Well we are almost at the halfway point of the NHL season and I thought it would be an appropriate time to run through each NHL team and look at the one Stud and the one Dud from that team.
Anaheim Ducks
- Stud - Teemu Selanne - The Finnish Flash is still at it at the ripe age of 41. He leads this Ducks team with 35 points and is on a point per game pace. Age is just a number to this man and it seems like he could play forever. Another positive note is that on this Anaheim team that ranks 26th in the NHL in goals against, Selanne is a plus player (+1).
- Dud - Take your pick. The "vaunted" line of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Bobby Ryan has fallen flat on their face. After finishing 4th in the West last year, and having Corey Perry win the MVP, you would have expected big things from these 3. Instead, all three are at less than a point per game pace, with Bobby Ryan on pace to finish with just 24 goals and 41 points. Corey Perry, 50 goal scorer from last year, is on pace to finish with just 34 goals and 70 points after his 50 goal, 98 point performance last year. Finally, Ryan Getzlaf has not had fewer than 50 assists or 19 goals in a single season since his sophomore year. This year, he is on pace for just 14 goals and 46 assists, giving him 60 points. That would be his lowest total since his sophomore campaign. Either way, if the Ducks want to get back in this to finish with a respectable record, these 3 are going to have to step up their play
Boston Bruins
- Stud - Tyler Seguin - After having an up and down rookie year that involved him getting benched on a few different occasions. In his 2nd year, Seguin has been the sniper that the Bruins were looking for, as he is 2nd on the team with his 14 goals and he leads the team with 31 points. He is a ridiculous +26, indicating that he's playing excellent two way hockey. This kid is only going to get better, but he has definitely been a serious stud for the Bruins. (Tim Thomas is a flat out stud - I don't have to say that here for people to know that).
- Dud - It's really hard to pick out a dud for the Bruins with the way they've been playing, but one player that I think people can point a finger at is Nathan Horton. Horton was brought in to be a goal scorer and last year he did that, notching 26 goals for the Bruins. In his career, he has only scored less than 20 goals once (his rookie campaign) and that includes his 6 seasons with the goal-deprived Panthers. However, this year he is on pace for just 22 goals and 52 points, making this his worst goal season since 09-10 and his worst point season since 08-09. More was expected of Horton when he arrived in Boston, especially in the goal-scoring department. He has the linemates, he just needs to start finishing.
Buffalo Sabres
- Stud - Boy has Jason Pominville responded to being named Captain. After hitting a high of 80 points in the 07-08 campaign, Pominville's numbers had been slowly declining, falling from 80 to 66 to 62 to a low of 52 in the 2010-2011 season. However, Pominville has responded this year, posting 37 points in 34 games so far, putting him on pace for 89, which would be a career high. He's also on pace for a career high in assists with 63. If only he could get the rest of his teammates to follow...
- Dud -This one is fairly easy. Ville Leino. After signing a 6 year $27 million contract, big things were expected of Leino, namely in the goal scoring department. After posting his high of 19 goals with the Flyers last year, people felt that the was on the rise. Definitely not the case for Buffalo so far. Leino has just 3 goals and 10 points in 29 games. He has only managed to get 28 shots on goal. That's good for 11th amongst forwards on his team. Tyler Ennis who has only played in 15 games has 30 shots on goal. Leino has just flat out not lived up to his contract and it seems as if he's trying too hard. He just needs to get pucks to the net and simplify his game.
Calgary Flames
- Stud - I am shocked to say this, but Olli Jokinen is having a pretty good year. Since 2007-2008 Jokinen has not posted an NHL season with more than 57 points. This year, he is on pace to shatter that with 27 goals and 68 points. Both would be his highest totals since the 2007-2008 season. For years, he has been considered an underachiever, but right now his offense has helped the Flames remain in playoff position, just 2 points out of the 8 seed.
- Dud - There are a couple of options here. On one hand, Matt Stajan is the last remaining piece received from the Maple Leafs in the Dion Phaneuf deal and he has done nothing yet. However, my pick for this dud goes to Rene Bourque. After posting back to back 27 goal seasons and back to back seasons of more than 50 points, a lot was expected of Bourque heading into this season. Through 36 games, Bourque has just 11 goals and 14 points, putting him on pace for 25 goals, but just 32 points. He has also been extremely inconsistent in his goal scoring, scoring those 11 goals in random spurts. Bourque also has registered just 76 shots, putting him on pace for 173 shots, which would be his lowest shot total since 08-09 when he only played 58 games. The Flames will need Bourque to step it up if they plan on making a push to the playoffs in the 2nd half of the season.
