NHL Northwest Division: Each Team's MVP Through October

With the first month of the 2011-12 NHL season out of the way, several players have made cases for themselves in the MVP race. Sure it is early, but it is never too early to speculate. In the Northwest Division, some teams have a standout MVP while others are missing a spark to help them win games.

With surprising starts from Edmonton and Colorado, the Northwest Division standings are different than what most expected them to be so early in the season. Again, it is only one month into the season, but a hot start can pay dividends if a playoff contending team is struggling down the stretch. These impact players will be key to their team's success in the division this season.

Calgary Flames: Rene Bourque

The Calgary Flames are not off to a good start through October, sitting in the basement of the Northwest Division at 4-4-1. After the late-season charge that saw the Flames barely miss the playoffs in 2010-11, their main issue is their offense. They have just 22 goals through nine games—24th in the league for goals scored.

One of the keys to the Flames' offensive success this season is the play of Rene Bourque. So far this season Bourque has been the Flames best player. Through the first month of the season he has five goals for five points and has a plus-one rating.

The key here is that Bourque is a positive player on a roster that is full of minuses. He has been able to put up offensive numbers while remaining defensively responsible. Now Bourque will need to contribute in the assists category as well for the Flames to have success throughout their lineup, but so far this season Bourque is the lone bright spot on an otherwise defunct Flames lineup.

Vancouver Canucks: The Sedins

This one is obvious. The early season MVP candidates for the Vancouver Canucks are Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The Sedins have identical numbers this season for the fourth-place team in the Northwest Division with four goals and nine assists each. Now, the success of the Sedins is expected for the Canucks, so there are some other candidates on the team.

Sami Salo and Chris Higgins have also been major contributors through the first month of the season. Higgins has provided secondary scoring with five goals and two assists through 11 games, and Salo has been a key replacement for Christian Ehrhoff on the power play with two of his three goals coming on the PP.

In order for the Canucks to be successful this season, the Sedins will need to keep their consistent play going, but the team will also rely heavily on secondary contributors like Higgins.

Minnesota Wild: Dany Heatley

So far this season, the Dany Heatley trade from the offseason with the San Jose Sharks appears to be paying off for the Minnesota Wild. Through 10 games this season Heatley leads the Wild with three goals and four assists for seven points and is averaging 22 minutes a game. 

The new-look Wild are struggling to get shots on goal and pucks in the net, but Heatley has managed to be successful in his role on the top line. Much of the success of the Wild that has them in third place in the always competitive Northwest Division should be placed upon the play of Heatley and fellow former San Jose Shark Devin Setoguchi. Heatley is easily the Wild's MVP through the first month of the 2011-12 campaign.

Colorado Avalanche: David Jones

The Colorado Avalanche's play through one month of this NHL season has them second in the Northwest Division and 7-4 through 11 games. One player has impacted the success of the Avs more than any other player—David Jones. 

Jones has eight points this season, including five goals for a young Avalanche team. One of the big statistics surrounding Jones's play this season is his shooting percentage. He is scoring on 23.8 percent of his shots this season and is among the best in that category through October. If Jones is able to remain consistent this season the Avs could be a force to be reckoned with come the stretch run this season.

Edmonton Oilers: Nikolai Khabibulin

The Edmonton Oilers have surprised everyone this season and are in first place in the Northwest Division following the first month of the season. One of the main aspects of concern surrounding the Oilers coming into the 2011-12 season was the lack of confidence in goal. After October those doubts are gone.

Nikolai Khabibulin was 5-0-2 in October and at 38 years of age, the veteran goaltender has a league-best .960 save percentage and 1.12 GAA. In total, Khabibulin has allowed just eight goals in seven games. 

The Oilers have also benefited from the play of their youth. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle have played well, but if Khabibulin was not performing to the standard that he is, the young Oilers forwards and their average defensive unit would not be in first place in the division. Khabibulin is easily the Oilers MVP through October.