NHL Power Rankings: Week 16 Injuries, Prospects, In-Depth Analysis

NHL Power Rankings (Heading Into Week 16) – Full 30-Team Analysis with Weekly Prospect Profiles, Injury Reports, Statistical Updates (Leaders, Special Teams, Etc.), and More.

Welcome back to our weekly NHL power rankings here at Puck Prose. This is a collaboration between Matt Duscharme, Trin Potratz, and Ryan Ritchie brought to you every Thursday in which we update fans on the latest happenings around the league. In addition to our top 30 rankings, we provide in-depth analysis and feature a weekly prospect profile to help fans get better acquainted with young talent in the system.

The San Jose Sharks led the way this past week with a perfect 4-0-0 record. Not far behind was the New York Rangers and Buffalo, both of whom went without a loss going 3-0-0. The New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, and Ottawa Senators all managed to win three games while dropping one in extra time (3-0-1). Lastly, the Minnesota Wild and Washington Capitals each went 3-1-0 over the last seven days.

No team struggled more than the Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings who each lost four straight games. The Carolina Hurricanes also dropped three straight games. It’s a bit surprising to watch these clubs struggle after showing some much promise of late. Other teams that had difficulty winning included Colorado (0-3-1), Florida (0-1-1), and Dallas (0-1-2).

*all stats in our week 16 NHL power rankings are heading into Thursday (Jan.26) night’s action.

Statistical Leaders Around the League

Top 5 Forwards

1. Connor McDavid, EDM (50gp 16g 41a 57pts)
2. Sidney Crosby, PIT (41gp 28g 26a 54pts)
2. Evgeni Malkin, PIT (47gp 22g 32a 54pts)
4. Patrick Kane, CHI (50gp 15g 33a 48pts)
5. Nicklas Backstrom, WSH (48gp 13g 34a 47pts)
5. Brad Marchand, BOS (48gp 19g 28a 47pts)

Top 5 Defensemen

1. Brent Burns, SJ (49gp 21g 30a 51pts)
2. Erik Karlsson, OTT (46gp 7g 32a 39pts)
3. Victor Hedman, TB (46gp 7g 31a 39pts)
4. Kevin Shattenkirk, STL (48gp 11g 22a 33pts)
4. Justin Schultz, PIT (47gp 7g 26a 33pts)
5. Duncan Keith, CHI (50gp 3g 29a 32pts)
5. Dustin Byfuglien, WPG (51gp 7g 25a 32pts)

Top 5 Rookies

1. Auston Matthews, TOR (46gp 23g 16a 39pts)
1. Mitch Marner, TOR (46gp 11g 28a 39pts)
3. Patrik Laine, WPG (43gp 21g 17a 38pts)
4. Matthew Tkachuk, CGY (47gp 9g 22a 31pts)
5. William Nylander, TOR (45gp 9g 21a 30pts)

Previous Ranking: 29 (-1)

Team Record: (13-31-1)

Goals For: 93

Goals Against: 155

Special Teams

PP: 21-for-146 (14.4 percent) (26th)
PK: 37-for-173 (78.6 percent) (25th)

Injury List

Erik Johnson (leg) – out until mid-February
Semyon Varlamov (groin) – day-to-day
Rene Bourque (lower body) – day-to-day
Tyson Barrie (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Nathan MacKinnon (46gp 11g 22a 33pts)
Top Defenseman: Tyson Barrie (42gp 3g 20a 23pts)
Top Rookie: Mikko Rantanen (41gp 7g 12a 19pts)
Top Goaltender: Calvin Pickard (7-13-1 3.01GAA .906 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Nathan MacKinnon (4gp 0g 3a 3pts)

The Central Division continued to struggle last week, and Colorado topped the list with a 0-3-1 record, on the bright side they did get a point, though. Calvin Pickard was great despite two regulation losses. And rookie goalie Spencer Martin didn’t have the best week either.

Changes are most likely to come at the trade deadline but who will be moved is the big question. Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog have been the highest topics of discussion but don’t be surprised if more players are on the move. There’s no way Colorado moves Nathan MacKinnon, he was pegged as the cornerstone of the team since he was drafted. And last week he posted three points in three games. And along with MacKinnon, Nikita Zadorov also had a three-point week. After that Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikhail Grigorenko all tied with two points and combined for a minus four rating. Spencer Martin on the other hand record a regulation and overtime loss over the week but surprisingly his numbers were not that great. Calvin Pickard, on the other hand, had two regulation losses but his numbers were better oddly enough, he had a .935 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against-average. Things aren’t going to get much easier for the Avs since this week they play both Anaheim and Los Angeles.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Luke Walker, Terrace River (CIHL)

2016-17 stats: 10gp 9g 10a 19pts

Luke Walker is a skilled two-way forward who likes to play with a lot of grit in his game. He thrives very well along the boards and in heavy traffic, he also brings his A game every shift.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 22 (-7)

Team Record: (22-25-4)

Goals For: 143

Goals Against: 157

Special Teams

PP: 29-for-164 (17.7 percent) (T-16th)
PK: 42-for-181 (73.9 percent) (27th)

Injury List

Ben Chiarot (upper body) – day-to-day
Tyler Myers (lower body) – day-to-day
Marko Dano (lower body) – out until early March
Mathieu Perreault (upper body) – day-to-day
Toby Enstrom (upper body) – day-to-day
Drew Stafford (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Mark Scheifele (48gp 21g 25a 46pts)
Top Defenseman: Dustin Byfuglien (51gp 7g 25a 32pts)
Top Rookie: Patrik Laine (42gp 21g 16a 37pts)
Top Goaltender: Ondrej Pavelec (2-2-0 3.31GAA .894 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Bryan Little (3gp 4g 1a 5pts)

Winnipeg had a week full of struggles as well, but like every team who has a struggling week, they also had some good things to talk about. For instance, Bryan Little was fantastic as well as Dustin Byfuglien, Nikolaj Ehlers, Blake Wheeler, and Mark Scheifele. The Jets did, however, decide to call up goalie Ondrej Pavelec but he struggled in all three games.

Winnipeg’s experiment of Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson hasn’t quite gone as planned, and as a last resort, they opted to call up long time goalie Ondrej Pavelec. He played all three games last week and in doing so only earned a record 1-2-0 with a below average .889 save percentage with a 3.41 goals-against-average. So the net situation continues to be a giant question mark going forward the rest of this season on what the organization should do. Bryan Little on the other hand plus a couple other forwards are leaving no question marks in that area. In three games Little had himself a five point week scoring four goals in the process. Nikolaj Ehlers, Blake Wheeler, and Mark Scheifele all had three-point weeks and combined for a plus-seven rating. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien also had a great week putting up four points while being a plus three. Can Winnipeg figure out their goalie situation before it’s too late? Only time will tell. As for this week, Winnipeg has games against Chicago and St. Louis, two very tough teams that will put that goaltending question mark into a bigger perspective as January comes to a close.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Jack Roslovic, Manitoba (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 31gp 9g 14a 23pts

For the most accurate comparison, Carolina’s defensive core is the equivalent to Winnipeg’s offensive core. They have a crazy amount of talent in the forward position making them a very scary team in the near future when it comes to putting the puck in the net. And Jack Roslovic is a key part of that, he’s got amazing offensive skills with a bit of a defensive side as well. Making for a great power forward in the near future to play alongside Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 27 (-1)

Team Record: (22-22-5)

Goals For: 133

Goals Against: 142

Special Teams

PP: 40-for-176 (22.7 percent) (5th)
PK: 32-for-164 (80.5 percent) (T-19th)

Injury List

Steven Stamkos (knee) – out indefinitely
Jason Garrison (illness) – day-to-day
Brayden Point (upper body) – day-to-day
Ryan Callahan (hip) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Nikita Kucherov (42gp 18g 25a 43pts)
Top Defenseman: Victor Hedman (46gp 7g 31a 38pts)
Top Rookie: Brayden Point (36gp 3g 12a 15pts)
Top Goaltender: Ben Bishop (11-11-3 2.78GAA .905 save percentage)

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

The Tampa Bay Lightning had another tough week going 1-2-0 with losses to San Jose and Arizona. In all fairness, they’ve been on a tough road trip that continues tonight in Florida, which marks six straight away games. That 5-2 win over Chicago on Tuesday was a promising way to end the week for a team that really needs to get their game together in a hurry.