Carolina Hurricanes
- Stud - It's hard to find one on this Hurricanes team, but if I have to select one, it has to be Jeff Skinner. Even though he's currently out with a concussion and has missed 6 games on the year, he stil leads the team in goals and points. He was continuing the pace he set from last year as he was again on pace for 33 goals and 66 points. He was the only legitimate scoring threat for the Hurricanes and has been their lone bright spot this year. He was also coming into his own offensively as he was on pace for just shy of 300 shots on goal, which would be a significant improvement on the 215 he put up his rookie campaign. We hope to see him back soon because he was the ONLY stud for the Hurricanes.
- Dud - Where to begin? Cam Ward? He's got a horrific 3.23 GAA and an .898 SV%. Jussi Jokinen? Just 4 goals (on pace for 9) through 36 games after scoring a combined 49 the past two years? No, the distinction of DUD has to fall on Eric Staal, the team's captain. He has been the face of the franchise the past few years and has always shouldered the scoring low, never failing to score less than 70 points since his rookie season. Staal has failed to score less than 30 goals just once since the lockout and has never recorded less than 70 points since the lockout. This year? He is on pace for a meager 16 goals and 46 points, far cries from where he usually is. Even worse, Staal is a horrific -21, which is worst in the NHL. Something has to give for the Carolina captain. He is just 27 years of age and should be hitting his stride. Instead he looks disinterested and is flat out struggling.
Chicago Blackhawks
-Stud - If you look up stud in the dictionary, chances are you will see a picture of Jonathan Toews. The man does it all. He is a bonafide MVP candidate (my 1st half MVP choice) as he is 8th in the NHL in scoring, 2nd in goals, a +13, wins a ridiculous 60.5% of his faceoffs, and has just 12 PIM. This man might has a shot at winning the Rocket Richard, the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy, the Selke Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Trophy, and the Lady Byng. That's the definition of STUD. Oh and his team is also 1st overall in the NHL.
- Dud - If i have to pick a dud from the Blackhawks, it has to be their goaltending. The only thing stopping this team from being the dead-on favorite in the West is their shoddy goaltending. Corey Crawford, you are my Blackhawks goat. Crawford and Emery will determine just how far this team goes. If Crawford keeps up his 2.94 GAA and his .898 SV%, then Chicago will go nowhere. This Blackhawks team reminds me of the old Red Wings teams in the sense that they don't need their goaltender to be spectacular, but just good enough. If either Crawford or Emery can find that "good enough" level, watch out. Until then, they are what's holding this team back.
Colorado Avalanche
- Stud - This might seem a little odd, but I'm going with the rookie here. Gabriel Landeskog is the real deal and he's shown that so far. He may not be lighting up the score sheet, but he is 6th on his team in scoring, one of 2 plus players on his team that has played more than half the games, and leads the team in shots on goal with 109. He also leads his team in hits, is second on his team in takeaways, and is second on his team in blocked shots by forwards. He is a complete player and the scoring will come for him.
- Dud - Semyon Varlamov. After starting the season so strong, he has faded and the team has turned to the veteran J.S. Giguere. Varlamov cost the Avs a pretty penny and his stats leave a lot to be desired (3.14 GAA, .896 SV%). Years from now, this may be considered one of the most lopsided deals from this decade and it may be considered the deal that prevented the Avalanche from getting better. If the Avs hang on to Brian Elliott and hang on to those draft picks they sent....who knows? However, that's all speculation. In reality, Varlamov needed to establish himself as a top 10 goaltender for this deal to be considered a win, and instead he's been a major dud.
Columbus Blue Jackets
- Stud - Do I really have to pick one? Really? Fine, I'll go with Vinny Prospal. Prospal is leading the Jackets in points with 27, and is on pace to top the 60 point mark for the first time since 2005-2006 back when he was with the Lightning. I really can't say much more than that about the Blue Jackets because they have been so bad this season. However, congratulations to Prospal for righting the ship in his career, and hopefully he can parlay that into future success with the Blue Jackets
- Dud - Don't even know where to begin here. I want to say Steve Mason, but I think he just was a flash in the pan his rookie year and will never get back to those numbers. I want to say Derick Brassard as so much was expected of the kid, but he has just 9 points in 26 games and is a terrible -13. No, I think I'll go with Jeff Carter. Hat trick against Nashville aside, Carter has been terrible. Even after the hat trick, Carter has just 10 goals and 16 points in his 23 games played. He's currently on pace to finish the season with 24 goals and 39 points, which is nowhere near what was expected of him. Carter was expected to arrive in Columbus and be the center that Rick Nash never had. Instead, the two failed to gel, Carter broke his foot, and now is on pace for his lowest point total since 06-07 when he only played 62 games.
