NHL: Predicting Where the San Jose Sharks Will Finish in the Western Conference Playoff Picture

For so many years, the question of where the San Jose Sharks were going to finish in the Western Conference was never up for discussion. San Jose is consistently one of the best teams in the NHL, and despite the ups-and-downs the 2011-12 season has carried, this season is no different.

It was the Sharks' penalty kill that first worried all involved about how this team would officially fair this season after making bold trades for Brent Burns and Martin Havlat, while sending Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi to Minnesota.

Minnesota has since made a move for the top spot in the Western Conference before falling back to earth and now currently holding onto the No. 8 position.

The Sharks have yet to get in that groove we have come to expect for several years now. The absence of a good penalty kill has since evolved into a weakness on the power play, an aspect of the Sharks' game that has seen consistent success over the years.

However, this year is different, in some way or another. GM Doug Wilson traded offense for speed and defense in an attempt to prepare this team for a Stanley Cup run. No word on if that will pan out yet, but we can still expect a great finish from an elite team in the Western Conference.

8. Minnesota Wild

The Wild currently sit in the 8th spot in the Western Conference, backed by a solid defensive effort, ranking 8th in goals against per game.

However, this team has yet to impress on offense, despite their notable trades this offseason for Heatley and Setoguchi. The team ranks 29th in the NHL in goals per game with 2.2.

But this team has what it takes to make the crowded Western Conference playoffs. The Colorado Avalanche, who currently sit in the 9th spot just two points behind the Wild, should have a less than mediocre second half of the season.

If Minnesota can hold off a surprising Dallas Stars team, this team should meet the No. 1 seed in the first round.

7. Los Angeles Kings

As much as a Pacific division triumph is still securely in their grasp, the San Jose Sharks have yet to both play to their potential and get injured players back in their line-up.

Currently, the Kings are two points behind the division-leading Sharks and they should stay at just about that distant throughout the rest of the 2011-12 season before the Sharks go on their surge to the finish line that we have become so accustomed to.

Los Angeles has so much more promise and potential than a 7th seed in the Western Conference, but we have yet to see that supposed talent shine through on a consistent basis.

6. Nashville Predators

The Predators are riding high into the NHL All-Star break, going 9-1-0 in their last 10 games, including winning their last four games.

They have been an overall good team, grabbing success in nearly every category this season on both offense and defense. But this team was built primarily on their defense and it was nice to see an elite power play gain some notoriety throughout the NHL.

We should see this Nashville hype take a step back in the second half of the season, but this team will be dangerous yet again come playoff time.

5. St. Louis Blues

We all knew this team had it in them, we just did not expect them to be firmly contending for a division title against the Detroit Red Wings just yet. They sit just two points behind Detroit going into the second half of the season.

Make no mistake, St. Louis has the best defense in the NHL in terms of goals against, as let up an average of two goals per game. Goalie Brian Elliot may have something to do with that. What does need help is their offense, which hardly complements their strong defense and will need to step up if they want to surge any higher than a fifth seed.

If this team wants to steal the division away from the Red Wings, they will need more of a push from their front lines on offense. Until then, this team will be sitting in the fourth or fifth positions come playoff time.

4. Chicago Blackhawks

The Central Division in the Western Conference has turned out to be a four-horse race heading into the second half of the season, with the Blues, Red Wings, Blackhawks and Predators all three points apart.

The Blackhawks certainly have the offense to make a run at the favored Red Wings, but it is the uncertainty in net and in certain aspects of their defense that has this team's ceiling only reaching so high.

However, a hot goalie at the right time can make a move in the Western Conference playoffs, as we witness with Antti Niemi a few years ago. We could see much of the same with Corey Crawford or Ray Emery to complement that relentless Chicago offense.

3. San Jose Sharks

As mentioned before, the Sharks' up-and-down year still has them sitting in the top spot in the Pacific Division, which currently earns them the third seed in the Western Conference.

Although this team has a ton of things going for them in the second half of the season, including players returning from injury and their usual second half surge through the Western Conference standings, it may not be a match for a more or less surprising Red Wings team and the impressive Vancouver Canucks.

