from Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe,

- Dallas entered the All-Star break with the second-best record in the West and the conference’s top goal differential (plus-29). But one Western Conference scout is more scared about Los Angeles than Dallas. The belief is that the Kings’ experience, ruggedness, and ability to clamp down on defense will be tougher to play in the postseason than Dallas’s go-go style.

- Seth Jones has played in 10 games for the Blue Jackets since being traded by the Predators and is averaging 24:14 of ice time in Columbus compared with 19:38 in Nashville. The right-shot defenseman looks dynamite. It’s been a disastrous season for the Blue Jackets. But they’ve got a blue-line superstar in Jones. He’ll be worth every cent of the megabucks raise he’ll earn this summer.

With Jones and Ryan Murray up for new deals, Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen will target the deadline as his first segment for shedding salary. As scary as the three remaining seasons on Scott Hartnell’s contract are, the left wing would be a good addition for a contender.

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