Dallas Stars
- Stud - Jamie Benn. Boy this guy is on pace to shatter his previous career high of 56 points. Benn is leading the Stars in scoring and is on pace for 22 goals (that would be the 3rd consecutive year Benn has scored 22 goals. He has never scored anything but 22 goals in his career - interesting stat), and 75 points. Benn has led the offensive attack that was expected to disappear after Brad Richards left and it has kept the Stars in the playoff race. But Benn has done more than score for this team. He is 4th amongst forwards on his team in hits and he leads his team in takeaways. He is playing in both zones and is playing effectively
- Dud - It's hard to pick on this guy, but I'm looking at Brendan Morrow. This guy is the captain of the Stars and is one of the few guys who I feel really brings 100% night in and night out. However, his numbers are suffering this year and in a year when the Stars need scoring more than ever, Morrow has to be accountable. After netting 33 goals last year, Morrow is on pace for just 17 goals this year and just 41 points, down from the 33 goals and 56 points he had last year. He has also mustered just 44 shots on goal this season, which would barely give him 100 shots for the year (106), which is almost half of the number of shots he put on goal last year (209). When healthy, Morrow has the capabilities of being a 70+ point player, and he needs to play like that for the Stars to get themselves through the second half of the season and into the playoffs.
Detroit Red Wings
- Stud - This one is fairly easy in my book. Jimmy Howard has firmly ensconced himself in any discussion of best goaltender in the NHL and is my Vezina front-runner at the moment. Howard leads the NHL in wins with 20, is 4th in the NHL in GAA (1.99) for starting goaltenders (I'm counting Elliott, Giguere, and Thomas ahead of him), and is 9th in the NHL amongst starting goaltenders in SV% (.925%). Essentially, he's been flat out phenomenal. If he can keep up his current pace, he will pass Martin Brodeur's record of 48 wins in a season, and he will do it in fewer games than Marty. Keep your eyes on him, because he could take the Wings to the promised land.
- Dud - I hate to pick on this guy because he's another one of the guys that always seems to bring his all, but Henrik Zetterberg has got to start filling up the stat sheet. I understand that he does so much more than offense, but he is relied upon by the Red Wings to score and he has not done that this year. Zetterberg has just 8 goals and 23 points in 34 games thus far, putting him on pace for just 19 goals and 55 points. Those would be the 2nd fewest goals he's scored in his career and the 3rd fewest points. Put it simply, Zetterberg has the potential to be an 80-90 point player and its inexcusable for a man of his talent to be struggling this much. It seems as if he's trying to do too much as he has just 109 shots on goals, putting him on pace for 263 shots on goal, which would be the fewest he's had since 2006-2007 when he missed 19 games. Plain and simple, he needs to put the puck to the net and look for his shot, otherwise the Red Wings are in trouble.
Edmonton Oilers
- Stud - Gotta go with the kid. Have to go with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Remember back at 9 games when people were debating about whether or not the Oilers should return him to juniors? After 34 games, RNH has 13 goals, 34 points, is 3rd amongst Forwards on his team in terms of ice time, and he's only going to get better. This youth-led attack will be led by RNH and he's showing his capabilities this season. Enjoy the ride Oiler fans. For those that are curious, Eberle and Khabibulin were very close seconds to RNH.
- Dud - Ales Hemsky. For years, Hemsky has carried this Oilers team, sometimes taking them much further than they should have gone and sometimes underachieving. However, it finally looks like Hemsky has run out of magic. He has just 3 goals and 11 points in the 22 games that he has played, putting him on pace for just 7 goals and 27 points which would be career lows for him. He no longer has to be the focal point of the offense with Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and RNH, but production from him is still a necessity if Edmonton expects to compete.