If the losing trend continues, GM Steve Yzerman will have no choice but to get active on the trade market. We already expect the Lightning to deal Ben Bishop at some point ahead of the deadline, but there’s definitely question marks around other players. If TB uses a 7-3-1 protection scheme in the expansion draft, those forwards spots are all accounted for. They’ve got Stamkos, Callahan, and Filppula with no-move clauses, include the names Johnson, Kucherov, Palat, and Drouin, it leaves a lot of quality players exposed. So, here’s the question, is Tampa Bay willing to sacrifice someone like Alex Killorn, Vladislav Namestnikov, or J.T. Brown for example, or might they be wise to deal one or more of those individuals in an attempt to reset for 2017-18. I prefer the latter.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Brett Howden, Moose Jaw (WHL)

2016-17 stats: 34gp 24g 26a 50pts

The captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors watched his draft stock drop in 2016 and dropped to 27th overall where Tampa Bay scooped him up. Younger brother of Quinton Howden, Brett is a big bodied forward that plays a complete game in all three zones. Scouts believe he has the tools to be successful at the NHL level in the very near future.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 7 (-20)

Team Record: (24-24-3)

Goals For: 129

Goals Against: 145

Special Teams

PP: 35-for-170 (20.6 percent) (T-12th)
PK: 37-for-190 (80.5 percent) (T-19th)

Injury List

Garnet Hathaway (upper body) – day-to-day
Ladislav Smid (neck) – out for season, hasn’t made decision on retirement yet

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Mikael Backlund (51gp 14g 19a 33pts)
Top Defenseman: Dougie Hamilton (50gp 7g 24a 31pts)
Top Rookie: Matthew Tkachuk (47gp 9g 22a 31pts)
Top Goaltender: Chad Johnson (16-12-1 2.50GAA .913 save percentage)

Player of the Week: D Dougie Hamilton (4gp 0g 4a 4pts)

The Flames are burning out and it couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. The Flames imploded this week and have trailed 4-0 in every game at one point this week. They gave the Predators a four-goal lead before coming up short with three of their own. Then they were trashed at home by their provincial rivals 7-3. They were shutout 4-0 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and finished off their week with a 5-1 loss to the Canadiens. They still hold on to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, but after a putrid four games this week, the Flames will need to fight for every chance the rest of the way.

Dougie Hamilton has been an effective player, adding another four assists from the blueline, but he may be the only player who can be happy with their performance this past week. Sean Monahan is the second best bet for happiest Flame during the week. The man they call “Johnny Hockey” was a poster boy for the week adding only an assist and sporting a sad -7 rating. In between the pipes, it would seem the early success of Chad Johnson is starting to fade. Johnson went winless and only stopped 73 percent of the shots he faced. If you thought this would be the time for Elliott to step up you would be wrong. Elliott only stopped 87 percent of the shots he faced. The Flames may need more than a spark to stay in the playoff race.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Hunter Smith, Stockton (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 29gp 2g 8a 10pts

Hunter Smith may be one of the last of the dying breed. Smith may be labeled under the Enforcer role, but he does have some offense in his game, including scoring 23 goals in his last junior season with the Oshawa Generals. Smith is in his second pro season with the Stockton Heat, and his 10 points already bests last year’s totals of eight points in 54 games. He’s a big 6’7 225-pound winger who can still have success as an NHL player in a few years. He’s a project and a wild card.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 14 (-12)

Team Record: (23-21-4)

Goals For: 119

Goals Against: 118

Special Teams

PP: 24-for-140 (17.1 percent) (T-20th)
PK: 27-for-153 (82.3 percent) (12th)

Injury List

Tyler Toffoli (lower body) – day-to-day
Jonathan Quick (groin) – out indefinitely
Nic Dowd (lower body) – day-to-day
Matt Greene (back) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Jeff Carter (48gp 24g 19a 43pts)
Top Defenseman: Alec Martinez (48gp 7g 19a 26pts)
Top Rookie: Derek Forbort (D) (48gp 2g 12a 14pts)
Top Goaltender: Peter Budaj (21-14-3 2.11GAA .918 save percentage)

Player of the Week: D Drew Doughty (3gp 1g 3a 4pts)

It’s surprising to state that the Kings are a team that needs to fight for their playoff lives, but here we are in January and that is the case. Los Angeles had a poor 1-2-0 week, failing to net at least a loser point against the Islanders and Rangers before taking a “W” against the New Jersey Devils. The Kings continue to struggle scoring goals and anybody not named Jeff Carter needs to step their game up immensely to find a pulse and get into a playoff position. Thankfully for the Kings, the Calgary Flames (whom they are chasing) had an even worse week.

Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter continue to be the anchors on the club overshadowing their captain Anze Kopitar who has yet to find his second gear this season. Marian Gaborik was only able to contribute a single assist, but he did manage 10 shots on net so there is hope he can finally start delivering some secondary scoring to a team that is obviously starving for it. In other news, the Kings will remain without starting goaltender Jonathan Quick, as the earliest return is now being reported to be in March rather than the initial mid-February reports.

Weekly Prospect Profile: D Jacob Moverare, Mississauga (OHL)

2016-17 stats: 40gp 1g 21a 22pts

The Kings have a prospect cupboard that is running dry due to their club spending future assets for immediate help en route to their two Stanley Cup championships. One of the brighter spots is Moverare. Drafted out of the Swedish junior league, the 2016 4th round pick made the move to North America full-time to join the Mississauga Steelheads and he is scoring at a .50 point per game pace. He has a lot of skill and size but his skating is an area of work. Early reports are that Moverare has a better chance of becoming a defensive defenseman than an offensive defenseman.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 11 (-14)

Team Record: (24-19-5)

Goals For: 136

Goals Against: 146

Special Teams

PP: 34-for-151 (22.5 percent) (6th)
PK: 28-for-171 (83.6 percent) (T-7th)

Injury List

n/a

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Vladimir Tarasenko (48gp 20g 26a 46pts)
Top Defenseman: Kevin Shattenkirk (48gp 11g 22a 33pts)
Top Rookie: N/A
Top Goaltender: Jake Allen (17-12-3 2.85GAA .897 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jaden Schwartz (3gp 1g 4a 5pts)

Union and Blue

A team like St. Louis having a bad week isn’t usually expected, neither is the record they posted which was 1-2-0. However, there were some bright spots in the week. Scoring was consistent from the not so major players and Carter Hutton shined while Jake Allen continued to struggle.

The Blues started the week off with a 7-3 loss at the hands of the Washington Capitals, they lost the next game to Winnipeg, however, they were able to finish the week with a strong 3-0 shutout over the powerhouse Penguins.

So what were the bright spots on this somewhat unexpected week from St. Louis? Rookie goaltender Pheonix Copley made his NHL debut despite gaining a loss in his only game. And Carter Hutton appeared in two games, one of which was coming in to replace Jake Allen in the Washington game and his second he earned the shutout against Pittsburgh. But due to being in the Washington game his save percentage fell from 1.000 to .929 and his goals-against-average fell from 0.00 to 1.90, still some very respectful numbers.

Jaden Schwartz was great as well posting five points in three games, four of which were helpers which goal scorers always love he was also a plus five. Star forward Alexander Steen had himself a great four point week too. This week St. Louis will have to turn things around and hopefully, they can do it since they play Minnesota and Winnipeg.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Jordan Caron, Chicago (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 30gp 3g 11a 14pts

Jordan Caron has been in the league quite a while now leaving some to think he may be a bust, but that’s not necessarily true. He still has a lot of upsides, even though he’s had some struggles. He’s still a big, heavy powerful forward who shows a lot of poise when he has the puck. His offensive game complements him well since he’s the type of forward who likes to crash the net and work along the walls down low. Could touch up his defensive aspects though which have let him down so far, but once he gets those needs up to par, he’ll finally be able to crack the NHL on a full-time basis, most likely filling out a bottom six role.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 21 (-3)

Team Record: (19-20-10)

Goals For: 131

Goals Against: 153

Special Teams

PP: 29-for-169 (17.1 percent) (T-20th)
PK: 43-for-167 (74.3 percent) (29th)

Injury List

Jamie Oleksiak (hand) – day-to-day
Ales Hemsky (hip) – out indefinitely
Mattias Janmark (knee) – out until March
Johnny Oduya (ankle) – day-to-day
Radek Faksa (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Tyler Seguin (49gp 17g 29a 46pts)
Top Defenseman: John Klingberg (47gp 7g 19a 26pts)
Top Rookie: Devin Shore (49gp 7g 12a 19pts)
Top Goaltender: Kari Lehtonen (9-13-6 2.84GAA .901 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Patrick Eaves (3gp 2g 1a 3pts)

Things were not easy for the Central Division last week and Dallas was yet another team to struggle, however, they did manage to put up some points despite not winning a single game. They had a 0-1-2 record so at least they managed two points out of a possible six. But that just shows when they get to overtime, they can’t squeeze out a win.

