John Matisz

The 2025-26 NHL season crossed the halfway mark last week, which means it's time to pause and take stock of what's unfolding across the league.Here's one burning question for all 32 teams.Jump to:ANA

Combining his own perspective with what he's been hearing from those in and around the game, senior NHL writer John Matisz breaks down the hot topics across the hockey landscape.Admiring Schaefer's historic seasonIf Matthew Schaefer had been born two weeks later, back in September 2007, he wouldn't have been eligible for the NHL draft until this coming summer.Let that sink in for a moment. The Islanders superstar was almost too young for last year's draft class, yet he's dominating the NHL on a nightly basis.Schaefer is the 18th defenseman in NHL history to play 50 or more games at 18 years old. Among that exclusive group, Schaefer already holds the record for most goals (21), and he currently sits first in average ice time (24:20 per game). He's also fourth in shots on goal (trailing Bobby Orr, Phil Housley, and Rasmus Dahlin) and second in points and points per game (Housley). Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesSchaefer's impact through 69 contests is borderline immeasurable. He's a transformative addition in every way and has fully embraced life on Long Island. After starting the season in a somewhat sheltered role, Schaefer's now facing the opposition's best players and largely excelling. He's built tremendous chemistry with star center Mat Barzal, completing mesmerizing give-and-gos while also controlling the flow of play most shifts. The 2024-25 Isles ranked 20th in offensive-zone puck possession; they're fourth now.New York is unexpectedly jockeying for a playoff spot in late March.What I find endlessly fascinating: Schaefer wasn't a lock to make the opening-night roster. The Isles loved what he brought on and off the ice, but he was 18 and had played a mere 17 OHL games in his draft year. Oh, simpler times.Canada searching for Armstrong successor With Doug Armstrong stepping down, Team Canada has a general manager vacancy ahead of the 2028 World Cup of Hockey and 2030 Olympics.It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Sidney Crosby will be offered the prestigious job down the road. But Crosby will either be suiting up for Canada in the World Cup or freshly retired, so it's safe to rule him out for the time being (plus, we don't know for sure if No. 87 even wants to be a manager). Andy Devlin / Getty ImagesIf not Sid the Kid, then who? The smart money's on Hockey Canada elevating one of its assistant managers from the Milan Cortina Games. The management group included Jim Nill (Dallas), Julien BriseBois (Tampa Bay), Don Sweeney (Boston), Kyle Dubas (Pittsburgh), and ex-NHLer Ryan Getzlaf.Nill, Stars GM since 2013-14, and BriseBois, Lightning GM since 2018-19, are the best fits for the role based on depth of experience, ability to build winning teams, and overall reputation within hockey circles. Both are highly respected.If recent performance is valued, Kent Hughes (Montreal) would be a strong pick for an assistant GM role. The ex-agent crushed the Canadiens' rebuild.Young Hutson making Caps look smartCole Hutson won't be in contention for the Calder Trophy after leaving Boston University for the Capitals this past weekend. But we can pencil him in - heck, let's use pen - as a favorite to claim 2026-27's rookie of the year award.Hutson, younger brother to Canadiens sophomore Lane, has been sensational through two games. On Wednesday, he looked as polished as an NCAA defenseman jumping straight to the NHL could, cleverly weaving in and out of traffic all night before scoring an empty-net goal in a 4-1 Washington win over Ottawa. Two days later, skating alongside veteran Matt Roy again, the 19-year-old logged 17 minutes against New Jersey in a 2-1 Capitals victory. G Fiume / Getty ImagesSelected 43rd overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, Hutson is two inches taller and 13 pounds heavier than his brother. While he seems a bit less invested in head fakes, their games are similar: spectacular lateral mobility, shiftiness in all three zones, natural confidence with the puck, and elite hockey intelligence, to name a few attributes. He's a game-changer for a Capitals club slowly but surely turning its roster over to a newer, younger core."Little things that we're showing him (during on-ice and video sessions), he can finish your sentence," Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery told reporters Thursday. "That is usually an indicator of a young player who has a really good sense for the game and can process things really, really quickly."Goalies can't catch a breakThe league-average save percentage has hit a 32-year low.The average SV% in the NHL was .903 in 2023-24. It dropped to .900 last year and sank again this season to .896, the lowest rate since 1993-94.Two major influences are at play. One, offenses are optimizing for high-quality scoring chances more than ever before, so the average shot on goal in 2026 is significantly harder to save than in, say, 2016. Two, the league's stat-tracking standards have been scrutinized and tightened in the sports betting era. