John Matisz

Matthew Knies, 3 other NHLers who are leveling up to start the season

Thank you to the more than 60 people who submitted questions for the first edition of "NHL Inbox" - a forum in which readers can ask me anything hockey-related and I try my best to deliver an insightful answer.

Rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off are due Dec. 2 and will be unveiled two days later. In other words, the clock's ticking louder by the day for management groups in Canada, Sweden, Finland, and the U.S.Each nation must select 23 players - 20 skaters and three goalies. Six picks were announced in June, which means 17 spots remain unfilled.Here, theScore's Josh Wegman and John Matisz debate the toughest decisions for Team Canada general manager Don Sweeney and his staff ahead of the February tournament. (Read our Team USA rundown here.)Forwards Leila Devlin / Getty ImagesAlready on roster: Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, Connor McDavid, Brayden PointNear locks: Mitch Marner, Sam Reinhart, Mark Stone5 spots left for: Mathew Barzal, Connor Bedard, Sam Bennett, Quinton Byfield, Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel, Zach Hyman, Seth Jarvis, Wyatt Johnston, Travis Konecny, Alexis Lafreniere, Ryan O'Reilly, Mark Scheifele, Steven Stamkos, Nick Suzuki, Robert Thomas, Carter Verhaeghe, Tom WilsonWegman's picks: Bedard, Cirelli, Hagel, Hyman, KonecnyCanada has an embarrassment of riches up front, making these picks incredibly difficult. There are just so many ways Sweeney can go.Cirelli isn't overly popular in mock rosters, but I believe he's the perfect choice as Canada's fourth-line center. His skating, competitiveness, and intelligence make him a Selke Trophy-caliber defensive player who can match up against anyone. He's no slouch offensively, either, producing at a near-point-per-game clip this season. And head coach Jon Cooper trusts him immensely.The same can be said for Hagel, who would bring instant chemistry to a line led centered by either Point or Cirelli. Hagel is as skilled offensively as other contending players, plus he's super consistent. He'd also bring some competitive fire - not completely unlike Konecny, another feisty winger who'd fit a bottom-six role well.Hyman has picked things up after a slow start, so I'm sticking with him. Bedard's my 13th forward. He'll take on a bigger role at the 2026 Olympics.Matisz's picks: Bedard, Hyman, Konecny, Lafreniere, VerhaegheThe options are truly limitless.Still, three players jumped to the top of my queue. Verhaeghe could be an incredibly valuable piece as a true dual-threat winger. Lafreniere could easily assume a complementary role on a line that plays with pace and can tap into his quick-strike style. Bedard is a lethal triggerman whose goal-scoring totals have been suppressed in Chicago - he's ready to pop with better linemates.Konecny and Hyman were harder choices. Ultimately, both are connector types: highly intelligent wingers who've mastered wall play, puck hounding, and net-front havoc-wreaking. Hyman's chemistry with McDavid is a bonus.My toughest cuts were Johnston, Hagel, and Suzuki. I would've strongly considered Thomas as well if he weren't currently injured. And I like Cirelli, but I think Canada has a handful of better options at fourth-line center.Scheifele, who's tied for 17th in NHL scoring, deserves a mention. He probably makes the cut based on pure talent. However, his offense-first skill set would be redundant on a Canadian squad teeming with firepower.Defense Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesAlready on roster: Cale MakarNear locks: Noah Dobson, Josh Morrissey, Devon Toews3 spots left for: Evan Bouchard, Drew Doughty, Dougie Hamilton, Brandon Montour, Colton Parayko, Adam Pelech, Alex Pietrangelo, Owen Power, Morgan Rielly, Shea Theodore, MacKenzie WeegarWegman's picks: Doughty, Parayko, PowerDoughty is the biggest question mark as he remains out with a fractured ankle suffered in preseason. If he's healthy in time for the tournament - a big "if" - he needs to be on this team. (He's projected to return in early January.)I opted to lean on size for my final two picks - Power and Parayko both stand at 6-foot-6. They played together at the 2024 World Championship, so there's already some familiarity if they combine forces on the third pair. Parayko, in particular, would bring much-needed nastiness and penalty-killing chops to a Canadian blue line that's rather undersized in the top four outside of Dobson.Matisz's picks: Doughty, Pietrangelo, TheodoreSweeney and his staff are reportedly keeping a close eye on Doughty's recovery. Barring an injury setback, he's tracking toward a key shutdown role.Canada should try to strike a balance between mobility/skill and size/toughness on the blue line, especially with question marks in goal. In my eyes, veterans Theodore and Pietrangelo best round out the defense corps. You know exactly what you're getting from both of them.Makar and Morrissey can each man the point on a power-play unit, while any of the seven defensemen is capable of hunkering down on the penalty kill.Goaltending Scott Rovak / Getty ImagesAlready on roster: NoneNear locks: None3 spots left for: Jordan Binnington, Mackenzie Blackwood, Marc-Andre Fleury, Adin Hill, Connor Ingram, Darcy Kuemper, Sam Montembeault, Stuart Skinner, Cam Talbot, Logan ThompsonWegman's picks: Binnington, Talbot, ThompsonCanada's goaltending is easily the most wide-open and intriguing position battle of the entire tournament. I was of the belief someone would separate themselves from the pack, but that hasn't been the case.I'm giving Binnington the nod as the nation's most consistent goalie in recent years, but I don't feel overly confident about it. He was playing relatively well this season until he was shelled for eight goals against the Capitals recently.I'm rolling with the hot hand for my other two picks. The 37-year-old Talbot seems to play well in whatever uniform he's wearing. That bodes well in a short tournament. He's been lights out despite playing behind a mediocre Red Wings team.Thompson, meanwhile, is beginning to emerge as the Capitals' go-to guy after a couple of promising tandem seasons with the Golden Knights.Matisz's picks: Binnington, Montembeault, TalbotIt feels like there's no great answer here. However, I'm going with Binnington as the starter, Talbot as the backup, and Montembeault as the third-stringer.Binnington hoisted the Stanley Cup more than five years ago, yet there's still something about the fiery competitor that screams "big-game player."Talbot has posted excellent underlying numbers this season (top five in the NHL in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes, according to Sportlogiq).Montembeault has been quietly trending up over the past few seasons, his raw numbers dragged down by Montreal's putrid goaltending environment.!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r

Puck-stopping pains, Reinhart lapping Hyman, & more: 5 intriguing trends

Assessing the Rangers: Alarm bells, trade chips, and the big picture

Welcome to the second edition of NHL Inbox - a forum in which readers can ask me anything hockey-related, and I try my best to deliver an insightful answer.

Toronto Maple Leafs fans craved seismic change this past spring in the wake of the club's seventh opening-round playoff loss in eight Auston Matthews seasons.The offseason brought roster turnover but nothing "seismic." Punching-bag star forward Mitch Marner returned to compete alongside a handful of newcomers, including defenseman Chris Tanev and goalie Anthony Stolarz.Craig Berube replaced Sheldon Keefe as head coach in a move that certainly qualified as "big" but didn't necessarily satisfy the fan base's desires.Wait, wait, wait ... aren't the core players the problem? Kevin Sousa / Getty ImagesTwo-plus months into the season, the Leafs have accumulated 40 points in 31 games - the exact same amount Keefe's Leafs registered in the first 31 games last year. The journey to bank those 40 points has looked markedly different, however, with Berube overhauling the team's playing style dramatically.That's no exaggeration: Berube's Leafs are a borderline elite defensive squad. They're tied for the fifth-fewest goals against per game heading into Tuesday's slate thanks to tremendous goaltending, improved penalty killing, and smothering even-strength play. Toronto's leaped from 20th in the NHL to seventh in expected goals against per game at five-on-five action.Aside from (totally fair) concerns about the injury histories of Stolarz and partner Joseph Woll, there are no major red flags to worry about on defense.Gains made on one side of the puck may be impacting the other side negatively. The Leafs, whose 2.97 goals per game are tied with the Kraken for 19th in the league, have become a team that favors straightforwardness over creativity, dump-ins over rush attacks, and shot quantity over shot quality.Take a look at four illustrative Sportlogiq metrics:!