Even though Kari Lehtonen played in all three games last week, he still had himself some solid stats. He walked away with a 0-1-2 record with a .911 save percentage with a 2.64 goals-against-average. The forwards and defense, on the other hand, did struggle, Patrick Eaves had the highest output of the week with three points in three games. While Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Jason Spezza all had two-point weeks but were a combined minus-three. Six other Stars got on the score sheet but could only manage a single point each. Dallas has a chance to swing things around this week but things may end up 50/50 for the team since they have games against Buffalo and Toronto. The Sabres game in all respects should be an easy victory, but the sneaky Leafs who have been really hot as of late will be a much tougher game to grab a W from.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Chris Martenet, Ottawa (OHL)

2016-17 stats: 6gp 0g 1a 1pt

After posting six points in 27 games this year for London of the OHL, Chris Martenet was dealt to the 67’s at the trade deadline. Martenet is a giant defenseman, standing six foot seven and weighing over 200 pounds, Chris obviously has a great reach and likes to play physical, but also plays very smart. As he continues to grow his game, his body is sure to follow, which makes him a very serious defensive prospect for Dallas in the future.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 30 (+7)

Team Record: (15-26-6)

Goals For: 101

Goals Against: 151

Special Teams

PP: 21-for-141 (14.9 percent) (25th)
PK: 36-for-159 (77.3 percent) (26th)

Injury List

Dave Bolland (lower body) – out indefinitely
Max Domi (hand) – out indefinitely
Brad Richardson (leg) – out indefinitely
Shane Doan (upper body) – day-to-day
Jordan Martinook (upper body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Radim Vrbata (47gp 11g 22a 33pts)
Top Defenseman: Oliver Ekman-Larsson (47gp 9g 16a 25pts)
Top Rookie: Christian Dvorak (43gp 4g 9a 13pts)
Top Goaltender: Mike Smith (10-13-5 2.95GAA .915 save percentage)

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

The Arizona Coyotes went 2-1-0 with wins over Tampa Bay and Florida this past week. A lot of credit should be given to the blue line who not only stepped up defensively, but also got involved in the offense with two goals, seven assists from five different defenders. Veteran netminder Mike Smith also deserves some recognition. A streaky, inconsistent netminder, Smith has now reeled together five quality starts in his last six games.

Several skaters had a productive week. Vrbata takes back-to-back POW honors with another point-per-game performance. He leads the team with 33 points in 47 games. Tobias Rieder had a big week contributing two goals, two assists, although three of those points came against Tampa Bay. After a slow start, Rieder now has 20 points in 45 games. Even rookie defender Jakob Chychrun got involved in the offense adding a goal and two assists. Lastly, we come to Martin Hanzal. Despite all the swirling rumors, he continues to deliver on the score sheet. He had a three-point effort versus Tampa Bay and now has 18 points in 39 games.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Ryan MacInnis, (WHL)

2016-17 stats: 35gp 5g 3a 8pts

Selected 43rd overall (2nd round) in 2014, Ryan MacInnis is somewhat forgotten in the mix of exciting Coyotes prospects. It seems kinda strange given the strong bloodlines (son of Al MacInnis), but it’s only a matter of time before he puts fans on notice. He represented Team USA at the World Juniors in 2015-16 and was a point-per-game playing during his junior career in the OHL. Ryan has since joined AHL Tucson in 2016-17 to start his pro career. It’s been a slow transition thus far and it may take him a few years to develop, but there’s serious potential for the 6’4 191lb center from St. Louis.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 12 (-10)

Team Record: (24-19-6)

Goals For: 133

Goals Against: 150

Special Teams

PP: 37-for-171 (21.6 percent) (9th)
PK: 29-for-150 (80.7 percent) (T-17th)

Injury List

Michael Del Zotto (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Jakub Voracek (49gp 14g 30a 44pts)
Top Defenseman: Ivan Provorov (49gp 4g 18a 22pts)
Top Rookie: Travis Konecny (48gp 7g 14a 21pts)
Top Goaltender: Steve Mason (16-15-6 2.84GAA .902 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Wayne Simmonds (3gp 2g 1a 3pts)

Philadelphia had a solid winning week with a 2-1-0 record, Steve Mason was also solid as well as Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek, and Brayden Schenn. Last season for the Flyers was all about Shayne Gostisbehere who was a rookie, now this year the torch has been handed to another rookie defenseman in Ivan Provorov.

Provorov now leads Philly’s rookies and defenseman in points with 22 in 49 games. But the good things don’t stop there. Veteran goalie Steve Mason who has had quite the up and down season had a great week with a 2-0-0 record and a .961 save percentage with a 1.26 goals-against-average. Michal Neuvirth, on the other hand, played in the losing game and in doing so also posted some well below average numbers. Schenn, Simmonds, and Voracek, on the other hand, all had three-point weeks with Simmonds leading the way with two goals. Philadelphia has a week in which they will be challenged, Toronto has been red hot lately and Carolina has been on quite the sneaky streak often pulling off unexpected wins. So Philadelphia could either get all four points or end up with just two. Whichever way things work out, Steve Mason will have to be ontop of his game again and not regress to how he’s been for the majority of the season.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Samuel Dove-McFalls, Saint John (QMJHL)

2016-17 stats: 42gp 9g 22a 31pts

While possessing a very interesting name, Samuel Dove-McFalls also possesses a great defensive skill set for a center. While he’s not expected to put up overly offensive numbers in the NHL, he will be relied upon in a bottom six role as a depth forward who can eat up minutes and be responsible in his own end.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 17 (-4)

Team Record: (20-20-9)

Goals For: 117

Goals Against: 144

Special Teams

PP: 18-for-162 (11.1 percent) (30th)
PK: 28-for-145 (80.7 percent) (T-17th)

Injury List

Jimmy Howard (lower body) – out indefinitely
Brendan Smith (knee) – day-to-day
Dylan Larkin (upper body) – day-to-day
Thomas Vanek (lower body) – day-to-day
Steve Ott (shoulder) – day-to-day
Joe Vitale (concussion) – out indefinitely
Johan Franzen (concussion) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Henrik Zetterberg (49gp 9g 24a 33pts)
Top Defenseman: Mike Green (41gp 9g 15a 24pts)
Top Rookie: Anthony Mantha (34gp 11g 11a 22pts)
Top Goaltender: Petr Mrazek (10-12-5 3.16GAA .894 save percentage)

Player of the Week: D Mike Green (4gp 1g 2a 3pts)

What a tough week for the Detroit Red Wings. They went 0-1-3 dropped four straight to Eastern Conference foes Buffalo, NY Rangers, Boston, and Toronto. Those are just games the Wings can’t afford to give away if there’s any hope in preserving that quarter-century playoff streak.

Things are getting interesting between the pipes with Petr Mrazek and Jared Coreau. The pair split those four contests and Coreau continues to see more playing time. The giant 6’6 netminder is even starting to convince some folks that he could be the future in goal for Detroit. Just what the Red Wings need, right? Another goaltending conundrum.

Let me offer a different perspective on the goaltending situation. Las Vegas GM George McPhee had made it pretty clear he won’t absorb bad contracts, which makes Jimmy Howard an unlikely target. So, Detroit better be careful. At 25-years-old, Jared Coreau could be a perfect target as he gets more NHL experience to prove himself. Tread carefully Mr. Holland, you wouldn’t want to be forced into a situation where you need to give up a conditional pick to protect Coreau.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Dylan Sadowy, Grand Rapids (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 25gp 4g 2a 6pts

Selected in the 3rd round back in 2014 by San Jose, Sadowy eventually wound up being traded to Detroit for a draft pick after it became clear the Sharks would not be able to sign him before re-entering the draft. Detroit inked him to an ELC and he’s since started his pro career down in Grand Rapids. It’s been a slow start/transition thus far, but the 6’1 180lb winger has a ton of potential and projects to be a 2nd/3rd liner at the NHL level.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 23 (+3)

Team Record: (20-20-9)

Goals For: 108

Goals Against: 137

Special Teams

PP: 23-for-165 (13.9 percent) (29th)
PK: 28-for-156 (82.0 percent) (15th)

Injury List

Andy Greene (arm) – day-to-day
John Moore (concussion) – out indefinitely
Beau Bennett (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Taylor Hall (39gp 11g 20a 31pts)
Top Defenseman: Damon Severson (49gp 3g 19a 22pts)
Top Rookie: Miles Wood (30gp 7g 4a 11pts)
Top Goaltender: Cory Schneider (14-15-7 2.75GAA .908 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Miles Wood (3gp 2g 1a 3pts)

New Jersey had themselves quite a disappointing week, they had a record of 1-2-0 and goaltender Cory Schneider wasn’t that great either. However, rookie Miles Wood had himself a great week along with veteran Michael Cammalleri. But there was one bright spot though.

