NHL Power Rankings: Week 18 Injuries, Prospects, In-Depth Analysis

NHL Power Rankings (Heading Into Week 18) – 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.

It was another interesting week of NHL action. Among the undefeated teams: New York Rangers went 3-0-0, Washington Capitals 3-0-0, Minnesota Wild went 2-0-0, Chicago Blackhawks at 2-0-0, and the Florida Panthers went 1-0-0. Other top teams included: St. Louis Blues at 3-1-0, Buffalo Sabres were 2-1-1, Detroit Red Wings at 2-0-1, and San Jose Sharks who went 1-0-2.

We had a number of top performers over the last seven days. Islanders F Josh Bailey and Anders Lee, Blues F Paul Stastny, and Rangers F J.T. Miller each had six points on the week. Predators F Viktor Arvidsson, Isles F Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome, Wild F Jason Pominville, Devils F Adam Henrique, Leafs F Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, Caps F Brett Connolly, Lightning F Nikita Kucherov, Blues F Alex Steen and D Colton Parayko, and Blue Jackets F Brandon Dubinsky all had five points. 17 others were tied with four points on the week.

*all stats in our week 18 NHL power rankings are heading into Thursday (Feb.9) night’s action.

Statistical Leaders Around the League

Top 5 Forwards

1. Connor McDavid, EDM (55gp 18g 42a 60pts)
1. Sidney Crosby, PIT (46gp 30g 30a 60pts)
3. Brad Marchand, BOS (55gp 23g 32a 55pts)
4. Evgeni Malkin, PIT (47gp 22g 32a 54pts)
4. Nicklas Backstrom, WSH (54gp 15g 39a 54pts)

Top 5 Defensemen

1. Brent Burns, SJ (54gp 22g 35a 57pts)
2. Erik Karlsson, OTT (51gp 8g 36a 44pts)
3. Victor Hedman, TB (51gp 7g 35a 42pts)
4. Duncan Keith, CHI (55gp 4g 34a 38pts)
5. Justin Schultz, PIT (52gp 9g 28a 37pts)
5. Kevin Shattenkirk, STL (54gp 11g 26a 37pts)

Top 5 Rookies

1. Mitch Marner, TOR (52gp 14g 32a 46pts)
2. Auston Matthews, TOR (52gp 25g 19a 44pts)
3. Patrik Laine, WPG (48gp 23g 20a 43pts)
4. William Nylander, TOR (51gp 14g 21a 35pts)
5. Matthew Tkachuk, CGY (52gp 10g 24a 34pts)

Previous Ranking: 30 (-)

Team Record: (15-33-2)

Goals For: 103

Goals Against: 167

Special Teams

PP: 23-for-158 (14.6 percent) (29th)
PK: 40-for-186 (78.5 percent) (25th)

Injury List

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

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Nathan MacKinnon (50gp 12g 24a 36pts)
Top Defenseman: Tyson Barrie (44gp 3g 20a 23pts)
Top Rookie: Mikko Rantanen (45gp 11g 13a 24pts)
Top Goaltender: Calvin Pickard (9-14-1 2.93GAA .907 save percentage)

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

The Colorado Avalanche finally found some life this past week, winning two games in a row for the first time since November 21. While nobody is expecting the team to go on a Columbus-esque win streak, it was a nice break from the agony for the fans, players and management alike.

The Avalanche stymied the Jets 5-2, ending a nine-game losing streak before taking their game to new heights in a 4-0 shutout win over the Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens. The win was highlighted by Mikko Rantanen’s first NHL hat trick. Calvin Pickard picked up the shutout stopping 27 pucks fired his way.

While Mikko Rantanen was leading the way, he received great support from the usual suspects. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists, while trade rumor poster boys Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog each picked up a trio of assists.

One player who may not get a lot of attention is waiver claim Mark Barberio. Barberio started the season with the Montreal Canadiens picking up four assists in 26 games before being placed on waivers after the Habs acquired Nikita Nesterov from Tampa Bay. Barberio got into his first two games with his new club and has a pair of assists to show for them. The 26-year-old is considered a late bloomer, but his offense from the blue line is no joke. Barberio was the top scoring defenseman in the AHL in the 2011-12 season.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Cameron Morrison, Notre Dame (NCAA)

2016-17 stats: 28gp 7g 8a 15pts

Players drafted out of the USHL are always a bit of an enigma, and Cameron Morrison is a head-scratcher. Morrison dominated with the Youngstown Phantoms and was selected in the second round of the 2016 draft by the Avalanche. He has not gotten off to a great start currently sitting in 8th for points on his Notre Dame club. Not all is lost though as Morrison has been dubbed a power forward, using his bulky frame to power his way through the opposition. He has been a strong power play producer but has struggled at even strength.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 14 (-15)

Team Record: (23-24-6)

Goals For: 121

Goals Against: 152

Special Teams

PP: 23-for-156 (14.7 percent) (28th)
PK: 30-for-141 (78.7 percent) (24th)

Injury List

Sven Baertschi (concussion) – day-to-day
Derek Dorsett (shoulder) – out indefinitely
Erik Gudbranson (wrist) – out indefinitely
Anton Rodin (knee) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Bo Horvat (53gp 15g 19a 34pts)
Top Defenseman: Troy Stecher (44gp 2g 12a 14pts)
Top Rookie: Troy Stecher (44gp 2g 12a 14pts)
Top Goaltender: Ryan Miller (14-14-3 2.64GAA .915 save percentage)

Player of the Week: D Philip Larsen (2gp 1g 1a 2pts)

The Pacific division had a tough week, and to add to that Vancouver posted a record of 0-3-0. Jacob Markstrom played in a single game while Ryan Miller played in the other two. Philip Larsen, Bo Horvat, and Brandon Sutter all lead the team in scoring.

Only three Canucks put up two points last week and they were Sutter, Horvat, and Larsen, however, Larsen finished as an even player while Horvat was a minus three as well as Sutter. But eight other players did get on the scoresheet though with a single point each.

Since Markstrom only played in a single game last week earning a loss in the process he did have an average save percentage of .903 his goals-against-average, however, was below average as it was 3.07. Miller, on the other hand, played in two games earning two losses and a save percentage of .859 which is well below average and a terrible goals-against-average of 5.00. So while goal scoring was somewhat their for the team they need to step it up a notch as well as goaltending. And this week will force them to do so as they play Columbus, Boston, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Ashton Sautner, Utica (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 23gp 0g 2a 2pts

Possessing a good hockey sense and a solid two-way game, Ashton Sautner is a solid puck mover as well. However, he could work on his defensive game just a bit more before becoming an NHL regular. And while he has no significant piece of his game that stands out for attention, he has no major deficiencies either.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 22 (-6)

Team Record: (21-23-10)

Goals For: 148

Goals Against: 171

Special Teams

PP: 33-for-184 (17.9 percent) (19th)
PK: 48-for-180 (73.3 percent) (30th)

Injury List

Jamie Oleksiak (hand) – day-to-day
Ales Hemsky (hip) – out indefinitely
Mattias Janmark (knee) – out indefinitely
Johnny Oduya (ankle) – day-to-day
Jason Spezza (upper body) – out until mid-February

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Tyler Seguin (54gp 20g 31a 51pts)
Top Defenseman: John Klingberg (52gp 8g 23a 31pts)
Top Rookie: Devin Shore (54gp 8g 15a 23pts)
Top Goaltender: Kari Lehtonen (11-15-6 2.89GAA .902 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jamie Benn (3gp 2g 2a 4pts)

At the beginning of the season, many pegged the Stars to pick up right where they left off last season after winning their division title. The Stars instead find themselves falling further and further out of a playoff spot, and it’s not just due to bad goaltending.

While the duo of Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen haven’t been the only culprits for the team’s struggles, they have yet to improve on the horrid season they combined for last year.

The Stars dropped all three of their games this week, losing to the Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Each game was decently close, but the Stars were not even able to get a single point in any of their losses.

The frustration is mounting and it’s starting to spill out into the media. Tyler Seguin made headlines when he spoke to Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News, stating that he was sick of talking about losing. Seguin has kept up his end of the bargain, scoring another two goals during the week, but the Stars need more out of their supporting cast.

