1
Bruins
When the Bruins inked Linus Ullmark to a four-year contract value $20 million, I believed it was one of many worst signings of that offseason. Ullmark has made me look much more silly than common. He is a transparent frontrunner for the 2023 Vezina Trophy, and he not too long ago notched his twenty fifth win in simply 30 video games performed. He is now the second-fastest goalie in NHL historical past to succeed in that mark. Former Bruins goaltender Tiny Thompson hit 25 wins in 29 video games within the 1929-30 season.
—
38-5-4
2
Devils
On Sunday, Jack Hughes scored his thirtieth aim of the season, and he’s effectively on his approach to eclipsing the 50-goal mark this season. In his first couple of NHL seasons, Hughes piled up scoring possibilities left and proper, however he was unable to complete. That has not been a difficulty this yr, and the Devils are reaping the rewards.
3
31-12-4
3
Hurricanes
Unfortunately for Max Pacioretty, the Hurricanes, and followers of high quality hockey, Pacioretty re-tore his Achilles final week. Pacioretty had simply returned after tearing his Achilles within the offseason, and he scored three targets in his first 5 video games as a member of the Hurricanes. Even with out Pacioretty, this Carolina workforce could be very formidable, but it surely appeared like he was the proper match for what the Canes wanted.
—
29-9-8
4
Lightning
One week in the past, Steven Stamkos scored a hat trick towards the Canucks whereas additionally recording the five hundredth aim of his profession. Stamkos is one in all three lively gamers — together with Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby — to have 500 targets. Stamkos has battled by a number of important accidents all through his profession to stay one of many NHL’s finest gamers for effectively over a decade now.
2
30-15-1
5
Rangers
In the final month, the Rangers have been getting the job executed with protection. Since Dec. 24, the Rangers rank second in targets towards (18) and third in anticipated targets towards (36.16), based on Natural Stat Trick. Last season, the Rangers wanted Igor Shesterkin to be superhuman in aim, and he was. They have lightened his load a bit this yr.
1
26-14-7
6
Maple Leafs
William Nylander has a penchant for occurring scoring benders, and he’s on one proper now. In his final 4 video games, Nylander has 4 targets and 9 factors. He is now tied with Mitch Marner for the workforce lead in factors (56). With Auston Matthews and John Tavares rolling as effectively, Toronto has a four-headed monster up entrance.
1
29-11-8
7
Oilers
Connor McDavid continued his destruction of the NHL along with his fortieth aim of the season towards the Canucks. McDavid has solely performed 48 video games, and he is perhaps inside attain of 70 within the remaining week of the common season. While McDavid cooks opposing defenders and goaltenders, the Oilers have now received six in a row. Edmonton is simply three factors behind the Golden Knights for first place within the Pacific Division.
7
27-18-3
8
Jets
Nikolaj Ehlers suffered a sports activities hernia on Oct. 17 and missed a virtually three months after present process surgical procedure. Since returning to the lineup on Jan. 6, Ehlers has scored 4 targets and tallied 14 factors in 11 video games. Ehlers will present an enormous increase to a workforce that’s already contending for a division.
—
31-17-1
9
Avalanche
With 15 targets in 43 video games, Artturi Lehkonen is simply 4 away from surpassing his profession excessive. Aside from Lehkonen’s goal-scoring, the Avs have managed 55.04% of the anticipated targets with him on the ice at five-on-five. Now, Colorado is getting more healthy, and the workforce has received 5 in a row.
6
26-17-3
10
Kraken
When the Kraken chosen Vince Dunn within the 2021 growth draft, they hoped he may change into a legit top-four defenseman. He has grown into that position this yr. Seattle has been nice with him on the ice at five-on-five. In these conditions, the Kraken have an absurd plus-29 aim differential.
4
27-14-5
11
Stars
Few goaltenders — if any — have been nearly as good as Jake Oettinger over the past month. Since Dec. 24, Oettinger has saved 11.08 targets above common, based on Natural Stat Trick. That is simply above Juuse Saros, who’s the following finest goaltender at 10.86 targets saved above common in that stretch.
2
28-13-8
12
Wild
Veteran defenseman Matt Dumba was scratched in two consecutive video games final week, and it looks like his time with the franchise is coming to an finish. There was already commerce hypothesis round Dumba, and this previous week has solely amplified that. Dumba is not having the most effective season of his 10-year profession, however he might be an enormous addition for a Stanley Cup contender.
2
25-17-4
13
Sabres
With his aim within the Sabres’ extra time win over the Stars on Monday, Rasmus Dahlin grew to become the primary Buffalo defenseman since Alexei Zhitnik in 1997-98 to attain no less than 14 targets in a single season. Dahlin may probably hit the 25-goal mark this yr, and at this level, it seems to be just like the 22-year-old can be a Vezina Trophy finalist.
4
25-19-3
14
Capitals
After a pleasant run amidst some poor harm luck, the Capitals have began to float again into the center of the pack. Washington has received 4 of its final 10 video games, and Pittsburgh is simply two factors behind it within the standings with three video games in hand. The Caps have gotten key gamers again from harm, however that hasn’t translated to raised outcomes on the ice.
2
25-19-6
15
Kings
As it seems, maybe Pheonix Copley was not the reply to the Kings’ goaltending woes. Since Copley acquired his first begin on Dec. 6, he and Jonathan Quick have mixed to give up 9.94 targets above common, per Natural Stat Trick. That has contributed to some middling leads to the month of January.
4
27-17-6
16
Flames
Congratulations to Jakob Pelletier, a first-round choose within the 2019 draft who performed his first NHL recreation final week. Your head coach undoubtedly is aware of who you might be, and he thinks you probably did a bang-up job in your big-league debut.