The Sharks should have no problem holding off the Kings in the Pacific Division, but anything else may be asking too much for a team with so many current holes in the game.

2. Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings currently own the top spot on the Western Conference coming out of the All-Star break. Their consistency in nearly every aspect of their game makes them a dangerous team for the rest of this season.

It is hard to argue with ranking fifth in goals scored per game and sixth in goals against per game. They are a tough opponent every single night.

The only question is can they keep it going?

For the most part, they should, although we can expect the Canucks to snatch the No. 1 seed from them in the last month of the season or so.

Detroit will be a dangerous team in the playoffs if they continue to play to this level for the remainder of the season.

1. Vancouver Canucks

Something about this team's offense and relentless defense will not let many think about putting this team anywhere but the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference come the end of the season.

They have encountered some rough defeats within the last 10 games, but rising to the occasion against the Sharks and Bruins shows this team is poised for an elite postseason run.

The regular season is one thing, but running into the No. 1 power play and top-3 goal scoring team in a seven-game series is a tall task for any team in the Western Conference this season. Whatever happens in the remaining regular season, the Canucks can be sure to have a spot in the Western Conference Finals.

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San Francisco Giants' Mediocre Offseason Has Team Falling Behind in NL West

With the San Francisco Giants' 40-man roster all but set for the 2012 MLB season, now is the time to make judgements about the team, the offseason they had and the what the future holds for the franchise.

The immediate judgements are not kind, to say the least.

GM Brian Sabean and the Giants have had a busy offseason, and while most would take that as a sign of good moves filling voids the team had before, that is simply not the case.

Adding Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera certainly is not bad, especially if they are to virtually replace a lagging Cody Ross and injury-prone Andres Torres. But standing there watching Carlos Beltran sign with the St. Louis Cardinals, while the New York Mets claim the Giants' former best pitching prospect is absurd. The worst was when it seemed the Giants never touched the idea of re-upping with Beltran, making the trade during the 2011 regular season one with absolute zero contribution to the franchise.

But while San Francisco was wheeling and dealing for the same-old, same-old, teams in their own division were making waves. Significant ones.

Most notably, the defending NL West Champion Arizona Diamondbacks only got better this offseason, making it all that more frustrating for San Francisco to focus all attention and money on signing discontent players already a part of their 2012 team, instead of eyeing big bats via trade or free agent market.

To re-cap, the Diamondbacks added Trevor Cahill and Joe Saunders to their pitching rotation, which now rivals the Giants for best in the NL West, with Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson and Josh Collmenter still comfortably hanging around.

Their offense, which turned out to be one of the more dangerous in the National League last season, got more bulk with Jason Kubel being added to the roster.

Kubel hit .273 with 12 homeruns and 58 RBI in only 99 games last season. To put that in perspective, he would bat fourth in the Giants' line-up. No question.

He will be batting fifth or sixth for the Diamondbacks on Opening Day 2012.

Arizona went $10 million over payroll this offseason, which begs the question "Why can't the Giants do that?"

The answer is simple and so very frustrating. San Francisco has money wrapped up in players that will be worthy years down the road.

They focused all their time and energy on claiming Tim Lincecum until 2015 this offseason, and they will spend whatever is left of that time and energy on making Matt Cain a staple on this pitching rotation for years to come, even if no other current pitcher will be a part of it.

Even worse, the Giants are probably already budgeting for when Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner have one tremendous season and want 8-year contracts. Oh, it's coming.

The Giants' front office is in a pickle, which is why you did not see them throwing a bid out there for Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder, two of the biggest bats to come through the free agent mill in recent years. Instead, they locked up their pitching (somewhat, and not totally).

San Francisco made moves this offseason, but it did nothing to advance this team any further than it already stood. Moves like adding Cahill and Kubel to supe up an already potent pitching rotation and offensive punch do that.

The 2012 offseason for the Giants will be marked by standing pat on an entire talent pool, and leaning on locking up fan-friendly figures to please an audience. Fat chance that method pulls in wins during this regular season, at least more than the pass-happy Diamondbacks, but crazier things have happened in the NL West.

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San Jose Sharks: Injuries, Power Play Plaguing Team in January

If it is not one thing, it is another for the San Jose Sharks this month.

