NHL Pucks and Stuff is a recurring feature here at Sport Statricity designed to highlight the week that was for every NHL team. The good, the bad, the ugly or the eccentric, you’ll find it here. Enjoy!
Anaheim Ducks: For just a moment, the Ducks were briefly first overall in the NHL this week (before dropping back down to third). It speaks to the offensive depth of the Ducks that they’re also one of the highest scoring teams in the league, as all but one player (Matt Belesky who has played only two games) has garnered at least a point thus far.
Boston Bruins: The B’s have been struggling of late, with just one win in their last four. However, there is some hope on the horizon as top six winger Loui Eriksson is back skating after his concussion and could be joining the team in the near future.
Buffalo Sabres: It’s hard to quantify just how bad the Sabres are. Last in the league in goals per game (1.56), five on five goals ratio (0.51) and points in the standings with just five after 15 games. They’re also the only team who has yet to win on home ice (0-8-1). Oh wait, that was actually pretty easy.
Calgary Flames: It was a feel-good story for the Flames on Sunday night against Chicago. Swiss netminder Reto Berra played his first career game and picked up 42 saves as well as first star honors in an impressive win over the Blackhawks. Good thing for the Flames too, because Karri Ramo and Joey MacDonald have been pretty horrible this year.
Carolina Hurricanes: In the midst of a five game losing streak (the longest currently in the NHL) the natives are getting restless and much of the blame has been pointed at Eric Staal. He’s gone six games without a goal and has but three on the season, leading some to question is ability as captain. Stripping the captaincy from Staal is absurd of course, but it shows how deep Carolina’s current problems are.
Chicago Blackhawks: The Hawks have put together a decent little run of late, going 3-0-1 in the last four. They’re up to 22 points on the season now, which is only good enough for fifth the Western Conference, yet would place them first in the East. It just goes to show the disparity between the two conferences.
Colorado Avalanche: Well, it finally happened, the Sharks have been overthrown as the top team in the NHL by the Avs. The only question for Colorado is whether the goaltending will hold up. Semyon Varlamov was excellent against Dallas on Friday, but his arrest situation may hold a black cloud over the team until it’s resolved.
Columbus Blue Jackets: The Jackets and the city of Columbus got some expected news over the weekend, when it was announced they would host the 2015 NHL All-Star Game. You may recall that Columbus was scheduled to hold the game last season, but it was of course cancelled due to the lockout. It’s going to be fully three years between NHL all-star games by 2015, so let’s hope they put on a good show!
Dallas Stars: The Stars are settling into a rather disturbing trend early in the season, as the team has won just one game each week through five weeks of action. With three more games this week after a win over Ottawa on Sunday, let’s hope the trend doesn’t continue if they don’t want a lottery pick at next year’s draft.
Detroit Red Wings: 24-year-old defenseman Brendan Smith has been having one heck of a bad season with just one point (an assist) and a minus seven rating through 11 games. Wings fans have been moaning about his place on the roster all year, so perhaps they take some comfort in the fact he’s been placed on the injured reserve after a fight against Edmonton’s Will Acton on Saturday.
Edmonton Oilers: Speaking of the Oilers, the team looked pretty awful in that 5-0 drubbing by the Wings. It’s no surprise, check out this injury list: Taylor Hall, David Perron, Devan Dubnyk, Ryan Smyth, Corey Potter, Ryan Hamilson, Justin Schultz, Richard Bachman, Tyler Pitlick, Jesse Joensuu and Steve MacIntyre. If this team could ever get healthy, they might actually stand a fighting chance to make the playoffs.
Florida Panthers: A firesale could be coming from the Panthers before long, and many of their veteran players including Kris Versteeg, Brad Boyes, Scottie Upshall and Marcel Goc are rumored to be on the block. With only one win in their last nine, it’s not really that shocking.
Los Angeles Kings: I said it in the preseason and I’ll say it again here: Jonathan Quick has to be better. He’s allowed seven goals on only 37 shots against over the last two games and has seen his save percentage drop below .900. In an Olympic year and with the Kings on the outside of the top eight in the West, that’s just not good enough from the former Conn Smythe winner.
Minnesota Wild: You wouldn’t have known goaltender Josh Harding has a life-threatening disease based on his play this season. His numbers are simply phenomenal and he’s leading the NHL in almost every goaltending category. 11 games, 11 goals against, just amazing stuff.
Montreal Canadiens: It appears even a Norris trophy isn’t enough to garner P.K. Subban the respect Habs fans feel he deserves. Rumors have been swirling that Subban may be on the outside looking in at the Canadian Olympic team discussion, with some blaming Habs coach Michel Therrien’s own assessment of Subban’s defensive play as the cause. Maybe two Norris trophies are needed?