—
23-16-9
17
Golden Knights
The Golden Knights have quietly been reasonably pedestrian over the few weeks, and that has allowed different groups to catch them within the Pacific Division standings. In the final month, Vegas has gone 5-6-2 with a minus-5 aim differential, and it is not essentially a matter of poor luck. The Golden Knights have scored 36 targets and allowed 41 in that span, which is true in step with their anticipated aim numbers, per Natural Stat Trick.
4
29-17-3
18
Penguins
The Penguins are counting on Jeff Carter to play a third-line heart position behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, however he has gone ice chilly currently. Carter hasn’t recorded some extent in his final eight video games, and he has only one level in his final 10 video games. Pittsburgh has to get contributions from additional down the lineup, however that hasn’t occurred a lot this month.
1
24-15-8
19
Panthers
Brandon Montour is having an distinctive season for the Panthers, and he has already set a profession excessive in assists (33) and factors (41) in 49 video games performed. In addition to these offensive numbers, Montour has posted a five-on-five anticipated targets share of 51.75%. Montour is an enormous cause why the underperforming Panthers are nonetheless within the playoff race.
2
23-21-6
20
Predators
For a lot of the John Hynes period, the Predators have seemingly been content material to play low-event hockey, however that has not been the case of late. Since Dec. 24, the Preds lead the league in anticipated targets for (54.3), and they’re thirty first in anticipated targets towards (54.38). Nashville has been enjoying extra huge open video games in current weeks, and the workforce is 9-5-1 in that stretch.
2
23-18-6
21
Blues
The Blues are in a tricky spot proper now. They are behind a number of groups on the incorrect facet of the playoff bubble, they usually have struggled to seek out any form of consistency of their recreation this yr. That stated, there’s some excellent news. Vladimir Tarasenko and Torey Krug each returned to the lineup on Tuesday evening, so perhaps they’ll kick begin this St. Louis squad.
3
23-22-3
22
Flyers
Cam York, the No. 14 general choose within the 2019 NHL Draft, has flown underneath the radar as one of many higher tales for the Flyers this season. York has 10 factors in 22 video games since making his season debut on Dec. 9, and he has a number of the finest underlying numbers on the workforce. With York on the ice at five-on-five, Philadelphia has outscored opponents 18-10, per Natural Stat Trick.
2
20-21-8
23
Red Wings
Ville Husso acquired off to a powerful begin with the Red Wings, however he has tailed off towards the center of the season. In his 33 appearances, Husso has posted -3.30 targets saved above common, per Natural Stat Trick. Back on Dec. 1, that quantity appeared a lot better at 3.19 targets saved above common.
1
20-18-8
24
Canadiens
An already horrible Canadiens workforce simply acquired even worse with the information that main scorer Cole Caufield will miss the remainder of the common season with a shoulder harm. Of course, that simply made it even funnier when Montreal beat Toronto on Saturday.
3
20-25-3
25
Senators
Claude Giroux was pacing for greater than 30 targets in his first season with the Senators, however he has misplaced a few of that scoring contact. Giroux has but to attain a aim in 2023, which suggests his aim drought has now reached 10 video games. Barring a significant turnaround, the Sens aren’t going to the playoffs, but it surely’s nonetheless necessary to get Giroux going because the workforce builds towards subsequent season.
—
20-23-3
26
Islanders
The Islanders are formally spiraling. They have received one in all their final 10 video games and have picked up simply 4 factors within the standings over that stretch. The Isles are nonetheless solely three factors out of the second wild card spot within the Eastern Conference, however a number of groups forward of them have three video games in hand.
3
23-21-5
27
Ducks
It can be fascinating to see what the commerce market is like for Adam Henrique. The 32-year-old ahead has yet another yr left on his contract at $5.825 million, and he already has 16 targets on the season. Henrique is an ideal commerce chip for the Ducks, and he may assist a workforce in want of depth scoring, however discovering a membership that may make the cash work could be the greatest hurdle.
3
14-29-5
28
Sharks
With losses to the Red Wings and Blue Jackets within the final week, the Sharks did some strong work of their tanking efforts. San Jose nonetheless has some work to do with the intention to catch the likes of the Coyotes and Blackhawks, however that can get simpler because the workforce begins to unload a few of its finest gamers.
1
14-25-10
29
Blackhawks
I’ll offer you three guesses to determine the Blackhawks’ main scorer. No, it is not Patrick Kane. No, it is not Jonathan Toews. No, it is not Seth Jones. Thanks for enjoying. It’s really Max Domi, who the workforce signed to a one-year deal within the offseason. Domi is on observe to have his finest season since 2018-19, however he might not be in Chicago by the top of the common season.
2
14-28-4
30
Blue Jackets
Johnny Gaudreau made his return to Calgary on Monday evening, and the Flames’ fan base gave him an icy reception. Gaudreau did notch a pair of assists, however he missed a penalty shot and dedicated a turnover in extra time that led to the game-winning aim for the Flames.
2
14-30-3
31
Canucks
Vancouver has been awfully busy this previous week. On Sunday, the Canucks fired head coach Bruce Boudreau after letting him dangle within the wind for the higher a part of the month. They instantly changed him with Rick Tocchet, who acquired a blended reception from the followers forward of the workforce’s Tuesday evening conflict with the Blackhawks. A couple of minutes into the sport, somebody threw a Canucks jersey onto the ice in disgust. The Canucks did dominate the Blackhawks in Tochhet’s debut, however we’ll see if that was greater than a new-coach bump.
5
19-25-3
32
Coyotes
In one of many greatest tank-a-thon matchups of the season, the Coyotes acquired pasted by the Ducks, 5-2. Getting creamed by a workforce that entered the evening with a minus-86 aim differential is a very spectacular form of gross.
—
15-28-5
