With most NHL teams about to hit the 20-game mark, it’s time for some reflection and a review of how all 30 of the league’s clubs have fared thus far one quarter of the way through the 2016-17 season.
Check out the previous parts covering the Metropolitan, Pacific, and Central divisions.
The NHL’s Atlantic Division at the Quarter Mark
Montreal Canadiens: 14-4-2, 30 points, first in the Atlantic
The Montreal Canadiens seem to be trying to start a tradition of hot starts, and so far so good. In 20 games, they sit at the top of the league with 30 points. Carey Price seems to have forgotten that he was injured for the better part of a year, and looks to be right back in the shape that gave him enough trophies to fill a cabinet.
Newcomer Shea Weber, someone many were unhappy to see acquired because of the loss of fan-favorite P.K. Subban, has fit in perfectly to start the season. He has 17 points and is on pace to smash his career best of 56. There are question marks about the sustainability of this pace though. Currently he scores on 15.4% of his shots which is almost double his career shooting percentage of 8.3.
Another addition that has worked out well for the Habs is Alexander Radulov. His 17 points in 18 games, combined with what seems to be a true breakout season for Alex Galchenyuk, has made Montreal look like a team that, might be more than just their goalie. That’s one big difference between the team this year and last year.
Not everything is sunshine and rainbows in Montreal. Their possession stats has them ranked a very modest 14th a with Fenwick-for percentage of 50.14. This could suggest that the Canadiens, are once again, relying too much on Price and his performances. Signs of this may already be sneaking in as four of their six loses for the season have come in their last five games. However, they did out-shoot their opponent in three of those recent losses.
For now though there is much to be excited about in eastern Canada.
- Patrick Dejbjerg
Tampa Bay Lightning: 12-7-1, 25 points, second in the Atlantic
After re-signing Steven Stamkos this off-season, the Tampa Bay Lightning are ready to continue their journey to a Stanley Cup championship. After a loss in the Stanley Cup Final and a loss in the Eastern Conference Final the past two seasons, the team was hungry to continue its push for the greatest trophy in sports.
They started the season by downing the Detroit Red Wings, a division rival whom they’ve ousted from the first round of the playoffs two years in a row. Since then, they’ve beaten division and conference rivals on their way to a 12-7-1 record through the first quarter of the season. Expect the Canadiens to be their toughest challenge this year. With a healthy Price, they will be fighting the Lightning for the Division Championship.
The expected Lightning point producers have been contributing to their victories. Nikita Kucherov and Stamkos lead the team with 23 and 20 points, respectively. There’s a pretty steep drop off after that, though. Victor Hedman and Valtteri Filppula follow them up with 14 and 13 points. Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn round out the top-five point producers with 12, and 11 points. If the Lightning want to pull ahead this season, they need more production from these last four players.
The last few weeks specifically have been tough for the Lightning. Team captain Stamkos suffered a meniscus tear and will miss 4-6 months as a result. Losing an elite goal scorer like Stamkos means the supporting cast has to step up. The team has flourished before with Stamkos out of the lineup. They must do it again.
The present is bright for the Tampa Bay Lightning. This is their Stanley Cup window and, if the first quarter of the season is any indication, they are very serious about winning it all.
- Nick Seguin @ClumsyerOne
Ottawa Senators: 11-7-1, 23 points, third in the Atlantic
Despite being one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league, and having a power-play running at less than 10 per cent, the Ottawa Senators have managed to put together a formidable start to their 2016-2017 season. Currently they sit in the middle of the Eastern Conference standings with an 11-7-1 record.
The team’s most consistent performer has been starting goaltender Craig Anderson. The adversity that Anderson has faced in the first portion of this season has been extremely commendable. The fact that his play has been so strong is inspiring. He is the anchor of the team right now, and the Sens would be nowhere near a playoff spot if it hadn’t been for his strong play. Although the entire offense has been somewhat of a bust so far this season, Erik Karlsson is once again leading the charge. He tops the team with 16 points in 19 games.
The most pleasant surprise so far has been the play of forward Ryan Dzingel. After posting only nine points in 30 games during last season, he has been of Ottawa’s most exciting players to watch this year. He’s shocked fans with 10 points through 19 games.
If the Sens can start to put the puck in the net more consistently, preferably on the powerplay, and continue to receive above-average goaltending, Ottawa should be able to easily move up in the standings and lock down a playoff spot.
- Adam D’Agostino @Dagss
Boston Bruins: 11-8-0, 22 points, fourth in the Atlantic
The Boston Bruins have been putting up good numbers so far this season, despite setbacks and injuries leaving them without key players at different points. The line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak again proves to be an offensive powerhouse, with a combined 36 points between them. Pastrnak is third in the league in goals scored (10) despite missing the last three games with a lower-body injury.
Injuries to goalies Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin led to a three-game losing streak in late October. Rookie goaltender Zane McIntyre and Providence Bruins goalie Malcolm Subban couldn’t match the pressure, though the team performed poorly in front of them. Since Rask’s return the team is 8-4, with three shutouts from the Finn. Rask currently has the second-best record in the league behind Price in Montreal.
The biggest surprise so far has been the performance of rookie defenseman Brandon Carlo. The 19-year-old out of Colorado has proven to be a great asset to the team’s blue line. He is playing alongside team captain, and leader in ice time, Zdeno Chara and is maintaining a +/- of plus-9. The team’s major disappointment continues to be native son Jimmy Hayes, who despite scoring the shootout winner against the Tampa Bay Lightning, has yet to earn a point. The anticipated return of Frank Vatrano from foot surgery may signal the end of Hayes’s time with Boston.
- Catherine Dore @LWOSCatherine
Florida Panthers: 10-9-1, 21 points, fifth in the Atlantic
The first twenty games for the Florida Panthers have not been great, but have not been terrible either. The Panthers are rather inconsistent and cannot seem to get on a winning streak, however they do play steady hockey. They look excellent on the ice when they play to their abliity.
The 2016-2017 season began with bad news and only got worse. The Panthers lost multiple players to injury including Nick Bjugstad, who has only played in one game this season, Jussi Jokinen, and Jonathan Huberdeau, who was placed on the injured reserve list early in October with an ankle injury.
The injuries have called for some of the younger, and even veteran players to step up. The Panthers average 2.60 goals per game, but give up and average of 2.65 goals per game. Their power-play sits in 23rd in the NHL at 14.5% and their penalty kill at 19th, with 81.3%.
Top point leaders for the Panthers include Vincent Trocheck (6 G, 7 A) and off-season acquisition, and leading point scorer, Jonathan Marchessault (9 G, 7 A). Other players primarily responsible for the Panthers offense include Aleksander Barkov, Keith Yandle, Colton Sceviour, and Jaromir Jagr.
Defense has been mediocre for the Panthers, with Aaron Ekblad struggling to find his game. The 20-year-old blue-liner has five goals on the year, but his defensive play has been scrappy and risky. Roberto Luongo (7-6-0) and James Reimer (3-3-0) form a semi-solid pairing, with Luongo averaging 2.31 GAA and a .921 SV%. Reimer chimes in at 3.05 GAA and a .897 SV%.
This is a team that has seen major contributions from more than a few crafty off-season acquisitions, but without their core players in the lineup, they will continue to struggle.
- Noah Cirisoli
Toronto Maple Leafs: 8-8-3, 19 points, sixth in the Atlantic
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been one of the more surprising teams so far this season. After finishing dead last in the league last season, they have placed themselves three points out of a wild card spot. A large part in this new found success is due to contributions from Leafs rookies, such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Connor Brown, and Nikita Zaitsev.
Other significant contributions have been made from older Leafs such as James Van Riemsdyk, Morgan Rielly, Tyler Bozak, and Nazem Kadri. While it’s still early in the season, it’s clear to see that Matt Hunwick, Roman Polak, and Matt Martin are among the Leafs experiencing early-season struggles.
It’s safe to say not many people expected this kind of early success from the Leafs. A shaky beginning from goaltender Frederik Andersen had many critics worried, but as his play grew stronger, the team climbed in the standings. Marner, has astonished many after his NHL transition was doubted due to his size. Kadri has made a very evident progression from past seasons, as he seems to have developed a more complete defensive game under head coach Mike Babcock.
Going forward, the Leafs should stick to the so-called “Shanaplan.” Things are going well, and they should not try to shake things up too much. First and foremost, the Leafs should let their young stars develop during the season. They do not have to worry about building a contender this year by selling the farm. They should remain patient as they have been for the last couple of seasons.
The Leafs are chasing a playoff spot, and they should remain optimistic this season no matter where they finish.
- Matthew Rodrigopulle @Matt_Rodrigo_
Buffalo Sabres: 7-8-4, 18 points, seventh in the Atlantic
The Buffalo Sabres first quarter of the season has been ravaged by injuries and frustrations. Jack Eichel, Buffalo’s superstar, has yet to play this season due to an ankle injury. The Sabres hit the quarter poll as a desperate hockey team.
Joining Eichel on the injured list are Ryan O’Reilly (abdomen), Dmitry Kulikov (undisclosed), Tyler Ennis (groin), and Zach Bogosian (knee). Saying the Sabres are playing shorthanded is an understatement. Evander Kane missed significant time as well. Ironically, the player the Sabres were worried about the most staying healthy was goaltender Robin Lehner. He has stayed healthy and played in 13 games.
The Sabres primary struggle is offense. They are currently ranked last in the league in goals scored per game, averaging just 1.89 goals per game. Kyle Okposo, the Sabres big off-season acquisition has 12 points and leads the team. Matt Moulson has regained his scoring touch with seven goals, six of which have been on the power play.
Buffalo needs to get healthy quickly and produce more offense on a nightly basis. This is a critical time for the Sabres. If things don’t turn around soon, the Sabres could be too far back for a playoff run in the second half of the season.
- Chris Lizza
Detroit Red Wings: 8-10-1, 17 points, eighth in the Atlantic
The Detroit Red Wings, a quarter of the way into their 2016-17 campaign seem like Jekyll and Hyde. Their one constant is that they have relied on goaltending to somewhat stay afloat in the East. They started out 6-2, but carried a 44.53% team Corsi-for percentage during that stretch. It has since improved to 45.63% in a stretch of 3-8-1.
Goal scoring again has been an issue for Detroit, as since the impressive start, they have scored 1.35 goals per game in the last 12 games. Gustav Nyquist has scored just ten goals his last 70 regular season games. Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, and Riley Sheahan have combined for seven goals and 23 points. Sheahan is boasting a very disappointing zero goals.
Jimmy Howard has taken over the reigns as the legitimate number one starter, allowing one goal or less seven times in 11 starts. The team must improve against the Atlantic Division to even have a chance to make the postseason. They have posted a 2-6 record and have been outscored 27-16 against division opponents.
- Griffen Schroeder @gSchroedes16
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