After an up-and-down December 2011, the team finally got back on the winning track, claiming victories in seven of their first nine games of 2012. That was soon followed by losing four of their next five games, which is where they are now at 26-14-6 and in a tie for first place in the Pacific division with the Los Angeles Kings.

But the hole keeps getting deeper for the Sharks. Antero Niittymaki trade talks and the need for more offensive power may be the culprits of a weary San Jose team. Even an ailing power play and injuries to Brent Burns and Ryane Clowe can be held responsible.

The injuries come and go, although the ones to Clowe and Burns have no doubt taken a bite out of this team. However, a desperate power play should take the full hit for the lackluster play the past week.

San Jose goes into the game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday with the 17th ranked power play in the NHL, a far cry from the past years of seeing the Sharks in the top-5 and having one of the more dangerous games while a man up on the ice.

At one point within the last month, the Sharks went 5 for 44 on the power play.

Attribute that to the injuries of Clowe and Havlat, who have been sidelined for the majority of that time, but San Jose may never have the "real" Havlat, and Clowe is still waiting to be allowed back into the line-up.

Can you hear GM Doug Wilson on the phone?

The answer may not even be on the trade market. The pieces are on this team, but they are simply not performing.

Joe Thornton has just one goal and seven assists this month when the team needed him the most. Patrick Marleau has just one goal and zero assists in the last seven games.

After the trade deadline, things need to change with the Sharks because the current state of the team is simply not getting it done, while the rest of the NHL is. It starts with the premiere players on this team and ends with a desperate trade deadline pick-up by Wilson.

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NFC Championship: San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants Final Injury Report & Predictions

The San Francisco 49ers listed six players as questionable for their NFC Championship game against the New York Giants on Sunday.

The official injury report included CB Tarell Brown (thigh), S Dashon Goldson (ankle), WR Ted Ginn (knee), TE Delanie Walker (jaw), C Jonathan Goodwin (calf) and LB Patrick Willis (knee).

All listed players were limited in practice on Friday in some way or another, except for Ginn, who missed practice completely and had yet to participate this week.

The more probable of the questionables for Sunday are Brown, Goldson and Willis, who are expected to play on Sunday and be fully healthy by then. Goldson, although sidelined last week against the New Orleans Saints in the third quarter, is expected to go on Sunday.

On the other side of that lies Goodwin, Walker and Ginn.

Goodwin left Sunday's game in the second quarter with a right leg injury, only to return later in the quarter. He missed most of practice this week, but returned for a limited practice on Friday. He is sure to start against the Giants.

Walker, who has recovered from a broken jaw since a Week 16 knee to the face by Seattle Seahawks LB Leroy Hill, is set to play on Sunday. He was re-evaluated by doctors on Monday and returned to practice on Tuesday in a limited role. Walker tweeted on Monday that he feels ready to go and wants to pad up for Sunday's game, but will wait for team approval on that. We can expect him to play against the Giants, but in a very limited role and only on certain plays. TE Justin Peelle has replaced Walker as the back-up tight end over the past few weeks and will be needed in the blocking game against the Giants' pass rush.

That leaves Ginn, the lone player left out of 49ers' practice on Friday. He suffered a knee injury last Sunday against the Saints and was unable to practice the entire week. Ginn had a "noticeable limp" on Monday heading into 49ers' facilities. After sitting out a full week of practice, we should not expect Ginn to suit up against the Giants on Sunday. Kyle Williams can be expected to return kicks, as well as be the No. 2 WR for Alex Smith. Brett Swain will be the No. 3 WR and Joe Hastings (from practice squad) should be ready to be active as the No. 4 WR.

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NHL Trade Speculation: 3 Players the San Jose Sharks Will Inquire About

San Jose Sharks' GM Doug Wilson always seems to come alive this time of year. With a little over a month before the NHL Trade Deadline, rumors of Wilson on the trade prowl have crept into the Twitterfeeds, blogs and rumor mills of Hockey Nation.

Wilson's reputation as a trade machine even garnered the attention of NBC Sport's Pro Hockey Talk, as he recently explained the trade strategy he has when dealing with other teams.

