We are less than a month away from the Calder Cup Playoffs. We have solid playoff teams and teams still battling to get it.

Now, we can start having a discussion of Calder Cup favorites. I think your choice is going to be my choice and it may be bolstered by the week they just had.

Can anyone beat the Charlotte Checkers, our number one team this week, in a playoff series?

Syracuse, our number two team this week, gave it a good run this past week, but that would only come with the Crunch getting out of the North which a matchup against the number three team in Belleville may not be an automatic guarantee.

Bakersfield and Chicago round out the top five. The Condors smoked Ontario in their only action this week and the Wolves are battling for the division championship in the Central.

Click past the Wolves to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1	Last Week: RCH 1 @ CHA 4, RCH 1 @ CHA 3, SYR 2 @ CHA 1 (OT), SYR 2 @ CHA 4
	We don’t think there is a team that can touch the Checkers in a seven game series. They should be your favorites for the Calder Cup this season.
n/a	This Week: vs. HFD 3/23, vs. HFD 3/24, @ BRI 3/27
Record: 42-15-7-1

2	Last Week: HFD 2 @ SYR 3, BNG 1 @ SYR 4, SYR 2 @ CHA 1 (OT), SYR 2 @ CHA 4
	Split a series with Charlotte this past week. We’d slightly like the Crunch’s chances against the Checkers than say, Rochester.
n/a	This Week: vs. UTI 3/23, @ BRI 3/24, @ BEL 3/27
Record: 41-18-4-2

3	Last Week: LAV 3 @ BEL 2 (SO), LAV 5 @ BEL 6 (SO), UTI 1 @ BEL 3
	You can probably start buying the ink in Belleville for those playoff tickets after this 5 of 6 point week.
+1	This Week: @ PRO 3/22, @ BRI 3/23, vs. SYR 3/27
Record: 33-25-3-5

4	Last Week: ONT 0 @ BAK 7
	Smoked Ontario Saturday in their only action of the week. Come back for seconds and thirds this week with two more against the Reign.
+1	This Week: @ ONT 3/22, vs. ONT 3/27
Record: 37-17-3-1

5	Last Week: CLE 3 @ CHI 2, SA 2 @ CHI 6, CHI 1 @ RFD 2 (SO)
	Wolves are a lock for the postseason, but the division championship remains in doubt. Will probably come down to the final day, but a two point cushion now in Rosemont may as well be twelve.
+1	This Week: @ TEX 3/22, @ SA 3/23, @ SA 3/26
Record: 37-19-5-3

6	Last Week: BRI 1 @ HER 5, SPR 0 @ BRI 4, TOR 2 @ BRI 1 (OT)
	Home ice race between Hershey and Bridgeport looks like a fun one to watch as the season winds down.
+1	This Week: vs. BEL 3/23, vs. SYR 3/24, vs. CHA 3/27
Record: 37-20-6-2

7	Last Week: RFD 3 @ GR 2, GR 3 @ MIL 2 (SO), GR 2 @ SA 1 (SO), GR 3 @ TEX 6
	Got three points out of six on the road trip this past week which continues through Texas and Iowa this week.
+1	This Week: @ TEX 3/23, @ SA 3/24, @ IA 3/26
Record: 35-19-6-4

8	Last Week: RCH 1 @ CHA 4, RCH 1 @ CHA 3
	Can Rochester hang with the Eastern Conference heavyweights? After this past week with Charlotte, the answer is a resounding no.
-5	This Week: vs. CLE 3/22, @ TOR 3/23, @ TOR 3/24, vs. LV 3/27
Record: 39-20-3-2

9	Last Week: TOR 5 @ HER 4 (OT), BRI 1 @ HER 5, WBS 0 @ HER 1 (OT)
	Start printing those playoff tickets, Hershey. Only question is whether the Bears have home ice or not.
+1	This Week: @ CLE 3/23, @ CLE 3/24
Record: 36-22-3-4

10	Last Week: SD 4 @ MTB 1, SD 3 @ MTB 4 (OT)
	3 out of 4 in Winnipeg, far away from home, is a good trip for the Gulls. Two home games this week.
+1	This Week: vs. ONT 3/23, vs. SJ 3/27
Record: 32-20-4-3

11	Last Week: SA 3 @ IA 6, IA 2 @ TUC 5, IA 2 @ TUC 0
	It should be interesting to see how far Tim Army can take this Wild club in the postseason. Will the Wild get home ice in the first round remains the question?
+1	This Week: @ STK 3/22, @ STK 3/24, vs. GR 3/26
Record: 34-19-7-5

12	Last Week: TOR 5 @ HER 4 (OT), TOR 3 @ LV 4, TOR 4 @ WBS 2, TOR 2 @ BRI 1 (OT)
	I would call that a successful trip through the Atlantic Division for the Marlies. They are the defending champions for a reason.
+2	This Week: vs. RCH 3/23, vs. RCH 3/24
Record: 35-21-5-2

13	Last Week: PRO 5 @ LV 3, PRO 1 @ WBS 2 (OT), PRO 2 @ LAV 3 (SO)
	Bruins can cement themselves as the four seed in the Atlantic with a 5 of 6 point week this week against Belleville, Binghamton and Wilkes-Barre.
+2	This Week: vs. BEL 3/22, vs. BNG 3/23, @ WBS 3/27
Record: 32-22-8-3

14	Last Week: PRO 1 @ WBS 2 (OT), TOR 4 @ WBS 2, WBS 0 @ HER 1 (OT)
	Burned off two games in hand on Providence and didn’t really make up any ground. Busy week and one with those Bruins next Wednesday.
-1	This Week: vs. LV 3/22, @ LV 3/23, vs. SPR 3/24, vs. PRO 3/27
Record: 30-24-7-3

