Surging NHL Players Most Likely to Stay Hot in 2016-17

The NHL season is well underway and teams are beginning to separate a little in the standings. Fans have been entertained with a huge group of impact rookies, and a few sophomores have gone off as expected—one of whom is leading the league in scoring.

The standings and scoring races are settling in with most of the usual suspects falling into expected areas of their divisions. There are a few surprises in each conference, and the scoring lists have some surging talent. Some of those players have spiked recently, gaining the attention of NHL fans across North America.

Paring down a list of NHL stars to just six means a lot of high quality doesn't make the list. Among forwards, Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues and Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers are just outside. Defensemen who didn't make it—but earned consideration—include Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Kevin Shattenkirk of the St. Louis Blues. Goalies who deserve mention are Devan Dubnyk of the Minnesota Wild and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Here is a look at the surging All-Star team—three forwards, two defenders and a goalie—along with several honorable mentions.

Note: Players were chosen based on a variety of statistics, including points, points per 60 minutes at even strength, won-loss record and even-strength save percentage.

Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press

2016-17 Season Stats: 30 games, 12 goals and 38 points, first in NHL scoring. He projects to finish with 107 points for the Edmonton Oilers on his current pace.

His Recent Surge: McDavid has been on fire since the season began. In October, he posted 12 points in nine games, followed it up with 19 points in 15 November games and has seven points in five games during December so far. His ability to deliver consistent brilliance is his calling card, and fans are seldom disappointed with his effort and execution.

Can He Keep It Up? McDavid was injured in early November last year, so we haven't seen the young center over a complete 82-game schedule. Based on all available evidence, he should be able to keep up this incredible pace, and it seems his determination and quality of performances increases as the year goes on. Currently, he is on pace to win at least one major award—the Art Ross Trophy as leading scorer—and he may add more hardware if he keeps scoring at this pace. 

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

2016-17 Season Stats: 21 games, 18 goals and 29 points, third in NHL scoring. Crosby is on pace to score 65 goals this year for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

His Recent Surge: Crosby got a late start to the season due to injury but has been the most prolific scorer in the league in recent weeks. According to Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com, he leads the entire NHL in points per 60 with teams playing with five skaters each.

Can He Keep It Up? The Penguins ran three scoring lines beginning last season, allowing Crosby to attack weaker opponents, especially at home. He is finding the net more often, with an almost 25 percent shooting rate this year. That is unlikely to continue, but if Pittsburgh can get Crosby some clean air in terms of opposition, he will continue to fill the net.

David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

2016-17 Season Stats: 23 games, 18 goals and 24 points, tied for No. 18 in NHL scoring. He is on a trajectory that would have him score 60 goals for the Boston Bruins.

His Recent Surge: Pastrnak has been on fire since the season began, posting five goals in seven games to begin the year. He scored eight goals in 11 November games and has scored five goals in five December contests.

Can He Keep It Up? This is a breathtaking pace, and 60 goals in today's NHL is an extreme rarity. That said, Pastrnak is clearly stepping into a new plateau as a player, and we don't know yet how good he is offensively. Suffice to say the Boston Bruins have an outstanding young player who is going super nova as we speak.

Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

2016-17 Season Stats: 27 games, 7 goals and 27 points, he leads NHL defensemen in points. If he continues at his current scoring rate, Karlsson will finish the year at 82 points.

His Recent Surge: Karlsson began the year on a point-per-game clip but in December has delivered eight points in four games—and has impacted results in a big way. An interesting side note: Despite scoring, and winning, his possession numbers at even strength have been below 50 percent. Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com has the details.

Can He Keep It Up? He is the most consistent offensive defenseman in the game, and counting on more offense from Karlsson is a sure bet. The Senators are surprising contenders this season, and the captain's production has been a big part of it. Ottawa may be preparing for a surprising playoff run, with Karlsson, one of the game's best players, as the centerpiece.

Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

2016-17 Season Stats: 27 games, 12 goals and 24 points, he ranks No. 2 among NHL defensemen in scoring. If he continues at this rate, he will end up with 35 goals and 73 points.

His Recent Surge: Burns had a strong October, posting three goals and 10 points in nine games. November saw a dip in production, but he has two goals in two December games so far.

Can He Keep It Up? As an offensive player, Burns is unusual in that he appears to be peaking after age 30. Players who buck the trend are difficult to predict, but there is no physical reason to doubt sustain at this time. Burns is a big part of the San Jose attack, and as long as that remains the case, expect big numbers.

Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

2016-17 Season Stats: 19 games, 15 wins, and he is tied for No. 1 in even-strength save percentage.

His Recent Surge: Price started the year with a .954 save percentage in five October games and then held that level in November, going .944 in 11 games.

Can He Keep It Up? Carey Price might be the biggest difference-maker in the entire NHL. The Montreal Canadiens are a different team without him. As long as he is healthy—that is the only real question—Carey Price is going to be the biggest impact player in the game.