1 Thing Every NHL Team Should Be Thankful for in 2015-16
What are you thankful for in this NHL season? Is it the return of Jaromir Jagr's mullet? That might be at the top of many people's lists for one thing every NHL team should be thankful for in 2015-16, but there are plenty of other people or traits that belong in the conversation.
With one-quarter of the season in the books and the critical juncture of American Thanksgiving upon us—there's an earlier one up in Canada as well, so I can't just go around referring to American celebration as the Thanksgiving, can I?—we take a look at one reason for every NHL team to give thanks this season.
It could be a player, coach, unexpected playoff spot or some other intangible asset that has helped a team find a silver lining even when living life in a black cloud.
Of course, for some teams, everything is going right at the moment.
Click ahead to see what your team has to be thankful for. Then go sit in front of a huge turkey dinner and watch some sports while reading more Bleacher Report articles or slideshows. You can wear your fat pants.
Anaheim Ducks: The Season Is Young
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A popular pick to win the Stanley Cup this season, the Anaheim Ducks currently find themselves outside the playoff picture entirely with just 20 points through 22 games—that's just five ahead of the Western Conference cellar-dwelling Edmonton Oilers.
But there are three-quarters remaining in the NHL season, and the Ducks have the talent to rebound. The Ducks have already made strides after starting 1-7-2 this year, collecting 16 points over their last 12 games.
Sniper Corey Perry and captain Ryan Getzlaf started slowly but are heating up now. Getzlaf had a five-assist effort on Tuesday night and has boosted his total to 14 points in 18 games, with 13 coming in his last 10 games. Perry has seven goals and 14 points in his past 14 outings.
Things are looking up.
Arizona Coyotes: Some Youthful Exuberance
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The Arizona Coyotes have in the recent past been living and dying by Shane Doan's ability to put up points and the strong defensive system implemented by head coach Dave Tippett, not to mention reliable goaltending when needed.
Now, the team is propelled by the energy and excitement of kids like rookies Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, who have helped the Coyotes get off to an unexpected 10-9-1 start that has featured a handful of highlight-reel goals we're not used to seeing from them.
The result is a team challenging for a playoff spot in spite of subpar goalie play from Mike Smith.
Boston Bruins: A Healthy Zdeno Chara
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Captain Zdeno Chara missed 19 games last year and never seemed to be fully healthy. The Boston Bruins missed the playoffs and decided to make massive changes in the offseason.
But without a healthy Chara on the blue line, there is no way a rebound would be possible.
Thankfully, the lumbering defenseman has been his usual dangerous self at both ends of the ice. He's leading the team in ice time per game with an average of 24 minutes and 39 seconds, and he has 11 points through 18 games so far.
Chara is also plus-six on the year after finishing even last season—snapping a streak of seven straight seasons with double-digit plus ratings.
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Buffalo Sabres: A Brighter Future
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There's no doubt the Buffalo Sabres are a better team than they were a year ago. Improvements have been made up and down the lineup with the addition of a top center in Ryan O'Reilly and power winger Evander Kane—when he is healthy.
Second overall draft pick Jack Eichel has shown signs of being a great player, as has his draft predecessor Sam Reinhart.
It's just going to take some time for the team to get it all together. So here's to a brighter future in Buffalo. Just be patient during the growing pains.
Calgary Flames: The Johnny Gaudreau Gamble
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Dougie Hamilton might be a bust and the Calgary Flames as a franchise are certainly disappointing this season, but the one person who is leading the way in terms of optimism is Johnny Gaudreau, who has avoided the so-called sophomore slump in a big way.
The diminutive Gaudreau (5'9", 157 lbs) was a gamble even as a fourth-round draft pick in 2011 but has turned out to be a total steal. He'd be a first-rounder if redrafted today.
His puck skills are off the charts, and Flames fans will enjoy watching plays like this incredible deke for a recent overtime winner against Chicago for a very long time.