Schneider only played one game on the week for the Devils and in doing so lost the game and had a goals-against-average of 9.00 and a .750 save percentage. The bright spot on the week was backup Keith Kinkaid who played two games for the Devils and in doing so had a 1-1-0 record with a 1.55 goals-against-average and a .947 save percentage. Miles Wood was decent as well putting up three points in three games, two of which were goals while Cammalleri had three points as well but they were all assists. Things won’t be easy for the Devils this week since they got games against Washington and Detroit, if they want to get out of the Eastern Conference basement though, they need to start winning games.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Petr Straka, Albany (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 18gp 2g 6a 8pts

Petr Straka needs to improve his game, so a couple more years in the AHL won’t hurt, but he does have the potential to fill a bottom-six role in the NHL. He’s got great speed with great scoring instincts accompanied by smooth hands.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 24 (+5)

Team Record: (20-19-10)

Goals For: 111

Goals Against: 131

Special Teams

PP: 25-for-165 (15.2 percent) (24th)
PK: 24-for-153 (84.3 percent) (5th)

Injury List

Jonathan Huberdeau (achilles) – out indefinitely
Aleksander Barkov (upper body) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Vincent Trocheck (49gp 18g 15a 33pts)
Top Defenseman: Keith Yandle (49gp 3g 20a 23pts)
Top Rookie: Michael Matheson (48gp 3g 9a 12pts)
Top Goaltender: Roberto Luongo (13-13-6 2.45GAA .921 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jonathan Marchessault (2gp 0g 2a 2pts)

It was a light schedule for the Florida Panthers this week with only a pair of games. They managed to drop both and only walked away with a single point in two close one-goal games. It’s kind of ironic isn’t it? Just a couple of weeks ago, I remember specifically talking about this very same club that squeezed out a winning record in the same close one-goal fashion – a common theme in 2016-17. I spoke about how vulnerable these teams are and how easily the script can be flipped with one bounce. We saw just that over the past seven days as Florida lost to Vancouver and Arizona, ouch!

Worst of all, the future looks pretty bleak for the Panthers at this point. They were hoping to get two key figures back in the lineup in Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau. Barkov was listed as day-to-day, while Huberdeau was aiming to make his season debut in late January. Both are now listed as being out indefinitely. And at this point, it’s unclear when either will be back.

The way I look at it. This Florida Panthers club isn’t built for a deep playoff run. In fact, they’d be lucky to escape the first round no matter who the opponent. With that being the case, it might be a good time to make a few small moves in an attempt to reset for the 2017-18 season.

Weekly Prospect Profile: D Ian McCoshen, Springfield (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 35gp 2g 3a 5pts

Selected 31st overall back in 2013, McCoshen signed his entry-level deal with the Panthers this past summer after closing out his NCAA career at Boston College. The big 6’3 218lb Wisconsin-native is a quality two-way defenseman that isn’t afraid to use the body. If he can continue to further develop the offensive side of his game, Florida may have a gem in McCoshen.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 19 (+1)

Team Record: (24-21-6)

Goals For: 125

Goals Against: 130

Special Teams

PP: 27-for-156 (17.3 percent) (19th)
PK: 22-for-165 (86.7 percent) (2nd)

Injury List

Brian Ferlin (lower body) – has been considered day-to-day since Oct.6

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Brad Marchand (51gp 19g 28a 47pts)
Top Defenseman: Torey Krug (51gp 4g 26a 30pts)
Top Rookie: Austin Czarnik (46gp 5g 8a 13pts)
Top Goaltender: Tuukka Rask (23-12-4 2.13GAA .919 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F David Pastrnak (3gp 1g 2a 3pts)

The Bruins were finally able to exorcise some of their demons this week besting the Detroit Red Wings in overtime after blowing various three-goal leads in last week’s game against the Wings. It wasn’t all roses though this week as that was the only Bruins win after being shut out by the Chicago Blackhawks and being blown out by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 1-2-0 week didn’t do much to help the Bruins potential playoff chances. The Bruins fell out of the top three spots in the Atlantic and the good news is that they currently hold down the final wild-card spot. The bad news is that they only have a two-point cushion on the Philadelphia Flyers and the Flyers have three games in hand.

David Pastrnak scored his first goal in 18 games to win in overtime against the Red Wings and he will need to find more consistency if the Bruins are going to make the playoffs. Brad Marchand scored two goals during the last week, being the only consistent scorer on the team in quite a while. The Bruins will need Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to be their old selfs to contribute to the offence or else the club will miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Tuukka Rask continues to give the team a chance to win every night, but current backup Zane McIntyre allowed three goals on 14 shots in a relief performance.

– Trin Potratz

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Jake DeBrusk, Providence (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 42gp 11g 12a 23pts

Selected 14th overall in 2015, DeBrusk was sandwiched between Jakub Zboril and Zachary Senyshyn in Boston’s trio of picks. Son of former NHLer Louie DeBrusk, Jake was a point-per-game player for WHL’s Swift Current Broncos during his junior career. He has since joined AHL Providence in 2016-17 and is off to a solid start. The two-way scoring winger should have a chance to crack the B’s roster in the next year or two.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 26 (+9)

Team Record: (21-19-7)

Goals For: 124

Goals Against: 133

Special Teams

PP: 23-for-137 (16.8 percent) (23rd)
PK: 14-for-117 (88.0 percent) (1st)

Injury List

Bryan Bickell (illness) – out indefinitely
Eddie Lack (concussion) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Jeff Skinner (46gp 17g 18a 35pts)
Top Defenseman: Justin Faulk (40gp 9g 12a 21pts)
Top Rookie: Sebastian Aho (47gp 12g 14a 26pts)
Top Goaltender: Cam Ward (18-15-6 2.63GAA .906 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Elias Lindholm (3gp 0g 2a 2pts)

Carolina had a very disappointing week 15, they didn’t manage a single point and two of the games they were absolutely blown out by a score of 6-1 handed to them by Washington, and 7-1 at the hands of the Penguins. So it’s easy to say Carolina’s goaltending had a pretty awful week.

Cam Ward played in two games last week and in doing so had a horrendous 6.52 goals-against-average with a .803 save percentage. Michael Leighton didn’t fair out much better, in his only game Leighton had a .850 save percentage with a 3.14 goals-against-average. Rookie Sebastian Aho and Elias Lindholm each had two-point weeks, however, Aho finished with a minus-six rating while Lindholm finished with a minus-three rating. And next week isn’t going to be any easier for the Canes, they got games against Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Jake Bean, Calgary (WHL)

2016-17 stats: 17gp 3g 16a 19pts

Carolina is absolutely set for the future when it comes to defense, out of the entire NHL, they have the deepest and most skilled defensive core. And Jake Bean helps that a lot, he’s highly intelligent with a tremendous amount of poise. He makes consistently smart decisions with and without the puck and is always in a position to cut off plays and create better scoring chances. Jake’s not a one-dimensional player either, he can play both ends of the ice extremely well. In the near future, Carolina’s blue line is going to look very, very scary.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 4 (-11)

Team Record: (32-11-4)

Goals For: 155

Goals Against: 109

Special Teams

PP: 35-for-140 (25.0 percent) (1st)
PK: 22-for-134 (83.6 percent) (T-7th)

Injury List

David Clarkson (back) – out indefinitely
David Savard (undisclosed) – day-to-day
Markus Nutivaara (undisclosed) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Cam Atkinson (47gp 24g 22a 46pts)
Top Defenseman: Zach Werenski (47gp 7g 20a 27pts)
Top Rookie: Zach Werenski (D) (47gp 7g 20a 27pts)
Top Goaltender: Sergei Bobrovsky (28-8-2 2.04GAA .930 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Alexander Wennberg (4gp 0g 4a 4pts)

Columbus’ week 15 didn’t quite go as planned, once the hot surging Blue Jackets have been rather cold as of late. And last week was an example of that, posting a .500 record of 2-2-0. They started the week off with a loss against the Sens than rebounded in the next game then got revenge against Ottawa with a huge 7-6 win, after that they lost again. But despite all that, Sergei Bobrovsky was still solid in his three games while rookie Joonas Korpisalo was well, below average.

