Sports Logic

Since we're nearing the quarter-pole of the season, wouldn't it be fun if I looked back and gave you my picks for the quarter season MVP and such? I think it would be and your opinion doesn't matter to me, so here are this week's rankings.

1. San Jose Sharks (16-5-4) LW: 2 – MVP: This one is a tie. Joe Thornton (7 goals, 25 assists, +5) and Dany Heatley (18 goals, 10 assists, +5) Player who needs to step up: Devin Setoguchi (8 goals, 2 assists) maybe he is just the guy who lost key minutes when Dany Heatley arrived on the scene

2. Chicago Blackhawks (14-5-2) LW: 7 – MVP: Duncan Keith (5 goals, 11 assists, +8) plays against other team's top forwards. Player who needs to step up: Dustin Byfuglien (7 goals, 2 assists, -4) stepped up in the playoffs last season, but has regressed this season.

3. Washington Capitals (13-5-5) LW: 4 – MVP: Is there anybody else? Alexander Ovechkin (16 goals, 9 assists, +10) Player who needs to step up: There aren't many, but Chris Clark (minus-7) needs to be better as a defensive player.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins (15-8-0) LW: 6 – MVP: The Penguins were lost without
Evgeni Malkin (6 goals, 13 assists, +4). Player who needs to step up: Due to the injuries it's hard to single out a player, but Brooks Orpik (0 goals, 6 assists, -6) could probably be better.

5. New Jersey Devils (14-6-1) LW: 1 – MVP: Zach Parise (13 goals, 14 assists, +10) has been outstanding even in a Lemaire system. Player who needs to step up: Brian Rolston (6 goals, 3 assists, -4) looks like he's slowing down. Only two and a half years to go on that contract.

6. Buffalo Sabres (12-6-2) LW: 3 – MVP: Ryan Miller (12-3-2, 1.97 GAA, .931 save %) has been Vezina, possibly even Hart worthy. Player who needs to step up: Jochen Hecht (2 goals, 2 assists, -2) has never been a top flight player, but he's not this bad.

7. Columbus Blue Jackets (12-6-3) LW: 12 – MVP: Rick Nash (14 goals, 11 assists) has been good offensively, but the minus-7 needs work. Player who needs to step up: Steve Mason (8-5-3, 3.44 GAA, .889 save %) has been the worst statistical goalie in the league for most of the season only a year after being a Vezina nominee

8. Calgary Flames (13-6-2) LW: 5 – MVP: Miikka Kiprusoff (12-5-2, 2.61 GAA, .914 save %) might not have the best numbers in the league, but his saves have been timely. Player who needs to step up: David Moss (4 goals, 3 assists) has been a ghost on most nights this season. In his defence, he is playing on a checking line where opportunities to score lowered.

9. Ottawa Senators (11-6-3) LW: 17 – MVP: Mike Fisher (9 goals, 11 assists, +6) has stepped up this season offensively, and he still kills penalties like a champ. Player who needs to step up: I don't know who is worse, Alex Kovalev (4 goals, 6 assists, -4) or Jonathan Cheechoo (2 goals, 2 assists, -5).

10. Philadelphia Flyers (12-7-1) LW: 10 – MVP: Chris Pronger (4 goals, 14 assists, +13) has been exactly what the Flyers hoped he would be when they traded for him, and possibly more. Player who needs to step up: No one has been playing too far from their potential in Philly so far, but Danny Briere (8 goals, 4 assists, -3) could be a bit better for that type of money.

11. Nashville Predators (12-8-1) LW: 19 – MVP: Pekka Rinne (9-4-0, 2.38 GAA, .914 save %) got off to a very slow start, but is now heating up. Not coincidently, so are the Preds. Player who needs to step up: Martin Erat (2 goals, 4 assists, -9) is far too valuable to the Predators to carry those numbers)

12. Detroit Red Wings (11-6-4) LW: 8 – MVP: In a close race, I'll give the nod to Henrik Zetterberg (9 goals, 15 assists, +3) Player who needs to step up: With all of the injuries, the Wings absolutely need Todd Bertuzzi (3 goals, 6 assists, -5) to be better. Personally, I think this is as good as he can be.

13. Colorado Avalanche (13-7-3) LW: 9 – MVP: This might be the easiest selection to make. It's Craig Anderson (12-6-3, 2.52 GAA, .923 save %) hands down. Player who needs to step up: Marek Svatos (5 goals, 3 assists, -11) has been a complete ghost. He was also invisible in person last week.

14. Phoenix Coyotes (13-9-1) LW: 14 – MVP: Ilya Bryzgalov (12-6-1, 2.04 GAA, .922 save %) is another goalie having an outstanding season. Player who needs to step up: What has happened to Peter Mueller (1 goal, 3 assists, -3) this season? He looked like a star in the making and now this? When did Dave Tippett become Jacques Lemaire?

15. Los Angeles Kings (13-9-2) LW: 11 – MVP: Anze Kopitar (14 goals, 19 assists, +5) may be the MVP of the entire league, let alone just the Kings. Player who needs to step up: Jack Johnson (2 goals, 4 assists, -11) wants to be known as an offensive and defensive player. Right now he is neither.

16. Vancouver Canucks (12-10-0) LW: 15 – MVP: While Henrik Sedin put up points without his brother, the majority of them came during garbage time in a game. Mason Raymond (8 goals, 6 assists, +2) used his speed in the first quarter to provide scoring and at key times in the game. Player who needs to step up: Kyle Wellwood (0 goals, 2 assists, +1) might find himself in either a) the press box or b) a different sweater soon enough.