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;rIt seems almost impossible for a roster with so much juice to rank last in chances off the rush. But the coach clearly wants to minimize risk (pucks in deep, pucks on net with traffic - all of the cliches), and the players are more or less delivering. (Marner, a super crafty playmaker, is thriving in this new system, racking up 41 points in 31 games to tie for ninth in league scoring.) Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesThere's a "what if" scenario here. Matthews, who torched the league for 69 goals last season, missed nine games to deal with an undisclosed injury and, when healthy, hasn't been at the peak of his powers. (His 10 goals are tied for fourth on the team.) If Matthews gets going, and the goal-starved bottom two lines start pitching in, Toronto's attack may suddenly look half-dangerous.Of course, none of these changes - good or bad - matter unless Berube's Leafs execute in the postseason. A chief reason why this group has failed is because the offensive drivers disappear for periods and games at a time. Does the new playing style unlock clutch performances, or does it make it even more unlikely Matthews, Marner, or someone else takes over a series?Either way, general manager Brad Treliving is tasked with adding offensive pop ahead of the trade deadline (an offense-first third-line center and offense-first bottom-pair blue-liner, perhaps) while not subtracting from the defense.KJ breakout SZN alert Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe Blue Jackets are this year's version of the 2023-24 Flyers - a young, hard-working squad unexpectedly in the mix for a playoff spot in mid-December.Kent Johnson's breakout on the wing is a significant driving force.Previously a perimeter player who almost exclusively created offense through pull-ups and east-west passing, Johnson's suddenly an unpredictable attacker. He's been dangerous off the rush and in tight to the goalie this season after a summer of work on skating speed and puck-protection moves.Johnson, 22, is up to nine goals and nine assists in 17 games while logging a career-high 17:48 a night. He's bounced back well following a 14-game stint on the sidelines in late October and November to nurse an injured shoulder. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThree advanced statistics help paint a fuller picture of his improvements: 7 high-danger shots on goal (source: NHL Edge) 23 speed bursts over 20 mph (NHL Edge) 34 end-to-end rushes (Sportlogiq) Johnson recorded eight high-danger shots on goal, 29 speed bursts over 20 mph, and 47 end-to-end rushes in 46 total games for Columbus last year. He's on pace to destroy those marks by his 46th game this season, with a projected 19 high-danger shots, 62 speed bursts, and 92 end-to-end rushes.The combination of a clean slate and physical maturity has also contributed to the breakout, which isn't out of nowhere for the 2021 fifth overall pick and 40-point rookie. Johnson, who's thriving under new coach Dean Evason, has packed on 12 pounds since fall 2022. He's now listed at 6-foot, 180 pounds.Johnson's in Year 1 of a three-year deal paying him $1.8 million annually. That deal, which leads him to restricted free agency, looks like a steal right now.Storytime with Brian Burke NHL Images / Getty ImagesLove or hate his hockey commentary, Brian Burke is a fantastic storyteller. The former GM of four different NHL teams can command a room with his candor.One of Burke's favorites is about his first draft as Canucks GM in 1999."It was the worst first round in the history of the league," he told a room of business professionals at the recent PrimeTime sports conference in Toronto.Patrik Stefan was the first pick. Pavel Brendl went fourth overall. Between those two forgettable top prospects: the Sedin twins - Henrik and Daniel - at second and third. "We didn't even like the twins in their draft year. We went to the world juniors in Winnipeg, and they were very average," Burke said.Thomas Gradin, Vancouver's Sweden-based amateur scout, called Burke later in the season to urge him to give the Sedins one last chance at the world championships in Norway. "OK, Thomas, I'll come over and watch, and we'll let this nonsense go. We're not drafting them," Burke recalled of his response.He continued: "I saw one shift with these twins on the big ice, against men, and I was like, 'Oh my God, we have to get them both.' One shift cured me." Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesOnce he actually gave the Sedins a chance, Burke quickly became enamored with their character. They lived in a house in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, that had been in the Sedin family for 150 years - family guys. They were incredible athletes - soccer stars and workout fiends - and extremely respectful kids.It took three trades, all registered on draft day, to land the second and third picks and convince the Thrashers, who were hosting, to select Stefan first. Trade 1: defenseman Bryan McCabe and Vancouver's first-round pick in 2000 to Chicago for fourth overall in 1999 Trade 2: fourth overall in 1999 and two third-rounders in 1999 to Tampa Bay for first overall in 1999 Trade 3: first overall in 1999 and a 2000 third-rounder to Atlanta for second overall and third overall in 1999 Burke fully understood how the twins tick in the season following their draft year. He flew to Europe to watch a Swedish Hockey League game, and ..."They were just horseshit," Burke said. "I went over to Thomas Gradin after the game and said, 'Those guys better have the flu or I'm firing you before we leave this rink.' I went over to talk to them, and the twins said they had a calculus test earlier in the day. They stayed up until 4 a.m. studying and both did very well on the test. 'Great answer, great answer.'"And the rest, as they say, is history. Hockey Hall of Fame history.Quick hits Kevin Sousa / Getty ImagesLast visor-less players: It dawned on me the other day that we're getting close to finding out the answer to a fun trivia question. Ryan O'Reilly, Matt Martin, Zach Bogosian, Jamie Benn, and Ryan Reaves are the only active NHLers playing without a protective shield on their helmets. (Visors became mandatory for new players a decade ago.) Martin, 35, will likely retire at the end of the season. Reaves, 37, is surely done once his contract expires in 2026. Bogosian, 34 and also a year away from free agency, might have one short-term contract left in him. That leaves Benn, 35, and O'Reilly, 33. My money's on O'Reilly - the younger, better player - becoming this generation's Craig MacTavish. I still can't believe MacT wasn't wearing a helmet in 1997! Will we look back in, say, 2050, and feel similarly about O'Reilly's visor-less ways?MVP-caliber splits: The Canucks are a completely different team with Quinn Hughes on the ice. Vancouver owns 59% of the shot attempts, 59% of the scoring chances, and 63% of the goals at five-on-five with their captain between the boards, according to Natural Stat Trick. With Hughes on the bench, the club owns 43% of attempts, 43% of chances, and 44% of goals. Those are stunning, Hart Trophy-esque on/off splits. Hughes, who leads all NHL blue-liners with 1.17 points per game, has been dominant in all three zones while other key pieces (Thatcher Demko, J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson) have been sidelined or struggling for huge chunks of the season. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesSabres spiral: Buffalo owns the longest playoff drought in NHL history. The Lindy Ruff-coached team is 0-7-3 in its past 10 games and 11-16-4 on the season. Yep, the drought's headed for a 14th season. The one constant over 14 years isn't a front-office executive or coach or player - it's owner Terry Pegula. He's horrendous at hiring GMs, doesn't give his GMs enough resources to build a proper staff, meddles too much in day-to-day operations, pisses off superstar players like Jack Eichel, and refuses to spend to the upper limit of the salary cap. Those are five cardinal sins for an owner, especially in the NHL's hard-cap system. High state taxes and a lack of palm trees have little to do with the dysfunction in Sabres land. It starts at the top.Not just book smart: Alex Kerfoot has shown over an eight-year career that he can assume the role of third wheel on pretty much any forward line. It's rare to be so versatile within one lineup, let alone three (Avalanche, Maple Leafs, now Utah). What makes Kerfoot different? "His brain. He's so smart," Utah head coach Andre Tourigny said of Kerfoot's hockey IQ. Kerfoot, who studied economics at Harvard, is almost always in the right position, skates and moves the puck well, never cheats for offense, and has enough offensive juice to hang with first-liners like Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. He's a connector type during five-on-five action and a disrupter on the penalty kill. Kerfoot, 30, is third among NHL forwards in shorthanded ice time this season.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore).

