The NHL season has now passed the half way mark and the playoff picture may start to materialize shortly. Can anyone compete with Washington? Will any Canadian team make the playoffs? Does Chicago have the MVP and Rookie of the Year? These questions and many others will be answered.
Each team this year, regardless of success, has had players excel at higher levels than anticipated or their pasts would tell. On the flip side, other players have not produced at a level their teams required them to. I will highlight who I feel has been the biggest let down and surprise for each franchise. Some of the players’ I will mention should be obvious as to why they have been a disappointment or pleasant shock. Others may come as a bit of a surprise and I encourage all readers to comment and share regardless if you agree or disagree.
Stepped Up: Bold
Fell Down: Italics
Anaheim Ducks
John Gibson (G) 11-7-2 in 21 games played 1.91 GAA & .923 SV%
Ryan Kesler 10/11 and -11 rating
Gibson has been a key point in the Ducks turn around and if Kesler can start putting the puck in the net more, they could return to the playoffs.
Arizona Coyotes
Tobias Rieder 10/20 and -6 rating
Antoine Vermette 8/12 and -9 rating
The rookies get much of the attention, but Rieder should get some credit to the teams’ success as well.
Buffalo Sabres
Rasmus Ristolainen (D) 8/23 and -11 rating
Matt Moulson 4/8 and -1 rating
Although a -11 rating isn’t desirable for a blue liner, his production on the stat sheet makes up for it. If forwards, such as Moulson, would score more, scoring would not have to come from the defence as much.
Boston Bruins
Jonas Gustavsson (G) 9-3-1 in 16 games played 2.29 GAA & .917 SV%
Carl Seidenberg (D) 0/7 and +1 rating in 31 games played
Good teams have a solid backup and Jonas is much more than that.
Calgary Flames
TJ Brodie (D) 4/20 and +6 rating
Jonas Hiller (G) 5-3-1 in 14 games played 3.16 GAA & .882 SV%
It is easy to point blame on a goalie if a team performs poorly. In Calgary’s case Hiller is a big reason why they have struggled. Brodie is a nice bright spot though and a good defenceman to build around.
Carolina Hurricanes
Justin Faulk (D) 14/19 and -16 rating
John-Michael Liles (D) 4/7 and -6 rating
Similar to Ristolainen in Buffalo, Faulk has a poor +/- but can produce on offence. With a top five pick looming, the team can hope to find a forward with some scoring power.
Chicago Blackhawks
Artemi Panarin 17/29 and +9 rating
Marian Hossa 8/17 and +11 rating
Calder trophy favourite says it all. Just think how good this team would be if Hossa was a twenty goal scorer at this point of the season too.
Colorado Avalanche
Jarome Iginla 13/12 and -15 rating
Gabriel Landeskog 11/22 and -3 rating
His numbers may be down, but his presence alone make Iginla a bonus for this team. He may have thirty three points, but Landeskog needs to be a thirty goal scorer for this team and that is unlikely to happen this year.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Ryan Murray (D) 4/12 and -6 rating
Nick Foligno 6/19 and -8 rating
Hard to find a bright spot when you’re the leagues’ worst team, but Murray is a solid blue liner. Foligno is only one of many who have under-performed and will be lucky to score fifteen goals this year.
Dallas Stars
John Klingberg (D) 6/34 and +11 rating
Ales Hemsky 5/11 and E rating
A Norris trophy favourite has emerged out of nowhere and Klingberg has become a point-per-game defenseman.
Detroit Red Wings
Dylan Larkin 15/17 and +23 rating
Jimmy Howard (G) 7-7-4 in 20 games played 2.76 GAA & .908 SV%
A team riddled with veterans has found a Calder finalist in Larkin. Mrazek has taken the starting role from Howard, and rightfully so.
Edmonton Oilers
Taylor Hall 18/30 and + rating
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 8/22 and -8 rating
Hall has bounced back from injury with a point-per-game performance this year. RNG would be the former number one pick on the team most expendable, in my opinion.
