I don't follow the regular season any more. When I saw this thread I went to NHL.com , I was pleasantly surprised to LA, St Louis, Nashville and Phoenix in the playoff hunt. They were among the worst teams in the league a few years ago.

I was also very sad to read about the number of quality players hurt by hits during the game. The following seems to be the most blatant incident.

>>>>NEW YORK -- Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres has been suspended for 25 games for launching himself to deliver a late hit to the head of Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa during Game 3 of the teams' Western Conference Quarterfinal playoff series in Chicago on Tuesday, April 17, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today.

Should the 25 games not be served by the conclusion of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the remaining games of the suspension will carry over into the following regular season. Torres will be prohibited from playing in any preseason games until he has served this 25-game suspension (playoff and regular-season games).

Should the suspension carry over to next season, because he is classified as a repeat offender under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Torres will forfeit $21,341.46 in salary for every regular-season game in which he is ineligible to play.<<<<