With the All-Star Game and Skills Competition coming up this weekend (YAWN!!!!) It is the unofficial middle of the NHL season.  I will give you my choices for league MVP, Vezina, and ROY.  Also I will give you my opinion on which team has a bright future, which teams have "Jumped the Shark" and which have already been eaten by the Shark.

Anaheim Mighty Ducks: With an excellent front office, bringing back Scott Neidermeyer is a plus, as well as young stars in Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf.  Bright Future.

Atlanta Thrashers: Working in a city that doesn't really care for hockey, and if they lose Marian Hossa they have Jumped the Shark.

Boston Bruins: A bright future with the best goalie prospect in Tukka Rask, and a young goal scorer in Phil Kessel.

Buffalo Sabres: A team in dissarray since they lost their two captains, are lacking leadership, and have a chance to loose even more with Brian Campbell shelving contract talks. Jumped the Shark, and are dripping blood into the water.

Calgary Flames: A bright future withstars like Dion Phaneuf, Jerome Iginla and Mika Kiprusoff.

Carolina Hurricanes: Another team in a market that largely doesn't care that they are there, but have good young talent with Eric Staal and Cam Ward.  Could be a force in the Eastern Conference for years to come.

Chicago Blackhawks: One of the brightest futures with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, with a defense anchored by Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith.

Colorado Avalanche: Jumped the shark simply because they do not have a good enough goalie to carry them for the next few years.

Columbus Blue Jackets: A good future with Rick Nash and Gilber Brule, but lack of goalie playing for them right now means they have jumped the shark.

Dallas Stars: Not so good a future, not many young stars coming up in the system.  Good team now but they are putting on the skiis to jump the shark.

Detroit Red Wings: Can never be counted out, to good a team that will find gems in the draft and free agency.  Front office stability with Ken Holland, bright future.

Edmonton Oilers: Excellent future with Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano, need a goalie for the future but may have found it with Mathieu Garon.  bright future if they pick up a goalie.

Florida Panthers: Another market that doesn't care for their team, but has a bright future in net with Thomas Vokoun and with Nathan Horton and Jay Bouwmeister scoring goals.

Los Angeles Kings: A bright future with a great team, but lack of goalie right now.  They have Jonathan Bernier who had a great showing at the world juniors and in the London games.  Bright Future.

Minnesota Wild: Excellent future with Marion Gaborik and Mikko Koivu, and Nick Backstrom in net.  Bright Future if they can get rid of the owner the just allowed to buy the franchise, Craig Leopold will cry poor eventually then sell the team, buy another team and repeat this process for years.

Montreal Canadiens: Carey Price, Kyle Chipchura, and Corey Locke.  Nuff said, Bright Future

Nashville Predators: Another team in a market where teams don't care.  I thought they were going to fall apart when they traded Vokoun to Florida, but Chris Mason has provided stability in goal.  Bright future.

New Jersey Devils: Martin Brodeur is getting older, and they have no heir apparent to him in net.  Jumped the shark for that reason alone.

New York Islanders: With stability in goal with 15 year man Rick DiPietro, team needs some young talent and doesn't have much.  eaten by the shark.

New York Rangers: Have stability in goal with Lundqvist, but the cupboard is bare with no good young talent.  Eaten by the shark.

Ottawa Senators: Young talent with Jason Spezza, and Dany Heatly and stability in goal with Ray Emery.  Brightest future in the league.

Philadelphia Flyers: Excellent future in goal with Nitymaki when Biron leaves, and good young talent with Richards and Carter and Daniel Briere there for 7 years after this.

Phoenix Coyotes: Bright future now that they have extended Bryzgalov, with Mueller and Carcillo, and Kyle Turris playing in Junior.  another bright future in a market not caring about thier team.  Too bad.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal.  Lack of stability in goal, but the offence makes up for it.  Brigth future.

San Jose Sharks: If only Cheechoo could get the monkey off his back not being able to score, with Nabokov, but from what I know, the cupboard is bare.  Jumping the Shark.

St. Louis Blues: Excellent future with Johnson and Manny Legace between the pipes.  With the aquisition on Andy MacDonald have a bright future.

Tampa Bay Lightning: With no goaltender on the horizon, the offense will run out by the time they get one.  Eaten by the shark

Toronto Maple Leafs: they were eaten by the shark last year when they traded Rask for Raycroft and have the highest paid and worst defence core in the league.  with no draft picks and no prospects on thehorizon, this look is 100% accurate.

Vancouver Canucks: Roberto Luongo could fall victim to Brodeur syndrome with playing so many games.  Have a bright future mainly because of the Sedin twins.

Washingon Capitals: No goalie on the horizonbut have a young core of players that can make the team appear better than they are.  sort of luke-warm future.

Mid-Season Awards

MVP: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings.  The Wings would not be this good unless they had the offense this guy provides.  Let me know your choice cause I still think it is up in the air.

Vezina: Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes.  I made this pick because he turned this team around this season.  Tell me your pick, still up in the air.

Rookie of the Year: Sam Gagner, Edmonton Oilers.  No one has looked so good in the shootout or during the games.  Pat Kane looked good, but when Toews went down with injuries.  Price deserves consideration as well, but was sent to minors.  Gagner is my pick, but again still up in the air.