NHL Power Rankings: What Teams Are Already In Midseason Form?
NHL teams are quickly approaching the 10-game mark, a time to evaluate progress and what must be done for teams to reach playoff form.
A hockey season is long and grueling, but an upside to this is it gives teams ample time to test lines, allow injuries to heal without forcing a player to "take one for the team" and build overall chemistry. The first 10 games of every hockey season becomes the guinea pig of the rest of the season.
However for some teams this testing period is skipped. Some teams have reached their midseason strides already while some are still looking to find their feet.
Keep in mind, I'm looking at teams who are, at this time, hot or very close to it and aren't showcasing any huge issues that must be addressed.
Following are the teams that have already reached their midseason form.:
Laura Falcon is a Featured Columnist for the Pittsburgh Penguins and a college writing intern for Bleacher Report. Follow her on Twitter or email her at lfalcon@mail.umw.edu with any comments.
Honorable Mentions
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Toronto Maple Leafs: They started off hot, shooting to the top of the NHL within the first week, but have since cooled off a little more than fans would like. If the Leafs can amp up their defense, specifically from captain Dion Phaneuf, then they should be able to warm up again.
On the scoring front, though they're doing well for now, I'm not sure how long Phil Kessel and Clarke MacArthur will be able to hold the team. The power play could use a boost after its strong start as well.
Chicago Blackhawks: Chicago would be on the list, but they haven't reached their full potential yet because they can be even better.
Many thought Chicago would drop in skill after sending so many players from the Stanley Cup winning team away, but they still have it and then some. Marian Hossa went on a scoring clinic and Patrick Sharp isn't too far behind him, but it's time for the rest of the star forwards to catch up.
Detroit Red Wings: The Wings can't be too upset with the start of their season by simply looking at the stats. They sit second in the Central Division and the typical Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are leading the offense with Nick Lidstrom doing his job on defense.
But there's something missing from the team despite their solid record and that's some work ethic. The power play has been suffering as have some individual players
Dallas Stars: The Stars have started well but some issues on special teams and overall execution keep them off the list. Their penalty kill hasn't been too bad overall, but their power play is a big question mark.
Most importantly, the Stars need to generate more offense. Only five players have scored two or more goals and this could hurt them as the season progresses. Defensively, however, goalie Kari Lehtonen has been a star (no pun intended) in net and has provided the team with wins even against more skilled teams.
Los Angeles Kings
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Looking at the roster, there are some players who have really stepped up their game for the Kings, but none compare to what Jonathan Quick has done for the team to get their season started on a positive note.
His numbers are looking good so far and with a backup like Jonathan Bernier, Kings fans have little to be worried about when the puck comes near the crease. The Kings are lucky to have such young talent in net because two young netminders can be a cause for concern, especially if that youth comes with inexperience.
Captain Dustin Brown is paving the way with four goals and six points in seven games, tied with Ryan Smyth, Justin Williams and Anze Kopitar. After his hot start last season, it will be interesting to see if Kopitar can turn up the turbo in similar fashion, but I think the offensive story of the season so far goes to Brown. This player is like Jarome Iginla: he can score, he can hit and his leadership surpasses that of many young captains in the NHL.
The addition of Willie Mitchell was a strong move on GM Dean Lombardi's part. A veteran defenseman who is returning to the game after receiving a concussion in January, Willie Mitchell provides a calming presence on the blue line which will ease the pressure from Drew Doughty who has had a less than stellar start to his season as a repeat Norris candidate.
Another notable is Justin Williams who has started his season off strong after breaking his leg just before the New Year. He missed 28 games and never quite caught his game upon returning. With the pressure of improvement on his shoulders, Williams claims an admirable two goals and six points in seven games.
He could quickly become an important secondary scorer for the team.
The Kings have had some good and some not-so-good games, but their season is certainly off to a good start.
Tampa Bay Lightning
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Alert the rest of the hockey world. Steven Stamkos is the real deal.
There were some doubts about whether Stamkos could deliver an encore season after he took off in his sophomore year to win the Rocket Richard. The doubters have been silenced.
Stamkos has the most raw talent of any player in the NHL. He was built and polished to score goals and may quickly dethrone Capitals captain and star Alex Ovechkin as the most lethal sniper if he continues at this pace. Speaking of captains, I expect Stamkos to take the "C" from current captain Vinny Lecavalier in a matter of seasons, if not sooner.
This is what happens when you train with Gary Roberts.
