on track will be key to the Bruins' halting a two-year playoff absence.
Jarome Iginla, RW, Colorado Avalanche
Pretty much any Av could have been on this list, given the ongoing nightmare masquerading as a season in Denver and the anticipated sell-off of talent in the coming months. But it's almost certain future Hall of Famer Iginla, one of the most respected players in the game, will be dealt before the March 1 deadline. There will be interest in Iginla because he's in the final season of a three-year deal and, at 39 and having a disappointing season, the asking price shouldn't be exorbitant. But Iginla scored 51 goals in his first two seasons in Denver, is durable and has scored 37 playoff goals in 81 games, which means he's going to be attractive to a number of teams. How about in Columbus, where the young Blue Jackets have the goods to make a long run? Or maybe Los Angeles, for a reunion with coach Darryl Sutter?
Jake Allen, G, St. Louis Blues
It's been a confounding season for the Blues, coming off a trip to the Western Conference finals last spring. When they dealt Brian Elliott to the Calgary Flames, Allen became the heir apparent to their goaltending throne. Allen and Elliott combined to lead the Blues to the fourth-best goals-allowed last season, but Allen has struggled since he became the man for the Blues, who are 24th in goals allowed per game. The 26-year-old was yanked in a loss to Boston on Tuesday and has won just two of his past seven appearances. His numbers are pedestrian, at best: 2.70 goals-against average, .902 save percentage. And those numbers are troubling, given that historically goalies playing for Ken Hitchcock-coached teams thrive during the regular season. When you consider the competition in the Central Division and the overall Western Conference playoff grid, it's fair to suggest Allen ranks as the least imposing of all starters. To put a much finer point on it: Allen must be better or the Blues are in trouble.
The veteran Staal would certainly be in the discussion for comeback player of the year because he leads the Wild with 35 points in his first 39 games after signing a three-year deal in the offseason. At the time of the deal, folks wondered whether Staal would be a candidate to be exposed in the expansion draft; now they're wondering whether he's the missing link to a long-awaited Stanley Cup run. The Wild have the best winning percentage in the Western Conference and have a deep, talented blue line playing in front of a Vezina Trophy-worthy goalie in Devan Dubnyk. Do they have the scoring to dislodge titans Chicago, Los Angeles and St. Louis in the playoffs? If the 32-year-old continues his impressive renaissance -- he had just 39 points in 83 games for the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers last season -- the pendulum swings toward yes.