Even worse this season for opposing GM's, Wilson has players to trade and teams are more than interested. Instead of the usual pattern of Wilson inquiring about players and going to teams, teams will be coming to him this season because he has players that could be of great value to them.

Antero Niittymaki has not been shy when expressing his frustration as the "third guy" in net for the Sharks. He is sure to be traded before the February 27 deadline.

Other Sharks that could be on the trading block are apart of the depth on defense. Jason Demers and Justin Braun come to mind if Wilson wants to deal for large support on the top two lines while Martin Havlat is still recovering from injury. Also, do not be surprised if Torrey Mitchell's name gets thrown around if Wilson covets a more seasoned player on the third line.

Here are three players Wilson is sure to inquire about before February 27.

Tuomo Ruutu

Rumors swirling about Ruutu being shopped by the Carolina Hurricanes have intrigued a few teams over the past month. The Sharks, Penguins and Red Wings seem to be the serious contenders. Ruutu has 15 goals and 11 assists so far this season.

The Hurricanes are ranked third to last in goals against, averaging 3.17 per game, and clearly lacking in the goalie department. The team sits in a tie for last place in the Eastern Conference, but if they want to make a play for next season, we might see them make a move for the Sharks' Niittymaki or Thomas Greiss, while adding in Jason Demers or Justin Braun. In return, Ruutu could be headed to San Jose.

Teddy Purcell

It is no secret the Tampa Bay Lightning need a goalie, ranking dead last this season in goals against per game this season. They also sit in a tie for dead last in the Eastern Conference with 40 points.

Purcell has been a slight disappointment this season, as an upstart 51-point 2010-11 season figured to be just the beginning for the young winger. However, an up-and-down 2011-12 has him sitting at 24 points in 44 games played this season, which is no improvement, but no disappointment nonetheless.

The kicker here is that Purcell and Sharks' winger Ryane Clowe are good friends, dating back to their ties in Newfoundland. The two could reunite in San Jose if Wilson can find a way.

For Wilson to pull it off, it will take a lot more than talk of a past friendship. The Sharks will need to offer Niittymaki and throw in others like Mitchell and either Demers or Braun to pull this one off.

Drew Stafford

Similar to the Purcell offering, it will take a lot to get Stafford to San Jose. The Buffalo Sabres have been open about the possibility of trading Derek Roy, Stafford or Brad Boyes before the trade deadline. Stafford has been in a slump this season, and the team is a disappointing 19-22-5, as well.

Again, it will take a similar trade involving Demers and Mitchell if Wilson want to pull this one off.

The Sharks would like some serious thump on the third line. Depending on how Havlat's recovery develops between now and the end of February, we could see Stafford be a nice replacement for San Jose's loss if the Sharks get desperate enough on the offensive front.

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NFC Championship: San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants Preview & Prediction

Looking back at the San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants Week 9 match-up in mid-November, it did not seem totally out of the question that either team would make the Super Bowl. The Giants were 6-2 and coming off a win against the New England Patriots, and the 49ers were a surprising 7-1, not to mention a play or two away from being 8-0.

But the Giants still had to outlast the Dallas Cowboys in their division, and San Francisco had not been to the playoffs in nine seasons, let alone have a chance to win the Super Bowl.

Two months later, these two teams meet again in a clash of clearly the best NFC teams left in the tournament. However, significant things have changed since Week 9, and it could be the difference in the game this time around.

For one, New York is the hottest team in the NFL. Period.

They finally have a significant rushing attack with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, their defensive front four is healthy and ripping offensive lines to shreds and Eli Manning is showing time and time again why he should be considered an "elite" quarterback in the NFL.

On the other side, the 49ers can also make their case for one of the hottest teams left in the NFL playoffs. Their defense against the rush this season is historic, their pass rush continues to smother the opposing quarterback and Alex Smith may be playing the best football of his career. Oh, and they have Jim Harbaugh as their head coach. Everything he touches these days turns to gold -- even Alex Smith.

So how do you compare two teams playing at the highest peaks of their respective seasons with nary a hole in their games?

We find the loose ends. Or in this case -- nitpick.

You do not have to nitpick far to find out that the 49ers have a hard time putting up points against respected NFL defenses, and the Giants have a hard time stopping the rush and the pass on a consistent basis. New York ranked 19th in rush defense and 29th against the pass during the 2011 regular season.

With that said, two things stand out when we talk about this NFC showdown: The home-field advantage and San Francisco's ability to stop the run every single week. The Giants suddenly have a hot rushing attack, which should be a crucial test for the 49ers. But the game should ultimately come down to how many points Manning can put up against a stingy 49ers defense.

X-Factor

Given that each teams' rushing attacks are presumed to be limited, seeing as the 49ers have the No. 1 rush defense and Frank Gore has simply not been able to run the ball effectively, the game should rest on each teams passing offense and how many turnovers their quarterbacks commit.

Smith has not thrown an interception in six straight games, but a rational-thinking person may question that come a chance at a Super Bowl bid. He is after all Alex Smith. But something magical is going on in Jim Harbaugh's Wonderland he has created in Santa Clara. Manning will have to throw for a seriously large number of yards against a swift 49ers defense to beat them on his own. Drew Brees accomplished that last week and still fell short.

How Smith and the 49ers' offensive line reacts to the relentless attack of Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck will also play a huge factor in the outcome of this game. If the San Francisco offensive line collapses, as it does every once in a blue moon, it could spell big problems for Smith and the offense. Anything close to how the offensive line played against the last serious defense the 49ers encountered (Thanksgiving Day against the Baltimore Ravens) will not be good enough on Sunday.

Prediction

Candlestick Park plays a huge factor in this game, as this crowd is thrilled to see the 49ers back in the NFC Championship again with a shot at the Super Bowl.

What may play the biggest role, though, is how the actual field reacts to the rain that is sure to pour down Thursday through Sunday in the Bay Area. The mud and slop with only slow down both teams' defenses giving Smith and Manning more time in the pocket, to some extent.

In the end, the 49ers' will to stop the run, as well as their hard-hitting secondary that should cause a couple Manning turnovers, will be the difference in a rather low-scoring affair on Sunday.

49ers win 24-19

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NFC Championship: San Francisco 49ers' Delanie Walker Adds New Element If Healthy

What was lost in the mayhem that was the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints epic divisional playoff game on Saturday was the fact the 49ers won without one of their most reliable and timely offensive weapons.

Within all the match-ups that will be discussed this week concerning the 49ers vs. New York Giants NFC Championship showdown at Candlestick Park, a few big ones come to mind. The Giants' suddenly hot rushing attack against the NFL's best rushing defense the 49ers' boast is one of the biggest. Also, Eli Manning against the suddenly hot San Francisco secondary is sure to be broken down many times.

However, what may go unnoticed and virtually untouched is the offensive weapon Alex Smith may get back just in time for the biggest game of his NFL career.

Delanie Walker, although not a premiere piece of the 49ers' offensive game-plan, is another weapon Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman can add to their scheme against New York on Sunday if healthy.

Walker has been out since the Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks when Leroy Hill unintentionally kicked Walker in the head breaking his jaw. He is supposed to be re-evaluated by doctors on Monday and hopes to receive the go-ahead to return to practice and play in the NFC Championship.

Given the amount of tight end sets the 49ers use at different points in the game, Walker would be an excellent weapon to have back for Smith, who has sought him out several times this season for big gains in critical moments of the game. He is another phase of the game the Giants will have to address for Sunday.

Justin Peelle, the 49ers' third-string tight end, filled in nicely for Walker against the Saints on Saturday, but was not much of an offensive threat, as his blocking is considered his best asset.

Walker has slowly improved his blocking ability, although not much is known of how healthy and ready to block New York's relentless pass rush he will be come Sunday.

If Walker receives medical clearance this week to play in the NFC Championship, we are sure to see a nice mix of both Peelle and Walker at different moments in the game. Walker will be used as that extra weapon Smith can rely on, since the two seem to have had good chemistry on offense this season and throughout their careers, and Peelle should see time when Smith needs that extra protection from the Giants pass rush that will be so crucial on Sunday.

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