He's got five goals and 20 points in 22 games this season.
Carolina Hurricanes: Justin Faulk
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The Carolina Hurricanes may be in danger of losing captain Eric Staal, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but their best player is locked up until 2020.
That would be defenseman Justin Faulk. Faulk is buried in a small market, but those who get to watch him play regularly see a stellar power-play quarterback and minute-muncher who may be one of the most underrated top defenders out there.
He'd be a media darling in another market.
Faulk has the most power-play goals in the league with eight while leading the Hurricanes in goals and points through 21 games (8-8-16). His ice time of 25:11 per game ranks in the top 10 in the league, and his 73 shots on goal are 12th-most in the NHL so far.
Chicago Blackhawks: Things Worked out for Patrick Kane
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Because of the uncertainty surrounding Patrick Kane's off-ice legal troubles that followed him around throughout the preseason and early in the regular season, there was equal anxiety about how the allegations would affect him on the ice.
Thankfully for Kane, his family and Chicago Blackhawks fans, it all worked out and no charges were filed.
As for his play on the ice, Kane has been MVP-worthy, leads the league in points with 32 through 21 games and is currently on a 16-game point streak (with 10 goals and 26 points in that span). The Blackhawks and the entire NHL would have suffered if things had gone the other way legally.
Colorado Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon Is No Longer a Sophomore
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The sophomore slump hit Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon last season after a strong rookie season in which he netted 24 goals and 63 points to run away with the Calder Trophy.
Injury played a role, but his second year featured a significant dip in goals (14) and points (38) in 64 games played.
He's back on track this year with a point-per-game pace that has the 20-year-old tied for 11th in NHL scoring at the moment. He has nine goals and 21 points through 21 games and leads the league with four game-winners.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Coach John Tortorella
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Whether the changes are just the result of the firing of the previous coach or the hiring of the new one, the Columbus Blue Jackets are headed in the right direction this season after a horrendous 0-7 start under Todd Richards—which led to his release from duty.
John Tortorella has the team playing better, if not a little more boringly. He's gone 8-7 as head coach there, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky sure seems to enjoy the change in play, as he once again looks like a strong NHL netminder after struggling out of the gate under Richards.
Again, the change—regardless of whom the new coach is—may have been inevitable. But Tortorella is who was brought in, so the team and fans can thank him this Turkey Day and wait to see if he's roasted by the next.
Dallas Stars: The Emergence of John Klingberg
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Say what you want about how impressive Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are as an offensive duo—and they are incredibly imposing again this season with 63 points between them through the first 22 games.
But it's defenseman John Klingberg—who isn't far behind his fiery forwards with four goals and 24 points through the same number of contests—who has made the Dallas Stars defense an asset rather than a liability.
Klingberg is the first Stars defender of the cornerstone variety since Sergei Zubov. With the goaltending platoon working out between Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi, and the forward ranks full of talent and scoring potential, the defense was looking like the only potential weak link.
Klingberg is looking like the early Norris Trophy favorite, and the rest of the group is buoyed by his leadership on the ice.
Detroit Red Wings: The Health of Henrik Zetterberg
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Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg is no spring chicken at age 35.
While the team has plenty of young players looking capable of taking over when he inevitably can't handle the responsibility of carrying the offense, the longer he and Pavel Datsyuk can be top scorers, the better for the Wings' hope of another Stanley Cup.
Datsyuk is only recently back with the team after missing the first month of the season with injury, but thanks to Zetterberg playing well and remaining healthy, the team is in a playoff position.
The captain leads the team and has helped propel rookie Dylan Larkin into the Rookie of the Year race. Zetterberg leads the team with 18 points in 21 games, and many of his 14 assists have gone to Larkin—who has eight goals and 15 points so far.
Edmonton Oilers: That Other 1st Overall Pick
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Just when things appeared to be turning a corner in Edmonton, the Oilers lost the top pick of the 2015 NHL draft to injury when Connor McDavid hit the boards hard and broke his clavicle, leading to surgery.