Captain Jamie Benn was red hot scoring two goals and adding two helpers to lead the way, but it was still not enough for his team to claw their way back into the playoff picture. As it stands right now, the Stars are seven points out a playoff spot and that has many believing it just isn’t in the cards for them this year.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Michael Prapavessis, RPI (NCAA)

2016-17 stats: 29gp 2g 10a 12pts

While his name is a mouthful to say, Prapavessis is a prospect on the slow track and the Dallas Stars know he’ll be developing at a slow and steady rate. Already in his third college season, the 2015 4th rounder has seen improvement in his all-around game with every season. He plays in all situations on his team, and is the undisputed number one blueliner. He projects to be a solid two-way defenseman who may never steal any headlines, but could develop into a solid bottom pairing defenseman in the NHL.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 11 (-16)

Team Record: (30-17-8)

Goals For: 157

Goals Against: 136

Special Teams

PP: 36-for-164 (22.1 percent) (5th)
PK: 40-for-193 (79.3 percent) (T-23rd)

Injury List

Brendan Gallagher (hand) – out until early March

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Max Pacioretty (55gp 25g 19a 44pts)
Top Defenseman: Shea Weber (55gp 12g 19a 31pts)
Top Rookie: Artturi Lehkonen (46gp 11g 5a 16pts)
Top Goaltender: Carey Price (23-13-5 2.39GAA .920 save percentage)

Player of the Week: D Nikita Nesterov (4gp 1g 0a 1pt)

The Montreal Canadiens had the week from hell. The Habs were shut out in the last two games of the week, losing to the Oilers in a shootout and losing to the league-worst Colorado Avalanche in a 4-0 shellacking. in fact, the Habs were only able to produce a measly three goals in four games, while they gave up 10.

It’s becoming an all too familiar story for the original six club, fading away down the stretch following a very hot start. Last year’s collapse was blamed on the injury of Carey Price, but Price has not been that hot himself.

Carey Price had one of the worst week’s of his entire career, going 0-3 with a 3.05 GAA and .886 save percentage. Price’s lack of dominance has resulted in his name falling far away from Vezina Trophy contention and that is not a good sign for a team that relies so heavily on its goalie. The good news is Al Montoya was perfect in his only start in the shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

Newly acquired defenseman Nikita Nesterov may not like his team’s results, but he suited up in all four games keeping an even rating and scoring his first goal with his new club against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Habs were once thought to be Stanley Cup contenders but their latest downward spiral is making others question whether they are pretenders or not. They’ve gone 3-5-2 in their last ten.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Stefan Matteau, St. John’s (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 38gp 7g 7a 14pts

It’s hard to believe that Stefan Matteau played in the NHL as an 18-year-old and has 56 games of NHL experience. The former New Jersey Devil first rounder was traded to the Canadiens at the end of last season for Devante Smith-Pelly. Matteau didn’t make the Habs team out of training camp and is now trying to get his game back in the minors. He’s known for playing a strong two-way game, and the development time he missed early in his career has a chance to be corrected here. He’s still only 22 years old.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 21 (-5)

Team Record: (17-28-6)

Goals For: 111

Goals Against: 160

Special Teams

PP: 24-for-154 (15.6 percent) (25th)
PK: 39-for-170 (77.0 percent) (26th)

Injury List

Dave Bolland (lower body) – out indefinitely
Brad Richardson (leg) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Radim Vrbata (51gp 11g 24a 35pts)
Top Defenseman: Oliver Ekman-Larsson (51gp 10g 17a 27pts)
Top Rookie: Christian Dvorak (47gp 5g 10a 15pts)
Top Goaltender: Mike Smith (12-15-5 2.86GAA .917 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Christian Dvorak (2gp 1g 1a 2pts)

Arizona had a fairly short week 17 with only two games. Mike Smith appeared in both games and rookie forward Christian Dvorak lead the team in scoring. Another plus side is the fact the young Coyotes team finished with a 1-1-0 record.

Since Smith played both games he did have some fairly average stats, and they consist of a 2.90 goals-against-average and a .909 save percentage. Now while Dvorak led the team on the week with a goal and an assist he also finished as a plus one, defenseman Alex Goligoski had two assists on the week as well as being a plus one. Shane Doan and Brendan Perlini also had two-point weeks but combined for an even rating, then five other Coyotes got on the score sheet all scoring a single point each.

Will the young Arizona team continue to surprise or will they have another down week? That’s up in the air since they have games against Montreal, Pittsburgh, Calgary, and Edmonton.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Anton Karlsson, IK Oskarshamn (Allsvenskan)

2016-17 stats: 38gp 5g 4a 9pts

At full speed, Anton Karlsson is often hard to defend against. He has a solid compete level he’ll use every shift he’s a solid checker and has the smarts to play both ends of the ice effectively. Karlsson is also a strong playmaker given he has excellent vision, anticipation awareness and soft hands, but he can also score as well.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 29 (+4)

Team Record: (27-22-5)

Goals For: 140

Goals Against: 156

Special Teams

PP: 36-for-163 (22.1 percent) (5th)
PK: 30-for-188 (84.0 percent) (6th)

Injury List

Kyle Brodziak (foot) – day-to-day
Robby Fabbri (knee) – out for season

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Vladimir Tarasenko (54gp 25g 27a 52pts)
Top Defenseman: Kevin Shattenkirk (54gp 11g 26a 37pts)
Top Rookie: Ivan Barbashev (6gp 1g 0a 0pts)
Top Goaltender: Jake Allen (19-14-3 2.74GAA .900 save percentage)

Player of the Week: C Paul Stastny (4gp 3g 3a 6pts)

The St. Louis Blues are bouncing back at both ends of the ice. With a season that went south fast and resulted in a coaching change, the St. Louis Blues found themselves out of a playoff position, but under new Head Coach Mike Yeo, the tides have begun to turn the favorable way. The Blues went 3-1-0 this week, including a dominant offensive showing against the Toronto Maple Leafs and shutout victories over the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators.

Paul Stastny led the way offensively, putting up six points over the week and spreading them out amongst the games. Stastny is getting paid like an elite center, but he has rather underwhelmed since joining the Blues three seasons ago. While nobody is expecting him to be on par with Sidney Crosby, Stastny’s consistent play has been nice to see this season.

The Blues can also give a few cheers to rookie Ivan Barbashev for scoring his first NHL goal over the past week, and also some kudos to Kenneth Agostino for scoring his first as a Blue. Barbashev is a 2014 2nd round draft choice of St. Louis and Agostino was a free agent signing two summers ago after being unsigned by the Calgary Flames.

The best part of the week for the Blues had to be the reemergence of goaltender Jake Allen. Allen stopped pucks at a .954 rate this week, up from his .900 overall save percentage this year. Backup Carter Hutton also turned in a shutout this week.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Conner Bleackley, Chicago (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 40gp 1g 7a 8pts

The curious case of Conner Bleackley is a very intriguing study. Bleackley was drafted in the first round, 23rd overall in the 2014 draft by the Colorado Avalanche, but his play in junior regressed to the point that the Avalanche dealt him to the Coyotes for Mikkel Boedker. The Coyotes didn’t sign him and Bleackley re-entered the draft where he was scooped up by the Blues in the 5th round. He has struggled to produce any offense as a first-year pro and he may turn out to be one of the biggest busts in recent draft history.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 19 (-5)

Team Record: (24-21-7)

Goals For: 136

Goals Against: 147

Special Teams

PP: 26-for-155 (16.8 percent) (T-22nd)
PK: 18-for-133 (86.5 percent) (1st)

Injury List

Bryan Bickell (illness) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Jeff Skinner (51gp 18g 19a 37pts)
Top Defenseman: Justin Faulk (45gp 10g 14a 24pts)
Top Rookie: Sebastian Aho (52gp 16g 15a 31pts)
Top Goaltender: Cam Ward (21-16-6 2.57GAA .907 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jordan Staal (3gp 1g 2a 3pts)

Carolina had a quite surprising week 17, they started out strong with a strong 2-1 victory over Edmonton then carried that momentum into another 5-4 overtime win against the Islanders, however, Washington halted the perfect week when they handed the Canes a 5-0 loss. On the bright side the Hurricanes still put up a winning record and Jordan Staal had a great week along with Elias Lindholm and goalie Cam Ward.

