Where did the first quarter of the season go?
Well, it sure went by in a hurry, although it might have seemed like it lasted a hundred years for the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks.
So many highs, too many lows. Here's a look.
FIRST-QUARTER HIGHS
Dallas Stars: There is so much to like about the Stars, who not only lead the ultra-tough Central Division but are tied with the Montreal Canadiens atop the overall standings. They play an exciting, up-tempo style led by co-MVP candidates Tyler Seguin (11 goals, 19 assists) and Jamie Benn (14 goals, 15 assists), who are second and third in league scoring. But the Stars aren't a one-trick pony, as they rank second in goals scored per game (first in the Western Conference) and second on the power play, with great depth scoring from Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza and Cody Eakin. They have John Klingberg, who is going to get Norris Trophy consideration; his 23 points lead all defensemen in scoring and are tied for fifth in the league. And the biggest change is their defensive game. They are an impressive seventh in goals allowed per game -- a considerable improvement over last season, when they were 26th. They have cleaned up their game at home, where they are 8-2, thanks to a maturing blue line and the addition of two-time Stanley Cup winner Johnny Oduya. But if there was an award for the best goaltending coach in the league, it should go to Jeff Reese, who has helped veterans Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi form a solid 1 and 1A goaltending tandem. The two have basically split the starts down the middle and have both produced solid numbers. Lehtonen has a slight edge statistically at 9-1-0 while starting one less game than Niemi (8-3-0). Coach Lindy Ruff eventually will have to come up with a playoff plan for his goaltenders, but the fact we're assuming the Stars are playoff-bound after last season is an indication of just how much things have improved in Big D.
Canadiens, Rangers: The first quarter was the "Quarter of the Streak," with both the Canadiens and New York Rangers turning in epic stretches of quality play. The Canadiens established an NHL record with nine straight regulation wins to start the season, and instantly installed themselves as early Stanley Cup favorites. But hang on a minute. Even as the Canadiens continued their strong start in spite of an injury to goaltender Carey Price, the Rangers reeled off nine straight victories (one win short of the franchise record). The Rangers' streak reinforced the notion that while many believed the Blueshirts were due for a step back after advancing to at least the Eastern Conference finals in three of the past four seasons, they are a team built for the long haul. Perhaps most impressive about the Rangers' strong play was the return of diminutive forward Mats Zuccarello, who took a puck to the head on April 24 and was unable to speak for four days afterward. The popular forward now leads the team with 21 points. The twin streaks, coupled with poor starts by the Los Angeles Kings and Ducks and some up-and-down play by the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks suggest that the big trophy might be headed East after being taken home by Western Conference teams in five of the past six seasons.
Patrick Kane: Speaking of the Blackhawks, the clubhouse leader in the race for league scoring champ is Kane, who leads the league with 32 points and is a goal off the league lead with 13. Durability has been an issue for Kane, who has flirted with the league lead in past seasons but has played in just 61 and 69 games, respectively, the past two seasons. If he stays healthy, Kane could become the first American player to win the Art Ross Trophy and put himself in position to win his first Hart Trophy as league MVP. All of this, of course, comes against the backdrop of the criminal investigation into an alleged rape that took place at Kane's house in early August. Local authorities announced several weeks ago they will not proceed with criminal charges, although the NHL continues to investigate the matter to determine if league sanctions should be imposed. There is no timetable on when that investigation might be concluded, but it is all part of the narrative for what could be a record-breaking season for the three-time Stanley Cup champion and former rookie of the year (2008) and playoff MVP (2013).
FIRST-QUARTER LOWS
Injuries take a toll: The first quarter has seen a host of top-level players sidelined by injuries, some of which could significantly redraw the awards picture. Price's absence with a lower-body injury (he returned late last week) is going to make it difficult for him to repeat as Vezina Trophy winner, let alone league MVP. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, over the past 20 years the fewest number of appearances by a Vezina Trophy winner (in a non-lockout season) was 54 by Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins in 2008-09. Price has played 11 games and the Habs have 60 games left to play. Kevin Shattenkirk missed time but has jumped right back into the fray for the red-hot Blues and might yet assert himself in the Norris Trophy discussion. And two-time defenseman of the year Duncan Keith is just now back after missing a month with a knee injury. But the most notable of all injuries this quarter was the broken clavicle suffered by No. 1 draft pick Connor McDavid. The franchise center was just starting to get into a groove when he fell awkwardly into the boards against Philadelphia. It's hard to imagine McDavid, as good as he is, can get back in the hunt for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year after missing what will be months. The competition for that honor remains fast and furious, with Artemi Panarin of the Blackhawks turning heads and leading all rookies with 21 points in 21 games. Max Domi is helping lead an unlikely start for the Arizona Coyotes and is tied with Detroit's Dylan Larkin for the rookie goal-scoring lead with eight. St. Louis defenseman Colton Parayko also has been a revelation; he is second in average ice time per game among rookies and has collected 12 points, the most of any first-year defenseman. Not that we don't miss McDavid, but his injury hasn't left a complete void when it comes to superlative play by first-year players.
Anaheim Ducks: No team has been more confounding than the Ducks (7-10-4), who somehow rank 29th in goals scored per game and are tied for 24th on the power play. And I'm not saying that because I picked them to win the Stanley Cup. OK, maybe a little. But the Ducks have struggled to find their groove. Maybe it's too many new parts to integrate into the machinery, as general manager Bob Murray added Kevin Bieksa, Chris Stewart, Carl Hagelin, Anton Khudobin, Shawn Horcoff and Mike Santorelli to a lineup that came within one win of a berth in the Stanley Cup finals. Or maybe it was captain Ryan Getzlaf's wonky appendix. Or maybe the team just read too many reports that suggested this was going to be the Ducks' season. Murray has said that he's not interested in a coaching change, for which we applaud him. The good thing for the Ducks, of course, is they play in the tepid Pacific Division, where everyone seemingly has a shot at one of the three available playoff spots. Honorable mention for the "How the heck did that happen" award goes to fellow Pacific Division dweller Calgary, which has stumbled along with the NHL's worst goals-against average for most of the first quarter and has been as confusing defensively and in goal as the Ducks have been offensively.
Pittsburgh Penguins' scoring: So much is wrong with this picture. One quarter of the way through the season, Sidney Crosby is on pace for 13 goals. Remember all the talk about Phil Kessel and where he'd finish up this season? Forty goals? Fifty? More? The former Maple Leafs scorer is on pace for fewer than 30, even though he is, to his credit, tied for the team lead with seven goals. Which brings us to the Penguins as a whole. A team built to light it up has been a popgun outfit from the get-go and ranks 25th in goals per game and 23rd in power-play efficiency. Sometimes talented teams can't get it right on the power play. But when you can't get it right at even strength as well, then that's a problem, and it shines an uncomfortable light on second-year head coach Mike Johnston. What's interesting is the Penguins are a tough team to play against most nights. Marc-Andre Fleury has been the team's MVP with a .925 save percentage, and the team's penalty killing is sixth overall. The team is fifth in goals allowed per game, which suggests they're a playoff team, and if they could ever figure out the part about actually scoring goals, they could be a contender. Still, we've seen a strange, strange dynamic in Pittsburgh through the first quarter of this most curious of seasons.