But the team's top pick of the 2010 draft is healthy and having an outstanding start to his season. Taylor Hall has nine goals and 24 points through 21 games to sit fourth in league scoring. His 15 assists are tied for eighth-best in the NHL, his 91 shots rank third and his plus-11 rating is a top-10 mark—that might be his most impressive stat.
Hall has severely cut down on his defensive mistakes, and his awareness and focus in his own end have made him one of the league's best forwards rather than just one of its most talented.
Florida Panthers: Jaromir Jagr's Commitment
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At 43, Jaromir Jagr of 2015 is looking a whole lot like Jaromir Jagr of 2007.
That happens to be the last time the longtime NHL veteran managed to score at a point-per-game pace. This year, he's thrilling fans in Florida with eight goals and 17 points in the first 19 games.
He committed to the Panthers this season because he liked what he saw in a trial run in the second half of last year after a trade brought him to the rebuilding club.
So far, he has helped the team live up to its potential to take another step toward making the playoffs—the Panthers are just three points out in a tight race for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Los Angeles Kings: Jeff Carter's Scoring Touch
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The last time Jeff Carter led a team in scoring, he was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers and the year was 2009.
But the 30-year-old is pacing the Los Angeles Kings so far this season with nine goals and 20 points through the first 21 games and has been the team's top center on a line with Tyler Toffoli and Milan Lucic.
When head coach Darryl Sutter's bingo balls landed on that combination, the Kings' fortunes started to turn around after a dismal start to the season. Carter's production has helped the Kings get into what's looking like a two-horse race with the San Jose Sharks for the Pacific Division title.
Minnesota Wild: A Fresh Ryan Suter
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Apparently, a fresh Ryan Suter is a fantastic Ryan Suter.
The Minnesota Wild defenseman has reportedly been seeing his minutes monitored closely—per the Star Tribune's Michael Russo—and the result has been an impressive offensive outburst by the 30-year-old.
Suter leads the Wild with 19 points in 19 games and has the sixth-most assists (16) in the league. Eight of his points have come on the man advantage.
He's still averaging a league-leading 27:39 in ice time, but it's significantly less than the 29-plus minutes a night he logged over the past two seasons.
Montreal Canadiens: They Are More Than Carey Price
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Last year, the Montreal Canadiens were playoff-bound only because of goaltender Carey Price's heroics. As a result, Price won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player to his team. Price had very little offensive support, and the numbers led to a landslide in the Hart voting.
This season, not only has the team upped its offensive prowess—actually leading the NHL in goals per game with an average of 3.55—but it also discovered when Price was hurt that backup goaltender Mike Condon could fill in admirably as a replacement for Price.
At least as a temporary option.
Condon went 7-2-2 recently while Price was out with injury. Not bad for a kid who went undrafted out of Princeton University and wasn't expected to beat out Dustin Tokarski for the backup role in training camp.
Nashville Predators: An Abundance of Riches on Defense
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The Nashville Predators are in the bottom third of NHL scoring as a team. Their goaltending has been average for the most part, and their special teams performance has been substandard as well.
But the Preds are 11-6-3 and in a wild-card spot this week thanks in part to an embarrassment of riches on the blue line.
There may not be a better top four in the entire league with Roman Josi proving that last year's 55-point breakout was no fluke, Shea Weber still being a force with six goals through 20 games, Seth Jones on pace for 40 or more points and Ryan Ellis just off that same mark.
Even their fifth-best defender offensively—Mattias Ekholm—is on pace for more than 30 points.
Throw veteran Barret Jackman in there as the sixth man, and we're talking about one seriously well-rounded and scary group of defensemen.
New Jersey Devils: Adam Henrique Is Finding His Groove
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Michael Cammalleri is doing what the former 39-goal scorer was expected to do when signed by the New Jersey Devils as an unrestricted free agent prior to last season. He's scoring big goals and producing at a point-per-game pace.
