NHL Power Rankings: Carey Price Carries Montreal to Top

Previous Ranking: 9 (+8)

Team Record: (6-0-1)

Player of the Week: Carey Price (3 wins 1.67GAA .939 save percentage)

Special Teams

PP: (5-for-26) 19.2 percent (T-15th)
PK: (3-for-28) 89.3 percent (7th)

Goaltending

After being sidelined with the flu to open the season, Carey Price made his presence felt upon return. He shut the door vs. Arizona last Thursday stopping 27 of 29 shots for the win. Two nights later, he stopped 19 of 21 shots for a victory in Boston, and lastly, he surrendered just one goal on 32 shots for the W at home versus Philadelphia.

The Habs turned to Al Montoya on Wednesday night after the team had just two days off. Again, he delivered another solid start allowing two goals on 28 shots for his third win of the year.

Defense

Offseason acquisition Shea Weber definitely challenges Carey Price for POW honors. In fact, he’s arguably vying for Hart Trophy honors after six games. Montreal thought they were giving up a bit of offense for a strong defensive presence (which will be the case once the dust settles), so eight points in six games is a nice surprise. We don’t expect the production to continue at such a high-rate, but there’s no reason to believe he can’t match/exceed his career-best of 56 points from three seasons ago.

On a side note, it seems Nathan Beaulieu is working through a demotion right now. The hope was for him to serve on the top pairing, flourishing alongside Shea Weber the way Roman Josi did. There’s still hope he can make his way back up there, but he’ll need to pick up his play.

Forwards

Montreal was receiving next to zero goal support from their bottom three forward lines during the first week of play. It was only because of Max Pacioretty, Alex Galchenyuk, and Brendan Gallagher that the Habs could score enough goals to support Al Montoya‘s strong start.
Luckily, the rest of the forward group decided to wake up over the past four games. It was the bottom six that stepped up versus Arizona followed by a nice second line performance led by Alex Radulov (one goal, two assists) vs. Philadelphia.

One of the major bright spots early on has gotta be Artturi Lehkonen. We got a taste of what he could bring to the table during the preseason, and his impressive play seems to keep rolling through the first six games. He has two goals, one assist in seven games and serves as a quality two-way forward.

Previous Ranking: 2 (-)

Team Record: (5-1-0)

Player of the Week: Steven Stamkos (3gp 3g 2a 5pts)

Special Teams

PP: (7-for-23) 30.4 percent (3rd)
PK: (2-for-17) 88.2 percent (9th)

Goaltending

Ben Bishop put up a stinker against the Avs last Thursday allowing four goals on 16 shots. It made way for Andrei Vasilevskiy to step in against Ottawa on Saturday, and the Russian netminder delivered stopping 27 of 28 shots for the win. Coach Jon Cooper went back to Bishop on Tuesday night in Toronto, which led to his best performance of the early season as he stopped 40 of 43 shots in a decisive 7-3 win.

Defense

On the blue line, Victor Hedman had a quiet week on the score sheet with a lone goal, but still played well logging top minutes. The performers of the week on the back end were actually Anton Stralman and Andrej Sustr. Both had a pair of helpers and a combined +3 plus/minus rating.

Forwards

While Steven Stamkos took home POW honors for his four-point performance versus his hometown Maple Leafs, it was another Lightning player who continues to provide a high level of consistency through the first two weeks. Valtteri Filppula had a goal and an assist with a +3 rating bringing him up to five points in six games, making him arguably Tampa Bay’s best player thus far. Another big performer over the past seven days was Russian forward Vladislav Namestnikov who had back-to-back one goal, one assist, multi-point games. He now has four points in six games.

Previous Ranking: 7 (+4)

Team Record: (5-2-0)

Player of the Week: Henrik Lundqvist (3 wins 2.00GAA .930 save percentage)

Special Teams

PP: (6-for-25) 24.0 percent (T-9th)
PK: (3-for-20) 85.0 percent (10th)

Goaltending

After three sub-par performances to start the year, King Henrik has rebounded nicely over the last three games. He has three wins, while sacrificing two goals in each contest. It was three solid outings starting with 26 saves on 28 shots in Washington, then 27 saves on 29 shots the next night at home versus Arizona. On Wednesday, Lundqvist arguably had his best showing with another 27 saves on 29 shots against Boston.

Defense

After drawing out of the lineup for three games due to a groin injury, Dan Girardi made a strong impression upon return scoring the game-winner versus Arizona. It’s been a quiet few games of defensively sound hockey for New York, although Ryan McDonagh is on a bit of an offensive tear early. After being left off the score sheet in his first two games, McDonagh put up a pair of assists versus San Jose and has since recorded an assist in each of the last four games. The five-game point streak almost has him on a point-per-game pace with five assists in six games.

Forwards

New York continues to find success through a scoring-by-committee basis. Instead of relying heavily on their top-six or one specific line, the Rangers have done a great job spreading out the offense. On a bit of a side note, the NYR got some good news with the return of Oscar Lindberg, which should only help matters.

On the top line, Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey continues to flourish with three goals in the past week, bringing him up to four goals, one assist (five points) in six games. Derek Stepan continues to offer solid two-way play and racked up three points over the last seven days. Even Rick Nash is showing signs of bouncing back from a disappointing 2015-16 with three goals, one assist on the season.

On the second line, J.T. Miller had a goal and three assists in the last three games. Mika Zibanejad tallied a pair of helpers, and Mats Zuccarello was limited to an assist after racking up four points in his first three games.

The unsung hero so far is third-liner Brandon Pirri. Here’s a guy that struggled to get a contract for some reason and now has four goals, two assists (six points) in six games after scoring a pair on Wednesday night versus Boston.

Previous Ranking: 18 (+14)

Team Record: (5-2-0)

Player of the Week: Jimmy Howard (1 win 0.00GAA 1.000 save percentage – 30 save shutout)

Special Teams

PP: (6-for-27) 22.2 percent (T-13th)
PK: (6-for-26) 76.9 percent (20th)

Goaltending

Goaltending continues to be one of the Red Wings strong suits in 2016-17 as the team looks to extend its quarter-century playoff streak to 26 years. Petr Mrazek started two games over the last seven days. He surrendered three goals on 33 shots in a win versus Nashville last Friday, and collected another victory on Tuesday against Carolina stopping 29 of 31 shots. Red Wings POW Jimmy Howard was only asked to step up once versus a tough Sharks squad on Saturday and delivered a perfect 30-save shutout.

Defense

Well, I have to give the Red Wings defense some credit. They had an outstanding week and overall have exceeded expectations thus far. It’s kind of like riding one of those old beat up dingy boats though, at some point a leak will spring, and I’m not sure Detroit has the depth to make up for injuries or poor defensive performances. Unless someone such as Xavier Ouellet or Ryan Sproul emerges out of nowhere, it wouldn’t be surprising to see GM Ken Holland acquire another top-four defender to throw in the mix.

Forwards

Numerous players provided a nice spark for the Red Wings over the last seven days. Tomas Tatar, Drew Miller, and Justin Abdelkader (day-to-day) all scored a goal. Luke Glendening and Henrik Zetterberg each had a pair of helpers. Darren Helm and Thomas Vanek had a goal and an assist in three games. Even Andreas Athanasiou added two goals and an assist while only drawing in the lineup for two games. Leading the way for Detroit over the past week though was winger Gustav Nyquist. He had a goal and an assist versus Nashville, two goals against San Jose, and a helper vs. Carolina for five points in three games.

