from Pierre LeBrun at Sportsnet,

There are no easy match-ups in the playoffs anymore, but every edge counts. And in the West, despite all the talk of parity, Anaheim, San Jose, Dallas and Detroit are in a group that’s a notch higher than whichever other clubs grab the other four playoff spots among Minnesota, Calgary, Vancouver, Colorado, Nashville, Phoenix and Columbus.

If you’re Anaheim, San Jose or Dallas—the last thing you want is to face one another right off the bat. It’s one of the more compelling races to keep an eye on. And it’s worth noting that the Stars have beat the Ducks five out of six games this season.

In the East, the Northeast Division may go down to the wire between Montreal and Ottawa with at least the No. 2 seed in the conference at stake

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