Ward appeared in two games last week gaining both wins and in the process put up a very respectable .919 save percentage with a 2.44 goals-against-average. Backup goalie Eddie Lack played in the other game against Washington which means his numbers weren’t too great and that resulted in a 5.02 goals-against-average with a .821 save percentage to be exact. Both Staal and Lindholm had three point weeks the only difference is that Staal finished with a plus one while Elias finished as an even player. Ron Hainsey, Teuvo Teravainen, Jaccob Slavin, and Justin Faulk all combined for eight points. The Hurricanes only play one game this week and it’s against the Dallas Stars, they could potentially win that game since both Stars netminders have had quite the difficult time as of late.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Jake Chelios, Charlotte (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 46gp 2g 16a 18pts

Son of Hall-of-Famer Chris Chelios, Jake Chelios initially started his career as a forward then moved to the defense position. The reason for the decision was the fact he was much better with the defensive side of the game. He still has tremendous skating, passing, and playmaking.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 25 (+2)

Team Record: (26-21-7)

Goals For: 139

Goals Against: 160

Special Teams

PP: 39-for-186 (21.0 percent) (11th)
PK: 31-for-165 (81.2 percent) (18th)

Injury List

Michael Del Zotto (lower body) – day-to-day
Travis Konecny (lower body) – day-to-day
Michal Neuvirth (illness) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Jakub Voracek (54gp 14g 31a 45pts)
Top Defenseman: Ivan Provorov (54gp 4g 18a 22pts)
Top Rookie: Travis Konecny (51gp 7g 15a 22pts)
Top Goaltender: Michal Neuvirth (8-5-1 2.79GAA .893 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Sean Couturier (3gp 1g 1a 2pts)

The Flyers had a .500 week 17 with a record of 1-1-1, forward Sean Couturier led the way in terms of scoring and Michal Neuvirth was brilliant in all three games. The Flyers started off the week with a solid 3-1 win over the tough Canadiens but fell to the Kings by a score of 1-0 in overtime, after that St. Louis paid the team a visit and shut them out by a score of 2-0.

As to many people’s surprise Steve Mason didn’t appear in a single game last week, but Neuvirth did and in doing so was great he had a .933 save percentage with a 1.34 goals-against-average despite the 1-1-1 record. The only thing that wasn’t so decent though was team scoring. Couturier lead the entire team with only two points after that only five Flyers had a single point each. The team currently sits in the final wild card spot in the eastern conference with a chance to improve in week 18. But it won’t be easy as they have games against the Islanders, Sharks, and Flames.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Mark Alt, Lehigh Valley (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 10gp 0g 2a 2pts

Son of former NFL player Jon Alt, Mark Alt opted to play hockey instead while attending the University of Minnesota. Like his dad, Mark is quite tall and even though he is he’s still a smooth skater with great speed and agility. He’s still working on a few things but remains a to be a strong two-way player.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 2 (-19)

Team Record: (28-17-10)

Goals For: 140

Goals Against: 137

Special Teams

PP: 36-for-174 (20.7 percent) (12th)
PK: 30-for-192 (84.4 percent) (5th)

Injury List

Clayton Stoner (abdomen) – day-to-day
Simon Despres (concussion) – out indefinitely
Sami Vatanen (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Ryan Kesler (55gp 18g 24a 42pts)
Top Defenseman: Cam Fowler (55gp 11g 16a 27pts)
Top Rookie: Ondrej Kase (38gp 4g 8a 12pts)
Top Goaltender: John Gibson (20-11-8 2.28GAA .920 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jakob Silfverberg (3gp 1g 1a 2pts)

For a team currently sitting second in the pacific division, you wouldn’t think they would still be in that position given last week’s record, which was 0-2-1. But while they had themselves a losing week both John Gibson and Jonathan Bernier were pretty solid statistically. And forward Jakob Silfverberg lead the team in scoring.

Despite not winning a single game last week Gibson was still solid posting a .911 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against-average, Bernier, on the other hand, was much better with a .946 save percentage and a 1.85 goals-against-average, quite surprising numbers given the team’s results.

Ryan Kesler also had himself a two-point week as well as Silfverberg after that only six other Ducks got on the scoresheet all combining for six points so the offense was pretty stagnant all week. So if they can score at a decent rate this week and keep up goaltending they have a very solid chance to come out winning and moving up in the standings. But that may be tricky to do, the Ducks start the week off with a fairly easy game against Buffalo but things get significantly tougher as they finish the week against Washington and Minnesota.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Tyler Soy, Victoria (WHL)

2016-17 stats: 39gp 24g 28a 52pts

Tyler Soy is a very smart and skilled forward who is currently working on being a deadly three zone player. His drive and hunger for the game have him trying to be the best player on the ice every single shift, and sometimes he is. Tyler is a bonafide playmaker with a pass first instinct due to his tremendous puck handling skills.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 28 (+8)

Team Record: (24-24-6)

Goals For: 146

Goals Against: 155

Special Teams

PP: 42-for-196 (21.4 percent) (8th)
PK: 36-for-182 (80.2 percent) (21st)

Injury List

Steven Stamkos (knee) – out indefinitely
Alex Killorn (undisclosed) – day-to-day
Ondrej Palat (lower body) – day-to-day
Ryan Callahan (hip) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Nikita Kucherov (47gp 21g 28a 49pts)
Top Defenseman: Victor Hedman (51gp 7g 35a 42pts)
Top Rookie: Brayden Point (40gp 5g 12a 17pts)
Top Goaltender: Ben Bishop (13-12-3 2.69GAA .907 save percentage)

Player of the Week: RW Nikita Kucherov (3gp 2g 3a 5pts)

Every day I check the NHL standings and it astounds me that the Tampa Bay Lightning are last in the Eastern Conference. The team boasts some immense talent even with the injury to captain Steven Stamkos. It’s not my eyes, the Lightning are still at the bottom, but like every other team tied with them at the bottom, there is still a shot at the playoffs.

The Lightning went 2-1-0 over the week which concluded with a dominant 5-0 shutout win over the Los Angeles Kings. The win put the Lightning five points back of a playoff spot, and you would have to think with all the talent and playoff experience they have, it would be hard to bet against them.

Nikita Kucherov continues to be a dominant force and has quietly staked his way to seriously be considered an elite NHL player. Kucherov had another five-point week, highlighted by his two-goal performance in the victory against the Kings. As long as Kucherov keeps producing, he will be giving his team a chance to win every game.

The Lightning will be entering their bye week beginning on Sunday the 12th, so their next two games against Minnesota and Winnipeg will be crucial. If the Bolts win both games, they will still be in the playoff race. However, if they fail to record a single point, they will force GM Steve Yzerman to sell what he can and get ready for next season.

Weekly Prospect Profile: G Kristers Gudlevskis, Syracuse (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 7 wins 2.73GAA .887 save percentage

The Lightning were excited about the Latvian netminder after he stole the show for his country in the World Championship, taking sure things away from team Canada. While he has his moments, Gudlevskis has been wildly inconsistent between the pipes. He has seen spot duty in the NHL where he has stopped 33 of 34 shots, but he boasts an ugly .887 save percentage so far this season and he’s never topped .907 in the AHL. There mat not be a future in the NHL for Gudlevskis.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 12 (-7)

Team Record: (25-17-10)

Goals For: 162

Goals Against: 150

Special Teams

PP: 37-for-159 (23.3 percent) (2nd)
PK: 28-for-171 (83.6 percent) (8th)

Injury List

Joffrey Lupul (abdomen) – sent to Robidas Island
Nathan Horton (back) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Mitch Marner (52gp 14g 32a 46pts)
Top Defenseman: Jake Gardiner (52gp 7g 18a 25pts)
Top Rookie: Mitch Marner (52gp 14g 32a 46pts)
Top Goaltender: Frederik Andersen (22-11-9 2.80GAA .914 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F William Nylander (4gp 4g 0a 4pts)

I’m sure a lot of us can agree that the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most fun team’s to watch. Equipped with a fountain of youth, the Leafs play very exciting hockey. While exciting hockey is great for the game and for the fans, it doesn’t always result in wins. The Leafs were able to win one exciting high scoring game against the Bruins, while they lost one of those same games against the New York Islanders.

The Leafs finished the week 2-1-1 and that has them in a playoff position, as well as third place in the Atlantic Division.