Since taking the job of GM, Steve Yzerman has taken on the daunting task of rebuilding what was once a successful Lightning team and so far, he has made the right moves.
Former Nashville Predator Dan Ellis could become a very solid backup, though starter Mike Smith has been hot, going undefeated since the start of the season. If Simon Gagne can get going, he could be a legitimate 20-goal scorer again.
On the defensive front, sophomore sensation Victor Hedman looks to be off to a nice start as well. He leads the defense in scoring and logs the most ice time. That amount of faith placed in such a young player will quickly build confidence in the large defenseman.
Overall, the Lightning are off to a fantastic start that can only be cushioned as the younger players grow in their game and confidence. This team is a strong force to be reckoned with.
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St. Louis Blues
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The Blues took a gamble by trading for goalie Jaroslav Halak following his unreal run in the last season's playoffs, many analysts wondering if he would be able to mimic his clutch performance after cooling down over the summer.
The answer is unequivocally yes.
There is a very powerful force brewing in St. Louis and it is going all but unnoticed.
In front of a Halak is a very solid defense led by the young but monstrous Erik Johnson and veteran Eric Brewer. In short, they make life very easy for Halak by maintaining offensive pressure away from their goalie, allowing few scoring chances per game. Of course, Halak is more than capable of handling any offensive threats if they come his way.
And it doesn't get any easier as you move up to offense.
Dangler TJ Oshie looks to have his strongest season yet and he currently leads the Blues in scoring. Surrounding him is a crew of under-hyped players who can get the job done as well as anyone.
I was most impressed with the very close-checking style St. Louis has adopted that can make life hell for teams with talent up front. This is a style that causes plenty of frustration and, unless countered correctly, will totally clog up the center of the ice and take away chances in that area.
Thus, opposing players will be forced to play along the boards which can get unpleasant when facing a team that boasts the size St. Louis does.
Teams expecting last season's Blues should worry because this team will be making the playoffs with no problems if they can keep up the all-around solid play.
Pittsburgh Penguins
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It took a little warming up, but once this Penguins team starts rolling, it's hard to stop them.
Starting 1-3 may have been one of the best things that happened to the Pens at the beginning of the season. With talk about how stacked the lines would be at the start of the season despite Jordan Staal's injury, the team seemed to rest on those assumptions and not show up for the first few games.
Some poor showings were just what they needed to realize how much potential is wasted when they aren't working hard. The result has been a team that hasn't fought this hard since their run to the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals.
Usually slow starters, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been making magic since becoming each other's linemates while other forwards like Tyler Kennedy and Max Talbot have been making up for poor previous seasons. On defense, the addition of smooth skater Paul Martin has enhanced play from both Alex Goligoski and Kris Letang, players who also suffered from poor previous seasons.
With a strong showing from their rookie class, the Pens have become a workhorse team that depends equally on their offense as well as their defense. Among the top six scorers on the team, three are defensemen.
Most importantly, the power play woes look to be a thing of the past as some movement has finally given life to the Pen's power play.
Even after the many changes GM Ray Shero made to the roster, the Pens managed to turn on their chemistry like a switch and it has stayed on since the "rough patch's" end.
The best part about all of this is the Pens aren't even 100 percent healthy yet.
Nashville Predators
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The Predators are another team passing under the radar with flying colors.
There aren't many recognizable players on this team, but that gives more power to their work as a team rather than the individual. It shows clearly since the Predators are the only team in the NHL undefeated in regulation.
A nice mix of young and veteran talent provide some scoring, but this isn't a team that will blow the opposition out of the park. With the exception of one game, the Predators have won or lost by one goal and those losses have come consecutively in overtime.
On defense, newly captained Shea Weber has quickly turned into a smaller but quicker version of Boston's Zdeno Chara, with a cannon of a shot as well defensive smarts. During the power play, he's as deadly as they get on the point. On a defensive note, Francis Bouillon takes care of the shutdown roles as a typical stay-at-home defenseman who eats up plenty of minutes like Weber.
There's a nice tandem taking place in the crease with Pekka Rinne who is reaching his prime as well as rookie Anders Lindback. Both are enormous and have made strong starts while in net. Lindback should be able to take some games off of Rinne's back which, in turn, can only help the Preds in the long run.
The Preds were a bit of a disappointment in the playoffs last season, but this team seems to have bounced from it and are now providing a solid defense that can bite you with a quick counter attack, courtesy of some steady offensive as well as defensive players.
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