Speaking of Bobrovsky he played in three games last week gaining a win and two losses but still had tremendous statistics, he had a .910 save percentage and a 2.95 goals-against-average. Korpisalo, on the other hand, had a win in his only game, but his numbers didn’t reflect that. Alexander Wennberg had himself a great week putting up four points in four games. On top of that, four other Blue Jackets had three points each and a combined rating of plus eight. Those players? Cam Atkinson, Scott Hartnell, Scott Harrington, and Dalton Prout.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Anton Forsberg, Cleveland (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 24gp, 12w, 2.22gaa, .928sv%, 1so

One of Columbus’ top goalie prospects, Anton Forsberg is a year or less away from becoming a full-time backup and it’s only a matter of time before he’s a full-time starter. Forsberg’s got amazing size and skill with great athleticism. As he continues to refine his skills down in the AHL this season, his potential is just going to increase even more.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 3 (-11)

Team Record: (29-13-7)

Goals For: 148

Goals Against: 121

Special Teams

PP: 35-for-150 (23.3 percent) (3rd)
PK: 35-for-173 (79.8 percent) (23rd)

Injury List

Brendan Gallagher (hand) – out until early March
Andrei Markov (lower body) – week-to-week
David Desharnais (knee) – out indefinitely
Greg Pateryn (ankle) – day-to-day
Alex Galchenyuk (knee) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Max Pacioretty (49gp 21g 18a 39pts)
Top Defenseman: Shea Weber (49gp 11g 19a 30pts)
Top Rookie: Artturi Lehkonen (40gp 11g 5a 16pts)
Top Goaltender: Carey Price (22-9-5 2.32GAA .921 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Alex Radulov (3gp 2g 3a 5pts)

The Canadiens started the week off with the bad news that Alex Galchenyuk, recently activated from the injured reserve, re-injured the knee that kept him out of the lineup for six weeks. While Galchenyuk’s injury is not considered serious, the Habs can thank another player of Russian decent for their strong week. Alexander Radulov was a monster scoring five points in the three games that saw the Canadiens go 2-0-1. Whatever gas in the tank the Habs lost in their overtime defeat to the Sabres, they regained in a dominating fashion against the struggling Calgary Flames.

Daniel Carr got the monkey off his back, scoring his first goal in 24 games as he hopes to avoid a complete sophomore slump. Another player that must be breathing a sigh of relief is goaltender Carey Price. After struggling through most of January, Price had a tremendous week stopping pucks at a 94 per cent rate. Much more Price like.

– Trin Potratz

Weekly Prospect Profile: G Michael McNiven, Owen Sound (OHL)

2016-17 stats: 25-7-0 2.10 .923 save percentage

The 19-year-old netminder was signed by Montreal as an undrafted free agent last summer. He has since gone on to dominate the Ontario Hockey League in 2016-17 and even found his name in the mix for Team Canada at the World Juniors. Unfortunately, he narrowly missed out as the third option. Montreal has no shortage of quality netminders with the likes of Zach Fucale, Charlie Lindgren, and Michael McNiven behind the world’s best netminder.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 18 (+5)

Team Record: (20-18-9)

Goals For: 114

Goals Against: 127

Special Teams

PP: 33-for-149 (22.1 percent) (7th)
PK: 36-for-138 (73.9 percent) (30th)

Injury List

Josh Gorges (abdomen) – day-to-day
Johan Larsson (wrist) – out for season
Jake McCabe (shoulder) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Kyle Okposo (46gp 15g 16a 31pts)
Top Defenseman: Rasmus Ristolainen (47p 3g 25a 28pts)
Top Rookie: William Carrier (32gp 4g 2a 6pts)
Top Goaltender: Robin Lehner (12-12-5 2.57GAA .920 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jack Eichel (3gp 2g 2a 4pts)

The Buffalo Sabres can thank extra time for their perfect week, as the club strung together three consecutive overtime wins. The Sabres came on top against the Red Wings thanks to a strong 32-save performance from Anders Nilsson and an overtime winner from Kyle Okposo. They then surprised the Montreal Canadiens with a 3-2 OT win on the back of Robin Lehner and Zach Bogosian’s first goal of the season in overtime. After a two-day break, the Sabres erased a 4-2 deficit with less than ten minutes to go against the Predators to force another overtime, where Jack Michael played the hero.

The Sabres didn’t win the Connor McDavid sweepstakes, but Jack Eichel was one hell of a consolation prize, and his big week was one of the biggest reasons the Sabres went 3-0-0. Ryan O’Reilly and Cody Franson also chipped in with four points this week, while Evander Kane added three helpers. While the Sabres haven’t had the perfect season up until this point, they are still within sniffing distance of a playoff spot and this perfect week put them in a good position. Zach Bogosian may be the unsung hero of this past week, scoring an overtime winner and finishing the week with a +4 rating. Robin Lehner and Anders Nilsson have provided the Sabres with strong goaltending all season long and they played admirably this week as well.

Weekly Prospect Profile: D Casey Fitzgerald, Boston College (NCAA)

2016-17 stats: 24gp 5g 10a 15pts

Fitzgerald was a 3rd round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, but he gained more fan fare with a strong physical performance on team USA’s gold medal winning World Junior team. While he is not the biggest guy on the ice, his 5’11, 186 pound frame hasn’t stopped him from being a pain in the butt of his opponents. The son of long-time NHL journeyman Tom Fitzgerald, Casey is primed to become a hard to play against stay-at-home defender, but he also has the ability to make the first pass tape-to-tape. He’s likely two or three years away from making an NHL roster, but when he does, he will likely be there to stay.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 5 (-7)

Team Record: (30-12-5)

Goals For: 167

Goals Against: 136

Special Teams

PP: 37-for-162 (22.8 percent) (4th)
PK: 34-for-161 (78.9 percent) (24th)

Injury List

Matt Cullen (foot) – day-to-day
Kris Letang (knee) – out week-to-week
Patric Hornqvist (lower body) – day-to-day
Evgeni Malkin (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin (41gp 28g 26a 54pts/47gp 22g 32a 54pts)
Top Defenseman: Justin Schultz (47gp 7g 26a 33pts)
Top Rookie: Scott Wilson (44gp 5g 8a 13pts)
Top Goaltender: Matt Murray (17-5-1 2.35GAA .922 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Conor Sheary (3gp 4g 1a 5pts)

Pittsburgh had their week ruined by the Blues if they didn’t they too would have had a perfect week with a record of 3-0-0 instead they have to settle with a 2-1-0 record. Matt Murray finally returned and was solid all week long appearing in all three games. And while many may think Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin might have to lead the way last week that wasn’t the case, Pittsburgh was carried by forwards Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust.

Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust both had five-point outputs last week and both combined for a plus-ten rating. Crosby and Malkin, on the other hand, were still pretty decent, both putting up four points apiece. Now back to Matt Murray, the better he plays, the closer and closer the Penguins get to having to make a difficult decision due to the expansion draft. And Murray made the case even harder last week, despite a loss he still had a .950 save percentage and a 1.67 goals-against-average. This week Pittsburgh’s got time against Boston and Nashville.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Dominik Uher, HC Sparta Praha (Czech)

2016-17 stats: 37gp 6g 10a 16pts

Dominik Uher plays with a lot of grit and skill making him a great power forward with a grinders edge. While not being overly tall, Uher has a good size frame and is often hard to knock off the puck. He’s got some offensive capabilities but he’s best suited in a depth in a defensive role.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 25 (+14)

Team Record: (23-20-6)

Goals For: 115

Goals Against: 135

Special Teams

PP: 21-for-149 (14.1 percent) (28th)
PK: 26-for-131 (80.2 percent) (22nd)

Injury List

Ben Hutton (hand) – day-to-day
Jannik Hansen (knee) – day-to-day
Derek Dorsett (shoulder) – out indefinitely
Erik Gudbranson (wrist) – out indefinitely
Philip Larsen (upper body) – day-to-day
Anton Rodin (knee) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Bo Horvat (49gp 14g 18a 32pts)
Top Defenseman: Troy Stecher (40gp 2g 12a 14pts)
Top Rookie: Troy Stecher (40gp 2g 12a 14pts)
Top Goaltender: Ryan Miller (14-11-3 2.50GAA .919 save percentage)

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

It was another tough week for the Vancouver Canucks. They went 1-2-0 with losses to Florida and Chicago. That lone win wasn’t anything to brag about either having just edged the Avalanche 3-2 on Wednesday night. It’s funny, it kinda goes back to what I was talking about a few weeks ago. The Canucks love to put their fan base on this emotional roller coaster ride where they reel off a 3-4 wins in a row and look ready to compete for a playoff spot. Then, we’ve got letdowns like these which help bring folks back to reality.

I’m still confused by this “rebuild on the fly” that Vancouver is doing. This team isn’t going anywhere even if they do manage to sneak into the playoffs. That four-game sweep experience for their younger guys isn’t worth holding on to all these veterans. Vancouver has a ton of solid pieces in place for the future, so it would make sense to sell now and reset for the 2017-18 season.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Joseph Labate, Utica (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 19gp 2g 6g 8pts

Selected 101st overall (4th round) back in 2011, Labate spent the next four years playing NCAA hockey with the University of Wisconsin. He signed his ELC following the 2014-15 season and spent a couple games with Utica. In 2015-16, Joe began his pro career posting 20 points in 66 games as an AHL rookie. The big power forward continues to show progression in his second year in 2016-17. With another season or two or development, Labate has a chance to be a decent bottom six forward for the Canucks.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 28 (+18)

Team Record: (20-17-9)

Goals For: 132

Goals Against: 132

Special Teams

PP: 19-for-133 (14.3 percent) (27th)
PK: 27-for-138 (80.4 percent) (21st)

Injury List

Ryan Pulock (foot) – day-to-day
Mikhail Grabovski (concussion) – out indefinitely
Travis Hamonic (lower body) – out week-to-week
Thomas Hickey (lower body) – day-to-day
Anders Lee (illness) – day-to-day
Anthony Beauvillier (foot) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: John Tavares (46gp 19g 19a 38pts)
Top Defenseman: Nick Leddy (45gp 8g 17a 25pts)
Top Rookie: Anthony Beauvillier (32gp 4g 7a 11pts)
Top Goaltender: Thomas Greiss (13-7-3 2.31GAA .927 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F John Tavares (4gp 3g 3a 6pts)

The Islanders put up a very surprising week, gathering seven of a possible eight points in with a record of 3-0-1. Ever since Thomas Greiss took over the net from Jaroslav Halak, the team has been on a rise, and John Tavares is to help for that as well.

So speaking of Greiss, he played in three games last week collecting a .946 save percentage and a 1.64 goals-against-average with a 2-0-1 record. Backup Jean-Francois Berube appeared in one game for the Isles last week and in doing so collected a win with some great stats, a .944 save percentage and a 2.01 goals-against-average to be exact. John Tavares has been picking up the pace quite significantly the last few months, which isn’t all the surprising given he’s easily one of the best players in the league and is the Isles leader every single game. But he wasn’t the only one to have a solid week defenseman Nick Leddy did as well with four points in four games. The main question is if they can continue this play next week, games against Montreal and Washington may make things a tad bit difficult, though.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Matthew Finn, Missouri (ECHL)

2016-17 stats: 33gp 2g 14a 16pts

Matt Finn is a very intelligent two-way defenseman he plays with great authority due to his leadership ability. He’s very smart in his own end and is great offensively who passes great and has a hard and somewhat accurate shot.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 15 (+6)

Team Record: (23-17-8)

Goals For: 132

Goals Against: 124

Special Teams

PP: 28-for-158 (17.7 percent) (T-16th)
PK: 25-for-146 (82.9 percent) (10th)

Injury List

Miikka Salomaki (lower body) – day-to-day
Petter Granberg (undisclosed) – day-to-day
Roman Josi (upper body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Ryan Johansen (48gp 8g 28a 36pts)
Top Defenseman: Roman Josi (42gp 5g 17a 22pts)
Top Rookie: Kevin Fiala (32gp 6g 3a 9pts)
Top Goaltender: Pekka Rinne (18-12-6 2.34GAA .921 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Ryan Johansen (4gp 1g 5a 6pts)

While the majority of the teams in the Central struggled last week, Nashville didn’t they had themselves a fantastic winning record going 3-0-1. They did have a chance to go undefeated until Buffalo took them to extra time and pulled off the win. Ryan Johansen was absolutely great as well as veteran Pekka Rinne.

Johansen had himself a great week notching six points in four games, five of those points were helpers, which obviously helped Filip Forsberg has he had five points, four were goals. Defenseman Ryan Ellis also had a five-point week as well as Viktor Arvidsson who both combined for a plus-six rating, well make that plus nine when you count Forsberg’s plus three output. Juuse Saros appeared in two games last week for the Predators posting a record of 1-0-1 with a .889 save percentage and a 3.92 goals-against-average. Star netminder Pekka Rinne, on the other hand, was great, he played in the other two games notching himself two wins, a .927 save percentage and a 1.92 goals-against-average. Nashville can continue their hot play this week even though it may be a bit difficult since they play both Columbus and Pittsburgh.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Patrick Cehlin, Rogle BK (SHL)

2016-17 stats: 17gp 6g 3a 9pts

An excellent skater, Patrick Cehlin has great acceleration and amazing top end speed. He’s purely offensive with good technical skills, shot release and creativity. And while he’s a good goalscorer and passes the puck well he could use some more work on his defensive game.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 13 (+5)

Team Record: (26-16-5)

Goals For: 121

Goals Against: 119

Special Teams

PP: 26-for-146 (17.8 percent) (15th)
PK: 27-for-152 (82.2 percent) (T-13th)

Injury List

Craig Anderson (personal) – leave of absence
Clarke MacArthur (concussion) – out for season
Andrew Hammond (ankle) – out week-to-week
Mike Hoffman (illness) – day-to-day
Mark Borowiecki (flu) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Mark Stone (45gp 16g 19a 35pts)
Top Defenseman: Erik Karlsson (46gp 7g 32a 39pts)
Top Rookie: Fredrik Claesson (D) (12gp 0g 2a 2pts)
Top Goaltender: Mike Condon (14-7-4 2.42GAA .917 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Zack Smith (4gp 3g 1a 4pts)

The Ottawa Senators had a fantastic week going 3-0-1 picking up seven of eight points. They had important wins over Columbus, Toronto, and Ottawa and fell short 7-6 to the Blue Jackets in their second match-up of the week. With a goal differential of +5, the Sens now find themselves in the plus column with a 121GF and 119GA.

A lot of individuals deserve credit for the Sens recent success, but perhaps no more than netminder Mike Condon. After coming over in a trade from Pittsburgh earlier in the year, Condon has been lights out for Ottawa. Not just that, his dependability/consistency has been outstanding. Heading into Thursday night’s game versus Calgary, Mike is set to start his 15th straight game. Unreal. I hope for Ottawa’s sake that Condon keeps it together until Craig Anderson rejoins the team. He played just as well for the Habs for a long period of time in 2015-16 before hitting that inevitable wall. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen in 2017.

The Senators made a couple of headlines this past week. They traded a pair of minor-leaguers to San Jose in exchange for depth forward Tommy Wingels. He is set to make his debut on Thursday night. They also inked center Zack Smith to an extension. While it may seem like a fairly minor piece of news, it has important expansion implications. Smith was largely considered a bubble player fighting for one of those final protection slots, but this recent signing suggests he could be safe. If that’s the case, who’s the odd man out? Ryan Dzingel? Curtis Lazar? It’ll be interesting to see how this one plays out.

Weekly Prospect Profile: G Matt O’Connor, Binghamton (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 10-10-0 2.77GAA .903 save percentage

I’m a big Matt O’Connor fan. It’s admittedly been a slow transition at the pro level, but the 6’6 205lb netminder has a ton of potential to be a quality no.2 in this league. He was signed by the Sens back in the summer of 2015 after wrapping up his college career with Boston University. He closed things out in the NCAA with a 25-4-4 record and a 2.18GAA and .927 save percentage in 2014-15. Matt has a rough go of things in his AHL rookie season, but he has since bounced back showing a lot of improvement in 2016-17.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 16 (+9)

Team Record: (27-15-9)

Goals For: 131

Goals Against: 128

Special Teams

PP: 35-for-161 (21.7 percent) (8th)
PK: 29-for-175 (83.4 percent) (9th)

Injury List

Clayton Stoner (abdomen) – day-to-day
Jakob Silfverberg (head) – day-to-day
Simon Despres (concussion) – out indefinitely
Nic Kerdiles (concussion) – dealing with concussion-like symptoms, considered day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Ryan Kesler (51gp 18g 21a 39pts)
Top Defenseman: Cam Fowler (51gp 10g 16a 26pts)
Top Rookie: Ondrej Kase (35gp 4g 8a 12pts)
Top Goaltender: John Gibson (19-11-8 2.32GAA .919 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Ryan Getzlaf (4gp 1g 2a 3pts)

The Anaheim Ducks had a busy week with four games on the schedule. They managed a 2-2-0 record with wins against Colorado and Winnipeg. Unfortunately, goal scoring was once again an issue for the Ducks. They couldn’t score more than three goals in a single game and had eight total over those four contests.