While rookie Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews get the majority of the headlines, it was William Nylander who stole the show against the Boston Bruins, scoring his first career NHL hat trick.

Matthews and Marner each put up five points in their four games this past week, while Tyler Bozak added four helpers on the week.

With Fredrik Andersen going through a bit of a down spell over the week, the Leafs got a solid relief performance from waiver claim Curtis McElhinney against the Dallas Stars.

More people are beginning to believe that the Leafs have what it takes to make the playoffs, and a lot of eyes will be on the TV screen’s come trade deadline day where it is rumored the Leafs are interested in the Blues’ Kevin Shattenkirk. The Leafs will face off against Shattenkirk’s Blues, before dates with the Sabres, Islanders and Blue Jackets.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Yegor Korshkov, Yaraslovl (KHL)

2016-17 stats: 35gp 6g 12a 18pts

The Leafs surprised many when they selected Russian center Yegor Kushkov with the first pick in the second round of the 2016 draft. He was completely off the wall, and he was an over-age player. The Leafs may know something the rest of us don’t, but the KHL is a great league and young players that get decent ice time are worth looking at. Korshkov has interest in playing in the NHL, so it’s not like the Leafs went totally off the board. His numbers may not be that inspiring, but the KHL only counts primary assists.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 27 (-9)

Team Record: (25-27-4)

Goals For: 161

Goals Against: 175

Special Teams

PP: 33-for-177 (18.6 percent) (17th)
PK: 45-for-192 (76.6 percent) (28th)

Injury List

Ben Chiarot (upper body) – day-to-day
Tyler Myers (lower body) – out indefinitely
Marko Dano (lower body) – out until early March
Ondrej Pavelec (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Mark Scheifele (53gp 25g 28a 53pts)
Top Defenseman: Dustin Byfuglien (56gp 7g 27a 34pts)
Top Rookie: Patrik Laine (48gp 23g 20a 43pts)
Top Goaltender: Ondrej Pavelec (4-4-0 3.55GAA .888 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Adam Lowry (3gp 2g 1a 3pts)

One step forward, two steps back. That seems to be the name of the season for the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets started off the week with a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars before caving to the league-worst Colorado Avalanche 5-2. The finished out their week against the Minnesota Wild, losing 4-2 and finishing the week 1-2-0. That’s not good enough for a team that wants to make the playoffs.

Adam Lowry had his best week of the season, finishing as the most productive Jet during the week. Lowry scored his team’s only two goals in the loss against the Avalanche before adding an assist in the other losing effort.

While Mark Scheifele and Patrick Laine get the most credit for the offensive work on the Jets, it seems as if Bryan Little is flying a “Little” (pardon the pun) under the radar. Little scored two goals over the week and that brings his point totals to 29 in only 33 games. With a playoff spot still in reach, Bryan Little will have to keep up his tremendous play if the Jets want to make the dance again.

Tyler Myers will undergo surgery to repair a lower-body injury and that will keep him out of the lineup for another 6-8 weeks, while there are no updates on goaltender Ondrej Pavelec who left with a lower-body injury during the Wild game.

Weekly Prospect Profile: D Logan Stanley, Windsor (OHL)

2016-17 stats: 35gp 4g 13a 17pts

Stanley has already tied his points totals from his draft year and that’s always a good sign. However, points are not what you think of when you look at the 6’7 18-year old. Yes, that is not a typo. Stanley uses his size and long reach to eliminate chances against, and that is why he is labeled a strong defensive defenseman that has decent offensive skills. While he may not become the next Zdeno Chara or even Tyler Myers, Stanley projects to be a strong bottom pairing defender who will be utilized on the penalty kill and while protecting a lead. You can never have enough of those guys.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 9 (-8)

Team Record: (27-23-4)

Goals For: 131

Goals Against: 130

Special Teams

PP: 26-for-155 (16.8 percent) (T-22nd)
PK: 27-for-168 (83.9 percent) (7th)

Injury List

Jordan Nolan (lower body) – day-to-day
Jonathan Quick (groin) – out indefinitely
Matt Greene (back) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Jeff Carter (54gp 27g 20a 47pts)
Top Defenseman: Alec Martinez (54gp 7g 20a 27pts)
Top Rookie: Derek Forbort (D) (54gp 2g 12a 14pts)
Top Goaltender: Peter Budaj (25-16-3 2.09GAA .917 save percentage)

Player of the Week: D Drew Doughty (3gp 0g 1a 1pt)

Another Pacific team struggled last week and that was Los Angeles, they won their first game 1-0 in overtime to Philadelphia then lost 5-0 to Washington and then 5-0 again but this time to Tampa Bay. This means only three players got on the scoresheet the entire week. Drew Doughty had the best week of all three and Peter Budaj showed he was mortal with a bad performance and Jeff Zatkoff didn’t have the best performance either.

Budaj played in all three games last week putting up a save percentage of .830 and a goals-against-average of 3.34, Zatkoff came in relief in one of the games and in doing so had a 3.00 goals-against-average and a .800 save percentage. Jeff Carter was the only King to score a goal but was also a minus three, Doughty had a single assist but finished as an even player while Anze Kopitar had an assist as well but finished as a minus one. So scoring, defense, and goaltending were all off last week which is something that will need to improve for this week but on the flip side the Kings only have one game and that’s against the Panthers.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Vincent Loverde, Ontario (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 41gp 6g 17a 23pts

Vincent Loverde isn’t your prototypical prospect, he started as a pro in the ECHL than came in as a tryout for the AHL and after a few strong years of play, the Kings officially signed him after the 2013-14 season. Loverde plays a really smart game who will make offense contributions when needed. His strongest attribute has to be his shot from the point, while it’s not the hardest, it’s quite accurate and often leads to many rebounds for his teammates parked in front of the net.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 26 (+10)

Team Record: (28-25-3)

Goals For: 146

Goals Against: 157

Special Teams

PP: 39-for-184 (21.2 percent) (9th)
PK: 40-for-203 (80.3 percent) (20th)

Injury List

Ladislav Smid (neck) – out for season, hasn’t made decision on retirement yet

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Mikael Backlund (56gp 15g 23a 38pts)
Top Defenseman: Dougie Hamilton (55gp 8g 25a 33pts)
Top Rookie: Matthew Tkachuk (52gp 10g 24a 34pts)
Top Goaltender: Chad Johnson (17-12-1 2.48GAA .914 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Mikael Backlund (3gp 1g 3a 4pts)

Calgary continues to hold the final wild card spot in the western conference and with a 2-1-0 record. The Flames started the week off strong with a 4-3 overtime win against the Devils, however, their next game against the Rangers ended up being a 4-3 loss. But that didn’t discourage the team since they were able to take the Penguins to a shootout and capture the victory. Forward Mikael Backlund and defenseman T.J. Brodie lead the team the whole week.

Speaking of Backlund, he’s been solid all year and at the start of the season no one would have thought that by this time he would be leading the team in points, but he is with 38 in 56 games. Brodie had himself a solid week as well with four points in three games. After that forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau both had three-point weeks.

Brian Elliott appeared in two games last week and despite a win, he continues to struggle, he had a below average 3.51 goals-against-average and a below average .885 save percentage, however, Chad Johnson was solid in his only game gaining a win and a save percentage of .939 and a goals-against-average of 1.85. With the trade deadline getting closer and closer and with the Flames sitting on the cusp of a playoff appearance it’s safe to assume they will be buyers, but what they need to address the most is goaltending. For now, though they have a chance to move up in the western standings since they play Arizona and Philadelphia.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Austin Carroll, Stockton (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 20gp 5g 1a 6pts

Austin Carroll is a rough and gritty type player who thrives more in an enforcer role. When you compare his skating, stickhandling, and passing skills to Calgary’s other prospects, Carroll’s are quite limited. But those are things he has been working on in the AHL over the last two years while filling a third/fourth line role.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 15 (-)

Team Record: (34-13-5)

Goals For: 171

Goals Against: 128

Special Teams

PP: 35-for-146 (24.0 percent) (1st)
PK: 26-for-143 (81.8 percent) (14th)

Injury List

David Clarkson (back) – out indefinitely
David Savard (undisclosed) – day-to-day
Josh Anderson (concussion) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Cam Atkinson (52gp 26g 22a 48pts)
Top Defenseman: Zach Werenski (52gp 8g 23a 31pts)
Top Rookie: Zach Werenski (D) (52gp 8g 23a 31pts)
Top Goaltender: Sergei Bobrovsky (29-10-3 2.18GAA .925 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Brandon Dubinsky (3gp 2g 3a 5pts)

Despite still being able to hold onto second place in the Metro, Columbus has had a significant down to earth fall after their massive run in December and January. However, they are still in good shape to finish the season strong and make the playoffs in quite some time. Brandon Dubinsky had himself a solid week even though the team finished with a 1-1-1 record.