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesTake, for example, a puck that trickles to the crease before the goalie covers it, or a misfired pass that finds its way on net. In previous years, those plays would likely have counted as shots on goal, but probably not nowadays. The case for awarding a shot is straightforward: the puck would have passed the goal line if the netminder didn't stop it. A stopped puck, in other words, should be considered a save.A veteran NHL netminder recently told me that he's always been frustrated by the hockey world's lack of interest in the goalie perspective. Goalie interference, equipment changes, goals saved above expected models, and shot tracking are areas where he believes goalies' opinions are often ignored.Why does any of this matter? Despite advancements in analytical models, goalies are frequently still judged by goals-against average and SV%. Every shot counts, especially for guys fighting for backup and third-stringer jobs.Standings turned upside downThe 2025-26 season has evolved into the year of standings disruption.Through Friday's games, only nine of last year's 16 playoff teams are holding down a postseason spot. Newcomers include Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Boston, and Detroit in the East, and Anaheim and Utah in the West. The Sabres have jumped all the way from 26th in points percentage to fourth.The crazy twist: Winnipeg and Washington - last season's conference leaders with 116 and 111 points, respectively - are on track to miss the 2026 playoffs. (MoneyPuck gives the Jets 4.7% playoff odds, Capitals 8.6%.)The No. 1 seed in a conference has missed the following postseason just seven times in league history, according to NHL Stats. Not once have both conference No. 1 seeds failed to qualify the next year.The Jets and Caps could be trivia answers soon.Two 'zero' stats to keep tabs on Debora Robinson / Getty ImagesIt's extremely rare for an everyday NHL player to end a season with a zero in a statistical category. For instance, even low-usage, low-skill enforcers manage to score one or two goals thanks to the puck randomly bouncing their way.As the season winds down, two compelling "zero" stats are worth monitoring.Goal-scoring king Alex Ovechkin has started exactly zero shifts in the defensive zone through 70 games with the Capitals. No player has finished a season with zero in that category since the NHL started tracking zone starts in 2007-08.Carbery controls Ovechkin's usage and deployment, and there's no reason to believe the third-year Caps bench boss will be straying from his carefully crafted strategy. Ovechkin is highly likely to pull it off: zero in 82 games at 40.Meanwhile, Ducks winger Troy Terry hasn't been credited with a single hit in 49 contests despite skating for 18:16 a night. Nobody with a minimum of 41 games played (half a season) has finished with zero since the NHL began tracking hits in 2005-06.Though a season of non-violence would be amusing, Terry will probably record a hit down the stretch. It already feels impossible that he's close to 50 games and 900 minutes and somehow hasn't even accidentally body checked anyone.Dallas used to stiff competition Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe Stars and Wild, two of the top five teams in the NHL this season, are primed to meet in Round 1 of the playoffs. As of Saturday morning, Dallas and Minnesota occupied the Central Division's No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively.What an unfortunate outcome for the two franchises. Just about everybody except for commissioner Gary Bettman would rather see the playoff format properly reward top teams, not pit them against each other in the opening round.An NHL team executive mentioned in passing that Dallas can't catch a break with the playoff bracket. Check out their last seven opponents: 2025 conference final: Edmonton 2025 second round: Winnipeg 2025 first round: Colorado 2024 conference final: Edmonton 2024 second round: Colorado 2024 first round: Vegas 2023 conference final: Vegas (Stanley Cup winner) That's Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl twice, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar twice, the President's Trophy-winning Jets, and two loaded Golden Knights squads that were well over the salary cap come playoff time.Any serious Cup contender must meet the league's best at some point in the playoffs. But a seven-series stretch without a single easy out? Rough.Does all-Russian line have edge?Reader Nate B. recently asked about foreign languages within NHL teams:Big time Wild fan here. Coach John Hynes has put Danila Yurov, Yakov Trenin, and Vladimir Tarasenko on a line at points this year. It made me think, are there any language regulations within a team? On the bench? It seems to me that if a whole line can speak Russian, it may be a slight advantage on the ice if there are no Russians on the other team.I asked a longtime NHL assistant coach (who also had a lengthy playing career at forward) for his two cents on this intriguing, albeit very niche, topic."There can be chemistry and familiarity built on and off the ice. I get that," the coach said. "But speaking a different language isn't really an edge. Doesn't move the needle in terms of communicating at a different level on the ice."As for any regulations on what's spoken on the bench, inside the dressing room, or in other team settings, the coach said it's an unwritten rule to limit conversations in foreign languages. Talking Russian, French, or Czech in a small group for an extended period can make players, coaches, and staff unnecessarily subconscious. Are they talking about me?"We're all on the same team. English is the universal language in the NHL." What do you want to know, hockey fans?There are three ways to submit a question for future NHL Inbox editions. Comment on this article in theScore app Email John at john.matisz@thescoreSend John a message on X (@matiszjohn)

