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The NHL’s standard season has officially reached its initial 25 percent mark as of last Thursday. The Colorado team stands out, having secured nine consecutive victories, elevating their standing to 16 wins, 1 loss, and 5 ties, surpassing the remainder of the league by a margin of seven points. In contrast, within the remaining 31 teams, 25 are closely ranked, separated by a mere six points as they proceed into tonight’s matchups.
Presented below is an examination of emerging patterns across the league during this early phase:
The occurrence of injuries is notably prevalent.
Prominent players currently sidelined due to significant injuries encompass Auston Matthews from Toronto, Brady Tkachuk of Ottawa, Matthew Tkachuk along with Aleksander Barkov from Florida, Mark Stone coupled with William Karlsson of Vegas, Victor Hedman representing Tampa Bay, Jack Hughes of New Jersey, and Connor Hellebuyck, the goaltender for Winnipeg.
Matthews and Brady Tkachuk are anticipated to return in the approaching week — Tkachuk’s return marks his re-entry after an absence following the Senators’ initial three competitions, stemming from a thumb injury sustained on October 13 necessitating surgical intervention. Conversely, Barkov, the reigning Stanley Cup champion from the Panthers, will likely remain absent for the duration of the season subsequent to a dual knee ligament tear during the training period, whereas Matthew Tkachuk is not expected back until approximately mid-December because of a surgical procedure conducted in August aimed at rectifying a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia. With their principal players rendered inactive, Florida (holding a record of 12-9-1) occupies the 12th position within the Eastern Conference.
Parallel to the challenges faced by the Panthers, the U.S. Olympic team has been significantly impacted by injuries, with the Tkachuk brothers, Matthews, Hughes, and Hellebuyck all slated for pivotal roles representing the Americans during the Winter Games scheduled for Italy this February. Hughes is projected to be unavailable until January following a reported hand laceration incurred during a team meal, whereas Hellebuyck, the current NHL MVP titleholder, will be absent for a duration of four to six weeks subsequent to undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery recently.
Anchor Karissa Donkin and The Athletic contributor Hailey Salvian offer their assessment on which among the burgeoning Canadian talents might secure a spot on the men’s hockey squad for Milano Cortina 2026.
Concurrently, the Canadian contingent is monitoring Stone (afflicted with a wrist injury) and Adin Hill, the Vegas goaltender (suffering from a lower-body complication), both currently placed on injured reserve for a minimum of several weeks, in addition to Thomas Harley, the youthful Dallas defenseman sidelined with a lower-body injury, with his return timeline categorized as week-to-week.
The causative factor behind the proliferation of injuries remains uncertain; however, hypotheses suggest the condensed schedule resulting from the nearly three-week Olympic recess as a potential contributor.
The Maple Leafs’ decline.
Following their fourth-place finish overall in the preceding season (subsequently followed by an early playoff elimination), Toronto, a prominent topic of discussion in hockey circles, currently occupies the lowest position in the Eastern Conference with a record of 9 wins, 10 losses, and 3 ties, having suffered defeat in seven of their most recent eight matches leading up to Wednesday’s encounter with Columbus.
The transition of Mitch Marner to Vegas as a free agent deprived Toronto of its leading scorer from the previous season, exacerbated by injuries sustained by Matthews, the emergent talent Matthew Knies, and goaltender Anthony Stolarz, among others. William Nylander (tied for sixth position in the league with 29 points) and John Tavares (amassing 27 points) have been instrumental in maintaining the offensive output. Yet, an evident atmosphere of unease pervades Craig Berube’s team, currently ranked 31st in the league in terms of goals conceded per game, contrasting with their eighth-place standing in the same metric during the prior season.
The broader Canadian hockey landscape is also experiencing difficulties.
The shared misfortune among the other six Canadian fan bases stemming from Toronto’s setbacks is tempered by apprehensions concerning the performance of their respective teams. Presently, the sole Canadian team positioned within a playoff berth is the Ottawa Senators, holding the third spot in the Atlantic Division with a record of 11 wins, 7 losses, and 4 ties, notwithstanding Brady Tkachuk’s absence for the majority of the season.
Among Canada’s disappointments is Edmonton, ranked fifth in the Pacific Division, trailing a wild-card position by two points after consecutive Stanley Cup finals appearances. The Oilers (with a record of 10-9-5) have recorded a mere five regulation victories. Nashville, situated at the bottom overall, is the sole team with fewer.
Anchor Karissa Donkin and The Athletic’s Hailey Salvian share their insights regarding the plausibility of Sidney Crosby’s participation in his concluding Winter Olympics at 42.
Preceding the struggling Predators are Calgary and Vancouver, positioned at 31st and 30th overall, respectively. Toronto holds the 28th spot, whereas Winnipeg (recipient of the previous season’s Presidents’ Trophy) and Edmonton are entrenched in the mid-20s. The young Montreal Canadiens, following an unexpected playoff appearance, commenced with a record of 9-3-0, yet have subsequently lost seven of nine, resulting in their exclusion from the Eastern Conference playoff standings.
The remarkable performance of Canadian players.
The leading four players in the scoring standings — Nathan MacKinnon representing Colorado, Macklin Celebrini from San Jose, Connor McDavid of Edmonton, and Connor Bedard playing for Chicago — all originate from Canada. In addition, Cale Makar of the Avalanche shares sixth place and leads all defensemen with 29 points — surpassing any other blue-liner by a margin of seven points.
Celebrini and Bedard are merely 19 and 20 years of age, respectively. Moreover, the 18-year-old Canadian defenseman Matthew Schaefer is garnering attention, sharing the rookie lead with seven goals.
At the opposite end of the age spectrum, Sidney Crosby, aged 38, and Brad Marchand, aged 37, both hailing from Nova Scotia, are tied for sixth position in the league with 13 goals each.
These trends augur favorably for Canada’s aspirations to secure Olympic gold. Following their poignant victory over the U.S. during the noteworthy 4 Nations Face-Off held last February, the Canadians are marginally favored over the U.S. team, which has been hampered by injuries.
Such expectations are justifiable, considering the substantial reservoir of elite talent Canada possesses across multiple generations. Crosby, chosen as the NHL’s No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005, has ceded the title of the league’s premier player to McDavid (the top selection in 2015), who may eventually pass it on to Bedard, Celebrini, or Schaefer — the top picks in the most recent three drafts.
It will be compelling to observe the selection outcome of the young trio when Canada unveils its Olympic roster in early January. Historically, Canadian leadership has displayed reluctance in selecting very youthful players (Crosby was omitted from the 2006 Olympic team despite recording a 102-point rookie season), but Celebrini and Bedard, in particular, are presenting a formidable challenge for GM Doug Armstrong and his staff in making the selection.
For further examination regarding the potential inclusion of these three emerging talents, explore the latest installment of CBC Sports’ Hockey North.