Sergei Bobrovsky appeared in all three games for the Blue Jackets last week and in doing so had the 1-1-1 record with a below average .886 save percentage and a 3.22 goals-against-average.

Forward Brandon Dubinsky was the club’s leading scorer with five points in three games. Second was defenseman Jack Johnson who had himself a three point week and a plus-two rating. Columbus will definitely be buying this trade deadline, but hopefully they don’t give up to many prospects since their pool is deep. Can Columbus hold onto second in the Metro this week? it’s a possibility since they play Vancouver, Detroit, the Rangers, and the Maple Leafs.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Oscar Dansk, Rogle BK (SHL)

2016-17 stats: 6 wins 2.95GAA .904 save percentage

Oscar Dansk is a very agile goaltender with a large frame that he’ll use to help cover the net more. He plays with a solid hybrid style and has great technical skills and is also strong mentally. Dansk has yet to stick it out in the pros but with the emergence of both Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg, he may see himself in the AHL system as soon as next year.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 20 (+6)

Team Record: (22-21-10)

Goals For: 130

Goals Against: 144

Special Teams

PP: 37-for-161 (23.0 percent) (3rd)
PK: 41-for-156 (73.7 percent) (29th)

Injury List

William Carrier (knee) – day-to-day
Zach Bogosian (ribs) – day-to-day
Johan Larsson (wrist) – out for season

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Kyle Okposo (52gp 17g 17a 34pts)
Top Defenseman: Rasmus Ristolainen (53gp 3g 27a 30pts)
Top Rookie: William Carrier (35gp 4g 2a 6pts)
Top Goaltender: Robin Lehner (13-14-6 2.53GAA .923 save percentage)

Player of the Week: G Robin Lehner (1-1-1 1.32GAA .967 save percentage)

While the Buffalo Sabres find themselves tied for last place in the Eastern Conference, they are still only five points out of the final wild-card playoff spot with a game in hand. The Sabres went 2-1-1 over the week, with each of their losses only being by one goal.

The week was highlighted by a shutout win against the Ottawa Senators in which former Senators goalie Robin Lehner earned his first shutout of the season.

Robin Lehner had an outstanding week allowing only four goals in his starts against the Rangers, Senators, and Devils. While Lehner and Nilsson have split duties for the majority of the season, it seems like Lehner is ready to take on the bulk of the workload down the stretch. Anders Nilsson was bailed out by his team’s offense in their 5-4 overtime victory against the San Jose Sharks.

Ryan O’Reilly, Tyler Ennis, and Jack Eichel all had terrific weeks, scoring at a point per game clip.

Evander Kane potted two goals including the overtime winner against the Sharks, even though he paid for his success by going head first into the boards being tripped up by Martin Jones.

The schedule doesn’t slow down for the Sabres as the club will play four games this upcoming week against the Ducks, Maple Leafs, Canucks, and Senators.

Weekly Prospect Profile: F Giorgio Estephan, Lethbridge (WHL)

2016-17 stats: 49gp 26g 37a 63pts

Giorgio Estephan was a late draft pick in 2015, going in the 6th round to the Buffalo Sabres, but they may feel like they struck gold. Estephan has gotten better and produced more offense every season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. While he’s not considered a smaller hockey player, Estephan only stands 6’ tall, so he’s a little smaller by NHL standards. He will likely need a few years of AHL seasoning to build up his strength. He will also need to develop a two-way game, as he tends to take chances offensively and forgets about the other end of the ice.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 23 (+10)

Team Record: (22-21-10)

Goals For: 128

Goals Against: 155

Special Teams

PP: 20-for-176 (11.4 percent) (30th)
PK: 29-for-156 (81.4 percent) (16th)

Injury List

Frans Nielsen (upper body) – day-to-day
Niklas Kronwall (lower body) – day-to-day
Joe Vitale (concussion) – out indefinitely
Johan Franzen (concussion) – out indefinitely

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Henrik Zetterberg (53gp 11g 27a 38pts)
Top Defenseman: Mike Green (45gp 10g 16a 26pts)
Top Rookie: Anthony Mantha (38gp 12g 14a 26pts)
Top Goaltender: Petr Mrazek (12-12-6 3.07GAA .899 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Anthony Mantha (3gp 1g 2a 3pts)

The Red Wings may be near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but they are one of several teams to still be in the mix. The Red Wings find themselves only five points back of the Philadelphia Flyers for the final playoff spot in the East, and they had a week that will keep them in the race for the time being. The Red Wings went 2-0-1, picking up five of a possible six points, losing only in overtime to the high-flying Columbus Blue Jackets.

Petr Mrazek has struggled for the better part of the season, but he looked like the Mrazek of the past two seasons in his magnificent 42-save performance against the Nashville Predators in a 1-0 win. Heading down the stretch, the Wings would love to see more of that from the guy who is locked in to be the goalie of the future.

Rookie Anthony Mantha continued his strong play, adding another three points to his rookie total of 26. The Wings have always stayed competitive because of their ability to chime out young talent year after year when the other superstars show their age. Mantha, Athanasiou, and Larkin will be expected to do what Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist have to do, and that is to keep the winning tradition going.

It’s a long shot, but a shot indeed that the Red Wings can keep the playoff streak going. Their next week is going to be difficult however as they face off against the league-leading Washington Capitals and top five teams Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild.

Weekly Prospect Profile: D Dennis Cholowski, St. Cloud State (NCAA)

2016-17 stats: 28gp 1g 9a 10pts

Dennis Cholowski may not be the greatest at anything, but he is good at everything. The 20th overall pick in the 2016 draft has been touted as a very mature hockey player who uses smart positioning to box out the opposition. Cholowski was obviously the player the Red Wings had their eye one, and they traded down in the draft, moving Pavel Datsyuk’s contract and giving up a chance to pick Jakob Chychrun because they wanted this guy. Time will tell who turns out the be the better defenceman.
– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 10 (-2)

Team Record: (23-19-10)

Goals For: 121

Goals Against: 138

Special Teams

PP: 26-for-176 (14.8 percent) (27th)
PK: 25-for-164 (84.8 percent) (3rd)

Injury List

n/a

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Vincent Trocheck (52gp 18g 16a 34pts)
Top Defenseman: Keith Yandle (52gp 3g 24a 27pts)
Top Rookie: Michael Matheson (51gp 5g 9a 14pts)
Top Goaltender: Roberto Luongo (14-13-6 2.53GAA .919 save percentage)

Player of the Week: D Keith Yandle (1gp 0g 2a 2pts)

The Florida Panthers only suited up for one game this week, but it was one that they will happily keep in their minds going forward. After being riddled with injuries to star players Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov, the dynamic duo struck the scoresheet in a 2-1 over the Anaheim Ducks. The win was their third in a row, and that has more people believing the Panthers can get back to the team they were last season.

Jonathan Huberdeau scored in his return to the lineup after missing the rest of the season with an achilles tendon injury. Huberdeau, Barkov and Jaromir Jagr were one of the most effective lines last season, and they will need to pick up where they left off to get the Cats back into a playoff position.

Blueliner Keith Yandle has been consistent offensively throughout the season and he added another pair of his assists to his totals this week. Yandle was an aggressive get for the Panthers in the off-season, and he’s been everything they hoped they were getting.

