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With the trade deadline approaching and the playoffs not too far away either, the most successful teams will be those who either focus on defense or uphold the next most important aspect of winning, team chemistry (aka "standing pat" for all you readers for own a copy of "Hockey for Dummies"). For those teams holding their own and attempting to brave the storm by idling through the trade deadline, here are a few defensive Goliaths that will stand tall during the playoffs.

They say save the best for last. With that said, don't be surprised with who I talk about first...

Dallas Stars

Boy, has this team turned it around since last year's dismal showing. Ironically, defense was their achilles heel as many critics complained that their veteran and well-meshed defensive core of Derian Hatcher, Daryl Sydor, Richard Matvichuk, and Sergei Zubov was too old, worn out, and much too slow. Heck, even I thought this squad's best days were past them.

Maybe they really are too slow and maybe their best days really are behind them, but the defensive core has meshed well to the point where each player knows the strengths and weaknesses of each other player that as a unit. They play better than the summation of their individual skills would wrongfully lead one to believe. And give all the credit for Dallas' winning ways to the defense (not Mike Modano, not Bill Guerin, not owner Tom Hicks, nor GM Doug Armstrong, either) -- the aforementioned crew, and the emergence of goaltender Marty Turco as a bona fide goaltender.

New Jersey Devils

Sharing the league lead in the least goals allowed with Dallas with 118, the New Jersey Devils and the word defense have been synonymous since the days of coach Jacques Lemaire, whose defensive prowess is now doing wonders in Minnesota despite the lack of veteran talent on that team. Like the Stars, one can argue that the Devils are slow and old (Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko are 35ish), but like the Stars, their core defensive squad of Stevens and Daneyko and top-liners Brian Rakalski and Scott Niedermayer have been the anchor on the Devils defense for quite a while now and now how to win in the playoffs.

They've also got a welcome defensive addition of Oleg Tverdovsky, a speedy defenseman who can play the point. And who can't forget Martin Brodeur, the goalie who's done it all for the Devils. The only thing to worry about with Brodeur is fatigue as he's played the second-most games this season, but an overload of work is nothing new for Brodeur.

Ottawa Senators

A financial crisis couldn't even perturb this deadly-silent team, which is now the points leader in the league. What? Come again? Yeah, that's right, they're for real. And so is their defense, which only complements their already formidable offense. The defensive unit is a pass-first unit that looks for the inside man with Wade Redden and Karel Rachunek, while being a physical unit on the other side of the rink with the size of Zdeno Chara.

The team's defense is held together by its talented, young goaltender, Patrick Lalime, who's done the whole surprising-new-goaltender act before so don't be surprised if you see this squad go a long way. Young, physical, and determined, this team can go a long way if it can stay healthy.

Colorado Avalanche

With the return of Joe Sakic within the near future and Alex Tanguay picking up his game as of late, the Avs are on a roll and starting to make some noise in the Northwest as they're only a mere six points behind Vancouver, who has won 11-straight. Under a new coach this season, former Kings star Tony Granato, defensemen Rob Blake and the newly-acquired Derek Morris are playing like the best top-line defensive duo in the Western Conference right now -- over the likes of Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios and St. Louis's Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger.

Ask any coach who he wants in between the pipes and more than half of the answers will have the two names "Patrick" and "Roy" in it. He's the most experienced, most talented goaltender right now. With the veteran talent on this team, they are always to be feared in the playoffs, especially when they're capable of shutting down a team's offense.

When it's all said and done, it all comes down to how many goals you don't give up.

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