2010 NHL Playoff Race: Jockeying For Position Out West

The eight teams are set out west, but who can end up where? SBN’s general hockey blog, From The Rink, took detailed look at where things are, what’s left, and what possible finishes lie ahead.

Here’s a quick rundown.

- The Sharks and Blackhawks will have the top two seeds.
- The Canucks are locked into third.
- Phoenix can clinch the fourth spot with a single point win (correction courtesy of Saskhab). Nashville and Los Angeles both have opportunities for home ice if the Coyotes lose their remaining games.
- Fifth through eighth is a complete jumble. There are no head-to-head match-ups between Nashville, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Colorado outside of the Colorado/Los Angeles game to end their respective seasons. That means that Colorado could still wind up fifth if the other teams lose all their games -- no other head-to-head match-ups means that there are no guaranteed points for that group of teams.

For the entire read and to get a handy take on what will happen in the West, head over to FTR.