The Panthers have dates with the Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, and San Jose Sharks this next week, and if they can come out with at least four out of six points, they will be in very good shape going forward.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Linus Nassen, Lulea (SHL)

2016-17 stats: 21gp 1g 1a 2pts

Any teenager that can play in the Swedish Hockey League is worth a look, and Linus Nassen has done just that. There are not many 17 and 18 year old’s that stay with the parent clubs, normally spending the majority of the season with the team’s junior clubs. Nassen is a small defenseman tipping the scales at 174 pounds on his 5’11 frame. He will need to add some muscle, but word has it that Nassen is a strong mobile offensive defenseman.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 17 (+6)

Team Record: (33-17-5)

Goals For: 154

Goals Against: 143

Special Teams

PP: 31-for-164 (18.9 percent) (16th)
PK: 34-for-146 (76.7 percent) (27th)

Injury List

Michael Rozsival (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Patrick Kane (55gp 17g 36a 53pts)
Top Defenseman: Duncan Keith (55gp 4g 24a 28pts)
Top Rookie: Ryan Hartman (50gp 13g 10a 23pts)
Top Goaltender: Corey Crawford (21-12-3 2.59GAA .917 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Jonathan Toews (3gp 2g 3a 5pts)

While the standings might not say so, the Blackhawks are the best team in the west, and they proved that last night defeating the Minnesota Wild in a 4-3 overtime thriller. Couple that victory with wins against the Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes and the Chicago Blackhawks finish with another perfect week. What’s encouraging about the Blackhawks’ victories is that they scored a minimum of four goals per game.

The Hawks got their goals by committee as every line was able to produce something for the team. Jonathan Toews had his best week of the season, culminating a three-point effort against the Wild that included the overtime winner.

Ryan Hartman scored in each game this week, bringing his season total to 13. Hartman is in his third pro season, but this is his first full season in the NHL and he’s looking like he will follow the suit of Brandon Saad and Teuvo Terevainen.

The Blackhawks are expected to quiet heading into the trade deadline, but with a team this good and structured throughout the lineup, they should not need to make any additions. The Hawks will play back to back games on the road against the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers before entering their bye week.

Weekly Prospect Profile: D Chad Krys, Boston University (NCAA)

2016-17 stats: 28gp 4g 5a 9pts

The Blackhawks are known for their strong drafting record, and second-rounder Chad Krys has a lot of eyes on him. The Boston University defender was selected 45th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks and while he has had an uneven start to his college career, the Blackhawks are the right team to correct the wrongs. Krys has been compared to Predators D-man Ryan Ellis in his ability to quarterback a power play. The biggest strength Krys has is his skating.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 18 (+8)

Team Record: (34-18-1)

Goals For: 179

Goals Against: 139

Special Teams

PP: 33-for-156 (21.1 percent) (10th)
PK: 25-for-143 (82.5 percent) (11th)

Injury List

n/a

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: J.T. Miller (53gp 16g 26a 42pts)
Top Defenseman: Ryan McDonagh (52gp 2g 28a 30pts)
Top Rookie: Jimmy Vesey (52gp 12g 8a 20pts)
Top Goaltender: Henrik Lundqvist (24-13-1 2.69GAA .910 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F J.T. Miller (3gp 0g 6a 6pts)

The Rangers had a perfect week 17, they went undefeated in all three games and forward J.T. Miller was absolutely brilliant. Henrik Lundqvist was also very good on the week appearing in all three games and in doing so had himself some great numbers. And due to that week, the Rangers currently hold onto the second wild card position in the eastern conference.

So how about Miller? In three games he had himself six points, all of which were assists which is going to be great if you’re a goal scorer. And on top of that, he now leads the team in points with 42 in 53 games. And Lundqvist was great as well, on top of winning all three games he also posted a .956 save percentage with a 1.64 goals-against-average.

Forward Michael Grabner had himself a four-point week, three of which were goals and both Chris Kreider and Brady Skjei combined for six points. The Rangers have a chance to move up the standings this week but it won’t be easy at the start since their first game is against the Predators, however, the end of the week gets quite easier since they have games against the struggling Avalanche and Blue Jackets.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Marek Hrivik, Hartford (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 27gp 10g 14a 24pts

Marek Hrivik is a great offensive player who will also do all the smaller things to help his team win games. He’s a constant threat while in the offensive zone due to the fact he has a great shot and a nose for crashing the net. Marek will also engage the opposition with his body to help protect the puck or keep it away from the opposing team, the only thing he does need to work on however is his skating ability.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 3 (-6)

Team Record: (29-18-8)

Goals For: 152

Goals Against: 137

Special Teams

PP: 34-for-170 (20.0 percent) (14th)
PK: 28-for-157 (82.2 percent) (12th)

Injury List

Kris Russell (undisclosed) – day-to-day
Matthew Benning (undisclosed) – day-to-day
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 (55gp 18g 42a 60pts)
Top Defenseman: Andrej Sekera (53gp 7g 18a 25pts)
Top Rookie: Matt Benning/Drake Caggiula (41gp 2g 8a 10pts/37gp 4g 6a 10pts)
Top Goaltender: Cam Talbot (27-15-7 2.32GAA .921 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Connor McDavid (3gp 1g 0a 1pt)

For a team like Edmonton who has been dynamite all season, last week’s record of 1-2-0 wasn’t that good. What’s even worse is the fact the team only had three players touch the scoreboard. Their only victory came in a shootout over Montreal where they won the game by a score of 1-0. The game in which only three Oilers hit the scoresheet came in a 2-1 loss to Carolina, and before that, they were shutout 2-0 by Nashville. Now defense and goaltending have been strong hence the low scoring but on the other side of that low scoring coin offense was quite stagnant.

Connor McDavid once again lead the team in scoring for the week with only a single point in three games, he also had a minus-one rating. Defenseman Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson each had an assist and combined for a minus three rating.

Cam Talbot played in all three games last week putting up a very decent .944 save percentage and a 1.32 goals-against-average despite the losing record. This week is a short one for the Oilers but it’s a 50/50 week as well. They start off with a tough game against Chicago than finish with an easy game against Arizona.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Anton Lander, Bakersfield (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 17gp 15g 13a 28pts

Anton Lander is a very smart two-way player who has tremendous hockey sense. He can read the game well which leads to him making great decisions with and without the puck. He’ll play with some intensity every shift but his skating does need some improvement. Lander is also a capable playmaker that can protect the puck very well especially along the boards where he usually comes out on top.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 4 (-4)

Team Record: (26-19-8)

Goals For: 144

Goals Against: 134

Special Teams

PP: 31-for-172 (18.0 percent) (18th)
PK: 27-for-162 (83.3 percent) (9th)

Injury List

Miikka Salomaki (lower body) – day-to-day
Harry Zolnierczyk (undisclosed) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Ryan Johansen (53gp 9g 30a 39pts)
Top Defenseman: Roman Josi (44gp 5g 18a 23pts)
Top Rookie: Kevin Fiala (32gp 6g 3a 9pts)
Top Goaltender: Pekka Rinne (21-14-6 2.30GAA .923 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Viktor Arvidsson (3gp 3g 2a 5pts)

The Predators started the season off very slow, but have seemed to found their groove. Nashville started off their week shutting out the Edmonton Oilers, before being shut out by the Red Wings two days later. The offense came back, mostly on the back of Viktor Arvidsson, against the Vancouver Canucks. Going 2-1-0 in a week is what most teams hope for, and the Predators are starting to distance themselves from the St.Louis Blues for the third spot in the Central Division.

Viktor Arvidsson had a power week scoring three goals and two assists in the three games played. Arvidsson now sits second on the team in points with 34, tied with Filip Forsberg and trailing just Ryan Johansen. The slick Swede is only in his second full NHL season, and he is one of the exceptions to the rule that is the sophomore slump.

The Predators made a quiet trade, bringing back Vernon Fiddler from the New Jersey Devils for a 4th round pick. Fiddler spent seven seasons in the Predators organization from 2002-2009 and now he returns as a wily veteran, expected to play a key role in the team’s bottom six going forward.

The Predators also made news by waiving and assigning center Mike Ribeiro to the Milwaukee Admirals. Many believe Ribeiro to be a distraction in the dressing room and a selfish teammate. It remains to be seen if the Predators can offload his contract and add a different center option for the playoff push.

