The 2014-15 NHL regular season will end on April 11, meaning there is just one month left for teams to make the final push toward the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With several teams still in the mix and key races going on throughout the league's four divisions, now is as good of a time as any to stop and look at some of the most compelling story lines heading into the final month of the regular season.
Now that teams have their rosters set for the final push, here are five things to keep an eye on going forward:
5) Wild-card Push: The addition of the four wild-card spots -- two in each conference -- and the new divisional bracketing format for the Stanley Cup Playoffs has done wonders for the NHL.
There are a lot of teams still in the mix, hoping to earn a wild-card spot when all is said and done on April 11.
In the Eastern Conference the Washington Capitals (82 points) have a four-point lead atop the wild-card standings over the Boston Bruins (78), who are clinging to the second and final spot.
Also in the mix are the Florida Panthers (72) while the Ottawa Senators (71) and Philadelphia Flyers (69) hopes are dwindling, but still alive.
Over in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Wild (81) have been the hottest team since the All-Star break and own the top wild-card spot after winning seven of their last nine games. The Winnipeg Jets (78) hold the second position, but they are starting to falter, having lost five of their last eight -- including an excruciating defeat to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, as usual, are starting to click late and are just one point out of the wild-card picture (77) while the slumping San Jose Sharks (74) are also in striking distance.
With a month left to play, these teams will be jockeying for position through the rest of the season.
4) The Presidents' Trophy: The race for the best record and most points in the NHL is on and it's a tightly-contested affair. The Nashville Predators (91 points) appeared to be running away with it, but a recent six-game skid has seen their surprising season come crashing back down to Earth.
Due to their slump, they are now tied with the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens with 91 points while the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning each have 90 points and the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers have earned 89 points with a month left in the season.
3) Best of the West: As previously mentioned, the Predators troubles have allowed many teams to gain ground on them, and that includes within their division. Nashville is just two points up on the Blues for first place in the Central Division. The Blackhawks have managed to stay afloat after Patrick Kane's injury, but hold just a three-point lead over the surging Wild for third place in the standings.
Over in the Pacific Division, the Ducks have been relaxing for quite some time in the lead and currently hold an 11-point cushion over the second place Vancouver Canucks (80 points), who are enjoying a bounce-back season.
The Calgary Flames (77) have been a fantastic surprise this season, but the Kings have the same amount of points as them and could oust them for the third spot soon.
Though the Ducks have a strangle hold on the Pacific, the third place spot remains up in the air while the Blues will look to make a huge push on the Predators in the Central over the next month.
2) Beasts from the East: The playoff picture is very much up in the air in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders have had a tight grip on the Metropolitan Division for a long time, but it's beginning to loosen.
After falling to the rival Rangers on Tuesday night by a 2-1 margin, the Isles are now just one point ahead of the Blueshirts while the Pittsburgh Penguins are four points back and the Capitals are also in the mix.
Over in the Atlantic Division, the Canadiens, Lightning and Detroit Red Wings have been duking it out in a tight-race all season, which was heightened with Tampa Bay's 1-0 overtime win over Montreal on Tuesday.
The Canadiens hold a one-point lead over the Lightning while the Red Wings are six points behind Montreal and trail Tampa Bay by five.
These races are sure to heat up as the 2014-15 season rages on in the final month.
1) The Race to the Hart Trophy: The competition for league MVP -- like many other trophy races in the NHL -- has many possible candidates, but it has also easily become the most compelling race to watch as far as individual awards are concerned.
Islanders captain John Tavares has been the heart-and-soul of the team yet again this season and is a big reason why the club has been on top of the Metropolitan Division for most of their final season in the Nassau Coliseum. Tavares leads the entire NHL with 72 points and is tied for fourth in the league with 33 goals.
Canadiens goaltender Carey Price appears to be a lock to win the Vezina Trophy and could very well become the first netminder since Jose Theodore in 2002 to win the Hart Trophy.
Price is a huge reason why Montreal is in the hunt for the Presidents' Trophy as he leads the NHL in wins (37), goals-against average (1.87) and save percentage (.937) all while ranking tied for second in the league with seven shutouts.
Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is also in the conversation and is the key reason, along with linemate Nicklas Backstrom and better goaltending from Braden Holtby, that Washington has enjoyed resurgence.
Ovechkin leads the NHL with 44 goals and is tied with Backstrom for second in the league with 69 points. Backstrom, another possible Hart Trophy candidate, leads the NHL with 51 assists.
Rangers forward Rick Nash has also entered the conversation as he is enjoying his finest all-around season since being dealt to New York in 2012. Nash is second in the NHL with 39 goals and leads the Blueshirts with 62 points.
An NHL season that has featured plenty of twists, turns and surprises is beginning to wind down as the final lap on the road to the Stanley Cup Playoffs is underway.
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