In his fifth season, slick-scoring Rick Nash (31 goals) remains the centerpiece of the Blue Jackets. Dave Regine/Getty Images

The Columbus lineup is littered with young players. MacLean had his problems, but it's not like he's left the team without talent. Rick Nash, 23, is an All-Star and Nikolai Zherdev is among the brightest young stars in the game. Goalie Pascal Leclaire is among the league leaders in most every stat category and the bulk of the team is under the age of 25 and made up primarily of MacLean's draft picks and acquisitions. But they haven't grown up yet, and Hitchcock isn't just waiting for the younger stars -- particularly Nash -- to step up. He's force- feeding the process. He knows that if they don't, at least some of the veterans will likely be gone and the process will have to start all over again.

Hitchcock made it happen in Dallas after he took over a team that always seemed good enough to win but never did. He got a lot of credit for the success there, but he'll be the first to tell you that things started to turn around when the players played more for themselves and each other than they did for the coaches who told them what to do. When that happens, a coach has done his job. The players take over and guide the fortunes of the team.

That attitude is what Hitchcock is trying to instill in Columbus. So far this season, the team has stayed close to its goal, but hasn't gotten over the top and time is starting to run out. If it does, someone from the veteran pool of Peca, Foote or forward Sergei Federov will be gone and these promising Jackets will be hanging around the golf course in April yet again.

Winter surprises

In the madness that overtakes us as the NHL inches toward its annual trade-deadline carnival, there are some things worth noting that don't involve Peter Forsberg's foot, Mats Sundin's no-trade clause, and the rumors involving seemingly every member of the Ottawa Senators.

For instance, did you know that the two best teams in their respective conferences since the start of the new year are the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins? How's that for a potential Stanley Cup final?

In the 23 games played between Jan. 1 and Feb. 17, the Preds top all teams with 31 points on their record of 13-5-5. That's one point better than defending Cup champion Anaheim though the Ducks had played only 22 games.

The Penguins, meanwhile, have gone 13-5-3 for 29 points in 21 games, the bulk of which have been played without Sidney Crosby in the lineup. Pittsburgh is one point better than the East's other surging team, the Montreal Canadiens who have gone 13-6-2 for 28 in 21 games.

During that same stretch, the perceived best team in the East, the Senators, were 9-11-1, a record exactly equal to the cellar-dwelling Toronto Maple Leafs. That's 19 points in 21 games for each of those two teams.

In the West, the turnaround darling Chicago Blackhawks and the always interesting Canucks have been bottom feeders. Vancouver is 7-8-4 since the start of the new year, good for 18 points in 19 games. The Hawks, who regularly make the highlight reels with their picture-pretty goals, are 8-10-3.

Winter surprises II

Almost everyone knows that scoring is down, but did you know that overtime games have decreased as well? The perception is that teams in close games will play to get to OT and maybe even the shootout, but in the 897 matches played through Sunday there have been 185 OT decisions (20.6 percent of all games). In 2005-06, there were 281 OT decisions (22.8 percent). Oddly enough, that number was the same in 2006-07.

So far this season, there have been 93 OT points awarded to Western Conference teams and 92 to Eastern squads. Run that out over the full 1,230 regular season games and it computes to 254 OT points, down 27 from each of the past two seasons.

What does it mean? Hard to say. One could argue that teams are becoming more aware of the impact of three point games (two for a win, one for their technically non-losing opponent getting to the extra session). Some hockey people I've spoken to think teams are showing more push to "go for it" in regulation time, especially in division and conference games. The idea is to secure two points but also deny the opponent one that can be crucial in a playoff race and for positioning within the postseason standings.

Taking a Flyer

Jim Vandermeer will give the already stout Flames even more blueline depth. Jamie Sabean/Getty Images

Interesting pickup in Calgary on Wednesday night as the Flames acquired Jim Vandermeer from the Philadelphia Flyers for a third-round pick in the 2009 draft.

It's interesting because the Flyers appear desperate for defensive help, but they moved a player who had been in the NHL all season in exchange for a draft pick at a time when a playoff berth is seriously in doubt.

The catch is that the Flyers earlier picked up Jaroslav Modry. At 37, he is 10 years older than Vandermeer, but the word out of Philadelphia is that the Flyers had grown tired of Vandermeer's penchant for giving the puck away at crucial times and that the team needed a steadier defenseman to play alongside Kimmo Timonen who is partial to taking chances on offense.

It's also interesting that the Flames now have eight defensemen, but it appears to be a depth move as Calgary has had problems with backline injuries for several seasons at playoff time. In addition, the unit falls off in all-around quality after the top four of Dion Phaneuf, Adrian Aucoin, Robyn Regehr and Cory Sarich, especially when veteran Rhett Warrener is hurt, which is often the case.