The All-Nobody Team: 6 NHLers quickly becoming somebodies

"What's in the bag?""Big Mac.""Play you for it. First one to miss ... ""Watches the winner eat."For sports fans of a certain vintage, that on-screen exchange between Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid should sound awfully familiar.The two 1997-born captains feature in a new McDonald's commercial throwing back to the iconic "Showdown" theme of the 1990s. The previous iterations, launched in '93 and '97, showcased trick shots from NBA legends Larry Bird and Michael Jordan and NHL greats Wayne Gretzky and Mats Sundin. This one includes references to Nickelback, T-ball, and chipped teeth.The national ad coincides with a special "Showdown" menu at McDonald's locations in Canada. Among the six limited-time items: the "Smoky Quarter Papi," "Big Mac-David," "Power Play Poutine," and "Celly Sundae."Matthews and McDavid recently answered a series of emailed questions from theScore relating to the campaign, as well as a few NHL and lifestyle topics.Note: the transcript below has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Both of you were born after the first "Showdown" commercial with Bird and Jordan, but I'm sure you've seen it a few times. What jumps out at you about it?McDavid: I think it's a great commercial! Watching two of the best basketball players of all time having fun and going head to head is very entertaining. Even watching the commercial now, 30-some-odd years later, it still resonates and makes an impact.Matthews: Two special basketball players, to say the least, so just seeing them together interacting was really cool, basketball fan or otherwise."Try that, Mr. Fancy Stick" is a great line in the Sundin/Gretzky one. Do you have memories of watching it as a kid? What do you like about the "Showdown" theme, in general?McDavid: Absolutely. Mats and Gretz are two of my all-time favorites. What I loved about the "Showdown" is that it gave Auston and I a fun and creative way to battle it out on the ice. I hope fans enjoy watching our commercial as much as I enjoyed watching the past ones.Matthews: I was still young when this one came out. Yet, rewatching it now makes me really appreciate being part of this. Mats is one of the best players and captains to ever play for the Leafs, and Wayne's pedigree speaks for itself. Just really cool to see the two of them interacting. Andre Ringuette / Getty ImagesYou've been featured in a handful of commercials over the years. Do you get nervous on set or is it all just fun? Also, do you think your acting skills have significantly improved?McDavid: This was a fun and busy two-day shoot we did back in September. Being with Auston - not to mention his dog, Felix - we were able to keep the mood really light. I've shot quite a few commercials in my career, and although I've felt like I've gotten better, I'm an athlete, not an actor.Matthews: I always get some nerves, yet these are fun opportunities, which I appreciate. I try to go in with an open mind and enjoy it. Not sure about my acting skills improving yet, but I can hope the more reps the better I get.Switching gears to the NHL, I'm curious, what's your favorite road arena? Why? Best memory there?McDavid: I always like playing in Montreal. The rink is always so loud, and the fans are super into the game.Matthews: The first game I ever played was in Ottawa, and being our provincial rival, that will always have a spot in my mind. Playing in places like Vegas is also super cool environment and only play there once a year.If the NHL were to one day expand outside of North America, which city or cities would you like them to go to first?McDavid: London, England, only because I think it's a great city and would be nice to visit.Matthews: It would be cool to see teams in European cities, and of course staying within North America, I would love to see a team in Mexico. Codie McLachlan / Getty ImagesWhat's something about the other guy that people don't know much about or don't appreciate as much as they should? It could be something on the ice, off it, anything.McDavid: This is tough because our lives are pretty well-documented, but I would say something most people wouldn't know is that Auston is a great tennis player. He loves tennis and loves to run his agent all over the court.Matthews: Davo is a really fun and smart guy to be around. He is easygoing and just a great person, which most people already know. He also is a great all-around athlete.Who's the most underrated player in the NHL? What do you like about his game?McDavid: Tough to say with how many great players there are in the league, but players are always the best judges of talent from my perspective. For me, I would say it's Martin Necas. He's so fast, so skilled, and tough to defend.Matthews: There is just so much great talent in the league. Travis Konecny is a really effective player on both sides of the puck and competes hard.Last one for you two: If you had a chance to sit down with your rookie self and pass along some advice, what would you say?McDavid: Enjoy playing in the league. It goes by faster than you could imagine. I'm 10 years in, and it feels like it's just been a flash.Matthews: Enjoy every minute and embrace it as it goes by quickly.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter/X (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore).