Florida Panthers
- Stud - Without a doubt, Kris Versteeg has taken off on this Panthers team. A lot was expected of him when he posted a strong 22 goals and 53 points in his first full season with the Blackhawks. However, his point totals dipped from there and he found his way to the Panthers. Now? Versteeg has 16 goals and 37 points through the first 35 games and is on pace for 37 goals and 87 points, which would be career highs and would put him near the top of the NHL in scoring. This is the kind of scoring that Florida has missed since Olli Jokinen left. Versteeg and his linemates are a major reason why the Panthers are leading their division (not a misprint) and are in position to make the playoffs (also not a misprint). Apologies to Jason Garrison, Brian Campbell, Stephen Weiss, Tomas Fleischmann, and Jose Theodore (not a misprint).
- Dud - I have to go with Sean Bergenheim because of the contract he signed. Sure his career best numbers are 15 goals and 29 points, but after his 9 goal playoff performance and his 4 year $11 million contract, expectations were raised. So far, Bergenheim has only managed to contribute 7 goals and 0 assists. That's putting him on pace for 16 goals, which will be a career high for him, but not the numbers that were expected of him by the Panthers. Bergenheim needs to get going for this Panthers team to be really dangerous.
Los Angeles Kings
- Stud - Hard to find one on the goal-deprived Kings, but I will go with Anze Kopitar (really reaching here, I know). He's a bit off his pace from last year, but he is still around a point per game pace while leading his team in takeaways by a wide margin (39-17), winning 52.8% of his faceoffs, and leading his team in shots. He has literally had to carry the Kings offense thus far, and he needs a lot of help moving forwards. When Mike Richards gets healthy this team has the potential to be an upset special come playoff time
- Dud - I could go the really easy route and pick Dustin Penner. But I'm not. I'm pointing my finger at the Captain, Dustin Brown. The Los Angeles Kings were a sexy pick of many to go deep into the playoffs and even hoist the Stanley Cup. Instead, the Kings are sitting at 11th in the West and 4th in their own division. I have no issues with Brown's statistical production, but I'm pointing my finger at him from a leadership standpoint. The Kings tuned out Terry Murray awfully early and we'll see what happens under new coach Darryl Sutter. Brown has to be responsible to a certain degree for the players just tuning out Terry Murray and for not being able to get his guys to dig deep and play hard.
Minnesota Wild
- Stud - Kyle Brodziak. For a player that has never scored more than 16 goals or 37 points, he's doing pretty well this year. Brodziak is leading the Wild team in goals with 11, putting him on pace for 25 goals which would almost double his career high. The Wild have long been a team that has struggled to score, but Brodziak has been a pleasant surprise along with Dany Heatley. If he continues to score, the Wild will be a dangerous team come playoff time.
- Dud - Devon Setoguchi. After coming over in the Brent Burns deal, Setoguchi was expected to be an offensive threat for the Wild. This is a man that had scored 73 goals the past 3 seasons and had a high of 31 just 3 years ago. So far, Setoguchi has only managed 8 goals and 13 points, putting him on pace for 18 goals and 30 points which would be his lowest totals since his rookie season. Yes the Wild system isn't as open as the Sharks system, but its far more open than the Jacques Lemaire days and Setoguchi should be much better. Also, he is a team worst -7. Even allergic-to-defense Dany Heatley is a +6. Setoguchi must step up as a viable scoring threat for the Wild to be a serious Cup contender.
Montreal Canadiens
- Stud - Erik Cole. This may seem a little out there and pardon me as I have not seen many Canadiens games this year, but from what I've seen, Erik Cole has done exactly what the Canadiens needed him to do. When the Canadiens signed him, they were hoping that he net them 30 goals as he has done in the past, and he is on pace to do just that. Cole is on pace for 30 goals and 52 points which is music to Canadiens fans' ears . They needed a viable threat besides Cammaleri and Cole has done just that. Cole has also managed to be a plus player for the Canadiens which is fairly impressive.
- Dud - As Erik Cole was brought in to complement Cammaleri, Mike Cammaleri has sufficiently disappeared. I could easily point my finger at Scott Gomez simply because of the contract he has, but let's get real - after disappointing us the past few years, did anyone really expect him to be any good this year? Cammaleri on the other hand has been the lone goal scoring threat for the Canadiens the past couple of years and finally got some help with Erik Cole. However, Cammaleri has just 6 goals and 18 points, putting him on pace for 14 goals, which would be his lowest goal total since the lockout. Cammaleri has to find his way for the Canadiens to get back into the playoff race.