Previous Ranking: 26 (+21)

Team Record: (6-1-0)

Player of the Week: Cam Talbot (3 wins 0.67GAA .980 save percentage)

Special Teams

PP: (4-for-22) 18.2 percent (17th)
PK: (3-for-26) 88.5 percent (8th)

Goaltending

Is there honestly any hotter player than Cam Talbot right now? Over the past seven days, Edmonton’s starter has three wins while only sacrificing two goals on 99 shots. The solid week was highlighted with a 31-save shutout versus Winnipeg at the Heritage Classic on Sunday. Maybe Cam Talbot will be pulling for more outdoor games moving forward? Give the 29-year-old credit. His 2015-16 was promising, but there no way of knowing if he would be the answer given the Oilers weak blue line. Now with a much improved back end, it’s starting to look like Cam Talbot may indeed be the man that can help this team get over the hump.

Defense

Give the Oilers D some credit. They’ve more than exceeded expectation seven games into the year. That top pairing of Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson looks to have the potential to be an elite duo once they figure out how to follow up that solid defensive play with a little more offensive flair. That second pairing of Andrej Sekera and Kris Russell continued their solid play this past week, although Russell was left off the score sheet after posting three points in his first two games. Heck, even Darnell Nurse is looking solid on the bottom pairing with a stronger defensive presence from a year ago. All in all, things are looking up for the Oilers blue line.

Forwards

Should we honestly be surprised that phenom Connor McDavid continued to carry his dominance into week two? After posting six points over his first four games, McDavid added five more in three games over the last seven days. His chances at the Art Ross are looking good early on with 11 points in seven games.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was finally rewarded for his solid play after going pointless through his first five games. He’s got three assists in his last two contests, and is starting to look more comfortable with his linemates. His left winger Benoit Pouliot has two goals and one assist over those last two games as well. On the right side, Zack Kassian continues to make his mark with the Oilers. After failing to pan out following a trade to Vancouver, then Montreal, and a stint in the NHL’s Substance Abuse Program, the future was uncertain for the former 1st round pick. The Oilers took a chance last year and it’s paying off in 2016-17. He had a goal and an assist at the Heritage Classic and now has four points in seven games.

Previous Ranking: 5 (-1)

Team Record: (4-2-1)

Player of the Week: David Perron (3gp 3g 1a 4pts)

Special Teams

PP: (5-for-19) 25.9 percent (7th)
PK: (2-for-23) 91.3 percent (T-3rd)

Goaltending

It was a luke-warm week for Blues goaltending. After two decent performances from Jake Allen where he only allowed two goals in each contest, St. Louis failed to offer enough offensive production to get him a win in either game. The offense finally filled the score sheet in Calgary, earning Allen the win after allowing four goals on 27 shots. Three days later, the Flames came into town to face backup Carter Hutton who allowed three goals on 29 shots, but again the Blues failed to muster up enough offense.

Defense

Despite racking up a goal and six assists (seven points) over the past three games, the Blues defense has struggled somewhat. A lot of those points have come on the man-advantage, which tends to mask the lackluster even-strength play. Kevin Shattenkirk alone was a -2 rating in each of his last two games. Alex Pietrangelo is a -3 over that span, while Colton Parayko, Jay Bouwmeester, and Carl Gunnarsson were all a -1 rating.

Forwards

It’s worth pointing out that David Perron received POW honors because of his single game effort in Calgary. He had a hat-trick plus an assist, virtually carrying the Blues to a 6-4 win on the road.

On a positive note, Jaden Schwartz is now back in the lineup having played the last three games. He only has one assist, but could be a major difference maker in the Blues offense this year.

In terms of consistency, St. Louis’ top two players continue to be Vladimir Tarasenko and Nail Yakupov. Each had a goal and an assist in the last three games, including a statement goal by Yakupov against his former Oilers.

There was a lot of line juggling to start the season, but things are beginning to look more settled with Schwartz back. Don’t be surprised if the Tarasenk-show sees a lot of time alongside Schwartz in 2016-17, it’s a duo with the potential to be a top producer in the NHL.

Previous Ranking: 1 (-6)

Team Record: (3-2-1)

Player of the Week: Alex Ovechkin (3gp 3g 0a 3pts)

Special Teams

PP: (2-for-19) 10.5 percent (28th)
PK: (5-for-18) 72.2 percent (T-25th)

Goaltending

After starting the first week as one of the NHL’s top netminders, Holtby took a step back over the past seven days. He surrendered nine goals on 72 shots in three games versus the Panthers, Rangers, and Oilers. The Caps just began their Western Canada road trip, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Phillip Grubauer in one of the next two back-to-back games.

Defense

The Caps must be pleased with their defensive group early on. Karl Alzner and Matt Niskanen continue to look solid racking up four assists combined over the past three games. Dmitry Orlov is impressing alongside John Carlson, continually earning those extra minutes in 2016-17. Even the bottom pairing of Brooks Orpik and Nate Schmidt are turning some heads with solid two-way play.

Washington also has the best-kept secret in case of defensive injuries. They won’t call him up to fill limited minutes, but if there are big shoes to fill in that top four, Madison Bowey is scratching and clawing for NHL playing time. His full-time arrival might still be a year away, but Caps fans should get a sneak peek at the offensive-minded defender at some point.

Forwards

Coach Barry Trotz decided to recently mix things up a bit putting breakout candidate Andre Burakovsky on the top line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. It seemed to pay off on Wednesday as Andre notched a helper, his first point since scoring two goals in the season opener.
The Caps top player over the past week was by far Alex Ovechkin. He scored three goals over three games, including the game-winner versus Florida last Thursday. Ovie now has four goals, one assist for a point-per-game pace after five games.

Previous Ranking: 4 (-4)

Team Record: (4-2-1)

Player of the Week: Evgeni Malkin (3gp 1g 2a 3pts)

Special Teams

PP: (6-for-27) 22.2 percent (0-for-10 on the road) (T-12th)
PK: (6-for-29) 79.3 percent (17th)

Goaltending

Even though Marc-Andre Fleury picked up wins in two of three games, it wasn’t pretty. He allowed nine goals over that span, including five goals on 23 shots versus Nashville. Mike Condon stopped all seven shots in relief. Things are getting increasingly interesting over in Pittsburgh as Matt Murray nears closer to return. We can only assume that it’s a matter of time before Fleury is traded.

Defense

The Pens were dealt a massive blow on the blue line this past week being without Kris Letang those last three games. Trevor Daley and Ian Cole did their best to replace such a big presence but it ultimately made creating offense a little more difficult. In fact, the entire Penguins defensive group accounted for zero points and a -4 plus/minus rating combined. Luckily, it sounds as though Letang should be back soon, which will give the Pens a much-needed boost from the back end. It’s funny, this team almost does a better job with one of Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby out compared to when Kris Letang misses time. Talk about an underrated MVP.

Forwards

Patric Hornqvist and Evgeni Malkin led the charge last Thursday in a 3-2 win in a rematch of the Stanley Cup Final versus San Jose. They each had a goal and an assist en route to an exciting win. Unfortunately, it seemed the Pens offense decided not to show up on Saturday as they were handed a decisive 5-0 loss. Pittsburgh received a much-needed spark on Tuesday with the unexpected addition of captain Sidney Crosby. He scored a goal to help the Pens secure a 3-2 win over Florida. Don’t be surprised if we see a bit of line juggling moving forward as coach Mike Sullivan continues to find the right chemistry. Gotta wonder how long before we see an HBK reunion.

