The 2013-14 NHL season so far
We're a month and change into the NHL's bounce-back season, and so far, there's been no shortage of surprise, intrigue, and controversy.
If Alex Steen leading the league in goals, Dustin Penner leading plus-minus, and Frans Nielsen ranked in the top-ten of NHL scoring wasn't enough, the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning lead their respective divisions.
Oh, and there's this new thing called the wild card to keep an eye on.
Here's my take on the first 38 days of the 2013-14 NHL season.
The best so far
Narrowly beating out the Colorado Avalanche's 12-2 start is the performance of Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding. Last November, the then-backup was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Now, less than a year later, he has posted an 8-2-1 record, leading the league with a 1.09 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage. Looking for inspiration? Look no further.
Runner-up: Colorado Avalanche
The worst so far
I will spare the Edmonton Oilers for now and focus on the unwarranted and utterly ridiculous league-wide backlash Tomas Hertl received after scoring his show-stopping fourth goal against the New York Rangers back on Oct. 9. Washington Capitals coach Adam Oates said that the move was disrespectful to the league. Wrong, Oates. It's exactly what the NHL needs more of. More skill, less Patrick Kaleta.
Runners-up: Nine suspensions in the first month
Surprise teams (for the better)
Tampa Bay Lightning - The Lightning were considered 'losers' of NHL realignment, mercilessly moved to a division with powerhouses Detroit, Boston, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. But Tampa Bay is off to a division-leading 10-4 start backed by the stellar goaltending of Ben Bishop. A year after finishing five points out of last place, the Lightning rank sixth in offensive production and seventh in both power play and penalty kill. Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis continue to put up points, but haven't needed to be world beaters this season with the emergence of Alex Killorn and the addition of Valtteri Filppula.
Colorado Avalanche - In the west, it's the Patrick Roy-catalyzed Avs who have stolen the headlines this season. The duo of Semyon Varlamov (no conspiracy here) and J.S. Giguere have allowed just 1.79 goals per game to compliment a balanced scoring attack. Now, they just need to get some fans in the seats at Pepsi Center.
Runners-up: Phoenix Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs
Surprise teams (for worse)
The entire Metropolitan Division - If the name wasn't bad enough, check out the teams that comprise it. Pittsburgh aside, this group has had a dreadful start to the season, leaving playoff spots for the taking. Combined, the division is 10-24-6 against the Western Conference, and with just six wins in 15 games, the third-place New York Islanders hold the final guaranteed playoff spot in the division.
Edmonton Oilers - Where do we start? Dreadful goaltending, injuries, a lack of depth, and under performing (so-called) superstars are weighing down the most dysfunctional team in the NHL. The duo of Devan Dubnyk and Jason LaBarbera rank last and second last, respectively, in GAA, and through 16 games, a mere four goals is good enough to lead the team. Dallas Eakins should worry less about feeding Edmonton reporters celery, and more about the performance of his players. Besides, we appreciate our donuts.
Runner-up: Ottawa Senators
Surprise players (for the better)
Alex Steen - First in goals and second in points has the former Maple Leaf castoff hanging with the NHL's elite.
Mark Giordano - Left off ESPN's preseason list of top 50 NHL defenceman, Giordano has been a stalwart on the Flames' blue line since being named captain. The Toronto native is now generating some deserved Sochi buzz.
Runners-up: Mike Ribeiro, Kyle Okposo
Surprise players (for the worse)
Claude Giroux - The fact that Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith has more goals than Giroux this season does well to tell the Flyers' tale. Philadelphia's first 14 games must have been just as frustrating as that fateful round of golf.
Stephen Weiss - When was the last time the Detroit Red Wings made a mistake? Three points in 16 games is likely not what they had in mind when they pried open the pocket book for Weiss, signing him for nearly $25 million over five years - especially with Filppula providing plenty of bang for the Lightning's buck.
Runners-up: Nail Yakupov, David Desharnais
Status quo
Chicago Blackhawks - The defending champs are in cruise control at 10-2-4 on the season as they continue to perfect the art of recycling. Patrick Kane is the only Blackhawk regular with a minus record, at a surprising -7.
Boston Bruins - Tyler Seguin got the better of the B's Tuesday in Boston, but he surely isn't getting the last laugh. Tuukka Rask's stellar play has allowed the Bruins to ease into their defense of the East title.
St. Louis Blues - At 9-2-2, the Blues are a misleading eighth in the West, but could be the league's most complete team - second in offensive output and sixth in goals against.
Pittsburgh Penguins - The regular season is simply academic for the Pens, who are getting exactly what they needed most this season - Marc-Andre Fleury with a chip firmly planted on his shoulder.
Fool's gold?