He's also helping former rookie standout Adam Henrique find his way as a top center in the NHL.
The latter might be even more important than Cammalleri's production this year because the Devils may not be ready to truly challenge for the Stanley Cup for another couple of years. That makes Henrique, the 25-year-old fifth-year player, a pivotal player for the future.
Henrique is on pace for his best showing so far—about 60 points and 30-plus goals.
New York Islanders: John Tavares
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It's hard to really appreciate anything else in New York when the Islanders have such a treasure in John Tavares.
Sure, there is plenty of talent across the roster. Kyle Okposo is having a strong season so far. Brock Nelson and Frans Nielsen are also having nice starts.
But no one brings a crowd to its feet the way the captain can. Tavares has 10 goals and 19 points through 18 games so far and is among the best forwards in the league in talent and effort. Not all teams have a player of his caliber, and New Yorkers should be thankful they get to watch the 25-year-old in his prime.
New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist
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The New York Rangers are running away with the Metropolitan Division title race. They are neck and neck with the impressive Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars for the Presidents' Trophy at the moment as well.
They have the league's best goals-against average by a wide margin despite allowing the fourth-most shots against per game.
The reason for most of their success is The King. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist leads the league with a 1.74 GAA and insane .946 save percentage. He leads the NHL with 12 wins and is, to a slightly lesser degree, doing for the Rangers this year what Carey Price did for the Montreal Canadiens last season.
And we all know how that turned out for the Habs netminder.
Ottawa Senators: Bobby Ryan's Breakthrough
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Bobby Ryan has been a bit of a bummer in Ottawa over the past two seasons. He hasn't come close to reaching the 30-goal mark with the Senators the way he did annually with the Anaheim Ducks. He also hasn't cracked the 60-point plateau in Canada's capital.
But he seems to have turned a corner with the Sens through the first quarter this year, and fans should be thankful for the breakthrough.
The 28-year-old is on track for right around 30 goals and is playing at nearly a point-per-game pace with eight goals and 20 points in 21 games.
He's finally living up to his massive seven-year deal worth almost $51 million. His $7.25 million cap hit puts him in the same ballpark as Steven Stamkos, Vladimir Tarasenko, Pavel Datsyuk and Zach Parise.
Philadelphia Flyers: The Play of Michal Neuvirth
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Goaltending is a four-letter word in Philadelphia, where the Flyers have long struggled between the pipes.
Steve Mason appeared to be the answer to that problem, but he's been hot and cold between the pipes this year. Backup Michal Neuvirth's numbers are much more impressive in slightly more limited action. It seems like just a matter of time before head coach Dave Hakstol starts rolling Neuvirth out more often than Mason.
Mason has a .902 save percentage and 3.08 GAA. Neuvirth has a .939 save percentage and 2.07 GAA. Considering the Flyers have been seeking a strong starter for what seems like forever, they should be thankful that one of the two is playing as if he can be just that.
Pittsburgh Penguins: The Chemistry Between Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin
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So the Phil Kessel-Sidney Crosby connection hasn't worked out as planned.
At least Evgeni Malkin seems to be enjoying the perks of having a potential 50-goal scorer on his flank.
Malkin and Kessel have discovered some chemistry as linemates, and that bodes well for Kessel's future this season after a rough start alongside the Pittsburgh Penguins captain. True, Kessel is on pace for fewer than 30 goals at the moment, but that includes time wasted with Crosby.
If Malkin and Kessel continue to move forward with some magic between them, that total can project skyward very quickly.
San Jose Sharks: Martin Jones Is Working out
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It's interesting that a former Los Angeles Kings backup goaltender is helping the San Jose Sharks contend for the Pacific Division title with that same team.
When the Kings parted ways with Martin Jones, it was in a deal to the Boston Bruins. But the Bruins flipped Jones to the Kings' division rivals for a first-round draft pick, and things have been right as rain in Northern California ever since.