Previous Ranking: 13 (+4)

Team Record: (4-2-1)

Player of the Week: Devan Dubnyk (2 wins 1.33GAA .957 save percentage)

Special Teams

PP: (3-for-26) 11.5 percent (27th)
PK: (1-for-21) 95.2 percent (1st)

Goaltending

Starter Devan Dubnyk was arguably one of the top performers over the past seven days. He collected a win versus Toronto last Thursday stopping 31 of 33 shots. He put up a solid outing stopping 30 of 32 shots in a loss to New Jersey, and finished it off with a 27-save shutout in 5-0 thrashing of the Bruins on Tuesday. Backup Darcy Kuemper started one game allowing five goals on 32 shots – ouch.

Defense

If it weren’t for going -4 on Saturday and Sunday, Ryan Suter would arguably have the best stat line among all NHLers through seven games. He’s been an offensive force early on with two goals, five assists (seven points) in seven games. Suter would own a +5 plus/minus rating if it weren’t for that nasty blemish this past weekend. Luckily, he responded with a goal and an assist and a +3 in the 5-0 win on Tuesday.

Apparently Bruce Boudreau heard us. We were screaming to see more of Matt Dumba and that’s exactly what we’re seeing. It’s paid off too with three assists and a +4 rating over the last four games. Even Jonas Brodin has bounced back after a slow start in his first three games. He had two assists and a +3 rating in the last three contests.

Forwards

A bit of line juggling continues for Bruce Boudreau, but he seems to have his players responding early in 2016-17. There’s production coming from all four lines, albeit pretty limited from that 4th line.

Zach Parise continues to be a force for the Wild with three points in four games over the last seven days. He even entered double-digits with 10 shots versus the Isles on Sunday. Perhaps the MVP forward so far though is free agent signing Eric Staal. He had a solid first week and followed it up with four points over the past seven days. He now has five points in seven games and looks to be on track to put that miserable 2015-16 campaign behind him.

There is one question moving forward, and that’s what to do with rookie Joel Eriksson Ek. Minnesota finally made room for him on the third line Saturday night and he delivered with his first NHL goal in just 9:36 of ice-time. He took a bit of a step back on Sunday posting a -2 plus/minus rating over 11:36 in minutes played. Just as you want to see though, Eriksson Ek responded with a solid outing two nights later in Boston. With just 8:55 of ice-time, the Swede tallied three helpers and a +3 rating. After posting four points in three games, the Wild might need to re-think how they intend to use the rookie.

Previous Ranking: 21 (+11)

Team Record: (3-2-0)

Player of the Week: Matt Duchene (2gp 3g 2a 5pts)

Special Teams

PP: (5-for-17) 29.4 percent (4th)
PK: (7-for-37) 69.6 percent (28th)

Goaltending

All NHL

Colorado only played two games over the last seven days, turning to Semyon Varlamov on the road versus Tampa Bay and Florida. He had an outstanding showing with a 27-save shutout against a potent Lightning team, but unfortunately stunk the joint up vs. Florida allowing five goals on 38 shots – a little goal support would have been nice though. With two wins in four starts, a 3.25GAA and .902 save percentage, Jared Bednar might think of turning to Calvin Pickard a little more often. The expansion draft is still around the corner and there’s a very tough decision to make in the crease.

Defense

The Avs blue line continues to surprise their critics. It is still just six games into the season, so there’s no reason to draw conclusions just yet. You have to give one player in particular credit though; that’s Nikita Zadorov. He continues to look good on that top pairing with Erik Johnson and could be a real bright spot for Colorado in 2016-17. The performer of the week on Avs blue line is a guy who recently received a promotion. Patrick Weircioch is currently seeing time alongside Tyson Barrie and has three assists over his last two games.

Forwards

We were highly critical of Matt Duchene is last week’s ranking. After all, the Avs had a solid three-game start and their star forward had nothing but a -1 rating to show for it. Perhaps we woke the beast suggesting trade rumors might start to re-appear because Duchene went off for two multi-point games in the past week. It began with two goals, one assist versus Tampa Bay last Thurday, followed by a goal and an assist two nights later on Saturday.

Previous Ranking: 3 (-8)

Team Record: (4-3-0)

Player of the Week: Joe Pavelski (3gp 1g 2a 3pts)

Special Teams

PP: (4-for-25) 16.0 percent (T-19th)
PK: (4-for-22) 81.8 percent (T-15th)

Goaltending

It was a mediocre week for Sharks starter Martin Jones. He started all three games over the last seven days, stopping 17 of 20 shots in a loss to Pittsburgh, 29 of 32 shots in a loss to Detroit, and 19 of 20 in a win versus the struggling Anaheim Ducks. A 2.54GAA and .899 save percentage is a rough way to start the new season, but a lot of goalies are having early troubles. Expect Jones to settle in and battle among league leaders in 2016-17.

Defense

The split-up of Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic has had mixed results – even if Sharks fans try to convince you it’s working in their advantage. In the last seven days, top pair d-man Justin Braun had a -3 rating with goose eggs on the score sheet. Vlasic was a +1 with a goal. On the second pairing, Paul Martin was a -4 plus/minus rating with zero points, while Burns was an even rating with an assist. Coach Pete DeBoer mid as well put his two best defenders back together since they form one of the NHL’s top pairings. They might then think about promoting one of David Schlemko or Brenden Dillon to the second pairing. If it were me personally, I’d make room for Dylan DeMelo and let Braun and Martin sit a few games in the press box to think about things.

Forwards

It was a quiet week up front for the Sharks. Captain Joe Pavelski led the way with one goal, two assists, and a +1 plus/minus rating. Patrick Marleau (one goal, one assist) and Tomas Hertl (one goal) also had strong week despite not tearing up the score sheet. Truth be told, the entire top-six group had a decent seven days. It was the bottom-six forwards that disappointed over the last week. Between five players (Ward, Karlsson, Wingels, Tierney, and Nieto), they had a combined -8 rating with zero points. The good news? They’ve got a couple of top prospects in Nikolay Goldobin and Timo Meier (recovering from mono) who could step up if the trend continues.

Previous Ranking: 25 (+13)

Team Record: (4-2-1)

Player of the Week: Henrik Sedin (4gp 2g 1a 3pts)

Special Teams

PP: (3-for-24) 12.5 percent (1-for-16 at home) (T-23rd)
PK: (3-for-18) 83.3 percent (T-13th)

Goaltending

Vancouver continues to play well despite racking up a few losses. They can thank their goaltending for giving them a chance to win almost on a nightly basis. The reason this team is in so many close one-goal games is because of Jacob Markstrom and Ryan Miller. The Canucks had four games over the last seven days, splitting time between their two netminders. Markstrom stopped 26 of 27 shots versus Buffalo last Thursday, earning himself another start in LA on Saturday night. Unfortunately, he surrendered three goals on 31 shots for the loss. Miller didn’t fare much better the next night in Anaheim allowing four goals on 37 shots. He bounced back nicely on Tuesday though stopping 25 of 27 shots – he could have used a little goal support in the 3-0 loss.

Defense

Each pairing has its own story through seven games. Alex Edler and Chris Tanev struggled on their California road trip, and Tanev was ultimately lost to an undisclosed injury. Instead of turning to Nikita Tryamkin, who has spent the entire year in the press box, Vancouver called up Troy Stecher. It was his NHL debut as he logged 22:35 in ice-time, just two seconds less than Edler.

On the second pairing, we’ve got Ben Hutton and Erik Gudbranson. We’re still waiting to see a little more of Hutton’s offensive flair, but the duo have been a point of consistency early on. This could be a solid pairing for years to come in Vancouver.

That brings us to the surprise bottom pairing of Luca Sbisa and Philip Larsen. Sbisa has been the center of criticism in recent years, but he’s looked surprisingly good being forced to hang back and play a more defensive role with the more offensive-minded Larsen. For Philip, he finally found the score sheet this past week tallying three assists, with two of those points coming on the PP. His -5 rating was a bit disappointing though, so his 5v5 play with need to be a lot better moving forward.