Nashville Predators: Life without Pekka Rinne continues, and the Preds have done well to pick up three of a possible four points in the last two games. Carter Hutton hasn’t been great in relief (averaging more than three goals against over the last four games), but the Preds continue to find ways to get points.
New Jersey Devils: The Devs lost both games of a back to back over the weekend without scoring a goal and still have just three wins on the season through 14 games. I wonder how much longer coach Pete DeBoer can sit with his feet over the fire, despite assurances from Lou Lamoriello that his job is safe?
New York Islanders: Unlike the Devils, the Isles won both games of a back to back on Friday and Saturday, against two pretty formidable teams in Ottawa and Boston. The John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Thomas Vanek line was especially good, with eight points in those two games. Watch out, this is a line the could absolutely terrorize the East this season.
New York Rangers: After languishing near the bottom of the league for most of October, the Rangers have turned things around with a nice little three game winning streak to sit just outside of the top eight in the East. Derek Stepan was brilliant against Carolina on Saturday, potting his second career hattrick, in no small thanks to linemates Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello, who picked up assists on each of Stepan’s goals.
Ottawa Senators: The entirety of Sens Nation, not to mention hockey fans around North America, held their breath as star goalie Craig Anderson lay prone on the ice after Stars rookie Valeri Nichushkin drove hard to the net, colliding with the goaltenders head and neck area. Luckily he was seen walking around after being carried off the ice on a stretcher, though his prognosis is still unknown. Scary stuff.
Philadelphia Flyers: I have far too many things to say about the disgusting display the Flyers put on during an embarrassing 7-0 loss to the Capitals last week to fit it all in this spot. Suffice to say that if the league it talking about changing it’s rules to disallow the actions of one player (after what goalie Ray Emery did to Braden Holtby), you’ve got worse problems than just four wins in 13 games.
Phoenix Coyotes: I admit that I’m relieved my pre-season faith in the Coyotes has been justified. They’re on a four game winning streak, including a hard fought 3-2 shootout win over the Sharks, to sit fourth in the West. Props again to the D, who had scored at least three points as a unit each game for the previous five.
Pittsburgh Penguins: It’s been steady-as-she-goes for the Penguins again this week. Sidney Crosby continues to lead the league in points with 23, and the team has now built a comfortable seven point cushion over the rest of the Metropolitan division. All that success in the midst of an eight game goalless drought for Evgeni Malkin makes me wonder how good this team will be once the big man wakes up.
San Jose Sharks: Sometimes win/loss records can be a funny thing. On one hand, you can say the Sharks have only won two of their last five. On the other, you can say they’re undefeated in regulation over their last four. One thing is certain though, they’ve fallen behind Colorado as first in the NHL, for this week at least.
St. Louis Blues: Alex Steen may be leading the league in goals scored with 12 through 12 games, but don’t expect the 29-year-old to pot 80+ this season. His shooting percentage is an unsustainably high 31.6% (42% at five on five). The post-lockout record for shooting percentage (minimum 100 shots) was Mike Ribeiro’s 25.2% back in 2007-08. Expect a regression.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Don’t look now, but the Lightning have been one of the best teams in the East over the first month and change of the season. Steven Stamkos leads the charge of course with 20 points through 14 games, but give credit to goalie Ben Bishop as well. The 26-year-old is posting career numbers in both goals against average (2.15) and save percentage (.925). It just goes to show how far decent goaltending can take you.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Things went from bad to worse for the Leafs during one of their most uninspired outings of the year against the Canucks on Saturday. Not only did the lose the game 4-0 while getting outshot 47-21, they also may have lost forward Dave Bolland for an extended period of time with an ankle laceration.
Vancouver Canucks: The trio of Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler might be one of the hottest in the entire NHL at the moment. The line has combined for 23 points over the last six games so it’s not surprising the Canucks have lost only one of those six. Henrik has been particularly good, picking up points in all but one game so far this season and leading the NHL in assists with 16.
Washington Capitals: A rare honor for Caps winger Jason Chimera, as he was named third star of the week in the NHL. He picked up six points (two goals, four assists) in three games and is on pace for career highs as a 34-year-old while playing on a line with Mikhail Grabovski and Joel Ward.
Winnipeg Jets: For the Jets, goalie Ondrej Pavelec is a lightning rod. He rarely gets the praise he deserves when the Jets win, yet is often the scapegoat in a loss. However the 26-year-old has only allowed fewer than three goals against thrice this season, and four goals on 14 shots against Chicago on Saturday certainly makes those criticisms justified.
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