The 2024-25 NHL season hit its midway point on Thursday. It's a perfect time to take a quick tour of the league. Here's one thought on all 32 teams.(Stats via NHL, Evolving-Hockey, and Sportlogiq.)Anaheim DucksThe Ducks rank 32nd in expected goals against, 32nd in shot attempts against, 32nd in inner-slot shots against, and 31st in offensive-zone possession time against. They look like a bottom-three club. But stellar goaltending has carried them to 25th in points percentage. Among 60 goalies with 10 or more appearances, John Gibson and Lukas Dostal are fourth and ninth, respectively, in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes.Boston BruinsThe Bruins, who started the season 8-9-3 under Jim Montgomery, won seven of the first nine games with Joe Sacco, Montgomery's replacement behind the bench. But that "new-coach bump" is in the rearview mirror, as Boston has managed just 37 goals and five wins over the last 15 games. The roster is patently flawed. Don Sweeney, Bruins general manager since 2015, should be on the hot seat.Buffalo SabresA franchise that's missed the playoffs an NHL-record 13 straight years somehow continues to stumble aimlessly in a dark room, searching for the light switch. With all due respect to Jason Zucker, it's never a good sign when a 14-year veteran's production is the most positive story of the season. Sabres fans have clearly seen enough and are filling KeyBank Center to only 83% capacity.Calgary Flames Gerry Thomas / Getty ImagesHere's the state of the Flames in two numbers: 16 total one-goal games, 13 of them decided in overtime or the shootout. Calgary looked bound for the West's basement heading into the season, but it's putting up a fight almost every night. Also, props to Jonathan Huberdeau for officially getting back on track. He's on pace for his first 30-goal, 60-point campaign in three years.Carolina HurricanesCarolina let longtime top-four defensemen Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei walk in free agency this past offseason. It was a smart move financially, but there were questions about how much the club would miss them. The answer: not much, if at all. Jalen Chatfield and Dmitry Orlov are flourishing on the second pair, while newcomers Sean Walker (effective in sheltered minutes) and Shayne Gostisbehere (power-play quarterback when healthy) have found their niches.Chicago BlackhawksIf the Sharks are rebuilding but fun to track, the Blackhawks are rebuilding and a drag to monitor. Chicago finished tied for 30th in Connor Bedard's draft year, 31st in his rookie season, and sits 32nd midway through his sophomore season. This may all lead to excellent draft lottery odds and the selection of Bedard's future long-term running mate, but the nightly hockey is ugly.Colorado AvalancheIn the 31 games before Mackenzie Blackwood's first start for the Avalanche, Colorado ranked last in team save percentage with a ghastly .866 rate. In the 12 games since his debut, the Avalanche rank second, at .922. Blackwood has saved a whopping 9.2 goals above expected in 10 appearances in an Avs uniform. The five-year, $26.3-million deal he signed shortly after arriving could come back to haunt the team down the road. For now, though, it's all gravy.Columbus Blue Jackets Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesStar player Johnny Gaudreau died in August. Captain Boone Jenner and sniper Patrik Laine were injured/traded before the season. The Blue Jackets, rebuilding under new management and coaching, had every excuse in the book to write off 2024-25. Yet here they are, deservedly in a playoff spot. The top line of Sean Monahan (recently injured), Dmitri Voronkov, and Kirill Marchenko has outscored teams 22-5 in 230 five-on-five minutes together.Dallas StarsDallas is the top-tier Stanley Cup contender nobody's paying attention to right now. The Stars own the sixth-best points percentage (.663) despite poor stretches from cornerstones Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Wyatt Johnston, and they're third in the Central Division despite a glaring lack of talent on the right side of the defense corps. The star players will figure it out and the roster holes will be filled soon. Dallas' A-game is still to come.Detroit Red WingsThe Red Wings are a hard team to get a handle on. They look rejuvenated under Todd McLellan, who's 5-1-0 two weeks into his tenure as head coach. But it's not like McLellan arrived with two snipers to add to the forward group or a couple of top-four talents to supplement the blue line. The personnel remains blah. Has McLellan unlocked something or is this new-coach magic?Edmonton OilersLeon Draisaitl is enjoying an absurd, Hart Trophy-caliber year. He leads the Rocket Richard race by six goals (31 total tallies, including nine game-winners, in 41 games). He's second in total points and primary points with 61 and 47, respectively, and fifth in offensive-zone puck possession time (1:14 per game). He has terrific underlying numbers on the defensive side of the puck, too, all while centering a line with middling wingers.Florida