The Western Conference chase is getting more intense by the day. The Stars looked like a good bet to make a sustained move, but then they lost center Brad Richards for the bulk of the season.

He suffered a broken wrist Monday in the team’s game against Columbus. The Stars would like to add an additional scorer to offset that loss, but there isn’t much cap room, as the Dallas Morning News site notes.

Here are a few other injury updates from this side of the league:

• Colorado hopes to get center Paul Stastny back Friday. But Joe Sakic, still on the mend from back and hand injuries, will have to work hard to return before the regular season ends.
• The Red Wings hope to get power forward Johan Franzen back Wednesday.
• Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp will miss at least two to three weeks with a “lower body injury” that looked suspiciously like a sprained knee.
• Predators winger Steve Sullivan is persevering in years-long battle with back problems, but he hasn’t scored in 15 games. He’s just not the same player as before, which is understandable.

TO HOLD A FIRE SALE, OR NOT

As the Western Conference playoff race heads toward the stretch run, general managers must decide whether to dump talent for draft picks or play on.

Since all 15 teams are still comfortably within range of a playoff slot, there will be great reluctance to bail.

Kings general manager Dean Lombardi is one of the GMs on the spot. He explained his thought process to a blogger for Los Angeles Daily News.

Former Lightning GM Jay Feaster talked about the trade deadline pressure in his Hockey News blog.

ENJOYING CAM JANSSEN’S FIGHT

This is an epic beatdown. Blues fans ought to bookmark this link.

ENJOYING B.J. CROMBEEN’S GOAL

The New York Times hockey blog took a long look at that game-winning goal Monday.

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

The Blues always like to see one of their prospects make the weekly Hot List in The Hockey News. It happened again this week.

AROUND THE RINKS: Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson is leaning heavily on Old Friend Lee Stempniak these days, giving him prime offensive opportunities. With Tomas Kaberle injured, Stempniak is seeing time on the power-play point. Perhaps teammate Jason Blake’s hot touch will be contagious . . . Blues fans not used to seeing Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist were amused by his penchant for making head saves, a lot deranged soccer goalkeeper . . . Top Maple Leaf goaltending prospect Justin Pogge had a rough home-ice debut in Toronto in the Versus TV game . . . The Canadiens insists that Alexei Kovalev is not hurt. Yet the team left him home for its quick two-game homestand. Is he just fatigued or is he on the trade block? Hmmm . . . Hard-luck Hurricanes forward Justin Williams could miss the bulk of the remaining season with a broke hand.