Nashville Predators
- Stud - Without a doubt it has to be Shea Weber. He has to be the frontrunner for the Norris Trophy and he's easily my midseason Norris pick. Weber has 29 points thus far, putting him on pace for 19 goals and 68 points, which are phenomenal numbers for a defensemen (Nick Lidstrom-esque if I dare say). To boot, he's the only player on his team that is a double digit plus player (+14), he has 5 powerplay goals, and he leads his team in shots. In addition, he is 3rd on his team in hits, third in blocked shots, and makes the best cup of coffee. Plain and simple, if you take him off Nashville, they are fighting with Columbus for last place.
- Dud - Nashville has a knack for the playoffs that makes me wonder if Barry Trotz made a deal with the devil. They rely on timely scoring and lesser known players stepping up and scoring big goals. This happened last year with Sergei Kostitsyn, as he netted 23 goals and 50 points last year, shattering his previous career highs of 9 goals and 27 points. So naturally, Nashville has to rely on him as a goal scorer, but instead he has lit the lamp just 5 times this year and has a measly 15 points thus far, putting him on pace for only 12 goals and 35 points. While those would be the 2nd best numbers of his career, those are a steep drop off from the numbers he achieved last year and Nashville needs him to start lighting the lamp.
New Jersey Devils
- Stud - The Stud is a tough one to choose here. I can look to Adam Henrique who has been a pleasant surprise, netting 9 goals and 26 points thus far. Or I can point to the old guard and look at Patrik Elias who leads this team in scoring. I'm going to go with the old guard. Patrik Elias has had a renaissance of sorts, as he leads the team in goals and points. He has also taken over the franchise goals scored record, passing John MacLean. He has meant everything to the Devils as he is their career leader in regular season goals and points, and playoff goals, assists, and points. He has the most points in a single regular season by a Devils player and the most points in a single playoff campaign by a Devils player. Elias owns just about every Devils offensive record and at the ripe age of 35, he continues to play at a high level. He is on pace for another 30 goal season and another 70 point season. He continues to amaze.
- Dud - Again, a couple of different people I can look at here. I can look at money man Ilya Kovalchuk, whose numbers haven't been horrible but they are horrible for a $100 million man (11 goals, 27 points, -11). I could look at Martin Brodeur who looks like he's on his last legs (3.06 GAA, 9 wins in 20 games, and .884 SV%). Instead I'll look at Anton Volchenkov. In Ottawa, he played against the other teams top players and was considered one of the few players that could get to the star players. Ovechkin never enjoyed playing against him and he said as much. Now? Volchenkov has lost the trust of the coaches here in New Jersey and the biggest indicator of that is his ice time. He's 6th amongst defenseman on his own team in ice time, and the only serious playing time he gets is on the penalty kill because of his shot blocking ability. It's even worse when you look at the number of shifts Volchenkov gets, as he gets just 22 shifts per game, good for 14th on his team. This is not what Volchenkov was brought here to do and at $25.5 million over 6 years? Simply not good enough. (In reality, I just hate picking on Brodeur)
New York Islanders
- Stud - Matt Moulson. Is he the most underrated goal scorer in the NHL? I think so. After back to back 30 goal seasons, nobody has paid attention to him. So he decided to put himself on pace to score 40 this year, put up 70 points, and be a plus player for the first time in his career. He's averaging about a takeaway a game which puts him in the top 20 in the NHL so maybe now, somebody will notice what Moulson is doing. Yes he's stuck on a bad team, but 40 goals is nothing to turn your nose up at.
- Dud - Kyle Okposo. After solid 08-09 and 09-10 campaigns that saw him rack up a combined 37 goals and 91 points, he had an injury shortened campaign that saw him net 20 points in 38 games. He was on his way to another solid year which prompted everybody to keep their expectations high on Okposo. Instead, he has floundered this year, posting just 6 goals and 13 points in the 30 games he's played. He's on pace for just 15 goals and 32 points which is a very much off from what was expected of him. To boot, he's a -12 so far which is 4th worst on his team. Also, in Okposo's 08-09 and 09-10 campaigns, he lead the team in takeaways and was often in the top 10 in the NHL in that stat. This year, he's just 5th on his team. I don't know if the compete level isn't there or if he just needs a change of scenery, but the Isles need Okposo to return to his 09-10 levels for them to continue to grow as a team.
