Around the NHL: Volume 1

Western
Conference

1. Chicago hasn’t lost in regulation yet.  With 35 points in 19 games played, they’re on
   pace for 88 points in a 48 game season.  Considering
   the Columbus Blue Jackets had 65 in a full 82 game season, you have to be
   impressed with their start.
2. St. Louis is finding serious twine on their
   power play, ranked 1^st in the league at 30 percent. 
3. Detroit is a point out of the playoffs, but I
   see them making it.  They have two of the
   best playmakers in Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datysuk, and Niklas Kronwall is
   one of the hardest open-ice hitters in the game.  Just ask Jakub Voracek.
4. Joe Thornton has to be considered one of the
   greatest passers of this generation.  He
   has 15 assists and might reach 800 for his career total by the season’s end.
5. Anaheim is still quacking at second in the
   conference. With the team aging (Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne are always
   rumored to be retiring), this might be the last year for another Cup run.

Eastern
Conference

1. The Buffalo Sabres are thanking their lucky sharp
   blades Thomas Vanek is producing like an Industrial Revolution-era factory
   right now. He’s first in goals in the league, but they’re still last place in
   the conference, partly because of several key injuries, including former Flyer
   Ville Leino, who signed last season for the GDP of Canada. Last season in 71
   games, Leino had 8 goals. 
2. So how have the Bruins been so successful the
   last couple of years? They’re huge physical specimens, everyone on the squad can
   play on both ends of the ice, and they always have steady goaltending, even
   with Tim Thomas missing.  Simple, yet
   effective.
3. If the season ended today, I’d have to give the
   Vezina to Montreal’s Carey Price.  He’s
   tied for the lead in wins with 10, with a goals against of 1.90.  Also, the team that ended in last in the
   conference last year is now on top of it with 27 points.
4. The Penguins are hoping Evgeni Malkin’s
   concussion isn’t the lingering, season-ender that Sidney Crosby dealt with a
   season ago.  He has been out since he
   went down February 22^nd against the Florida Panthers.
5. I don’t think you can blame the Washington
   Capital’s woes solely on the broad shoulders of Alex Ovechkin.  He still has 8 goals and 7 assists on an
   underpowered team.