Forwards

Oddly enough, the Canucks top line of Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, and Loui Eriksson is producing at a higher rate over their recent losing streak than they did during the first four games. The trio has combined for three goals, five assists (eight points) over the last week.

If you’re looking for signs of optimism moving forward, you don’t have to look any further than Brandon Sutter and Jannik Hansen on the second line. Sutter was largely forgotten after missing most of 2015-16, but he’s bounced back very nicely. Brandon has three assists in last four games, while Hansen has a goal and an assist.

All the Canucks need to do now is get guys like Sven Baertschi and Jake Virtanen going a little more and Vancouver could continue to surprise folks. Let’s be realists though Canucks fans, this isn’t the Presidents’ Trophy winners of old that you’re used to. This is a first/second round exit team that would be lucky to earn a Wild-Card spot.

Previous Ranking: 12 (-1)

Team Record: (3-3-2)

Player of the Week: John Gibson (3 wins 1.63GAA .937 save percentage)

Special Teams

PP: (6-for-27) 22.2 percent (T-12th)
PK: (6-for-37) 83.8 percent (T-12th)

Goaltending

Starter John Gibson had a solid week posting three wins. He stopped 20 of 22 shots in Philly last Thursday and handed the Canucks a loss on Sunday allowing just two goals on 19 shots. Randy Carlyle turned to backup Jonathan Bernier on Tuesday, but he was forced out of the game in the second period after 10 shots due to injury. Gibson was solid in relief stopping 24 of 25 shots, but unfortunately, the Ducks fell 2-1 to the Sharks in a shootout. All in all, signs are looking good between the pipes moving forward.

Defense

With Hampus Lindholm still sidelined without a contract, Cam Fowler continues to dominate on the top pairing. Playing alongside stay-at-home physical force Josh Manson, Fowler had three points this past week and now has seven points in eight games. I don’t imagine this is bothering GM Bob Murray any. In fact, this is working out so well it could have been scripted. All this extra ice-time is only increasing Fowler’s trade value as Anaheim continues to look for the right return package.

On a bit of a side note, top defensive prospect Shea Theodore had his first assist of the season on Wednesday night. It was his third game after being called up to replace injured Simon Despres.

Update: Since originally written, Lindholm has signed a six-year deal with Anaheim.  His work visa issues could take upwards of two weeks giving GM Bob Murray some time to get his deal under the salary cap.

Forwards

The Anaheim Ducks offense had a similar start to last season. They had managed a whopping nine goals in six games heading into Wednesday’s tilt. The floodgates opened in a big way as the Ducks piled up six goals on the Preds. Their top performer of the night was also the most quiet forward thus far in 2016-17. Two-way winger Jakob Silfverberg had underwhelmed with a lone assist over the first seven games, but delivered a two-goal performance including one on the penalty kill and man advantage. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come moving forward for not only Silfverberg, but the entire Ducks forward group who seem to be playing better overall of late.

Previous Ranking: 6 (-8)

Team Record: (3-2-1)

Player of the Week: Tyler Seguin (3gp 1g 2a 3pts)

Special Teams

PP: (4-for-25) 16.0 percent (T-19th)
PK: (5-for-23) 78.3 percent (18th)

Goaltending

Dallas turned to Kari Lehtonen last Thursday versus the struggling Kings. Unfortunately, the Finn surrendered four goals on 39 shots. It was a strong performance yet again, but still allowing the occasional questionable goals in 2016-17. The Stars turned to Lehtonen again two nights later at home vs. Columbus and again received decent support stopping 23 of 25 shots. Luckily, Dallas bounced back on Tuesday against Winnipeg with a 3-2 win. Antti Niemi stopped 28 of 30 shots earning him his second win on the season. Overall, Dallas Stars goaltending has been surprisingly good to start the year, but will it hold up?

Defense

After a slow start, coach Lindy Ruff continues to look for the right defensive pairings. He had John Klingberg with Dan Hamhuis, but currently has Patrik Nemeth with their top blue liner. They even made room for Esa Lindell in their most recent contest, sending Stephen Johns to the press box. It seems the Stars are just looking to find the right balance on the back end. Something tells me that the guy who helps get Klingberg going will be the one to earn extra minutes.

Forwards

Poor Dallas can’t seem to catch a break with injuries. They finally got Ales Hemsky back after an injury sustained at the World Cup of Hockey, only to lose him once again. That IR list is filling up with so many names that players like Lauri Korpikoski and Patrick Eaves are being asked to fill top-six roles. To be fair, the line juggling has worked alright thus far producing mixed results, but it’s certainly not a recipe for winning. The Stars will need guys like Radek Faksa, Devin Shore, Brett Ritchie, and Gemel Smith to step up in the meantime – although Smith is headed back to Texas once bodies begin to return.

Previous Ranking: 10 (-5)

Team Record: (3-2-1)

Player of the Week: Jonathan Marchessault (3gp 1g 3a 4pts)

Special Teams

PP: (3-for-22) 13.6 percent (22nd)
PK: (2-for-13) 84.6 percent (11th)

Goaltending

Panthers goaltenders allowed an average of three goals/game over the past seven days. Roberto Luongo surrendered four goals on 29 shots versus Washington last Thursday and two goals on 28 shots two nights later against Colorado. James Reimer didn’t fare a whole lot better against the Cup Champion Penguins allowing three goals on 22 shots for the loss Tuesday night.

Defense

The Panthers top defenders had a rough seven days. Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle, and Jason Demers have combined for a goal and an assist and a -6 plus/minus rating. It’s been a rough start in particular for Ekblad, but it’s still early. Don’t be surprised if he emerges in the Norris Trophy conversation once the dust settles in April. The biggest bright spot in Florida (aside from Marchessault) is rookie defenseman Michael Matheson. He gave Panthers fans reason for optimism after a strong showing with Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships last spring. He’s been a consistent force on the Panthers blue line through six games racking up two goals, two assists, and a +3 rating.

Forwards

We spoke highly of the sneaky good signing of Jonathan Marchessault when it happened. He even made his way onto numerous breakout candidate predictions heading into the new season. Okay, so we no idea that he would be filling in for Jonathan Huberdeau on the top pairing. We fully expected a third line role with Nick Bjugstad. But we knew this kid had talent after his strong showing in Tampa Bay. Who could have predicted eight points in six games? Of course, the pace can’t possibly hold up, but it’s a promising sign that he could get Bjugstad going (once he returns from injury, and Huberdeau’s eventual return). as Nick has fallen out of a favor in the past couple of years and could use a nice bounce back season.

Previous Ranking: 17 (+1)

Team Record: (3-2-1)

Player of the Week: Cory Schneider (2 wins 2.01GAA .938 save percentage)

Special Teams

PP: (5-for-21) 23.8 percent (11th)
PK: (2-for-20) 90.0 percent (6th)

Goaltending

Feeling a little better about my Cory Schneider Vezina Finalist prediction after just six games. He has three wins, a 2.00GAA and .936 save percentage collecting W’s against Anaheim, Minnesota, and Arizona. He’s yet to record a win on the road, but that could change in the upcoming week. Schneider has only allowed six goals on 90 shots over his last three starts for a solid .938 save percentage over that span.

Defense

It was a quiet three games for the Devils defense over the past seven days. They played fairly sound defensive hockey, but failed to create much offense. On a positive note, Damon Severson stepped up with three assists this past week and continues to show why New Jersey had the leverage to move Adam Larsson – a trade looking even better after Taylor Hall’s big week. Another bright spot has been Yohann Auvitu who was signed out of Europe in the offseason. He had a solid showing in the preseason and his quality play has continued into the regular season.

Forwards

After a slow start with his new team, Taylor Hall woke up in a big way over the last four games. It started with two goals vs. Anaheim on Oct.18, followed by a lone goal against Minnesota on Saturday, finally topped off with two goals, one assist versus Arizona on Wednesday. You have to wonder whether Pavel Zacha will continue to see time on that top line after the way Hall delivered upon his promotion.

Previous Ranking: 20 (+3)

Team Record: (4-2-0)

Player of the Week: Craig Anderson (1 win 2.00GAA .930 save percentage – shutout vs. Vancouver)

Special Teams

PP: (1-for-15) 6.7 percent (0-for-4 on the road) (30th)
PK: (6-for-26) 72.7 percent (T-23rd)

Goaltending

The Senators had a quiet week as one of the few teams who only played a pair of games in the last seven days. After surrendering four goals on 35 shots versus a tough Tampa Bay squad, Craig Anderson responded with a stellar 22-save shutout against a hot Canucks team. It was a much-needed effort between the pipes after the Sens started the new season with very shaking goaltending.

Defense

After racking up an astounding seven points over his first four games, it’s been a rare two games without a point for Erik Karlsson. Don’t expect to see many games where Karlsson doesn’t reach the score sheet, let alone two in a row like this. Much of the Sens offense runs through this guy, so expect him to have a big year once again. If you want to talk about surprises, how about the fact that Dion Phaneuf has posted goose eggs on the season. Defensive partner Cody Ceci isn’t doing any better with a lone assist in six games. These two will need to provide some secondary offense from the back end if the Sens hope to make a return to the playoffs.

Forwards

Ottawa’s recent struggles can be attributed to a lackluster showing by their forward group. Then again, it doesn’t help that Mike Hoffman has zero goals and three assists in six games. This a guy that is being relied upon for 25-30 goals.

It also doesn’t help that each line is working at 2/3 capacity. As mentioned, Hoffman isn’t scoring on the top line. Brassard is a virtual ghost on the second line. Then we’ve Tom Pyatt on the third line. Other than a multi-point performance versus the Coyotes, he too has been relatively quiet.

If the offense doesn’t pick up soon, we could see some line juggling. Guy Boucher could stick Mike Hoffman on the second line with Derick Brassard, see if the pair can’t feed off one another. Instead of sliding Zack Smith to the top line, they could promote Ryan Dzingel and see how he performs alongside Turris and Stone.

Previous Ranking: 8 (-10)

Team Record: (3-3-1)

Player of the Week: Brian Campbell (3gp 1g 3a 4pts)

Special Teams

PP: (5-for-26) 19.2 percent (T-15th)
PK: (14-for-26) 46.1 percent (30th)

Goaltending

Poor Corey Crawford is taking some hefty criticism just five games into the new year. After a mediocre performance stopping 25 of 28 shots in Columbus, backup Scott Darling didn’t fare any better against a horrific Maple Leafs team that found the back of the net four times. Despite the loss, Crawford was looking a little more like himself on Monday night as he stopped 29 of 31 shots in a solid performance versus Calgary

Defense

The Blackhawks continue to have success with their elite top pairing split up. Brian Campbell is flourishing alongside Duncan Keith and had a massive week with four points in three games. He had three helpers and a +4 rating in the 7-3 beatdown versus Toronto. Perhaps the bright spot on Chicago’s blue line so far this season is young Gustav Forsling. His minutes have progressively increased and most recently has seen time alongside Brent Seabrook on the second pairing. Must be nice when you’ve got so much depth that you can afford to put Niklas Hjalmarsson on a bottom pairing. Don’t let the record fool you folks, this could be a dangerous team.

Forwards

Only reason Chicago is 3-3-1 is because they’ve failed to step up collectively to produce wins. It seems every game, certain forward lines or defensive pairings play well, while others fall short of expectation. It’s a bit scary to imagine what might happen once these top three lines start finding a little more consistency in their play.

The NHL’s top line in 2015-16 of Patrick Kane, Artem Anisimov, and Artemi Panarin are starting to turn things up in a big way. That top line of Jonathan Toews, Richard Panik, and Tyler Motte looks like the real deal. Then we’ve got veteran Marian Hossa with a pair of younger players in Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Hartman. Schmaltz and Hartman will only get progressively better as they obtain more experience.

Previous Ranking: 16 (-3)

Team Record: (3-3-1)

Player of the Week: Jakub Voracek (3gp 3g 1a 4pts)

Special Teams

PP: (7-for-26) 26.9 percent (5th)
PK: (7-for-26) 73.1 percent (22nd)

Goaltending

It looked as though Michal Neuvirth might have an edge coming into the new season with a solid showing at the World Cup of Hockey. So far, it’s Steve Mason that has been the most impressive of the two. In the last seven days alone, Mason has collected two wins in three starts with a 2.33GAA and .917 save percentage. He’ll need to continue the hot play if he hopes to secure a contract to stay with the Flyers beyond 2016-17.

Defense

Mark Streit’s performance in a 4-3 win versus Buffalo ranks as one of the Flyers top individual showings through seven games. He helped propel the offense with a goal and two assists and was a large reason Philly walked away with two points. Other bright spots continue to be Philadelphia’s youth movement. Shayne Gostisbehere had two points in four games this past week and now has four points in seven games total. Ivan Provorov racked up three helpers over the past four contests, but that -5 vs. Chicago on Oct.18 continues to haunt his overall stat line.

Forwards

The Flyers continue to receive decent production from their top three lines despite the record. There was a bit of juggling in the bottom six over the last seven days, but it hasn’t seemed to slow Matt Read any. He added two more goals for a total of five in seven games.

Philly’s top line of Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, and Brayden Schenn combined for three goals, seven assists (10 points) over the last four games. eight of 10 points came on the man-advantage though as the trio put up -7 plus/minus rating, struggling at even strength.

The second line of Jakub Voracek, Sean Couturier, and rookie Travis Konecny combined for four goals, four assists (eight points) over the past week. For a guy (Konecny) that scouts pegged as a defensive liability, he’s sure proving those doubters wrong.

Previous Ranking: 11 (-9)

Team Record: (2-4-0)

Player of the Week: Filip Forsberg (3gp 3g 0a 3pts)

Special Teams

PP: (10-for-24) 41.7 percent (2nd)
PK: (7-for-22) 68.2 percent (29th)

Goaltending

It was a week to forget for starter Pekka Rinne. Despite a decent showing, he still allowed four goals on 42 shots in Detroit last Friday. AHL call-up Juuse Saros stepped up on Saturday in replacement and had a solid outing stopping 34 of 35 shots for the win. The Preds turned back to Rinne on Wednesday in Anaheim, but he was chased out of the goal after surrendering four goals on 17 shots. Marek Mazanec didn’t fare much better in relief allowing two goals on nine shots. It’s just the start of the year, so there’s lots of time for both Rinne and Mazanec to settle in and put up better numbers.

Defense

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The Preds worst fears are coming to life. Thankfully, it’s just seven games into the year and there’s no reason to believe the trend will continue. Still, a -5 plus/minus rating (combined -10) for P.K. Subban and Roman Josi is almost exactly what we should expect from two offensive-minded blue liners, isn’t it? The experiment in acquiring Subban was the mentality that as long as you’re creating more offense than given up, it sorta cancels out the defensive lapses/deficiences. They’ve got nine points in six games, so how much more offense can they really create? There’s no reason to hit the panic button though. After all, these are two elite defenders who could easily raise the level of their game.

Plus, the Preds have one of the top second pairings in Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm. They’ve also got to pleased with the way free agents Matt Carle and Yannick Weber have filled in. All in all, nothing to worry about here, just a few new faces that need a little extra time to familiarize themselves with the team.

Forwards

The most recent line changes shouldn’t last long. It’s not a smart idea to split up Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen. If anything, the Preds should think of experimenting with Calle Jarnkrok at RW on the top line.

On a bit of a side note, I have a bone to pick with coach Peter Laviolette. Two goals in six games is nothing to complain about for rookie Kevin Fiala, but this insistence to play him on his off wing isn’t helping matter. Give the kid his natural left wing, maybe with Ribeiro/Fisher up the middle and Craig Smith on his right side.

Previous Ranking: 14 (-7)

Team Record: (3-4-0)

Player of the Week: Brad Marchand (4gp 1g 2a 3pts)

Special Teams

PP: (2-for-24) 8.3 percent (29th)
PK: (5-for-30) 83.3 percent (T-13th)

Goaltending

Hit by the injury bug, the Bruins are scrambling for answers between the pipes. They were forced to turn to Malcolm Subban on Tuesday. It was just his second NHL start, but ended just as disastrous as the first, if not worse. He allowed three goals on 16 shots and was pulled in the second period in favor of Zane McIntyre. Zane wasn’t much better allowing two goals on 17 shots. Boston gave McIntrye the start on Wednesday night, but it was an ugly showing as he allowed five goals on 31 shots. Technically, Tuukka Rask is available to come off the IR in time for Saturday’s game, but it’s unclear whether he’ll be healthy enough. With no other options at hand, they mid as well try to give Subban a little more confidence after an injury-riddled 2015-16.

Defense

The Bruins -13 rating on the blue line might have a little more to do with their goaltending issue, but it still speaks to the issues this team is going to be faced with. GM Don Sweeney needs to add a little more offensive flair to a group that is struggling to create anything from the back end. Boston is basically relying on Torey Krug to rack up the points, and looks what’s happening after zero points in his first seven games. We obviously expect Krug to start finding the score sheet on a regularity, providing a boost for the Bruins PP unit that is struggling to score goals. But, you’ve gotta wonder where the rest of the points will come from. Not sure the 39-year-old veteran can duplicate his 37-point season from a year ago.

Forwards

Without David Backes in the lineup (currently day-to-day), the Bruins have been forced to mix up their lines a bit. They may have found a combination that works temporarily in David Krejci, Austin Czarnik, and Ryan Spooner. If Czarnik continues to impress after finally drawing back into the lineup, things could get real interesting upon Backes’ return. At that point, you might be looking to stick Czarnik and Spooner together on the third line.

The one line that isn’t likely to change is the 1st line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak. Both Marchand and Pastrnak continue to challenge among league leaders in points after another decent week. Brad scored a goal and two assists bringing him up to 10 points in 2016-17, while Pastrnak tallied one goal, one assist for a season total of eight points in seven games.

Previous Ranking: 19 (-3)

Team Record: (3-4-1)

Player of the Week: Sam Bennett (3gp 2g 3a 5pts)

Special Teams

PP: (4-for-33) 12.1 percent (0-for-20 at home) (25th)
PK: (9-for-37) 76.9 percent (20th)

Goaltending

While the mass began entering panic mode in Calgary, as predicted, things have started to settle down. Brian Elliott delivered another sub-par performance allowing four goals on 32 shots versus Carolina last Thursday. Chad Johnson didn’t fare much better on Saturday allowing five goals on 39 shots. Luckily, Elliott was looking a little more comfortable over the past two contests and collects wins in both starts. He stopped 31 of 33 shots against Chicago and 23 of 24 shots in St. Louis. Watch for Elliott to continue turning it up as the year goes on. A shaky start will happen then and again, but there’s no reason to worry about the Flames goaltending.

Defense

Glen Gultuzan continues to tinker with his defensive pairings as he looks to get a few guys going after a slow start. Despite logging less minutes in his last three games, Dougie Hamilton has three assists in his last four games. The change has seemed to motivate Hamilton, so don’t be surprised if he starts to see more ice-time again. Another player looking extra motivated these days in Dennis Wideman. He sat as a healthy scratch for three games, and responded with three assists over his last three games. Defensive leader Mark Giordano had another solid week as he continues to serve as the Flames most consistent defender. They’ll need T.J. Brodie to step up his play moving forward though. He has one assist and a -7 plus/minus rating through seven games.

Forwards

Even though Johnny Gaudreau is starting to heat up a bit more, that top duo of Gaudreau/Monahan continues to struggle at even strength. The two have combined for a -12 through eight games. That trend cannot continue now that Brian Elliott is starting to find his game again.

There are a number of underlying bright spots in the Flames offensive group, but we wanted to highlight one individual in particular. Sam Bennett is flourishing in that second line center spot and exploded for five points over the past week. Even with a solid 36-point rookie season, it still felt as though there was so much untapped potential. We might finally be starting to see that, which could result in a major breakout season.

Previous Ranking: 15 (-8)

Team Record: (3-3-0)

Player of the Week: Alec Martinez (3gp 2g 2a 4pts)

Special Teams

PP: (3-for-18) 16.7 percent (18th)
PK: (6-for-20) 70.0 percent (27th)

Goaltending

What a mess. Jonathan Quick sidelined for an extended period of time. Jeff Zatkoff now on the IR. The Kings have been forced to turn to Peter Budaj, while Jack Campbell serves as backup. If you want to look at the positive, the veteran netminder has three wins in his first four starts. The numbers aren’t pretty though. He has a 2.31GAA and .893 save percentage. Don’t be surprised if LA adds another goalie sometime in the near future.

Defense

LA has begun to shake up their defensive pairings and it seems to have worked so far. They’ve got wins in their last three games. Most recently, Brayden McNabb has seen time with Drew Doughty. Jake Muzzin was demoted to the second pairing, which seems to have gotten Alec Martinez going with four points in his last three games. Unfortunately, Muzzin still sits with zero points in six games. Expect him to break out of that slump soon though.

Forwards

Give the Kings forwards credit, when Peter Budaj stepped in the crease, LA brought their game to a new level offensively. Leading the charge is ex-Captain Dustin Brown, who has been the center of criticism for some time now. He’s managed to rack up four points over the past three games. That could have more to do with Marian Gaborik being sidelined than anything though since Brown is unlikely to continue seeing upwards of 16-17 minutes with Gaborik in the mix.

On a bit of a side note, LA recently had Dwight King playing on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Tyler Toffoli. Now, obviously Kopitar and Toffoli will continue to produce regardless of who that third is, but this isn’t a recipe that can last for too long is it? You’ve got wonder how long it is before we see Teddy Purcell draw into the lineup or even top prospect Adrian Kempe, currently with OHL Ontario.

Previous Ranking: 30 (+6)

Team Record: (2-2-1)

Player of the Week: Sergei Bobrovsky (2 wins 1.66GAA .948 save percentage)

Special Teams

PP: (5-for-10) 50.0 percent (1st)
PK: (1-for-17) 94.1 percent (2nd)

Goaltending

Ever since that first shaky start in Boston where Sergei Bobrovsky allowed five goals on 36 shots, he’s settled in very nicely. Looking reminiscent of his World Cup self, Goalie Bob continues to give Columbus a chance at two points every start since. Over the last seven days, Bobrovsky collected two wins, including a 32-save shutout versus Dallas. He only allowed five goals on 91 shots over that span.