Jones has the most shutouts (three) in the league, is tied for third with 11 wins, ranks fourth with a 2.02 GAA and is seventh with a .929 save percentage.
Truthfully, given the performances of fellow former Kings backups Ben Scrivens and Jonathan Bernier, the Jones acquisition was no sure thing, so the Sharks should be thankful it has worked out so well so far.
St. Louis Blues: Vladimir Tarasenko's Motivation
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When Vladimir Tarasenko signed a long-term, big-money contract with the St. Louis Blues over the summer, some wondered whether the 23-year-old may find himself lacking in the motivation department.
The opposite seems to be true. The Blues winger seems to be motivated to prove worthy of the $7.5 million annual cap hit.
Tarasenko is second in the NHL with 13 goals and sits tied for eighth in the league with 22 points in 21 games. He could hit 50 goals in his fourth season.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Some Solid Goaltending
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With Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy, the Tampa Bay Lightning have one of the best duos in goal in the NHL this season, second only to the New York Rangers tandem of Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta.
Bishop has a .925 save percentage and 2.06 goals-against average. Vasilevskiy has a .929 save percentage and 2.03 GAA in his four starts since returning from a blood clot.
It's a good thing they're doing so well as the Lightning find themselves among the bottom third in league scoring. The goalies have kept them in the thick of the wild-card hunt in the Eastern Conference in spite of the sniping struggles from The Triplets and Co.
Toronto Maple Leafs: There Are Signs of Life
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After an ugly and somewhat expected 1-7-2 start, the Toronto Maple Leafs have improved over the past few weeks with a 6-3-2 response in their past dozen contests and climbed out of the Eastern Conference cellar as a result.
It may be that the teachings of new head coach Mike Babcock are starting to take effect. No one expected the Leafs to amount to much this season, so anything outside of a lottery pick in the next draft would be a bonus.
For those hopeful the Leafs can build toward a championship in the next decade, be thankful there is at least a pulse at this point so early in Babcock's tenure.
Vancouver Canucks: A Good Offense
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The Vancouver Canucks aren't much for keeping pucks out of their own net, so it's a good thing they're fairly good at putting them into the opposition's.
Ryan Miller has had a heavy workload this season, and his numbers are dropping as time goes on. He's now at a .911 (as in, call 911) save percentage after losing six out of his last seven games and allowing at least three goals against in each of them.
On a positive note, the Canucks—led, as usual, by Henrik and Daniel Sedin—have the league's eighth-best offense at 2.86 goals per game. The trick is getting that average and more on the same night Miller avoids letting three or more past him.
Washington Capitals: A Dynamic 1-2 Punch at Center
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On top of the discovery goalie Braden Holtby can be a reliable if not elite starter, and that Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom can form one of the top duos in the NHL, the Washington Capitals now know that Evgeny Kuznetsov gives them one of the league's best one-two punches at center ice as well.
He filled in for Backstrom on the top line with Ovechkin when Backstrom started the season on injured reserve and hasn't relinquished the spot since he's done nothing but put up major points in that position.
Kuznetsov has a team-leading 21 points through 20 games this season. Backstrom has put up 16 in his 17 games, giving the Caps two wickedly impossible to defend forward lines.
Winnipeg Jets: Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little and Their Contracts
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Blake Wheeler has eight goals and 22 points for the Winnipeg Jets through the first 22 games this season. Linemate Bryan Little has nine goals and 18 points so far.
Wheeler's numbers have him ranked seventh in league scoring. Little is 31st but ranks first with a pair of short-handed markers already.
Together, they are costing the Jets $10.3 million this season—just a fraction over what just one of Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews will collect.
Can you say bargains? The best part is Wheeler is locked up for another three seasons after this one and Little for another two.
All stats via NHL.com unless otherwise noted. Contracts courtesy of GeneralFanager.com.
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