The NHL’s Western Conference is not what it used to be, thus making sub-.500 teams like the Avalanche a playoff bubble team entering Monday’s trade deadline. The Avs entered Saturday’s game at Nashville with 63 points, just a point behind their conference playoff cutline but a distant eight from what it would take to make the postseason in the Eastern Conference.
Colorado and five other teams — the Stars, Wild, Coyotes, Blackhawks and Canucks — were each within five points of each other, battling for a Western Conference wild-card playoff spot when they normally would be potential sellers heading into Monday’s deadline.