Trending up:
Minnesota Wild: The Wild have rattled off three straight wins to make up ground in the Central Division standings. Most recently, Mike Yeo's squad edged the Winnipeg Jets in a 4-3 overtime win on Sunday. Look for the Wild to continue their climb with Zach Parise back in the lineup. The star forward returned this past weekend after missing five games with a concussion and scored twice in his first game back.
Blues' offense: The St. Louis Blues also are riding a three-game win streak, but perhaps more impressive is that they have won 10 of their past 11 games. Wow. Look at their recent skein and it's easy to see why they are atop the Central Division, scoring 14 goals during that span. The Blues, who embark on a four-game road trip beginning on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins, lead the Western Conference with a plus-25 goal differential.
Troy Grosenick: Pretty tough to beat Grosenick's first NHL game, as the 25-year-old goaltender was dazzling in his debut on Sunday, blanking the Carolina Hurricanes while making 45 saves. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Grosenick is the first Sharks goaltender to post a shutout in his debut; his 45 saves in his first game also sets a franchise record. Pretty neat to see his family share in the special moment, too.
Trending down:
Anaheim Ducks: Hard to blame this one on the mumps. One night after losing in overtime against the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, the Ducks suffered an embarrassing 6-2 loss to the lowly Florida Panthers -- at home, no less. Even with Corey Perry back in action -- he missed the past five games with the mumps -- the Ducks could not muster a competitive effort against the Cats. The Ducks still lead the Western Conference, so perhaps we're being a bit harsh, but that sort of a letdown is the sort of thing that draws out the critics when you're considered the best of the best.
Dallas Stars: One step forward, one step back. And so it goes for the Stars, who continue to toil at the bottom of the Central Division. After snapping a seven-game skid last week with wins against the Arizona Coyotes and Kings, the Stars dropped a back-to-back set this pat weekend that finished with four unanswered goals in a 6-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. The Stars are giving up 3.33 goals per game, 28th in the NHL.
Injury report:
Trevor van Riemsdyk: According to ESPN Chicago colleague Scott Powers, the Blackhawks might be without the rookie defenseman for significant time after he took a puck to the leg in a 6-2 win over Dallas on Sunday. Van Riemsdyk has been a pleasant surprise for Chicago and was averaging 14:11 in ice time before the injury.
Valeri Nichushkin: Limited to just four games this season because of a lingering hip injury, the 19-year-old Stars forward is expected to miss at least the next four months of his sophomore season. General manager Jim Nill announced that Nichushkin will undergo surgery this week.
What to watch for:
Home sweet home: Over a month into the season, the Jets are still in the thick of it, just four points back on the division-leading Blues. They'll have the chance to gain even more traction against the Blues on Sunday, when they wrap up a three-game homestand that could give them another boost in the standings.
Tough test: Another pivotal homestand is coming for one of the sleeper teams in the West, the Calgary Flames. The Flames, two points behind the Ducks in the Pacific, host their division foes on Tuesday, marking the third game of a five-game homestand that also features games against the Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils.
Tough test II: The Kings' mettle will again be tested, as the defending champs lost defenseman Alec Martinez to a hand injury last week. Although veteran Robyn Regehr returned on Saturday against Anaheim, expect the Kings' defense, also without the suspended Slava Voynov, to rely on Drew Doughty even more heavily than usual.