To be fair, the goaltending wasn’t great over the last week. That might have something to do with the illness John Gibson has been battling of late. John Gibson had a 2.68GAA and .880 save percentage in three starts, while Jonathan Bernier was a 3.41GAA and .887 save percentage.

All in all, the sub-par week of hockey was a complete team letdown from top to bottom. The offense needs to score more goals. The defense needs to step up on both sides of the puck, and both goaltenders need to be better. I’m not too worried about the Ducks, they should be ready for a deep playoff run in mid-April.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Kenton Helgesen, Utah (ECHL)

2016-17 stats: 27gp 2g 10a 12pts

Selected in the 7th round back in 2012 as a gritty power forward for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, Helgesen managed to do what many late-round picks fail to do, earn a contract. He’s in his 2nd year of pro hockey in 2016-17 re-joining the Ducks ECHL affiliate in Utah. It’s been a tough transition in a short period of time, but Kenton is still trying to figure out what type of player he is and how he can be effective. If he can figure it out and have a good year or two in the AHL, he may eventually blossom into a decent bottom six forward.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 20 (+14)

Team Record: (23-14-9)

Goals For: 143

Goals Against: 125

Special Teams

PP: 34-for-143 (23.8 percent) (2nd)
PK: 23-for-157 (85.3 percent) (4th)

Injury List

Ben Smith (hand) – day-to-day
Joffrey Lupul (abdomen) – sent to Robidas Island
Morgan Rielly (lower body) – day-to-day
Nathan Horton (back) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Auston Matthews/James van Riemsdyk (46gp 23g 16a 39pts/46gp 17g 22a 39pts)
Top Defenseman: Jake Gardiner (46gp 6g 17a 23pts)
Top Rookie: Auston Matthews (46gp 23g 16a 39pts)
Top Goaltender: Frederik Andersen (21-10-8 2.55GAA .921 save percentage)

Player of the Week: G Frederik Andersen (2 wins 1.47GAA .948 save percentage)

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to roll with another strong week. They went 2-1-1 and closed things out with a pair of shutout wins versus Calgary and Detroit. Despite the shutout streak, coach Mike Babcock will turn to backup Curtis McElhinney on Thursday night in the second of a back-to-back. Heading into the NHL All-Star break, it might be safe to call Frederik Andersen the Leafs 1st half MVP.

Several Toronto skaters had a productive week on the score sheet, but I’d like to center out one in particular. Nazem Kadri led the way with five points in four games, which included a pair of multi-point performances. With 34 points in 46 games, things are really starting to come together for Naz in 2016-17. In fact, many folks are starting to murmur the phrase “Selke candidate”. You’ve got to be thoroughly impressed with the play of Kadri if you’re a Leafs fan after watching him struggle to find his identity for so many years.

Other top skaters included James van Riemsdyk who continued his recent tear with another point-per-game stretch. JVR now has four goals, seven assists in his last 10 games, which gives him 39 points in 46 games so far. Mitch Marner added three points in four games. Zach Hyman and Tyler Bozak each had a pair of goals.

The one guy who isn’t getting enough recognition right now is defenseman Nikita Zaitsev. Toronto needed someone to step up in Morgan Rielly’s absence and the Russian blueliner has done just that. He has five assists in his last 10 games and a +2 plus/minus rating over that span. Toronto may still need that missing no.2 RHD on the top pairing, but fans in Leafs nation should take comfort in the idea of a future 3-4 that consists of Jake Gardiner/Nikita Zaitsev.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Kerby Rychel, Toronto (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 38gp 8g 18a 26pts

Give the Leafs a lot of credit. Rychel wasn’t a fit in Columbus anymore and they pounced to acquire the power forward. Son of former Maple Leaf Warren Rychel, Kerby was selected 19th overall back in 2013. He’s yet to see any time with Toronto since coming over in the trade, but that might be a good thing. Sitting as one of those bubble players for guys to protect in the expansion draft, why give Las Vegas a sneak peak at a guy they could potential pluck from the roster?

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 1 (-4)

Team Record: (30-15-5)

Goals For: 137

Goals Against: 126

Special Teams

PP: 26-for-148 (17.6 percent) (18th)
PK: 31-for-128 (75.8 percent) (28th)

Injury List

n/a

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Patrick Kane (50gp 15g 33a 48pts)
Top Defenseman: Duncan Keith (50gp 3g 29a 32pts)
Top Rookie: Ryan Hartman (45gp 10g 10a 20pts)
Top Goaltender: Corey Crawford (18-11-3 2.57GAA .918 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jonathan Toews (3gp 2g 4a 6pts)

More from Editorials

• The problem with another expansion franchise in the NHL
• Should the NHL make referees give postgame interviews?
• Why Carolina Hurricanes fans should be excited for the 2023-24 season
• Should The Seattle Kraken Consider Trading Shane Wright?
• Why any NHL team would be lucky to add Phil Kessel to their roster

While Chicago doesn’t seem to be a favorite for the cup this season, they’re still not going to go down with a fight every game, and in doing so would have had a perfect 3-0-0 record if Tampa’s Lightning didn’t strike on the team Tuesday night. Jonathan Toews was solid like always as well as star goalie Corey Crawford and backup Scott Darling.

If you have watched Darling close this season, he reminds you of someone, and that’s Crawford, so in hindsight, it’s great to have two similar goalies on your team they give you a chance to win every night. Toews, on the other hand, had to carry the team offensively with six points in three games since the next highest scorer was Richard Panik with three points. But back to Darling, he played in one game last week and in doing so collected a shutout victory. Crawford played in the other two which means he had the 1-1-0 record and with that record was a .905 save percentage and a 3.03 goals-against-average, which were pretty below average. Chicago’s got a chance to increase their streak this week though since they play Winnipeg and San Jose.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Mathias From, Rogle BK (SHL)

2016-17 stats: 26gp 2g 1a 3pts

Mathias From is a very strong transitional game who has great offensive and defensive skills. He keeps himself mobile at all times often leaving himself in a position to put pressure on the opposition. He’s also great at taking passing lanes and pucks away and when he does he has no issues moving it up the ice. Offensively he’s got a great shot with a great release but he seems to be more comfortable on the defensive side of the game.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 8 (+4)

Team Record: (27-15-8)

Goals For: 145

Goals Against: 127

Special Teams

PP: 32-for-155 (20.6 percent) (T-12th)
PK: 27-for-147 (81.6 percent) (16th)

Injury List

Iiro Pakarinen (knee) – out week-to-week
Darnell Nurse (ankle) – out indefinitely
Tyler Pitlick (leg) – out for season
Jujhar Khaira (wrist) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Connor McDavid (50gp 16g 41a 57pts)
Top Defenseman: Andrej Sekera (48gp 5g 17a 22pts)
Top Rookie: Matt Benning (37gp 2g 8a 10pts)
Top Goaltender: Cam Talbot (25-12-7 2.36GAA .921 save percentage)

Player of the Week: G Cam Talbot (1 win 0.96GAA .971 save percentage)

The Edmonton Oilers had a solid week with a 2-0-1 record collecting five of a possible six points. After dropping their 1st game of the week 3-2 to Nashville in a shootout, the Oilers responded with two outstanding efforts. They gave new backup Laurent Brossoit plenty of goal support in a 7-3 dismantling of the Flames, and followed it up with a 4-0 against Anaheim.

Starter Cam Talbot had a solid week between the pipes. He surrendered just two goals on 44 shots in the SO loss to Nashville and recorded a shutout vs. Anaheim. Talbot has allowed just seven goals on 148 shots (.953 save percentage) dating back to Jan.16. As we know, Edmonton made a change behind the scenes with their backup. Laurent Brossoit had a decent first outing, but luckily received more than enough goal support. Similar to Detroit, the Oilers will need to tread carefully. These are guys that should be on Las Vegas’ radar in the expansion draft. The more NHL experience these guys receive now, the more comfortable GM George McPhee can be in selecting someone like Brossoit.

