Vancouver, Los Angeles or Phoenix.

The three teams have two things in common right now: They're competing with each other for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference and none have their season's original team captain in the lineup.

Phoenix traded their captain, Keith Tkachuk. Same with L.A. and Rob Blake. Vancouver's Markus Naslund broke his leg in two places on March 16.

Money matters

On the ice, qualifying for the playoffs is a key component in building a successful franchise, as well as the first step in winning the Stanley Cup -- however remote the possibility. There is also a major financial component, as home playoff games could be the difference between profit and loss for many teams. "Our budgeting is based on making the playoffs," Kings GM Dave Taylor said. According to GM Dean Lombardi, the Sharks' concern isn't about profits but about the amount of cash-flow in the near future. "It wouldn't be crippling to the bottom line," he said, "but it would hurt more so in terms of going forward -- having cash to get players signed."

Though each is missing some degree of leadership and each are at different stages of development, missing the playoffs would be considered a failure by each of them.

Ironically, the Canucks were expected to struggle in qualifying for the playoffs from the outset of the season, when the roster was considered young and relatively inexperienced, yet talented and improving.

Yet, as the saying goes, success spoils. Vancouver surprised the NHL with solid play and a 16-8-4-2 record over the first two months of the season. A playoff apprearance has since transformed from an assumed reality into an unstable expectation.

While the Canucks can fall back on the absence of their top two point-scorers -- Naslund and Andrew Cassels (ankle) -- as an excuse, falling from the No. 5 seed to ninth place in a matter of weeks could negate all the positive momentum built by the young team over the course of the season.

"We're not even using that word around here -- the 'P' word," general manager Brian Burke said of the playoffs. "To talk about something we haven't attained is premature.

"Anyone who talks about it before making the dance is out of their mind."

That doesn't mean Burke is hedging his bets, he's just not foolish enough to begin talking playoffs when there's no "X" next to his team in the standings, indicating a secured playoff spot.

"But," he added, "I believe in the character of this team."

Pressure? What pressure

For coaches, playoff success can offer job security. For players, it means more money and the chance to win the Cup. For GMs, it's everything wrapped up together. This time of year, however, the GM is the most passive of the three. There is little for him to do except sit in the press box, bite his nails or eyeball that third hot dog and second pack of TUMS. "It's stressful," Canucks GM Brian Burke said. "Every GM is every bit as competitive -- if not more -- as the players." Sharks GM Dean Lombardi, who has had his share of lean years with San Jose, adheres to simple words of advice to get him through. "Stay away from sharp objects," he said. "Certainly, making the playoffs was a goal, and we would have failed to achieve that goal. If so, we would have failed to perform at all levels."

The Kings might have the least to lose if they miss the postseason. Blake's contract impasse and his subsequent trade are easy excuses at Kings' disposal. Like Tkachuk was to a lesser extent in Phoenix, Blake was the team's emotional epicenter.

Instead of rolling over, L.A. has just rolled along, going 12-2-5-1 since GM Dave Taylor traded Blake on Feb. 22.

"Our goal was to make it, and we would like to achieve our goal," Taylor said. "The coaching staff has treated almost every game as a playoff game. We've been in this mode for the last few weeks."

The last month hasn't been nearly as positive in Phoenix since the Coyotes made the decision to trade Tkachuk and holdout goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin and to keep Jeremy Roenick and Sean Burke.

All signs point to new GM Cliff Fletcher and co-owner Wayne Gretzky implimenting a long-term plan to re-shape the franchise. The acquisition of young talent is essential to executing that plan.

However, after beginning the season 9-1-5, hitting the golf course next week would set the franchise backward and hinder efforts to secure a new arena.

Coach Bob Francis' job may hang in the balance as well.

	Phoenix coach Bob Francis knows the eyes in the sky (i.e. press box) are watching whether the Coyotes make the playoffs.

This late-season battle, as well as the one in the East, may serve to squelch the criticism that every team in the NHL makes the playoffs -- especiially considering the ninth-place team in both conferences will finish with a record well above .500.

Unfortunately, that won't soften the blow to the team left on the outside.

"(In the playoffs) Everyone has a chance to win the Cup," Taylor said. "If not, you have to wait until next September."

The struggle doesn't end with the regular season on April 8. The No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 teams still have to face Colorado, Detroit or Dallas in the first round of the playoffs.

As Sharks GM Dean Lombardi put it: "Pick your poison."

Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com. He can be reached at brian.shactman@espn.com.