Defense

You’ve got to be pleased if you’re a Blue Jackets fan. Despite a lousy 2-2-1 record, there’s reason for optimism. After all, Ryan Murray is sidelined; Seth Jones, David Savard, and Jack Johnson are all off to slow starts. It helps explain the early struggles. The good news, those are three quality defenders that will find their way sooner than later. Even better news, rookie Zach Werenski continues to turn heads. He had a goal and two assists over his last three games and now has five points on the season for a point-per-game pace. It’s safe to put Werenski in the same category as Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine early on; we’ll have to see if he can maintain it over the course of 82 games.

Forwards

Following their win in Chicago on Oct.21, Columbus sent Oliver Bjorkstrand down to AHL Cleveland. They recalled Sonny Milano in the process, although he’s yet to see game action. I’ve got two problems with this. First, what in the world is Columbus calling up a top-notch prospect like Milano if they don’t intend to use him. Surely, they’ve got fluff players better suited for the press box. Second, the demotion of Bjorkstrand had everything to do with being forced into a limited role. Here’s a guy that finished 2015-16 on a multi-game point streak which led to a stellar Calder Cup MVP performance. Yet here John Tortorella continually demoted this poor kid until he was receiving limited 4th line minutes. That’s a good way to destroy the self-confidence of a top-tier talent. Good on ya Torts. Here I thought the idea of John being on the hot seat after just one season was ludicrous, but now I’m not so sure after so many questionable moves behind the bench.

Previous Ranking: 22 (-3)

Team Record: (3-4-0)

Player of the Week: Ryan Strome (3gp 3g 1a 4pts)

Special Teams

PP: (2-for-17) 11.8 percent (26th)
PK: (2-for-23) 91.3 percent (T-3rd)

Goaltending

The Islanders turned to Halak last Friday against Arizona. He turned in a solid showing collecting the W stopping 23 of 25 shots. Thomas Greiss got the nod on Sunday at home versus a hot Minnesota Wild team. He put in a quality effort allowing three goals on 29 shots, but received and squeezed out a win. Instead of turning back to Halak on Wednesday, the Isles stuck with Greiss to play the NHL’s hottest team (Montreal). Again, he surrendered three goals on 29 shots in a decent effort but failed to collect the win this time around. It should be a lot of this back-and-forth tandem moving forward until one of these guys takes a strong hold of the starter role.

Defense

Despite the recent struggles overall as a team, the Islanders blue line has been a bit of a bright spot. They’re playing sound defensive hockey and all three pairing are finding a way to contribute on the score sheet. Heck, even Dennis Seidenberg has a pair of goals over the last seven days. With three points in the last week and four in seven games, Johnny Boychuk looks poised for a big season in 2016-17.

Forwards

Turnovers and mental errors have been a common theme early in the season. That comes with a bold exclamation mark for rookie Mathew Barzal. After his lousy -2 outing versus Montreal on Wednesday, we might not be seeing too much more of the talented prospect. Anthony Beauvillier on the other hand continues to fit right in. He had three assists over the last week and how has five points in six game while averaging just 10:37 of ice-time/game. Anthony was left off the score sheet vs. Montreal but logged a season high 16:18 with two shots on goal.

There’s only one other question lurking for the Isles: some are starting to wonder if it might be time to split up Andrew Ladd and John Tavares. Johnny T has four points in the last week and six in seven games, but this is a superstar who will produce regardless of who mans the wing. For Ladd, one assist in seven games was not what GM Garth Snow was expecting when he paid $6 million/year for his services. You mid as well demote him and force him to work his way back up the lineup.

Previous Ranking: 27 (+1)

Team Record: (2-4-0)

Player of the Week: Mark Scheifele (2gp 1g 0a 1pt)

Special Teams

PP: (3-for-24) 12.5 percent (2-for-17 at home) (T-23rd)
PK: (6-for-22) 72.7 percent (T-24th)

Goaltending

If you’re wondering why the Winnipeg Jets are struggling between the pipes, it might have something to do with the way Paul Maurice is using his goalies thus far. He’s gone back-and-forth in every game with Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson surrendering either three or four goals in each of those contests. Wasn’t the idea of sending Ondrej Pavelec down to AHL Manitoba to make room for Connor Hellebuyck AS STARTER. Give this kid some confidence, allow him to play in back-to-back games regardless of the result. If you want him to feel comfortable and confident in himself, he needs to feel as though the team has is 100 percent committed.

Defense

With only two quiet games over the last seven days, there’s not a lot to talk about performance-wise. It is worth noting that Dustin Byfuglien currently leads the NHL in ice-time at 29:31/game. That’s more than a minute higher than second placed Ryan Suter.

I wonder if anyone is starting to succumb to the idea proposed before the season even began. It was suggested that Josh Morrissey would serve in a top-four role and give GM Kevin Cheveldayoff the flexibility to change his asking price for Jacob Trouba. We didn’t expect him to serve on the top pairing with Byfuglien, but he’s looked solid thus far. One assist in six games is nothing to brag about, but this kid is exactly as advertised upon being selected 13th overall back in 2013 – he’s a top four defenseman. Where exactly does Winnipeg expect to put another top quality d-man in this lineup? And no, Morrissey logging top pair minutes in Manitoba is not the answer.

Forwards

It was a quiet two games over the last seven days, but we did manage to learn a few things regardless. First, Paul Maurice seems comfortable with his top-six line combinations after making an early switch swapping Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine. Next, if Joel Armia continues playing the way he has, while Stafford continues (day-to-day) to struggle, don’t be surprised if the Finn surpasses him on the depth chart. Considering the size of Stafford’s contract on an expiring deal, look for Winnipeg to eventually trade him. Lastly, Kyle Connor continues to watch games from the press box, and could soon find himself down in AHL Manitoba where he can log top-line minutes.

Previous Ranking: 24 (-3)

Team Record: (1-2-2)

Player of the Week: Matt Moulson (2gp 2g 0a 2pts)

Special Teams

PP: (6-for-25) 24.0 percent (T-9th)
PK: (4-for-18) 77.8 percent (19th)

Goaltending

Despite not collecting a win in those two games over the last seven days, both Robin Lehner and Anders Nilsson gave the Sabres a chance to get two points. Lehner stopped 18 of 20 shots on the third game of their Western Canada road trip in Vancouver. They were given five days off before heading to Philadelphia, with Buffalo forced to turn to backup Anders Nilsson as Lehner is dealing with an illness. Nilsson looked solid in his first start of 2016-17 allowing just three goals on 41 shots.

Defense

The Sabres blue line is certainly nothing to brag about in the early season, but there’s reason for optimism. Rasmus Ristolainen continues to give hope for the future looking more and more like that no.1 defenseman they’d hoped he would be. Even veterans Josh Gorges and Cody Franson are looking a little better each and every game. We’re still waiting for Dmitry Kulikov and Jake McCabe to step up. Once that happens, this is a defensive group that could start to turn some heads.

Forwards

If you’re looking for something positive amidst a rough start, take comfort in the fact that certain players have managed to step up in the absence of Jack Eichel and Evander Kane. Then again, it seems to take a lot away from that bottom six group. It’s conceivable this team may continue to struggle scoring and putting together wins until they get a healthier lineup, but if you’re a Sabres fan, you’re just hoping this team isn’t too far out by the time their star forwards return. The prospect of three or four lines that can produce bodes well for potentially sneaking in to grab a late Wild-Card spot.

Previous Ranking: 29 (+1)

Team Record: (1-3-2)

Player of the Week: Noah Hanifin (3gp 0g 4a 4pts)

Special Teams

PP: (6-for-26) 25.0 percent (8th)
PK: (2-for-22) 90.9 percent (5th)

Goaltending

Should we be surprised that Cam Ward and Eddie Lack are struggling so mightily? While everyone was picking the Hurricanes as a surprise team, this writer knew better. The day GM Ron Francis decided to re-sign Ward and keep his tandem together, it was a sign of things to come. It was Carolina waving the white flag saying we’ll take whatever comes to us until Alex Nedeljkovic is ready to step up. 1st overall pick Nolan Patrick might be more than they bargained for, but it’s a real possibility in 2016-17.

