TOP TO BOTTOM / NHL

Team (Record): Comment

1. Dallas (43-14-12): Tuning up for playoffs.

2. Ottawa (40-20-9): Reigns everywhere but California.

3. Pittsburgh (35-22-12): Jagr should be MVP.

4. Buffalo (32-23-13): Hasek returns, so do wins.

5. Phoenix (34-24-12): From cold (2-11) to hot (3-0-2).

6. New Jersey (38-22-8): Brodeur big in 7-2-1 run.

7. Toronto (38-27-5): Must clamp down defensively.

8. Colorado (35-26-9): Three games, three goals for Fleury.

9. Boston (31-27-11): Dafoe’s da man in 9-3-2 surge.

10. San Jose (26-28-16): Goalie Shields solid in 4-0-2 streak.

11. St. Louis (30-29-11): Demitra becomes big gun.

12. Mighty Ducks (31-28-11): Defense shaky in 1-3-2 skid.

13. Calgary (27-32-11): Bure’s eight goals fuel 6-3-1 push.

14. Detroit (34-30-6): Champs dull in 3-6-1 slide.

15. Philadelphia (32-22-17): Ends 0-8-4 slump without Neilson.

16. Carolina (30-27-14): Grateful for three-division setup.

17. Kings (27-38-5): One step forward, two steps back.

18. Florida (26-26-17): Will Bure get them into playoffs?

19. Montreal (28-32-10): Almost out of playoff range.

20. Washington (29-35-6): Fire sale likely today.

21. N.Y. Rangers (29-32-10): Richter keeping them in hunt.

22. Chicago (21-39-10): 2-0-1 streak too little, too late.

23. Edmonton (26-33-11): Salo gets chance in net.

24. Nashville (24-39-7): Points for trying.

25. N.Y. Islanders (20-42-9): Trade winds still gusting.

26. Vancouver (20-39-11): Last in West on merit.

27. Tampa Bay (17-47-5): Ready to deal for youth.

GAME OF THE WEEK

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS AT NEW JERSEY DEVILS

When--Thursday. Time--4:30 PST

TV--ESPN2.

* Story line--The Atlantic Division lead--and the second East playoff seeding--will be at stake. The Penguins have a 3-0-3 streak even without goalie Tom Barrasso (broken hand), defensemen Kevin Hatcher (broken foot) and Darius Kasparaitis (knee injury). Jaromir Jagr is running away with the league scoring title, his second in a row and third in the last five seasons. The Devils have the NHL’s best road winning percentage (.714) but their home percentage is .515. They miss defenseman Scott Stevens, out indefinitely because of a groin pull.

THE NUMBERS GAME

If recent history is an indication, a flurry of deals will be made before today’s noon (PST) NHL trading deadline. Since 1979-80, 188 trades, moving 350 players, have occurred on deadline day. In the last five years, 161 players have moved shortly before the deadline. Last year, a record-tying 19 trades moved a record 38 players.

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Season Deadline Deals Players Traded 1979-80 3 5 1980-81 12 22 1981-82 5 11 1982-83 1 1 1983-84 2 2 1984-85 4 7 1985-86 8 14 1986-87 5 9 1987-88 8 12 1988-89 9 21 1989-90 10 16 1990-91 14 33 1991-92 11 22 1992-93 9 14 1993-94 18 35 1994-95 19 32 1995-96 13 21 1996-97 18 35 1997-98 19 38

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