Combining his own perspective with what he's been hearing from those in and around the game, senior NHL writer John Matisz breaks down the hot topics across the hockey landscape.Most impactful deadline-week dealsBobby McMann, whom Seattle acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, buried his sixth goal in seven games Thursday during the Kraken's 4-3 overtime win versus the Lightning. The speedy winger is leading the attack and setting himself up for a hefty raise as a pending unrestricted free agent. But for what? Seattle's currently three points behind the playoff cutline in the Western Conference.Below are the most impactful deadline-week pickups among playoff teams.Nazem Kadri: The league-leading Avalanche were shopping for a middle-six center who could accentuate their strengths. No one on the trade block fit the description better than Kadri, the former Av who was a key member of the 2022 Stanley Cup team, and the rebuilding Flames were happy to off-load the 35-year-old.Kadri's return to Denver has been seamless. Lining up both down the middle and on the wing, he trails only Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas in points since being traded (two goals and four assists for six points in 10 games). Most crucially, Kadri's injected life into a perplexingly bad power play that also features MacKinnon, Necas, Cale Makar, and Brock Nelson on its top unit.Colorado's power play prior to the Kadri trade: 5.4 goals per 60 minutes, ranking 32nd out of 32 teams. Its power play after the trade, with Kadri assuming a playmaking role from the right flank: 7.8 goals per 60, ranking 14th. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesJohn Carlson: Coach Joel Quenneville has thrown Carlson into the deep end, and the 36-year-old blue-liner is enjoying every minute of it. He's recorded six points in six games while averaging a team-high 24:20 per night. His latest contribution: a crafty primary assist on Mikael Granlund's one-timer with six seconds remaining in overtime Thursday.Carlson, a 17-year veteran who had previously played only for the Capitals, has taken five-on-five shifts with all three of the Ducks' young lefties (Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, Jackson LaCombe) to start his tenure. The Pacific Division-leading squad was desperate for mobility and puck-moving chops on the right side. Carlson's been aggressive, pinching and joining the rush often.Things are going so well that the pending UFA could very well re-sign.Conor Garland: Columbus has strung together a 6-2-3 record since acquiring Garland from Vancouver for second- and third-round picks. The feisty top-six forward has undoubtedly raised the surging club's ceiling.Garland's a play-driving winger who distributes the puck well and wins a ton of board battles despite his size (5-foot-10, 165 pounds). He's recorded five goals and an assist in 11 games while skating for 12:41 a night. The Blue Jackets have outscored the opposition 5-3 and owned 56% of the expected goals in the 101 five-on-five minutes Garland has shared with center Sean Monahan.The Canucks didn't receive a first-round pick for Garland because his six-year, $36-million extension (which includes a no-movement clause) doesn't kick in until next season, and he's already 30 years old. How will the deal look in Years 4-6?Norris Trophy: Choose your fighter Tomas Diniz Santos / Getty ImagesI can't recall a year in which there were so many defensemen with legitimate cases to either win the Norris Trophy or earn one of the two other finalist nods.It reminds me of the old "Mortal Kombat" video games. Choose your fighter!Using five words or less, here are the cases for eight (unranked) contenders. Evan Bouchard, Oilers: best offensive defenseman Moritz Seider, Red Wings: best defensive defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres: significant three-zone impacts Quinn Hughes, Wild: most influential shift to shift Cale Makar, Avalanche: best all-around defenseman Lane Hutson, Canadiens: slightly lesser version of Makar Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets: most valuable to own team Matthew Schaefer, Islanders: slightly lesser version of Werenski Lightning, Hurricanes, then who?Like most of us, a front-office member of an Eastern Conference team is still wondering what to make of the East field beyond Tampa Bay and Carolina."It's almost impossible to distinguish who the third-best team is," the staffer said. "There's an argument to be made that any team can be the third - Columbus, Boston, Montreal, Buffalo, Detroit, Pittsburgh, or the Islanders."They made that comment before the Senators' playoff odds improved. The club boasts sparkling underlying numbers, and struggling starting goalie Linus Ullmark is fresh off two strong outings. Then again, the blue line is banged up.We know roughly what to expect from the Lightning and Hurricanes, thanks to recent history. The others present flawed rosters and youthfulness. The