New York Rangers
- Stud - Dan Giradi. With Marc Staal missing the entire regular season thus far, somebody on the New York blue line had to step up. Giradi was that man, turning in a Norris-worthy campaign thus far. He's done it all for the team, leading the team in blocked shots (91), ice time (27:35), and is 2nd in takeaways and hits. His point numbers aren't the greatest (3-10-13), but he's been an absolute rock on the Ranger blue line. (For those that wanted Lundqvist, his performance night in and night out is pretty much the usual. His brilliance no longer fazes me.)
- Dud - Brian Boyle. Some of you probably did not expect him to repeat his 21 goal performance from last year, but I didn't expect him to fall this far. Just 2 goals through the first 33 games this year, putting him on pace for just 5 goals. Now the Rangers don't necessarily need him to be a 20 goal scorer with the addition of Brad Richards, but dropping from 21 to 5 will definitely earn you a spot on my Duds List.
Ottawa Senators
- Stud - This was a toss up for me between Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson, and Milan Michalek. Michalek, at the time of his injury, was leading the NHL in goals with 19. Spezza has had a mini renaissance and is tied for 8th in the NHL in scoring. But I think the real story is Erik Karlsson. In a story I wrote before the season I said that the key player for the Senators this year was Karlsson and that he needed to enter himself into the upper echelon of defense scoring. Well, he leads all defensemen in points with 33 and is on pace to threaten the 80 point mark (would be the first defenseman to hit the 80 point mark since Nick Lidstrom in 05-06). He's been a workhorse for them, averaging over 25 minutes a night. The next step he needs to take is to become a more well rounded defenseman. He is showing some skill with his stick in his defensive zone as evidenced by his team-leading 30 takeaways, but becoming a little more solid in his own zone will go a long way to being a viable Norris candidate for years to come.
- Dud - Craig Anderson. Boy do the Senators wish that they could have Brian Elliott back. Anderson has been mediocre this year, posting a 3.27 GAA and a .899 SV%. The sad part is that he's been their best goaltender and he has been their go-to guy this year. The Senators are another team that is sitting on the outside of the playoff picture but very much in striking distance. However, they will never strike if their goaltending does not improve and Craig Anderson needs to recapture his 2009-2010 Vezina Candidate form. We know he has it in him, it's just a matter of finding his game.
Philadelphia Flyers
- Stud - Has to be their MVP Claude Giroux. Giroux leads the NHL in points and has been unbelievable thus far. He's on pace for a 100 point season and is a definite MVP candidate. He and Jagr have formed a fearsome twosome and the Flyers are definitely a team to be reckoned with. I really can't say a whole lot more about Giroux. He's just been phenomenal thus far.
- Dud - Ilya Bryzgalov. The man that was brought in to be the final piece for the Flyers, the man that cost them Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, has been not so good thus far. A 2.92 GAA and a .895 SV% simply will not cut it. He's been lucky so far to have such a high scoring team in front of him that his win-loss numbers have not been affected that much. However, we are starting to realize that maybe Bryzgalov was a product of the Dave Tippett system as Mike Smith has been able to step in and perform at Bryz's level. The old adage is that goaltending wins championships come playoff time and if Bryz doesn't get better, the Flyers will NOT hoist the Stanley Cup.
Phoenix Coyotes
- Stud - As much as I want to say Mike Smith, I feel that he is a product of the system, so I am going to go with Radim Vrbata. Vrbata is a guy that has never scored more than 27 goals in his career, but he's on pace for a 37 goal, 68 point campaign which would be phenomenal for the Coyotes. The Coyotes have not had a guy score more than 35 goals since Keith Tkachuk did it in 1998-1999. If Vrbata can continue to stay in the top 10 in the NHL in goals and continue to score the timely goals (4th in the NHL in GWG), the Coyotes might sneak into the playoffs for another year.
- Dud - This is a case of where the stats don't tell the whole story. Keith Yandle has 5 goals and 22 points thus far, putting him on pace for 12 goals and 52 points, which would be another solid season for Yandle. However, I'm picking on him because his overall play just hasn't been that of a #1 defenseman and a defenseman that has a 5 year $26 million contract. First, Yandle is 4th in the NHL among blueliners in terms of giveaways, but he's outside of the top 60 in terms of takeaways. Yandle has just 11 hits on the year and 38 blocked shots, both stats that are pretty paltry for a guy like Yandle. I can let those numbers slide when it comes to a guy like Lidstrom who is much more apt with his stick in his own zone and gets his defense done by positioning. Yandle has been caught out of position much more, and for him being the power play QB that he is, he's missed the net almost as many times as he's hit it (52 missed shots, 88 shots on goal). Yandle has to be better than this for the Coyotes.