Weekly Prospect Profile: D Frederic Allard, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)

2016-17 stats: 46gp 8g 39a 47pts

The Predators are known for developing defenseman and they may have the next Ryan Ellis on their hands with Frederic Allard. Allard is currently scoring at a point per game rate, up from the 59 he scored in 64 games last season. He is known for a very smart and strong offensive game, making him an ideal quarterback on the power play. He plays a tight transition game, allowing him to go north and south, but he needs to add more bulk to be an effective defender in the corner.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 13 (+6)

Team Record: (23-21-10)

Goals For: 124

Goals Against: 151

Special Teams

PP: 29-for-178 (16.3 percent) (24th)
PK: 32-for-171 (81.3 percent) (17th)

Injury List

Kyle Quincey (upper body) – day-to-day
Jon Merrill (upper body) – day-to-day
John Moore (concussion) – out indefinitely
Beau Bennett (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Taylor Hall (44gp 13g 22a 35pts)
Top Defenseman: Damon Severson (54gp 3g 21a 24pts)
Top Rookie: Miles Wood (35gp 7g 6a 13pts)
Top Goaltender: Cory Schneider (17-15-8 2.66GAA .912 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Adam Henrique (3gp 2g 3a 5pts)

The Devils had a great week 17 capturing five of a possible six points, meaning they posted a great record of 2-0-1. And in doing so Adam Henrique was great as well as goaltender Cory Schneider. The Devils currently sit three points from the final wild card spot and they’ll most likely be buying at the deadline in hopes to reach that position.

The Adam Larsson for Taylor Hall trade has seemed to pay off for the Devils as Hall now leads the team in points with 35 in 44 games. Schneider was great last week playing in all three games meaning he took home the 2-0-1 record, as well as a .935, save percentage and a 1.99 goals-against-average. Henrique led the way with five points in three games. Next rookie Pavel Zacha, and forwards Taylor Hall and Michael Cammalleri all had three-point weeks. This week New Jersey starts off their week 18 with a tough contest against San Jose, however things get easier for the team as they end it with a game against Colorado.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Nick Lappin, Albany (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 15gp 4g 6a 10pts

Nick Lappin is a very versatile forward who will battle hard every single shift and has the skill to match. He possesses some great hands and a tricky shot which will catch netminders off guard at times. Nick plays a solid two-way game and because of this is often relied upon in nearly every situation. He’s also quite strong away from the puck and will use his speed as the main asset.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 8 (+2)

Team Record: (27-18-6)

Goals For: 133

Goals Against: 140

Special Teams

PP: 28-for-163 (17.2 percent) (21st)
PK: 28-for-163 (82.8 percent) (10th)

Injury List

Clarke MacArthur (concussion) – out for season

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Mark Stone (50gp 18g 21a 39pts)
Top Defenseman: Erik Karlsson (51gp 8g 26a 44pts)
Top Rookie: Fredrik Claesson (D) (14gp 0g 4a 4pts)
Top Goaltender: Mike Condon (15-9-5 2.58GAA .911 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Mark Stone (3gp 2g 1a 3pts)

Would the real Ottawa Senators please stand up? After a strong 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning to kick off the week, the Senators went scoreless in their next two games, getting demolished by the Buffalo Sabres and St.Louis Blues. Had the Sens found some offense to add a few more points, they would have been able to put themselves in the position to overtake the Atlantic Division lead from the Montreal Canadiens.

After running with Mike Condon for the better part of Craig Anderson’s absence, the Senators turned to rarely used backup Andrew Hammond, and Hammond was blown off the ice by the St.Louis Blues attack. While Craig Anderson is working on his conditioning to get back in the crease, it seems as if the Senators can’t give Hammond another chance if they want to take a run at the division title.

Mark Stone was the driving force of offense in the team’s only win, as he continues to be a model of consistency for his defense-first club.

The Senators have four games in hand on the Montreal Canadiens, so the ball is clearly in their court. The week ahead is in their favor as they’ll take on the struggling Dallas Stars before dates with the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres as they finish out their home stand.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Andreas Englund, Binghamton (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 38gp 1g 4a 5pts

Ottawa’s first selection in the 2014 draft is playing his first professional season on Ottawa’s farm club in Binghamton. Englund is going through a bit of an adjustment period to the North American game, and as a defensive specialist, it can be a little challenging. Englund has NHL size but he will never be anything more than shutdown defenseman with very limited offense expected. Think of him as a Radko Gudas or Eric Gryba type of player.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 6 (+1)

Team Record: (35-12-6)

Goals For: 177

Goals Against: 123

Special Teams

PP: 29-for-143 (20.3 percent) (13th)
PK: 26-for-145 (82.1 percent) (13th)

Injury List

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

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Mikael Granlund (53gp 15g 33a 48pts)
Top Defenseman: Ryan Suter (53gp 7g 23a 30pts)
Top Rookie: Tyler Graovac (43gp 6g 0a 6pts)
Top Goaltender: Devan Dubnyk (29-9-3 1.99GAA .933 save percentage)

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

The Minnesota Wild continue to tear up opponents with offense, scoring at least three goals in every game. The Wild finished the week 2-0-1 with their only loss coming last night in overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks. The defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 and destroyed the Vancouver Canucks 6-3.

Jason Pominville looked like Jason Pominville circa 2011 this past week, scoring at a two-point per game pace that was highlighted by a four-point effort against the Vancouver Canucks. An assist against the Blackhawks gave Pominville his 32nd point of the season, only four short of his season total last year. At 34 years old, it appears Pominville has a little left in the tank.

Mikael Granlund was also a force this past week, scoring a hat trick against the Vancouver Canucks while also adding an assist. Granlund may be the greatest recipient of Bruce Boudreau’s coaching, as Granlund has already set career highs in points with 48 in 53 games. His previous best was 44.

Devan Dubnyk went through a stretch where he wasn’t near as dominant as the first three months of the season, but he rebounded nicely this week stopping pucks at a 2.50 rate. He’s still in the running for the Vezina trophy.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Alex Tuch, Iowa (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 34gp 11g 11a 22pts

Currently on recall with the big club, Alex Tuch has had a very nice transition to the pro game after leaving college early to become a professional. Tuch’s rookie scoring rate at the AHL shows he has a bright future ahead, and his recent recall to a really good team is also a good arrow. Such is 6’4 220 lbs, and the Wild are hoping he can develop into a strong power forward among the likes of Blake Wheeler and David Backes. His skating is a bit of an issue, but considering his other attributes he will get a lot of chances.

– Trin Potratz

Previous Ranking: 16 (+12)

Team Record: (33-13-6)

Goals For: 184

Goals Against: 148

Special Teams

PP: 40-for-178 (22.5 percent) (4th)
PK: 36-for-174 (79.3 percent) (22nd)

Injury List

Carl Hagelin (concussion) – day-to-day
Conor Sheary (upper body) – early to mid-March
Evgeni Malkin (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Sidney Crosby(46gp 30g 30a 60pts)
Top Defenseman: Justin Schultz (52gp 9g 28a 37pts)
Top Rookie: Scott Wilson (49gp 5g 10a 15pts)
Top Goaltender: Matt Murray (19-6-2 2.40GAA .922 save percentage)

Player of the Week: D Kris Letang (3gp 1g 3a 4pts)

Pittsburgh started off the week strong with wins against Columbus and St. Louis, but fell in overtime to the Flames on Tuesday leaving the team with a 2-0-1 record meaning they gained five of a possible six points. This week has the Penguins currently sitting in third in the Metro. Defenseman Kris Letang had himself a solid week as well as franchise player Sidney Crosby.

Marc-Andre Fleury only played in one game last week and in doing so had one win with a .957 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against-average. Matt Murray played in the other two games taking home the other win as well as the overtime loss, on top of that he had some average numbers though, and that’s a .918 save percentage and a 2.34 goals-against-average.