Florida Panthers
Jonathan Huberdeau 8/26 and +11 rating
Brian Campbell (D) 4/13 and +16 rating
Although a +16 rating is what you desire from your top blue liner, it be nice for Campbell to be on the score sheet a bit more.
Los Angeles Kings
Tyler Toffoli 22/15 and +26 rating
Marian Gaborik 9/9 and -2 rating
Would you have picked Toffoli to lead the league in +/- ??
Montreal Canadiens
Andrei Markov (D) 2/21 and E rating
Tomas Plekanec 9/25 and E rating
It’s nearly February and Markov is not on the IR yet. As great as 25 assists are, nine goals is not enough from your Captain.
Nashville Predators
Mattias Ekholm (D) 7/13 and E rating
Mike Fisher 6/4 and -9 rating in 37 games played
Although he has missed some time ten points from Fisher is a let-down, in my opinion.
New Jersey Devils
Cory Schneider (G) 22-14-5 in 41 games played 2.03 GAA & .928 SV%
Jordin Tootoo 3/5 and -19 rating
Who anticipated Schneider turning into a Vezina candidate calibre of player? The Devils success is largely because of his play between the pipes. Tootoo has not been a big point producer over his career. If you’re not scoring you need to stop the other team from though and a -19 rating shows that’s not happening.
New York Islanders
Cal Clutterbuck 10/3 and +7 rating
Nikolay Kulemin 5/9 and +7 rating
Any points from Clutterbuck is a bonus. Kulemin needs to step up if the Isles want to go deep in the playoffs.
New York Rangers
Ryan McDonagh (D) 6/18 and +10 rating
Rick Nash 12/21 and +7 rating
Another great defenseman has stepped up on the score sheet where one forward has not. Nash should be a thirty goal player for the Rangers, but is not.
Ottawa Senators
Mike Hoffman 22/17 and +8 rating
Cody Ceci (D) 4/8 and -3 rating
Karlsson is the clear #1 on the blue line for this team. Ceci does not need to be a fifty assist player like him, but twenty would be nice. Hoffman has stepped up with the injury to Turris and is on pace for a fifty point year.
Philadelphia Flyers
Shayne Gostisbehere (D) 8/12 and +5 rating in 28 games played
Sean Couturier 9/13 and +8 rating
One of the young guns has showed up on a mission. If Couturier can finish strong the Flyers may just squeak into post season play.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Trevor Daley (D) 4/3 and -1 rating 18 games played in PIT
Phil Kessel 14/16 and +2 rating
He was brought in to score goals and done just the opposite. Daley seems to be fitting in nicely with the Penguins.
San Jose Sharks
Joe Pavelski 24/24 and +17 rating
Alex Stalock (G) 3-5-1 in 12 games played 2.76 GAA & .894 SV%
He was drafted 205th in 2003 and is now a point-per-game player. All franchises need a good backup and the Sharks are lacking in that department.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Andrej Sustr (D) 2/9 and -2 rating
Ryan Callahan 5/9 and -5 rating
Five goals from Callahan, in one word, depressing.
Vancouver Canucks
Jannik Hansen 15/11 and +15 rating
Radim Vrbata 11/11 and -20 rating
A great addition to Sedin brothers, Hansen could be another thirty goal player. With a -20 rating though, Vrbata is more helpful to his team off the ice than on it.
Washington Capitals
Matt Niskanen (D) 2/19 and +15 rating
—–
There is enough scoring threat in the forward group, but having a thirty assist blue liner is never a bad thing. When you are the leagues’ top team it’s hard to label a player who has under-performed.
Winnipeg Jets
Connor Hellebuyck (G) 11-9-1 in 21 games played 2.11 GAA & .926 SV%
Michael Hutchinson (G) 5-9-1 in 17 games played 2.97 GAA & .904 SV%
One goalie has tallied numbers worthy of a record well above 11-9-1, whereas the other deserves to be on the bench with a GAA approaching 3.00
Agree? Disagree? Comment below and don’t forget to like Super Two Sports Facebook page and follow them on twitter, along with myself.
@SuperTwo_Sports & @GHam614
*stats as of January 25th
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