By Ira Podell
The Associated Press

SUNRISE, Fla. - The first half of the NHL season featured two teams in bankruptcy, seven teams with new coaches, and two final scores for one All-Star game. What's up for the second half?

Well, Glen Sather began his first full week as coach of the New York Rangers on Monday. The team's president and general manager took on his added role Thursday when he replaced Bryan Trottier, fired 54 games into his first season.

Sather, who coached Edmonton to four Stanley Cups in the 1980s, has vowed to get the Rangers into the playoffs for the first time since 1997.

"He'll do fine," said Philadelphia coach Ken Hitchcock, who wanted the Rangers' job last summer. "He's not afraid of dealing with accountability issues. He's not afraid of taking risks."

The Rangers have the NHL's highest payroll, yet are 11th in the Eastern Conference - 21 points behind Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa. The Senators have been on top for much of the season despite a payroll crisis and bankruptcy filing.

The Senators, though, are just two points ahead of the New Jersey Devils and seven ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers.

"All you need is a 4-0 run, and you're right back in there," Hitchcock said.

In the lower portion of the conference, only nine points separate the eighth and final playoff spot and the No. 4 Flyers.

"Getting into the playoffs is hard, and getting into the playoffs is everything," Hitchcock said. "It's very difficult when only eight teams are getting in."

No spot is safe, as only nine points separate fifth place from being left out.

Hitchcock led Dallas to the 1999 Stanley Cup and lost in the finals a year later. He was fired last season and replaced by Dave Tippett, who has the Stars on top with the most points in the NHL.

Tippett will further rely on his All-Stars to keep things rolling. Marty Turco was the key for the Western Conference in Sunday's All-Star game. He gave up just one goal in the third period and then allowed only Atlanta's Dany Heatley to beat him in the decisive shootout that left the final score 6-5 - 3-1 in the penalty shot-style tiebreaker.

That was after the final score was first announced as 8-6, when the NHL temporarily had the shootout goals included in team and individual totals. That later was changed.

Turco has been a pleasant surprise this season. He was given the starting job in Dallas after Ed Belfour left for Toronto.

In just his third NHL season, Turco leads the league in goals against average (1.79) and is second in save percentage (.931). He has helped the Stars to 72 points, the most in the NHL, and first place in the Pacific Division.

The refreshing look of the Western Conference promises more surprises in the final 30 games.

Instead of wondering whether Patrick Roy and Peter Forsberg will lift Colorado to home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, the question is whether captain Joe Sakic can heal in time to get his team into the postseason.

The Avalanche already have endured the firing of coach Bob Hartley, who led the club to the 2001 Stanley Cup. Now they are trying to hold on to eighth place under rookie coach Tony Granato.

They trail the surprising Minnesota Wild and Edmonton Oilers. The Wild will look to ride the fine talent of 20-year-old Marian Gaborik to their first playoff berth. The Oilers are only four points behind Stanley Cup champion Detroit.

And then there's San Jose, a promising club with a mediocre record. The Sharks fired coach Darryl Sutter during a first half that started with holdout players.

Back in the East, the Buffalo Sabres hope the second half finally lands them an owner other than the NHL, which has been running the club. The Sabres joined the Senators in bankruptcy court, but are practically in a different league when it comes to play.

The Sabres were able to stay above the bottom, but they were caught before the All-Star break by the suddenly rejuvenated Atlanta Thrashers.

Atlanta and Buffalo are tied for the fewest points in the league at 41 each. The Thrashers brought in Hartley, after Colorado let him go, and he already has started teaching them how to win. Having rising stars Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk is helping.

The 22-year-old Heatley, who leads the Thrashers with 49 points, will rejoin his team following a four-goal performance in the All-Star game.

"Been good so far," Heatley said. "Atlanta's playing better. It's getting better every day."