Defense

You have to wonder whether Justin Faulk’s risky style of offensive play is wearing thin on Hurricanes management. He ranks as one of the top offensive d-men, but that comes at a price. Over the last three games, that price is a -6 plus/minus rating. The fact that he’s a right-handed shot already makes him a valuable asset on the trade market. Add the fact that he can quarterback a PP effectively, you’d have to imagine that Faulk could fetch a quality top-six forward that might help this team offensively.

Give sophomore d-man Noah Hanifin some credit. He earned POW honors after tallying four helpers in three games. Most of that came in a three-point effort on the road versus Calgary last Thursday.

Forwards

It seems the Hurricanes continue to tinker around with their lines to find the right chemistry. Most recently, we’ve seen Victor Rask in between Viktor Stalberg and Lee Stempniak on the top line. Other than a Rask goal, the trio was fairly quiet. Things should go back to normal soon once Jeff Skinner returns from an undisclosed injury. Still, you’ve got to wonder where the offense will come from this year? The only real early sign for optimism is as expected, Swedish rookie Sebastian Aho. His performance has picked up over the last seven days with three assists. We had him picked as a Calder Trophy nominee heading into the year, so we’re expecting big things.

Previous Ranking: 23 (-6)

Team Record: (1-5-0)

Player of the Week: Radim Vrbata (4gp 3g 1a 4pts)

Special Teams

PP: (3-for-21) 14.3 percent (21st)
PK: (4-for-14) 72.2 percent (T-25th)

Goaltending

How sad is it that we’ve been calling this exact situation for months leading into 2016-17. Mike Smith is on the shelf, as per usual. Young Louis Domingue is proving he’s not quite ready with a 4.19GAA and .868 save percentage in three starts. Instead of adding another quality netminder as I was pleading for, GM John Chayka made some rookie errors overloading the cap with dead contracts. Now he’s got a $5+ million dollar goaltender this is precisely useless and no money to acquire a replacement. They should have traded for Ondrej Pavelec when they had the chance.

Defense

It’s funny, John Klingberg took the brunt of the criticism in Dallas for the top pairings defensive lapses. Maybe it had something to do with the fact he was on the ice for more team goals than any other player (more than even Erik Karlsson). But no one ever mentioned the fact that he was on the ice for considerably less goals against than Karlsson or even defensive partner Alex Goligoski. Well, Goligoski is a -8 plus/minus rating on the early season and it’s obvious who the real liability was. The good news? Michael Stone is now back from injury, and his defensive presence will blend nicely with the offensive flash that Goligoski brings to the table.

After seeing just 12:09 of ice-time in the opener followed by being a scratch against Ottawa, the Coyotes are beginning to show more confidence in rookie Jakob Chychrun. Best of all, he’s responded in a big way with two points in his last four games and looks poised to make a bid to stick around in 2016-17.

Forwards

There are two topics of interest here this week, but let’s address the elephant in the room first. After a solid 2015-16, it seems Anthony Duclair has hit a wall early in the season. He’s one of the few quality players still out there yet to record a point this season. In six games, Duclair has a stat line that reads -1 14:40 average ice-time and seven shots. The Yotes will need a lot more from a player who was expected to help lead this team in 2016-17.

The other story line continues to be Arizona’s rookie infusion. It was a quiet work for Dylan Strome and Lawson Crouse. Strome drew into the lineup two more times after recording an assist in his dubut, but went -1 in each contest. Lawson Crouse played in all three games this past week but went pointless with a -2 rating. Instead, it was Laurent Dauphin who stepped up the past week racking up a goal and an assist in three games with skating a little over 11 minutes/game.

Previous Ranking: 28 (-2)

Team Record: (1-2-3)

Player of the Week: William Nylander (3gp 3g 2a 5pts)

Special Teams

PP: (5-for-19) 26.3 percent (6th)
PK: (4-for-22) 81.8 percent (T-15th)

Goaltending

Poor Frederik Andersen is taking it on the chin after just five starts. He was handed a massive $5 million dollar/year contract and for some reason can’t seem to shake off the rust following an injury. I’m still not worried personally, it’s just way too early. And this is coming from someone who was on the fence regarding the acquisition. It’s not as though Toronto was expected to be a playoff team, so realistically there’s no rush to see results. 2016-17 is supposed to be a season for optimism and signs of a bright future. Luckily, we’ve still got 76 games for Frederik Andersen to turn things around.

Defense

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You have to wonder why Mike Babcock is so insistent on playing Matt Hunwick as often as he does. Here’s a guy that failed as a depth defender in Boston, Colorado, and NY Rangers, only to land in Toronto as a top four blue liner in 2015-16. He looked particularly horrific in his last two games collecting a -4 plus/minus rating.

Let’s talk about the positive though since that’s what 2016-17 is supposed to be about. KHL transfer Nikita Zaitsev continues to look good through another week of play. He had two assists and a -3 rating over the past three games, but it’s difficult to put much stock in plus/minus with the type of goals Frederik Andersen has allowed.

Also with a pair of helpers this past week is Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly. Gardiner is still fighting to see more minutes, but you could argue he’s been the most consistent/best defender so far. Rielly continues to see top minutes in 2016-17 as he develops towards that number one defenseman. He’s still making a few more defensive errors than you’d like to see, but this is all part of the process.

Forwards

Despite that nasty trend of third-period collapses that seems to be haunting the Maple Leafs, you’ve got to be fairly pleased with the product in front of you compared to last year. That top line of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Zach Hyman continue to give hope for a promising future as they continue their hot play. Hyman remains quiet with an assist on the year but is still playing well. Matthews and Nylander both went off for five points over the last three games. Matthews now has 10 points in six games, while Nylander has nine.

The Leafs other top rookie, Mitch Marner, had a quiet week with a lone helper on the score sheet. Mike Babcock continues to use a heavy dose of Marner on the PP so it’s only a matter of time before he begins racking up points on the mad advantage.

Just a thought. Toronto might consider giving Connor Brown a promotion to that top line with Auston Matthews and William Nylander. It’s nothing against Hyman, he’s played well, but he’s not doing a whole lot on the score sheet. Brown is just rotting on that third line and can’t seem to generate chemistry with Kadri/Komarov, so why not make the switch to see if you can motivate both players?

Games of the Week (Oct.27-Nov.2)

Thursday, October 27th

Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens

A matchup of Eastern Conference powerhouses. Who knows, this could be the EC Final next Spring.

Friday, October 28th

Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks

Both of these teams look to continue their hot start in the late game on Friday.

Saturday, October 29th

Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens

This original six rivalry is always an exciting match-up. It could intensify now that Leafs rookies are making a big impact. Will Auston Matthews and William Nylander get the better of Carey Price? Or, will Alex Radulov and company make easy work of a struggling Toronto squad?

Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers

Captain Sidney Crosby returned just in time to catch the battle of Pennsylvania. This is arguably one of the fiercest rivalries in hockey over recent years.

Next: Potential Trade Scenarios for Canucks G Ryan Miller

Sunday, October 30th

Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers

These Eastern Conference juggernauts will lock horns in what could be a high-scoring affair.

Monday, November 1st

Edmonton Oilers at Toronto Maple Leafs

Number 1-2 in scoring (prior to Oct.27 games) Connor McDavid and Auston Matthew face-off in what should be a much-anticipated match-up for Leafs fans.