17. Dallas Stars (10-6-6) LW: 18 – MVP: James Neal (11 goals, 11 assists, +6) has been outstanding this season. In addition to his numbers, he is quickly becoming one of the best power forwards in the game. Player who needs to step up: Maybe Steve Ott (2 goals, 3 assists, -4) should spend less time trying to take people's knees out and actually play the game the way he can.

18. Atlanta Thrashers (10-7-2) LW: 16 - MVP: Normally when Rich Peverly (8 goals, 16 assists, +4) is your MVP, you should be at the bottom of the standings. Not so in Atlanta. Good for them. Player who needs to step up: Bryan Little (2 goals, 6 assists) is a 30 goal man in the NHL and those numbers are killing my pool. Come on Bryan, pick it up.

19. Boston Bruins (10-8-4) LW: 21 – MVP: Zdeno Chara (1 goal, 11 assists) has been a tower of power on the back-end through an injury plagued first quarter in Boston. Player who needs to step up: David Krejci (2 goals, 7 assists) is still finding his game after off-season hip surgery, but I'm sure the Bruins still expected more than they're getting.

20. Montreal Canadiens (11-11-1) LW: 22– MVP: Michael Cammalleri (11 goals, 9 assists, +9) has provided the Habs with a consistent threat up front that they have been lacking for years. Player who needs to step up: Guillaume Latendresse (2 goals, 1 assist, -4) is literally providing the Canadiens with nothing. NOTE: While typing this up, Latendresse was traded. My word spreads quickly apparently.

21. Florida Panthers (10-9-2) LW: 26 – MVP: This even feels weird to type, but Steven Reinprecht (10 goals, 7 assists, +7) has rejuvenated his career in Florida. Player who needs to step up: Michael Frolik (5 goals, 4 assists) seems to be suffered the old sophomore jinx.

22. New York Rangers (11-10-0) LW: 13 – MVP: For years people have wondered what Marian Gaborik (16 goals, 12 assists, +5) could do when he's healthy. Now we're finding out. Player who needs to step up: Is Christopher Higgins (2 goals, 3 assists, -5) done as a top 6 NHL player? It sure seems that way.

23. St. Louis Blues (8-8-4) LW: 25 – MVP: Erik Johnson (2 goals, 12 assists, +7) is the Blues leading scorer this season. The team isn't playing as well so far, but it makes you wonder how good they could have been last year with him in the lineup. Player who needs to step up: David Backes (1 goal, 3 assists, -4) needs to have a bigger impact on games if the Blues want to repeat last year's success.

24. Tampa Bay Lightning (8-5-7) LW: 20 – MVP: Even though I doubt he'll make the team, Steven Stamkos (15 goals, 9 assists, +4) is making it hard to Steve Yzerman to deny him a spot on the Canadian Olympic team. Player who needs to step up: Sure Vincent Lecavalier (4 goals, 15 assists, -2) is almost a point per game player, something in him died when the Montreal trade rumours came to light.

25. Edmonton Oilers (9-11-3) LW: 23 – MVP: To all of those people who were jeering Dustin Penner (13 goals, 12 assists, +11) last season (Mark Spector), Penner is sticking it down your throats. But it wasn't Craig MacTavish's fault that he's playing better; it's that he has "matured". Whatever helps you sleep at night Spec. Player who needs to step up: Shawn Horcoff (4 goals, 5 assists, -5) has been a flat out bust this season. It's almost like he's not work the $7 million he's getting paid this season...or the average of 5.5 he's getting paid over the next five and three quarters.

26. New York Islanders (8-8-7) LW: 24 – MVP: Unlike a certain highly touted rookie on the Islanders, Matt Moulson (10 goals, 8 assists, +5) is defensively responsible while playing on the same line for most of the year. Player who needs to step up: I know he's been injured and had the H1N1, but Doug Weight still doesn't have a goal on the season (0 goals, 6 assists).

27. Minnesota Wild (8-12-2) LW: 28 – MVP: Niklas Backstrom (8-9-2, 2.66 GAA, .909 save %) hasn't been spectacular, but on this team, he's as good as it gets. Player who needs to step up: If you wear a Minnesota Wild jersey and you don't wear goalie equipment, you need to step up.

28. Anaheim Ducks (7-11-3) LW: 27 – MVP: I know teams hate playing against him but Corey Perry (13 goals, 14 assists, +6) is a guy that every player in the league would love to call a teammate. Player who needs to step up: For a guy who the Ducks rely on to be a shut down forward, Todd Marchant (-8) sure is doing a poor job.

29. Carolina Hurricanes (5-12-5) LW: 30 – MVP: I am waiving my right to name a team MVP at this time. The entire team has warts. Player who needs to step up: I used that snappy jersey line on Minnesota, so I will pick Rod Brind'Amour (2 goals, 5 assists, -18). No, that wasn't a typo, he is actually -18 less than 3 years removed from a Selke nomination.

30. Toronto Maple Leafs (4-11-6) LW: 29 – MVP: Tomas Kaberle (2 goals, 20 assists) still leads all NHL defensemen in scoring. Player who needs to step up: He's injured right now, but Mike Komisarek has been awful for the Leafs so far. Stupid penalties, not blocking shots, making hits at the wrong time, the guy is a mess on the ice.