Fanning the fire: on-ice action will get hot as the NHL season resumes, and five teams pack a little extra sizzle.(NHL: SECOND HALF PREVIEW)

The Olympic cauldron is cold, the boys are back, and the 2006 Games now give way to the most important NHL games of 2006. It's March, and every NHL fan knows this is when every point can be the difference between making the playoffs and going home early, when every game can affect the precarious positioning at the top of the standings.

And, this year, we find out how much the Olympic tournament took out of individuals physically and mentally, how much it boosted players who found a new level of confidence in Italy, how much it can be blamed or credited for changing the results of the NHL season.

When last we left our smaller rinks and the North American league, the Hurricanes and Red Wings were leading their conferences but weren't running away with anything. The Sabres and Rangers were surprising the rest of the league, the Predators had proved they were for real, and the Kings hadn't collapsed because of injuries. Only 11 points separated spots two through six in the Eastern Conference and spots two through eight in the Western Conference. and plenty of other teams were poised to climb into the playoff picture.

With the excitement mounting, five teams should spark extra interest the rest of the way.

Maple Leafs

Why: Stanley Cup aspirations follow this team into every season, but the goal heading into this April will be just making the playoffs. For a team that plays every game under a microscope, the pressure is going to hit extremes.

Spotlight's on: Mats Sundin. Granted, goaltending is a question for the Leafs, but they need more offense from Sundin--and others up front, for that matter. The team follows Sundin's lead, and he'll need to be strong on and off the ice for the team to get through this season successfully.