Pittsburgh Penguins
- Stud - Evgeni Malkin - With Sidney Crosby's situation not looking good, Malkin has stepped up and is turning in another stellar campaign. Malkin leads the team with 40 points in just 28 games played and for some reason, he seems to have this extra gear that he shifts into when Crosby is out. He is a serious threat to win the scoring race. Put stats aside and just watch the guy play. Every time he is on the ice, he is doing something positive for his team and that's all you can really ask of a guy.
- Dud - It's hard to pick a dud on this team because what's stopping this team is injuries. But I'm going to pick on backup Brent Johnson. Johnson has started 39 games combined the past two years for the Penguins and he has been a very serviceable backup, providing 23 wins in those games. This year, Johnson has been subpar at best. Johnson is 2-4-2 in his 8 starts, and has a 3.23 GAA and a .885 SV%. Fleury will need breathers throughout the season and Johnson will be needed to provide timely starts, especially if the Penguins end up not having Letang or Crosby for a long time. Their goaltending will need to be sharp and Johnson will be counted on to win some big games.
St. Louis Blues
- Stud - Brian Elliott. Elliott has taken the NHL by storm, posting an absurd 1.55 GAA and a .943 SV%. The Blues don't exactly have an explosive offense, with only 3 players projected to score more than 20 goals and none on pace to score more than 30. They need Elliott to be this good and he has been. He was totally disregarded after his stint with the Avs last year and signed a one year contract at $600,000. As long as he continues to play this well and he takes over the lion's share of the workload, he will be a bonafide Vezina contender.
- Dud - Chris Stewart - To put it simply, Chris Stewart is a goal scorer and he has not done that for the Blues this year. After scoring 15 goals for the Blues last year in just 26 games (a 47 goals/82 games pace), Stewart has just 5 goals thus far, putting him on pace for 12 goals. Coming into this season, he was expected to be the top goal scorer for the Blues and he just has not gotten there. For the Blues to win in the postseason, Stewart will have to step up in a big way.
San Jose Sharks
- Stud - Lost in all the NHL hoopla has been the San Jose Sharks this year. Very little has been said about the Sharks as they continue on their path to an 8th consecutive playoff berth. Logan Couture has quietly picked up right where he left off last year after his stellar rookie campaign. Couture is leading the Sharks in goals (on pace for 38), is 4th amongst forwards on his team in terms of ice time, 2nd on his team in takeaways, and is winning 52.3% of his draws. This sophomore clearly is not suffering from the sophomore slump.
- Dud - Dan Boyle. This is a case where on the outside, Boyle looks ok statistically. However, via the eye test, Boyle has looked a step slow all year, has taken an inordinate amount of penalties (on pace for almost 100 PIM's this year), and he has just 1 powerplay goal this year. Statistically, Boyle is still projected to end up with 5 goals and 41 points which are decent numbers for a defenseman, but the Sharks need Boyle to be better than that. The Sharks need Boyle to score around 10 goals a season, between 50-60 points, and they need him out of the box. Boyle must deliver for this Sharks team as their PK has been particularly atrocious this year so it is imperative that he stays out of the box.
Tampa Bay Lightning
- Stud - Steven Stamkos. Another old adage: Your best players need to be your best players. Steven Stamkos has done just that. He's on pace to push 50 goals and 90 points again and with the disappearance of Alex Ovechkin, he's firmly establishing himself as the best goal scorer in the NHL. Right now, he's doing all that he can do to keep the Lightning within range of the playoffs (currently 8 back of a spot with 2 games in hand). The art of the 50 goal scorer is slowly fading away, but Stamkos refuses to let that happen.
- Dud - I think he is one of my top 5 duds of the NHL season thus far. Dwyane Roloson, after putting the Lightning on his back last year, is dragging this team further and further away from the playoffs. He has been so bad that the Lightning have turned to Mathieu Garon, who has a 2.84 GAA and a .902 SV%, and he's been better than Roloson. Roloson has just 6 wins, a 3.72 GAA and a .883 SV%, and is causing GM Steve Yzerman many sleepless nights as he tries to find a replacement.
Toronto Maple Leafs
- Stud - I've got to go with a tie here between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. Kessel for being a flat out machine so far, and Lupul, for sheer "where-the-hell-did-that-come-from"? Lupul and Kessel are both in the top 6 in the NHL in scoring, both are in the top 10 in goals, and both are reasons why Toronto fans have hope. A change is coming in Toronto and these two are leading the way.
- Dud - Tim Connolly. I hate to pick on somebody for injuries, but the mantra with Connolly has always been that "when healthy, he can be a #1 center". Well the Maple Leafs gambled on him this offseason, offering him a 2 year $9.5 million deal after he managed to play 141 of the previous 164 games. This year alone, Connolly has missed 12 games and has been inconsistent when he has played. Connolly has 17 points this year and they have come in 10 games this year. He's been scoreless in the other 13 games. If Connolly can be more consistent down the stretch for the Maple Leafs, their offense can really pose a serious threat come playoff time.
Vancouver Canucks
- Stud - Pick one of the Sedin twins. Both are having great years again, both are on pace for 90+ point seasons, and both are pretty much indistinguishable. They continue to lead Vancouver's vaunted offensive attack and seem to have an innate communication built in to their blood. Not much more to say here as this was pretty much expected of both
- Dud - Roberto Luongo. It's hard to pick on him now as he's finally turning around his game, but his horrendous start to the season allowed Minnesota to take a brief lead in the Northwest division. His numbers at the midway point aren't too bad at 2.44 GAA and a .914 SV%, but they are a far cry from the league leaders and far off from what Vancouver needs from him come playoff time. Cory Schneider has been far better this year with a 2.17 GAA and a .931 SV%, but because of Luongo's contract, he will continue to the be the starter for the Canucks and the Canucks need him to be better if they want to win the Stanley Cup this year.
Washington Capitals
- Stud - Mike Green. The Caps have yet to lose a game he played in... nah I'm just kidding. On a team that has underachieved so badly this year, it was hard to pick a stud. I decided to go with Jason Chimera. I'll give a $1000 to the person that at the beginning of the year said that through 33 games, Jason Chimera would lead the team in goals. Anybody? Didn't think so. Chimera, a man with only 98 career goals in his 10 previous NHL seasons, and a career high of 17 goals, has 13 goals through the first 33 games and is on pace for a 32 goal season, which would just about double his previous career high. With Ovechkin and Semin being nonexistent, Chimera has provided the goal scoring punch for this quickly burning out Capitals squad.
- Dud - Pick between the two Alex's. I'm going with Ovechkin. Really Ovie? Really? After busting into the NHL with a 52 goal season as a rookie, then following it up with seasons of 46, 65, 56, and 50, you had us talking about having potentially one of the greatest goal scorers of all time. He may not play a lot of defense, or do much else, but man can he score goals. WHAT HAPPENED? After his dismal campaign of 32 last year and his failure to break the 90 point mark for the first time in his career, Ovechkin is on pace for just 27 goals and 60 points. Once one of the most electrifying players in the NHL, we are now talking about a guy who still doesn't play defense, but now doesn't score! We are talking about a guy that has the talent to score 50 goals no problem, and now he's just barely mustering 50 points? WAKE UP ALEXANDER "THE GREAT"!
Winnipeg Jets
- Stud - Evander Kane. Kane has been a player that has shown flashes of brilliance his first two seasons, and now he seems to be putting it together. After netting 19 goals last year, Kane is on pace for 35 goals and 61 points - both would be career highs. The 35 goals would put him among the league leaders and he is the scoring punch that this Jets franchise desperately needs. He also has been good defensively as he leads all forwards on his team in takeaways and is second among forwards on his team in hits with 80. Kane will continue to grow in his 3rd season and he has been an offensive stud for the Jets.
- Dud - Ondrej Pavelec - For the Jets to be a playoff team this year, they needed Pavelec to take his game to the next level. Last year, Pavelec showed flashes of brilliance and posted a 2.73 GAA and a .914 SV%, playing behind the 2nd worst defense. This year, the defense has improved (albeit from 29th to 20th), but Pavelec's numbers have actually gotten worse (2.91 GAA, .909 SV%). The Jets are on the cusp of a playoff spot this year and he needs to be better for them down the stretch in order for the Jets to secure a playoff berth that would drive their fans wild.
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