With about a quarter of the season in the books, it’s easy to notice that some teams are playing to their abilities and others are not. There are some surprises, both positive and negative. The biggest surprise in the NHL is New Jersey and their -24 scoring differential. This team was picked by many to reach the playoffs and have success there. The Islanders started off hot, but have lost 13 in a row now. I, for one, predicted them to have a good season and possibly reach the playoffs. Staying in that division, the Flyers have been phenomenal to this point, showing great offense and defense. In the Western Conference, teams such as Detroit and LA are meeting expectations, but others such as Vancouver, San Jose, and Chicago have been disappointing so far.
Boy, was I wrong.
The Rankings
| Rank | Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | No surprise here. They’re first in goals per game, and top 10 in goals allowed and on special teams. |
| 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | They’re playing well, putting up 15 points in their last 10 games. They’re second in goals per game and sixth in goals allowed. |
| 3 | Washington Capitals | They have lost three in a row, but still remain tied for the most points in the conference. They are very average on the road, but dominant at home. |
| 4 | LA Kings | They’re stumbling a little, but are still sitting atop their division. Their knock is that they need to improve on their power play, as they rank 24th. |
| 5 | Columbus Blue Jackets | What a great story so far. They have won four in a row and seven of their last ten. It doesn’t hurt that they’re 3rd in goals against and 8th in the penalty kill. They could stand to improve on the power play, though, as they rank 28th. |
| 6 | St. Louis Blues | After slipping a little, they have won two in a row. They still haven’t lost at home in regulation, but have a poor record on the road. |
| 7 | Montreal Canadiens | They’re still on top of their division with a mediocre offense. However, they’re 2nd in goals allowed and have the best penalty kill in the NHL. |
| 8 | Boston Bruins | They’re inconsistent offensively, but are dominant on defense, ranking 1st in goals allowed and having the 2nd best penalty kill. |
| 9 | Phoenix Coyotes | They have won six in a row and have accumulated 16 points in their last 10 games. |
| 10 | Colorado Avalanche | Winners of four in a row and seven of their last ten, they have the 2nd best offense in the league. |
On the Bubble
Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks
