The West: what remains...

Central
St. Louis: 9gms (5h 4a). 6 vs PO teams. 7-3-0 last 10. current points: 93. projected: 106
Dallas: 9gms (4h 5a). 7 vs PO teams. 5-3-2 last 10. current points: 95. projected: 105
Chicago: 9gms (4h 5a). 3 vs PO teams. 4-4-2 last 10. current points: 91. projected: 104

Pacific
Los Angeles: 11gms (5h 6a). 4 vs PO teams. 7-2-1 last 10. current points: 93. projected: 109
Anaheim: 11gms (4h 7a). 4 vs PO teams. 6-3-1 last 10. current points: 89. projected: 104
San Jose: 10gms (7h 3a). 4 vs PO teams. 7-3-0 last 10. current points: 88. projected: 102

Wildcard
Nashville: 10gms (7h 3a). 7 vs PO teams. 6-2-2 last 10. current points: 85. projected: 98
Colorado: 9gms (5h 4a). 7 vs PO teams. 6-4-0 last 10. current points: 80. projected: 91

in the hunt
Minnesota: 9gms (6h 3a). 5 vs PO teams. 6-3-1 last 10. current points: 79. projected: 91

* Jaden Schwartz has been great since coming back from injury - 3 goals and 11 points in the 8 games of March. But this team is getting scoring from all lines. Only three players are minus in March and that is only minus 2.

* Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza have been trying to lead the way in March. Benn's 10pts and Spezza's 8 goals lead the team in March's  9 games. When your top scorers are all minus players, though, something isn't right. Spezza's at +2 other than him, the top guys are hurting the team.

* Chicago's core guys are playing decent but still the entire is struggling to score. Patrick Kane's 3 goals and 7 points lead the team in their 9 March games.

* Los Angeles is playing that Cup style. Lead by Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter, the editions of Milan Lucic and Vincent Lecavalier keep the Kings difficult to defend. Kopitar's 12 points in 9 games and his 6 goals are leading the team.

* The Ducks are still playing their best hockey. Good timing. Ryan Getzlaf is nowhere close to leading in points and Corey Perry sits fourth in goals for March. Ryan Kesler has been leading the way in solid two-way play - 10 points in 10 games and plus 7. Jakob Silfverberg and Jamie McGinn are leading in goals with five a piece. This is a tough team.

* The Sharks are playing well. Joe Thornton - 10pts 7 assists - is making the passes as usual and Brent Burns - 5 goals and 11 points - is continuing to have magic from the blueline. Joe Pavelski also has 5 goals in the 10 games of March.

* James Neal is getting hot - 6 goals and 9 points in the 9 games of March. Overall, it is a full team effort. This is a deep team, but I don't think as deep as St. Louis.

* Colorado's Matt Dechene and Mikkel Boedker are somewhat productive on yet another team that is struggling to score. Gabriel Landeskog just returned from a three game suspension - he might be able to add more scoring.

* Minnesota has the streakiest scorers of any team in the league, except maybe Ottawa. Guys like Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter get points in bunches and then disappear. Niederreiter's 6 goals and 10 points have been important in March. The play of both Erik Haula and Matt Dumba has been just as integral. Minnesota has an easier schedule than Colorado and will have to play at least as good in order to make the playoffs.