Both Crosby and Letang had four point weeks, however, Letang finished as a plus two on the week while Crosby had an even rating. And in doing so Crosby now leads the league in goals with 30, if he keeps his current pace he will win the Maurice Richard trophy this season. Pittsburgh’s most likely going to be buyers at the deadline since they want to win another Stanley Cup and be the first team to go back to back in quite some time. This week favors the Pens to do so since they have three easy games, one against Arizona, one against Vancouver and finally the last against Colorado.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Stuart Percy, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 30gp 1g 7a 8pts

A former first-round pick by the Maple Leafs, Stuart Percy could never get used to the Leafs system which led to him being moved to the Penguins. Percy is a very solid two-way defenseman who often plays better while under pressure due to his high composure. He can also move the puck out of the defensive end quite efficiently and is great in the offensive zone. The only things he needs to work on however is his skating ability and stride power.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 7 (+4)

Team Record: (33-17-4)

Goals For: 146

Goals Against: 125

Special Teams

PP: 30-for-170 (17.6 percent) (20th)
PK: 26-for-141 (81.6 percent) (15th)

Injury List

Joonas Donskoi (upper body) – day-to-day
Dylan DeMelo (wrist) – out until mid-March

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Joe Pavelski (54gp 18g 29a 47pts)
Top Defenseman: Brent Burns (54gp 22g 35a 57pts)
Top Rookie: Kevin Labanc (40gp 7g 7a 14pts)
Top Goaltender: Martin Jones (27-15-4 2.25GAA .917 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Patrick Marleau (3gp 1g 3a 4pts)

San Jose didn’t finish the week with a winning record but they did manage four points of a possible six with a 1-0-2 record. Both Brent Burns and Patrick Marleau led the team in scoring and Martin Jones appeared in all three games, and in doing so had a fairly okay week.

With Jones playing in all three games means he registered the 1-0-2 record but despite that he had a respectable .918 save percentage with a 2.58 goals-against-average. Burns had four points in the week, one goal and three assists but finished as a plus two. Marleau, on the other hand, finished as a plus three with the same statistical output as Burns. Logan Couture had a three-point week and behind him, five other Sharks registered two points. With San Jose sitting atop the Pacific division they could make a minor depth move at the deadline for some extra scoring come playoff time, last year they reached the cup finals, this year their expectations have been taking it all. So a minor move may help the cause. This week they have a chance to get a stronger foothold on that position since they play significantly weaker teams in Boston, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Florida.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Rudolfs Balcers, Kamloops (WHL)

2016-17 stats: 49gp 29g 25a 54pts

Rudolfs Balcers has blazing fast speed excellent hands a solid slap shot and a solid wrist shot making him a raw offensive talent. However, he does need to get a bit stronger to handle the rigors of the NHL game and once he does he’ll be a prototypical power forward.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 5 (+3)

Team Record: (23-18-10)

Goals For: 152

Goals Against: 150

Special Teams

PP: 23-for-149 (15.4 percent) (26th)
PK: 28-for-148 (81.1 percent) (19th)

Injury List

Ryan Pulock (foot) – day-to-day
Mikhail Grabovski (concussion) – out indefinitely
Travis Hamonic (lower body) – out week-to-week
Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) – day-to-day

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: John Tavares (51gp 20g 23a 43pts)
Top Defenseman: Nick Leddy (50gp 8g 20a 28pts)
Top Rookie: Anthony Beauvillier (37gp 4g 8a 12pts)
Top Goaltender: Thomas Greiss (16-8-3 2.45GAA .921 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Josh Bailey (3gp 3g 3a 6pts)

The Islanders were not the only team to have a .500 week with a 1-1-1 record, but in doing so they managed to score at a tremendous rate, 14 goals for to be exact. And both Josh Bailey and Anders Lee lead the way in scoring. Both Thomas Greiss and Jean-Francois Berube appeared in games last week but their numbers were quite reflective of the goals allowed in those three games.

The way John Tavares has been leading the team the past few weeks you may think he would do it again this week, but forwards Bailey and Lee took the torch with six points apiece. Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome also had decent weeks combining for 10 points then the rest of the team registered two or less.

Greiss appeared in two games last week winning a game and losing one in regulation and in doing so had well below average numbers which consisted of a .821 save percentage and a 4.91 goals-against-average. Berube gathered the overtime loss which was handed to the team by the Hurricanes, and his numbers were worse than Greiss’. So that is something that will need to improve heading into this week, or you can expect the Isles to make a move for one of the available goaltenders at the deadline. Scoring will need to keep up its current pace as well cause in week 18 they play Philadelphia, Ottawa, Colorado, and Toronto.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Mitchell Vande Sompel, London (OHL)

2016-17 stats: 12gp 2g 9a 11pts

A purely dynamic offensive defenseman, Mitchell Vande Sompel skates really well and generates a lot of offense while still being very great at both ends of the ice. He could improve on some defensive aspects, though but has the potential to be a Dan Boyle-like player as he gets stronger and more confident.

– Matt Duscharme

Previous Ranking: 1 (-)

Team Record: (37-11-6)

Goals For: 179

Goals Against: 110

Special Teams

PP: 35-for-163 (21.5 percent) (7th)
PK: 29-for-190 (84.7 percent) (4th)

Injury List

n/a

Statistical Leaders in 2016-17

Top Forward: Nicklas Backstrom (54gp 15g 39a 54pts)
Top Defenseman: Matt Niskanen (53gp 4g 27a 31pts)
Top Rookie: Jakub Vrana (12gp 1g 2a 3pts)
Top Goaltender: Braden Holtby (27-8-4 1.94GAA .930 save percentage)

Player of the Week: F Brett Connolly (3gp 2g 3a 5pts)

Washington had a perfect record last week going 3-0-0 but that’s not all that was great, in two of those games the Capitals posted 5-0 shutouts over Los Angeles and Carolina. Team offense was great as well as goaltending from both Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer.

Of all the players who lead the Capitals last week, you’d be surprised to know it was forward Brett Connolly who had five points in only three games. Behind him was Marcus Johansson who had a four-point week then four Capitals combined for 12 points and a plus-seven rating.

Both Holtby and Grubauer were fantastic last week, Holtby had himself a 2-0-0 record with one shutout and a .956 save percentage with a 1.00 goals-against-average. Grubauer was just as good, if not better, he had a 1-0-0 record and a 1.000 save percentage, and one shutout which means a 0.00 goals-against-average.

Washington has a pretty significant hold on the top spot in the Metro Division and they’ll most likely be buyers at the deadline to help them continue that push and make a solid run in the playoffs. And this week the Capitals will have a chance to continue climbing, however, the week starts easily with a game against Detroit then gets tougher with a game against the Ducks.

Weekly Prospect Profile: Jakub Vrana, Hershey (AHL)

2016-17 stats: 31gp 13g 11a 24pts

A highly skilled offensive forward, Jakub Vrana sits atop the list as top prospects for the Capitals and so far this season he’s managed three points in only 12 games. He’s a very skilled skater with a solid work ethic and technical skills with the puck. He’s got a nose for the net with a great shot accompanied by an excellent release.

– Matt Duscharme

Games of the Week (Feb.9 – Feb.15)

Thursday, February 9th

Nashville Predators at New York Rangers

Playing much better hockey of late, the Nashville Predators head to MSG to take on King Henrik and the Rangers.

Friday, February 10th

Tampa Bay Lightning at Minnesota Wild

If the Lightning want to convince folks to take them seriously down the final stretch, it could start with a big road victory one of the NHL’s hottest teams.

Saturday, February 11th

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

St. Louis Blues at Montreal Canadiens

Both of these teams have been struggling of late and are looking to turn things around. This could be a solid motivator for the winner.

Chicago Blackhawks at Edmonton Oilers

The Blackhawks are 2nd in the Central Division sitting five points behind the Wild. Edmonton is tied for 2nd in the Pacific trailing the 1st placed Sharks by just four points. These are important points for both teams, and ones you don’t want to see turn into three-point games.

Sunday, February 12th

Montreal Canadiens at Boston Bruins

It’s always an exciting match-up when these two teams get together. There’s been bad blood in the past years and we’ve got two of the NHL’s best netminders likely squaring off in Carey Price and Tuukka Rask.

Monday, February 13th

New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets

These two teams are very familiar with one another in 2016-17. Columbus had the edge in the season series, but don’t be surprised if the Rangers walk away with two points here.

Next: Vegas Golden Knights Mock Expansion Draft Roundtable

Tuesday, February 14th

Anaheim Ducks at Minnesota Wild

One could argue these two clubs are destined to win their respective divisions. Minnesota will need to hold on to the top spot, while the Ducks need to make up a few points to catch the Sharks.

Wednesday, February 15th

Toronto Maple Leafs at Columbus Blue Jackets

If the Leafs hope to be a legitimate playoff threat, they’ll need to make good with their games in hand. That means defeating a juggernaut such as Columbus on the road. Hopefully, Freddy Andersen can find his game again.