The Calgary Flames find themselves in the precarious position as the NHL trade deadline approaches. Being on the bubble of the last playoff spot, should they be buyers in hopes that they’ll get a few playoff dates, or be sellers and start building a team that can contend a little more convincingly?

The NHL’s youngest players are having an impact on the league like never before. With the way today’s game is evolving, it’s these rookie and sophomore players who will shape the future of hockey with strong, all-around play and dynamic highlight-reel scoring on a nightly basis.

The Columbus Blue Jackets spent last summer preparing for a playoff run in 2011-12, but instead have fallen convincingly to last place in the NHL. Now, the debate is whether or not to sell low on the likes of Jeff Carter and Rick Nash, or see if they can bounce back from bad years as part of an inevitable rebuild that’s desperately needed in Ohio.

Patrice Bergeron’s career nearly ended four years ago when he suffered one of the worst-looking concussions in NHL history. Today, he’s finally back on track. But with all the media attention given to concussions since Sidney Crosby experienced his, we need only look back to Bergeron to truly see how little we actually understand the situation.

The New York Rangers have emerged as a top contender in the Eastern Conference. The young squad have grown and evolved together, learning from the mistakes of the past and benefitting from experienced veterans like Brad Richards. Will this be enough to get them a Stanley Cup?

It has been a forgettable season for the forgettable Columbus Blue Jackets. But with the turmoil among the players, coaches and fans, a story is emerging in that of winger Vinny Prospal, who has returned from an injury last season to be among his new team’s top scorers.

Carolina Hurricanes prospect Zac Dalpe made his NHL debut last season, scoring an assist in his first game. Since then, he’s battled other top prospects and hopes to one day become a stalwart member of the Hurricanes’ roster, but only if he can get over the hump that is the AHL.

John Tavares was the first-overall selection of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Since his arrival, he’s largely gone unnoticed by anybody not adorning NY Islanders gear. Why has Tavares been so overlooked compared to the likes of other first-overalls like Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos and even Nugent-Hopkins?

The New Jersey Devils haven’t had the year they’ve wanted, primarily due to team scoring stars like Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise failing to find the net with regularity. Meanwhile, rookies Adam Henrique and Adam Larsson are proving to be the next wave of New Jersey elite.

Patrik Elias is on the cusp of setting a franchise record for goals scored with the New Jersey Devils. Elias is often overlooked due to some of the star power from other members of his team, but he’s put together a career that just may be worthy of the Hall of Fame.

Only recently has Kyle Turris ended his long holdout and signed a contract with the Phoenix Coyotes, but the deal was for less than he wanted, and he’s forced to continue playing for an organization that he’s unimpressed with. Will the missed time hurt his development?

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers literally played to a standstill last week, polarizing the NHL in regards to whether the 1-3-1 trap play should be allowed. But with no rules against the style, are we at risk of more boring hockey?

The Edmonton Oilers are currently sitting atop the standings; a spot they haven’t enjoyed since their dynasty-like run in the 80s. A lot of credit goes to the emerging core of young stars, but some kudos must be reserved for 38-year-old Nikolai Khabibulin, who is enjoying yet another run carrying a team from worst to first.

The sport of hockey is as physically demanding as it is exhausting, which means that it will inevitably take its tolls on the players that play it. As a result, any players who plan on playing the game for the long term fight back with a strong focus on nutrition and the good they put back in their body after a gruelling practice. TheGP Hockey teams up with Victoria Mikhail to explain.

With the 2012 NHL Draft looming so far off in the distance, it’s easy to overlook the masses of draft-eligible prospects scattered across the continent. It’s even easier to overlook those hailing from California. When Nicolas Kerdiles moved north to play hockey for the University of Wisconsin, he did it with the show in mind.

Lightweight blue-liner Jesse Graham may face the typical-barrage of questions set aside for players of his size between now and the NHL Draft next summer, but the added scrutiny only makes for a more developed prospect. TheGP Hockey takes a good hard look at the Niagara IceDogs system in place that has polished the future NHL d-man.

The Ilya Kovalchuk contract conundrum of 2010 is something NHL purists have happily pushed to the back of their minds. For the New Jersey Devils, however, the summer-long charade that turned into one of the most substantial contracts in hockey history will always be of concern – especially when the superstar who signed it isn’t living up to his reputation.

The name Griffin Reinhart is a hard one to forget, especially when it marks an NHL pedigree the spans generations. TheGP Hockey kicks off its 2012 NHL Entry Draft coverage with a thorough account of one of the best defensemen on the market this season. Will Griffin follow in the footsteps of father Paul Reinhart?

With so much attention given to sophomore slumps in the NHL, it’s easy to forget that player development doesn’t stop when a player hits his third year in the league. Do any notable players coming off successful second-year campaigns look susceptible to a step back in 2011-12? TheGP Hockey considers “the third-year jinx.”

Though it won’t make national headlines like the growing head injury concern in hockey, a similarly subtle epidemic has started making an impact on the way men and women of all ages – not to mention all levels – approach the game. Retired NHL star Claude Lemieux is among the latest to join the cause against foot injuries caused by increasingly rigid hockey skates.