Panthers Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesThere isn't one team that's definitively a cut above the rest in the East, but the 25-15-2 Panthers are close. The Paul Maurice-coached squad has shown it can thrive without departed Cup winners Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Anthony Stolarz. The eye test suggests Florida's pacing itself in the regular season in an effort to burst through the gates come playoff time. And it makes sense. This core is trying to make a third consecutive Cup Final.Los Angeles KingsSimilar to last season, the Kings are a defensive juggernaut. They rank first in expected goals against per game (2.7) and are tied for first in actual goals against per game (2.5), even though No. 1 defenseman Drew Doughty has yet to play a shift because of injury. Doughty's usual partner, Mikey Anderson, has been a standout on the blue line alongside Vladislav Gavrikov. While coach Jim Hiller's system and the skaters deserve most of the credit, goalie Darcy Kuemper has been wholly reliable in 19 starts.Minnesota WildIt was fair to wonder coming into the season if Brock Faber was bound for a sophomore slump. Would the expectations associated with finishing second in Calder Trophy voting and signing a monster contract extension weigh too heavily on the Wild defenseman? The answer is an emphatic no. Faber, who's currently sidelined with an upper-body injury, picked up where he left off and is even improving his underlying numbers year over year. He's skating a team-high 24:58 a game in all situations. Minnesota holds a 34-24 edge in five-on-five goals with No. 7 on the ice.Montreal CanadiensMontreal's first half can be summed up in three words: bets paying off. Cole Caufield, a core piece who's been on the cusp of breaking out for seemingly forever, is finally doing it with 22 goals in 40 games for a 45-goal pace. Laine, acquired in a buy-low summer trade, has contributed eight goals in 13 games. Lane Hutson, who fell to 62nd in the 2022 draft in large part due to his small stature, is a scoring-chance machine sitting atop the rookie points leaderboard. The Canadiens wanted to play meaningful games down the stretch of the season, and they've given themselves a healthy shot at doing so.Nashville Predators Michael Chisholm / Getty ImagesShocking record - 13-21-7. Shocking place in the standings - 30th in points percentage. Shocking scoring rate - a league-worst 2.4 goals per game in all situations underscored by a league-worst 1.3 per game at five-on-five. Even those who weren't entirely sold on the Predators' busy offseason - it was odd to see GM Barry Trotz break the bank on two snipers without addressing the need for playmaking centers - would be stunned by this miserable first half.New Jersey DevilsThe Devils are going through it right now, having lost five of seven games since the holiday break. But they showed enough promise in the first half to be considered a second-tier Cup contender. Jacob Markstrom has solved their longtime issues in net, while the club has clamped down defensively in an effort to be better prepared for the rigors of playoff hockey.New York IslandersThe Islanders, last in both power play and penalty kill percentage, are near the bottom of the East and staring at one of the toughest second-half schedules, according to Tankathon. GM Lou Lamoriello, who's famously attached to his core, must take action. Pending unrestricted free agents Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri should be relatively easy to trade, while Jean-Gabriel Pageau, a 2026 UFA, should garner interest. Does Lamoriello cut deep and swap pending restricted free agents Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov for future assets?New York RangersFrom Presidents' Trophy winner to bottom-feeder in less than a year. What a disaster. It's impossible to know if New York's dramatic slide would have happened anyway, but the Rangers are 7-14-1 since GM Chris Drury famously alerted his peers about high-profile players being available for trade. A good way to contextualize the Rangers' mess is to zero in on Will Cuylle. The fourth-liner might be the only player on the roster to level up this season.Ottawa Senators Andre Ringuette / Getty ImagesIt wasn't playoffs or bust for Ottawa coming into the year, and it still isn't. However, seeing as the East's second wild-card spot is up for grabs, the Senators have a glorious opportunity to end their seven-year playoff drought. Ottawa's a better all-around team than the four others in the mix (Columbus, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Detroit). It would be a shame if Linus Ullmark's injury troubles spoil what's otherwise been a season of progress for the Sens.Philadelphia FlyersExpectations weren't high for the Flyers, but the 17-20-5 squad has still been underwhelming. Goaltending is the one red flag the front office can't ignore. Samuel Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov all have save percentages below .884. The skaters could help out more on defense, but the first half revealed there's no stability whatsoever between the pipes.Pittsburgh