The natural order of the Western Conference begins to reassert itself, after the unlikeliness of Vancouver and Calgary in the early going. The likes of Chicago and San Jose surge, and Vancouver and Calgary regress to what consensus figured them for in the early autumn: the Canucks a fringe playoff team, and the Flames a Connor McDavid contender.

There remains, of course, a lot of hockey to play. But it does not look good for Western Canada’s hockey teams, the Oilers obviously, the Canucks on the edge and the Flames cratering. Like an errant pass, bouncing all the way back into your own empty net. Wideman was frank Saturday night: “It’s kind of the way things are going right now.”

-David Ebner of the Globe and Mail where you can read more on the Canucks and Flames.