15	Last Week: COL 3 @ SJ 2, COL 0 @ SJ 9
	Emphatic shutout of Colorado on Sunday. We will see if that lit a spark in a listless Gulls side as the season winds down or not.
+2	This Week: @ TUC 3/23, @ TUC 3/24, @ SD 3/27
Record: 32-19-2-4

16	Last Week: COL 3 @ SJ 2, COL 0 @ SJ 9
	Bad day at the office Sunday, getting embarrassed 9-0 by San Jose. Shake it off and get back to work this week with Manitoba.
-7	This Week: vs. MTB 3/22, vs. MTB 3/23
Record: 32-23-3-1

17	Last Week: PRO 5 @ LV 3, TOR 3 @ LV 4
	Got a goal with .5 seconds left to beat the Marlies Saturday and stay on the Penguins heels for fifth in the Atlantic.
+2	This Week: @ WBS 3/22, vs. WBS 3/23, @ RCH 3/27
Record: 31-27-3-3

18	Last Week: RFD 3 @ GR 2, CLE 2 @ RFD 3 (OT), TEX 1 @ RFD 2, CHI 1 @ RFD 2 (SO)
	6 of 8 points for the IceHogs in a very busy week piling up valuable playoff points.
+8	This Week: @ MIL 3/22, vs. MIL 3/23, vs. MIL 3/27
Record: 31-24-4-6

19	Last Week: TEX 5 @ MTB 4 (OT), TEX 1 @ RFD 2, GR 3 @ TEX 6
	Stars need every point they can get now in a battle with Rockford for the four spot. Busy week coming up with tough teams.
+5	This Week: @ MTB 3/15, @ RFD 3/17, vs. GR 3/20
Record: 32-27-4-3

20	Last Week: CLE 3 @ CHI 2, CLE 2 @ RFD 3 (OT)
	Monsters get three of four points but still have a lot of work to do to catch white hot Belleville.
+2	This Week: @ RCH 3/22, vs. HER 3/23, vs. HER 3/24
Record: 30-26-7-1

21	Last Week: HFD 2 @ SYR 3, HFD 5 @ UTI 3
	Split the weekend. Wolf Pack still out to play spoiler, but head to Charlotte for a pair next week.
-5	This Week: @ CHA 3/23, @ CHA 3/24
Record: 28-29-6-3

22	Last Week: TEX 5 @ MTB 4 (OT), SD 4 @ MTB 1, SD 3 @ MTB 4 (OT)
	Manitoba still has life but, like other teams, needs help. Busy road week coming up.
+1	This Week: @ COL 3/22, @ COL 3/23, @ TEX 3/27
Record: 31-27-4-2

23	Last Week: LAV 3 @ BEL 2 (SO), LAV 5 @ BEL 6 (SO), PRO 2 @ LAV 3 (SO)
	Finishing above .500 is a very real chance for the Rocket this season.
+7	This Week: @ UTI 3/22, @ SPR 3/23, vs. BNG 3/27
Record: 27-27-6-5

24	Last Week: SPR 2 @ UTI 1 (OT), SPR 0 @ BRI 4
	Split the week. Springfield’s fall from the top of the pile throughout the season is one of the many reasons why you can never really take this team seriously.
-6	This Week: vs. BNG 3/22, vs. LAV, @ WBS 3/24
Record: 27-26-7-5

25	Last Week: SPR 2 @ UTI 1 (OT), HFD 5 @ UTI 3, UTI 1 @ BEL 3
	Utica has never really played like a playoff team. Teams like that get into playoffs all the time, but with the resurgence of Belleville, it looks like the Comets are the odd team out in the North.
-5	This Week: vs. LAV 3/22, @ SYR 3/23
Record: 30-28-6-2

26	Last Week: TUC 3 @ STK 1, TUC 5 @ STK 2, IA 2 @ TUC 5, IA 2 @ TUC 0
	That series with Iowa was a good one, but unfortunately Tucson is seven points out of fourth with ten games left. Very important home series with San Jose coming up.
+3	This Week: vs. SJ 3/23, vs. SJ 3/24
Record: 28-23-5-2

27	Last Week: GR 3 @ MIL 2 (SO)
	Milwaukee’s run of being unable to get two points after regulation remains remarkable.
-2	This Week: vs. RFD 3/22, @ RFD 3/23, @ RFD 3/27
Record: 26-24-13-2

28	Last Week: SA 3 @ IA 6, SA 2 @ CHI 6, GR 2 @ SA 1 (SO)
	Rampage run at playoffs is over. You can’t get one point out of a week as an outside team to be considered a contender.
n/a	This Week: vs. CHI 3/23, vs. GR 3/24, vs. CHI 3/26
Record: 27-31-6-1

29	Last Week: TUC 3 @ STK 1, TUC 5 @ STK 2
	Swept by the slumping Roadrunners. Tells you all you need to know about the Heat.
-2	This Week: vs. IA 3/22, vs. IA 3/24
Record: 25-28-4-2

30	Last Week: BNG 1 @ SYR 4
	How many more games left in the Senators schedule? End of season can’t come quick enough.
+1	This Week: @ SPR 3/22, @ PRO 3/22, @ LAV 3/27
Record: 24-36-5-0

31	Last Week: ONT 0 @ BAK 7
	Yikes.
-10	This Week: vs. BAK 3/22, @ SD 3/23, @ BAK 3/27
Record: 21-28-6-2

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Have a great week, everyone!