Several skaters had a productive week. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is Zack Kassian, who is currently riding a five-game point streak into Thursday night’s game versus San Jose. The usual suspects did their damage. Connor McDavid had three points. Leon Draisaitl and Jordan Eberle led the way with four each. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also had a trio of points, while several others found their name on the score sheet. In fact, the only players not to record a point were defensemen Kris Russell and Brandon Davidson.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Patrick Russell, Bakersfield (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 35gp 2g 6a 8pts

If you’re not familiar with the name, Russell was signed around the same time Drake Caggiula during college free agent frenzy. The 24-year-old Danish forward nearly doubled his production with St. Cloud State in 2015-16 to make him a point-per-game player. At 6’1 205lbs, Patrick has all the tools to be a quality bottom six forward in the near future.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 10 (+7)

Team Record: (31-11-5)

Goals For: 153

Goals Against: 106

Special Teams

PP: 28-for-133 (21.1 percent) (10th)
PK: 21-for-130 (84.0 percent) (6th)

Injury List

Victor Bartley (triceps) –out indefinitely
Jonas Brodin (finger) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Eric Staal/Mikael Granlund (46gp 16g 24a 40pts/47gp 11g 29a 40pts)
Top Defenseman: Ryan Suter (47gp 7g 23a 30pts)
Top Rookie: Joel Eriksson Ek (9gp 2g 3a 5pts)
Top Goaltender: Devan Dubnyk (26-8-3 1.91GAA .935 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jason Pominville (4gp 2g 4a 6pts)

Minnesota had an amazing week 15 as well with a record of 3-1-0, but what’s more amazing is the fact the Wild picked up Eric Staal as a free agent and he’s now leading the team with 40 points in 47 games. Devan Dubnyk is also having himself quite the season, and since Minnesota is scoring at a great rate, they may just need to add a piece or two at the deadline for a serious run.

Dubnyk played in three games for the Wild last week collecting the three wins with a .910 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against-average. Darcy Kuemper, on the other hand, was the goalie who had the loss on his record, his numbers weren’t that great either. But someone else had pretty amazing numbers, and that was Jason Pominville who put up six points in four games after being quite cold the last little bit. So that offensive outburst was much needed for himself and the team. Swiss star Nino Niederreiter also had a great week putting up five points in four games. Also, Mikael Granlund and Ryan Suter combined for eight points and a plus-two rating. Despite a short week for most of the NHL, the Wild won’t be catching a break, they got three games this week, one against St. Louis, the other against Edmonton and the final one against Calgary.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Joel Eriksson Ek, Farjestad (SHL)

2016-17 stats: 11gp 3g 2a 5pts

Many of you already seen Joel Eriksson Ek play in nine games for Minnesota this year, and in doing so he had five points. But due to some inconsistencies, he was loaned to Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League where so far he’s put up five points in 11 games. He uses his size, skill, and skating to overpower his opponents and usually make some hard things look rather easy. After a solid stint in the NHL this season and a great World Junior tournament, Eriksson Ek is going to be an amazing player once fully adjusted to the North American style of play.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 9 (+7)

Team Record: (31-16-2)

Goals For: 132

Goals Against: 112

Special Teams

PP: 26-for-153 (17.0 percent) (22nd)
PK: 22-for-127 (82.7 percent) (11th)

Injury List

Tomas Hertl (knee) – day-to-day
Michael Haley (upper body) – day-to-day
Joonas Donskoi (upper body) – day-to-day
Dylan DeMelo (wrist) – out until mid-March

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Joe Pavelski (49gp 16g 26a 42pts)
Top Defenseman: Brent Burns (49gp 21g 30a 51pts)
Top Rookie: Kevin Labanc (36gp 7g 7a 14pts)
Top Goaltender: Martin Jones (25-14-2 2.23GAA .917 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Patrick Marleau (4gp 5g 0a 5pts)

The San Jose Sharks are one of the hottest teams in the league right now and they rode their perfect 4-0 week to extend their winning streak to five games. While the Sharks won those game against some of the lesser teams in the league (Colorado twice, Tampa Bay and Winnipeg), the wins still count as two points. With the Ducks and Oilers nipping at their heels, the Sharks have to keep on winning to obtain the division title in the Pacific. Scoring goals is not an issue and neither are keeping them out. These Sharks still have bite.

Patrick Marleau scored what has now been dubbed a….”d*** trick” in the 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. While Marleau has slowed down in his twilight years, it seems he still has a lot left in the tank after his four-goal performance. Brent Burns continues to play Norris Trophy calibre hockey, and it’s not out of the question to believe he could actually win the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer. Do you know who was the last defenseman to do that? Bobby Orr. Another player worth mentioning is Mikkel Boedker. Boedker has been a huge disappointment so far for the San Jose Sharks, but his three-assist week is a sign of things to come. Hopefully. Coach Peter DeBorer showed some trust in backup Aaron Dell as he split starts with Martin Jones this week and both goalies stopped pucks at a 93 per cent clip.

– Trin Potratz

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Rourke Chartier, San Jose (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 33gp 8g 10a 18pts

The former 5th rounder from 2014 surprised many folks in 2015-16 when he was named to Team Canada’s World Junior squad. Chartier closed out his WHL career with a point-per-game season (46pts in 42gp) with Kelowna. He has since joined the Sharks AHL affiliate in 2016-17 and is off to a decent start. With names like Timo Meier, Nikolay Goldobin, Kevin Labanc, and Rourke Chartier (among others) in the mix, San Jose needs to start making room for their youngsters.

– Ryan Ritchie

Previous Ranking: 2 (+1)

Team Record: (32-10-6)

Goals For: 154

Goals Against: 100

Special Teams

PP: 29-for-146 (19.9 percent) (14th)
PK: 25-for-172 (85.5 percent) (3rd)

Injury List

John Carlson (lower body) – day-to-day
Jay Beagle (illness) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Nicklas Backstrom (48gp 13g 34a 47pts)
Top Defenseman: Matt Niskanen (47gp 4g 22a 26pts)
Top Rookie: Jakub Vrana (12gp 1g 2a 3pts)
Top Goaltender: Braden Holtby (23-8-4 1.96GAA .929 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Andre Burakovsky (4gp 2g 4a 6pts)

If Ottawa didn’t spoil the fun for the Capitals Tuesday night by shutting them out, Washington would have had a perfect 4-0-0 record, now they’re stuck with a 3-1-0 record which is still pretty great. Both Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer were outstanding as well as forwards Andre Burakovsky and Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Andre Burakovsky was great last week putting up six points in four games as well as being a plus four on the week. Kuznetsov was also solid putting up a plus-four rating as well but he had a five-point week instead. Holtby played in two games gathering two wins and a .922 save percentage with a 2.00 goals-against-average. Grubauer was also solid as well despite earning the only loss on the week. Washington has a chance to continue their hot play this week as they have games against New Jersey, Boston, and the Islanders.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Dmitri Zaitsev, Moose Jaw (WHL)

2016-17 stats: 46gp 0g 15a 15pts

While not being overly strong, Dmitri Zaitsev isn’t afraid to shy away from the physical things or carry the puck out of the defensive end which he’s quite good at. Often paired on the power play and penalty kill, you may think Zaitsev is a two-way defenseman, when actually he’s much better defensively.

– Matt Duscharme

Games of the Week (Jan.26 – Feb.1)

Thursday, January 26th

St. Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild

More from Puck Prose

• Detroit Red Wings 2023 Rookie Camp Has Plenty of Ups and Downs
• This Columbus Blue Jackets rookie doesn’t want to be forgotten
• 2 trades the Boston Bruins must make to secure the Stanley Cup
• 3 reasons the Avalanche won’t win the Stanley Cup in 2024
• This is a big year for Alex Turcotte and the Los Angeles Kings

Devan Dubnyk and company look to shut down a tough Central Division opponent as Minnesota plays host to a struggling Blues squad. Can Jake Allen start to find his groove in time for a final stretch run?

*No games scheduled between Friday-Monday due to All-Star weekend.

Tuesday, January 31st

Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens

You might be wondering why this is a game of the week. Believe it or not, the Habs-Sabres make for one of the better rivalries around the league. Both of these clubs tend to get up for this match-up and always seem to deliver an entertaining 60 minutes of hockey.

Next: Maple Leafs Must Acquire Kevin Shattenkirk

Minnesota Wild at Edmonton Oilers

Here are two teams out to prove something in 2016-17. On my end, you’ve got the defensive stout Wild with a stud in Devan Dubnyk between the pipes. On the other side, you’ve got arguably the best player in the world in Connor McDavid. Game on.

Wednesday, February 1st

Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals

Only three games are on the schedule Wednesday night. The headliner features the Bruins and Capitals squaring off in Washington. If the B’s want to keep hold of a playoff spot, they’ll need to win big games like these down the stretch since teams like Toronto have so many games in hand.