Sabres would be my vote for third-best team, with the Blue Jackets not far behind.Preds' bright spots: playoffs and WoodThe Predators executed a soft sell around the trade deadline, swapping pending UFAs Michael Bunting, Michael McCarron, and Nick Blankenburg for draft picks. The Andrew Brunette-coached squad has responded by putting together a 6-3-1 record to grab the West's second wild card.Matthew Wood, selected 15th overall in 2023, is one player who's taking advantage of the team's depleted talent pool. The 21-year-old rookie center is logging an extra two minutes per night since the deadline, skating alongside offensive catalysts Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault on the second line. The Preds have outscored the opposition 5-1 in the trio's 66 five-on-five minutes together. Casey Gower / Getty ImagesNashville is banking on Wood blossoming into a needle-moving center despite him alternating between center and wing at lower levels. I'm told Brunette really believes in him. Heck, the raw package is enticing: Wood is 6-foot-4 and 202 pounds, capable defensively, and a clever playmaker. Plus, he can rifle the puck."He has a good flair for what's coming up ice when he has the puck," Marchessault told reporters Tuesday.The veteran added, "A lot of people would dream to have a big right-handed centerman like him - and a goal-scorer. Definitely lucky to have him."Wood, who's registered a modest 16 goals and 10 assists in 61 games, was criticized for poor skating during his draft year. It's gradually improved over the past three years partly due to his work with private skating coach Brett Strot.Playing center helps as well. In the defensive zone, centers cover a wide area, forcing them to constantly move their feet, whereas wingers are stuck on the wall. This lets Wood wind up and then hit a high speed through the neutral zone.The Preds are searching for a general manager after Barry Trotz announced his retirement in February. Multiple league sources have warned to not be surprised if a hockey operations outsider, such as an agent, gets hired as GM.Pastrnak's the ultimate dual threatBruins superstar David Pastrnak won't win the Hart Trophy this year.Yet, purely from an offense generation perspective, nobody does more with less than Pastrnak. He has such little help in Boston at even strength and on the power play. This bears out on the Bruins' primary assist leaderboard: Pastrnak has 50, Charlie McAvoy has 26 (including 10 on the power play, where he quarterbacks from the point), while everybody else has 14 or fewer.Pastrnak, a 60-goal scorer with four other seasons of 40 or more, began his career as a shoot-first, pass-second winger. However, his assist rate started to soar once longtime No. 1 center Patrice Bergeron retired in summer 2023.Season Assists per 60 minutes2020-21 1.882021-22 1.662022-23 1.94-- --2023-24 2.312024-25 2.282025-26 2.61Five active players have scored at least 60 goals in a season: Auston Matthews, Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Steven Stamkos, and Pastrnak.McDavid, a generational talent who's always been an exceptional passer, has reached 60 or more assists in all nine of his full NHL seasons. Stamkos has one 60-assist season to his name. Matthews and Ovechkin don't have any.Pastrnak, who's produced 63, 63, and 61 (and counting) over the past three seasons, respectively, is the only 60-goal guy aside from McDavid with multiple 60-assist campaigns.When should a GM be fired? Minas Panagiotakis / Getty ImagesReader Frank D. recently asked about shaking up an NHL front office.At what point do changes need to be made at the front office level for a club - GM/president? How and when should these changes happen?A team owner will ordinarily task its leading hockey executive with handling three main things: creating a clear-eyed plan for building a Cup contender, executing on said plan thoughtfully and in a sustainable fashion, and managing external (fans, media) and internal expectations along the way.An owner also wants progress. Months of inaction, especially if the plan goes sideways and a new path must be charted ASAP, tends to not be tolerated.A coach can "lose the room" if his message to the players gets stale. The GM equivalent involves players, coaches, fans, and media losing faith in the direction of the franchise. Often, the issue is that the team is directionless.If you're looking for a current example of a club needing to make a change, look no further than the Maple Leafs. GM Brad Treliving's short- and long-term plans would never be described as particularly thoughtful; he's failed to effectively manage expectations in a high-intensity Canadian market; and he's neither executed on the original plan nor cleanly pivoted to something new. What do you want to know, hockey fans?There are three ways to submit a question for future NHL Inbox editions. Comment on this article in theScore app Email John at john.matisz@thescoreSend John a message on X (@matiszjohn)

The Buffalo Sabres' meteoric rise, from 30th in the NHL standings on Dec. 8 to tied for fifth on April 5 can be traced back to a snowy Tuesday night in Edmonton.

Combining his own perspective with what he's been hearing from those in and around the game, senior NHL writer John Matisz breaks down the hot topics across the hockey landscape.

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