PenguinsThe good: captain Sidney Crosby, 37, is still an impact NHLer. The bad: the Pens have been outscored 110-87 at five-on-five. The ugly: no matter the game state, Pittsburgh can't buy a save, as Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic, and Joel Blomqvist have combined for an .886 save percentage.San Jose SharksMacklin Celebrini's 28 points in 31 games put him first on the Sharks and first among rookies in points per game. But what's more impressive is how quickly he's rocketed up the charts in several metrics that focus on the process of producing points. On a per-game basis, Celebrini ranks fourth in the NHL in controlled zone entries and scoring chances off the cycle; sixth in end-to-end rushes; seventh in puck-battle wins; eighth in stick checks; and 12th in slot shots.Seattle Kraken Steph Chambers / Getty ImagesThe Kraken doled out major dollars in free agency for the first time in their existence. One of the high-profile signings has worked out nicely (Montour), while the other has disappointed (Chandler Stephenson). "Mid" is the word that comes to mind after scanning Seattle's lineup. There's nothing wrong with the individual players, but there's little finishing talent and, in general, no true star-caliber players. The roster is stuck in no man's land. You need stars.St. Louis BluesSt. Louis is a rare team whose floor and ceiling bump against each other. The Blues are competitive enough to battle for a wild-card spot in the West, but if they do earn a playoff berth, they're easy first-round fodder for a contender. No high pick, no deep run. This isn't unexpected given the organization's disinterest in rebuilding.Tampa Bay LightningThe Lightning, who quietly own the NHL's third-best goal differential, are lurking in the shadows. They're barely in an Atlantic Division spot but have games in hand and a relatively easy second-half schedule. The offense, led by the consistently brilliant Nikita Kucherov, is potting a league-high 3.7 goals per game. Crucially, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy looks like his old self again.Toronto Maple LeafsThe Maple Leafs are a different team with Craig Berube at the whiteboard. Fewer pucks have ended up in both Toronto's net (goals against down to 2.81 per game from 3.18 last year) and the other team's net (goals for down to 3.14 from 3.63). This sharp turn is a net-positive overall, considering the Leafs' 12th-ranked offense has been without a fully healthy Auston Matthews all year. John Tavares - who conceded the captaincy to Matthews in August - is bucking the aging curve. The 34-year-old's on pace for 39 goals and 82 points.Utah Hockey Club Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesUtah looks like a playoff team on paper and competes like one most nights. A lack of discipline in the form of 10.6 penalty minutes per game is stunting their potential. On one hand, the penalty kill is solid (14th). On the other, the team isn't drawing a ton of penalties, leaving it last in special teams time differential (49:35 more on the PK than power play).Vancouver CanucksPresident Jim Rutherford and GM Patrik Allvin have to be mighty careful with the Elias Pettersson-J.T. Miller soap opera. The chances of winning a trade involving either star center are slim, and Quinn Hughes, one of the two best blue-liners on the planet, is in his prime. Don't waste it. Find a way to get Pettersson and Miller to park their issues and move forward.Vegas Golden KnightsThe 28-10-3 Golden Knights' 15 comeback wins are second to Washington. Vegas was at one point down by two or more goals in four of those games. Those types of thrillers don't happen without depth scoring. The Knights currently boast six double-digit scorers - three usual suspects (Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, Mark Stone) and three pleasant surprises (Brett Howden, Ivan Barbashev, Pavel Dorofeyev). They are the nearest thing to a Cup favorite.Washington CapitalsWashington's on the biggest organizational heater in recent memory. Pretty much everything the 27-10-4 club's touched of late has turned into gold. The players acquired in the offseason, from Pierre-Luc Dubois to Jakob Chychrun to Logan Thompson, have fit in well. They've seen internal growth from the likes of Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas. Second-year coach Spencer Carbery's pushing all the right buttons. Alex Ovechkin's making a mockery of the all-time goals chase. Six Caps prospects appeared in the world juniors, including tournament MVP Ryan Leonard and leading scorer Cole Hutson.Winnipeg JetsThe league-wide save percentage has fallen to .900, the lowest since 1995-96. But someone forgot to tell Connor Hellebuyck, who's rocking a .926 in 33 starts. The Jets' MVP, who recently celebrated his 300th career win, has strong advanced statistics as well. There's no denying Hellebuyck's the Vezina Trophy front-runner, but Winnipeg must be cautious with his workload. He's on pace for 64 starts and will get crease time at the 4 Nations Face-Off.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore).