This article is part of our Neutral Zone Wrap series.
The All-Star weekend has concluded, and by most accounts it was a great success. The new format of the feature event may have improved viewer attention, but it seemed like something was missing... until they let Tyler Seguin unintentionally spice up the in-game commentary. Damn Canadians and their filthy language. Oops, sorry about that.
Regular action will be returning Tuesday, and that means getting ready for the second half. If you're fighting to move up the standings, make sure you've got a plan. If you're in a favorable position, don't sit back and count your winnings early. And if you've lost all hope, then you can probably stop reading now.
May we present the next batch of team reviews, featuring a couple clubs turning around their seasons, with the rest hoping for better fortunes on the horizon. As a bonus, if you make it through all five, there's a surprise at the end!
An Anaheim wave rises above the coastline as the rest of the league shudders in fear. The combo of Ryan Kesler (11 points and 35 shots on goal in his last 11 games) and Jakob Silfverberg (11 in eight with 32 shots) look to be unstoppable. Things never quite worked out in Pittsburgh for David Perron, but the initial California returns (five points in his first four) project well. Cam Fowler (missed 14 with knee sprain) should be back on the ice this week, bumping Shea Theodore (six in six, including two power-play goals) down a
The All-Star weekend has concluded, and by most accounts it was a great success. The new format of the feature event may have improved viewer attention, but it seemed like something was missing... until they let Tyler Seguin unintentionally spice up the in-game commentary. Damn Canadians and their filthy language. Oops, sorry about that.
Regular action will be returning Tuesday, and that means getting ready for the second half. If you're fighting to move up the standings, make sure you've got a plan. If you're in a favorable position, don't sit back and count your winnings early. And if you've lost all hope, then you can probably stop reading now.
May we present the next batch of team reviews, featuring a couple clubs turning around their seasons, with the rest hoping for better fortunes on the horizon. As a bonus, if you make it through all five, there's a surprise at the end!
An Anaheim wave rises above the coastline as the rest of the league shudders in fear. The combo of Ryan Kesler (11 points and 35 shots on goal in his last 11 games) and Jakob Silfverberg (11 in eight with 32 shots) look to be unstoppable. Things never quite worked out in Pittsburgh for David Perron, but the initial California returns (five points in his first four) project well. Cam Fowler (missed 14 with knee sprain) should be back on the ice this week, bumping Shea Theodore (six in six, including two power-play goals) down a notch (assuming he gets the return call-up). If John Gibson (1.93 GAA, .921 save mark, two shutouts in 12) can keep this going, Frederik Andersen (only five appearances since Dec. 21) will be as memorable as a certain breakfast pastry.
After soaring high, the Flyers have been cut down to size. Neither Sam Gagner (two pointless efforts and a scratch since a brief AHL stint) nor Scott Laughton (nothing in seven, averaging just over nine minutes) could be mistaken for a decent fantasy center. He's been provided many top-six opportunities, but Michael Raffl (only 12 in 47) seems to be regressing. Let's give Jordan Weal (69 points last year in the Kings' system) a chance to show what he can do. Michael Del Zotto has fallen out of favor with the crowd (one in seven, negligible power-play time the last six). Even though he wasn't active recently, Michal Neuvirth (tweaked something in practice Monday) will now cede the starts to Steve Mason (2.66, .918 the last two months).
Detroit's forward contingent looks daunting, but a few of them are underperforming. Last season's goal leader, Tomas Tatar (29 goals last year, but just three tallies in his last 18), has been facing a lot of competition for minutes. With the glut down the middle, Brad Richards (three in 13, but a power-play goal in the last one) has been moved to the wing. Gustav Nyquist (three in 10, only 13 shots) has wandered throughout the lineup and nothing has helped. Darren Helm (four in 14) is picking up added duty (including a taste of the man advantage), but it's not working. Without blue-line leader Niklas Kronwall (knee surgery, return unknown), Mike Green (four assists in six, three of them on the power play) has returned to his quarterback role while Kyle Quincey (gradually increasing minutes since missing 35 after an ankle operation) has the chance to earn a boost.
With only five wins in 12 January games, the Blues must forget the past and move on. Paul Stastny (10 in 12) remains one of the NHL's most underrated stars. Jori Lehtera (eight in 18) tries to contribute to his linemates' success, but it's tough to include him in your regular rotation. Robby Fabbri is starting to fade (zero in three after five in six), but the 20-year-old will be pushing to excel. When will you finally show your true talents, Patrik Berglund (six in 12, but scoreless in four)? With no one on defense impressing on offense, it's time to give journeyman Andre Benoit (an AHL All-Star with 26 in 40) another crack. And since Jake Allen (knee, week-to-week) has been sidelined, Brian Elliott (1.98, .940 in nine) has shouldered the load in impressive fashion.
Times have been tough in the nation's capital, but the outlook appears slightly more promising. This optimism in Ottawa comes from the news that Kyle Turris (ankle) is expected back sometime this week. Last year's twin revelations of Mark Stone (nothing in eight with a matching minus-8) and Mike Hoffman (four in 10, but 37 shots) have fallen off the mark. For all the effort that allowed Jean-Gabriel Pageau more work (not just a shorthanded fixture anymore), the resulting stats (three in 16) show it's mainly been wasted. Curtis Lazar was never a lights-out scorer in junior (peaked at 76 in 2013-14), so maybe we shouldn't be shocked about his pro output (26 in 112). Craig Anderson is dominating the starts (28 of the last 34), but has struggled enough of late (3.23, .895 in 10) to warrant a possible burger revival.
Key Matchups
As a new feature in this column (future status pending), here are some intriguing matchups to watch this week:
Tuesday: Florida at Washington. The top two in the East square off in D.C. Can the Cats maintain their success or will they be left licking their wounds?
Wednesday: Detroit at Tampa Bay. Division rivals on hot streaks in a rematch of last year's opening-playoff-round classic. You can feel the tension.
Saturday: Chicago at Dallas. Once the alpha squad, the Stars have fallen back to the pack. The Blackhawks have taken over that honor, but will need a complete effort to win in Big D.
Monday: Anaheim at Pittsburgh. As mentioned earlier, the Ducks have regained their mojo. The Pens may be inconsistent, but we hear they have two really good forwards to counteract the hot Flying V attack.