Surprise, surprise - the San Jose Sharks are off to another torrid start with just one regulation loss and a staggering goal differential of +26 through 15 games. But we saw this movie last year, and they still need to prove their real deal status.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have also provided grounds for skepticism despite their 10-5 record to start the year. The buds have allowed the second-most shots per game, have serious injury issues, and have relied entirely on their stellar goaltending duo.
Runners-up: Colorado Avalanche
Top acquisitions
Jonathan Bernier, Dave Bolland and Mason Raymond, Toronto - Dave Nonis had a tremendous summer as he gave up very little to acquire a possible franchise goaltender, an established center, and a serviceable top-six (ish) player.
Tyler Seguin, Dallas - Dallas struck while the doghouse was occupied, when they acquired the former second overall pick. In earnest, the Stars got a younger, more talented player to flank Jamie Benn for the next five seasons, despite Seguin likely having a busier social calendar than Loui Eriksson, the player sent the other way.
Runners-up: Mike Ribeiro, Phoenix; Mikhail Grabovski, Washington
Poor choices
Newly-appointed Edmonton Oilers captain Andrew Ference has done very little to help guide the troubled Oil. Assigning an average veteran player to captain a team dominated by youth doesn't appear to be working.
While Nonis was given credit above for his summers work, his miscalculations should also be recognized. Although it may be too early, David Clarkson has to be considered a swing and miss so far in Toronto, after being signed to a massive seven-year, $36.75 million deal. The former Devil has just one assist in five games, and is still trying to carve out a niche.
Montreal was six years late in signing Danny Briere. The Flyers compliance buy-out has recorded just a single goal in eight games with the Canadiens, and has since landed on the shelf with concussion issues.
Runners-up: Weiss; Ryane Clowe, New Jersey; Nathan Horton, Columbus
Welcome back
After consecutive playoff embarrassments, Fleury has bounced back, leading the league in wins and sporting a 2.07 GAA, and a .920 SV%.
Free from the shackles of John Tortorella, Brad Richards is starting to turn it around on Broadway. Richards has twelve points and a plus-rating on a Rangers team that is only starting to find their way under Alain Vigneault.
Runner-up: Jiri Hudler, Calgary; Mikael Granlund, Minnesota.
Never, ever coming back: Dany Heatley, it's over.
Show us something
The Yakupov saga in Edmonton is on the verge of reaching soap opera-like proportions. The sophomore began the season in Dallas Eakins' doghouse, benched for multiple games in favor of Ryan Smyth, who is looking more and more like a beer-leaguer who found himself on the wrong sheet of ice. Despite trade rumors beginning to swirl, general manager Craig MacTavish has assured Yakupov - and his one goal on the season - that he won't be traded.
Speaking of trades, the Toronto Maple Leafs aren't regretting the decision to move Luke Schenn. The Flyers defenseman was a healthy scratch Tuesday with just a single point and a minus-seven rating this season. All the while, his counterpart, James van Riemsdyk, is marching to the beat of a point per game for the Leafs while raising his Olympic stock.
David Desharnais, who just entered the first year of a four-year, $14 million deal with the Montreal Canadiens, has one assist in 15 games and was relegated to the press box earlier this week.
Casualties of realignment
After the Detroit Red Wings finally got their way, the NHL's conferences were left unbalanced. Sixteen teams in the East will make qualifying for the playoffs tough, especially in the Atlantic - just ask the Ottawa Senators. Although their play this season is far from playoff worthy, the conference jumbling has steepened the hill the Sens will have to climb (a hill they may die on.)
Similarly, the Columbus Blue Jackets, who were just starting to establish themselves in the West, have taken it on the chin since coming over. Sixth in the Metropolitan Division, they likely stand a better chance than Ottawa with a weaker set of teams to catch.
The 2013 draft: a retrospective
The Nashville Predators have to be considered the early winners of the 2013 draft with their selection of prized blue liner Seth Jones, taken fourth overall. The former Portland Winter Hawk is logging a staggering 25 minutes of ice time per game, while rookies Nathan MacKinnon, Aleksander Barkov, and Sean Monahan are outperforming the 2012 class.
First-month awards
Hart - Josh Harding
Vezina - Josh Harding
Art Ross - Sidney Crosby
Norris - Alex Pietrangelo
Jack Adams - Patrick Roy
Calder - Seth Jones
Runners-up: Crosby, Rask, Stamkos, Karlsson, Boudreau, Monahan.
Best moment: Sharks rookie Tomas Hertl brings his family to tears after his amazing fourth goal against the Rangers on Oct. 9
First runner-up: Blackhawks fan snatches Adam Pardy's helmet and wears it
Second runner-up: Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta's demotion to the AHL
Worst moment: Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ray Emery attacks Braden Holtby
Runner-up: Buffalo Sabres forward John Scott's hit on Boston's Loui Eriksson that earned him a seven-game suspension
Crystal ballin': The St. Louis Blues will make a bold deal for an impact forward after Christmas, and they will eventually go on to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup.