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10 snapshots of the NHL season so far: Stars, streaks and big sticks

10 snapshots of the NHL season so far: Stars, streaks and big sticks

And just like that, the first quarter of the 2015-16 NHL season has come and gone. Here are 10 highlights – with a lowlight or two thrown in -- through the first seven weeks of the schedule:

Doing it again in Dallas: The secret’s been out on Jamie Benn for a quite a while, but with a league-leading 16 goals through 22 games he was on a pace for 60 this season. That would obliterate his personal best of 35 set last year, and Benn would join Steven Stamkos (60 goals in 2011-112) and Alex Ovechkin (65 in 2007-08) as the only NHL players to reach 60 since Jaromir Jagr – who else? – scored 62 in 1995-96.

Another shooting Star: Dallas’ John Klingberg went from the AHL at the start of last season to battling Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson for the scoring lead among NHL defensemen through the first quarter of the current campaign. And he’s only 23, there’s more to come. Then again, Karlsson is only 25. Sweden’s power play should be pretty good at the 2018 Olympics (assuming, you know, the NHL goes to the Games).

Blake Wheeler doesn't garner an abundance of attention outside Winnipeg, but he's a key cog for the Jets. (AP)
Blake Wheeler doesn't garner an abundance of attention outside Winnipeg, but he's a key cog for the Jets. (AP)

Top 10 but you might not know it: Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec and Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler were among the NHL’s scoring leaders but don’t seem to get too much credit outside their local markets. Not that Jets fans or Habs fans are complaining about their under-the-radar point-producers.

Both ways for Boston: Patrice Bergeron, who has won back-to-back Selke Trophies (and three in the past four years) as the league’s best defensive forward, was leading the NHL with 12 power-play points through 22 games. This guy continues to do it all.

The Streak: The Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane, the league’s leading scorer through the first quarter of the season, continues his amazing display with at least one point in 18 consecutive games, tying Ed Olczyk and Phil Kessel for the longest run by an American-born NHLer. Kane has a ways to go to crack the NHL’s all-time top 10 scoring streaks – he’d need to get to 28 straight games – and of course Wayne Gretzky’s record of 51 games is another conversation altogether.

Special and not-so-special teams: One of the secrets to Montreal’s success this season has been the performance of their PP and PK units. The Canadiens ranked third in the league on the power play at 24.4 percent, and second on the penalty kill at 86.4 percent. At the other end is Calgary, with the Flames 29th on the PP at 13.8 percent and dead-last on the PK at 72.1 percent.

A tale of two Sids: Don’t know if you’ve heard, but Sidney Crosby hasn’t exactly been playing like Sidney Crosby this season. As in, he had just three points in his first nine games of 2015-16 – and they all came in the same contest, a goal and two assists in a 3-2 overtime win against Florida on Oct. 20. The Penguins captain appeared to turn the corner with 10 points in the next 12 outings, which certainly isn’t a Crosby-esque level of production but at least it’s respectable. Well, sorta: Crosby also went minus-7 in those 12 games, including a minus-4 night against the Flames in a 5-2 loss on Nov. 7. What’s up with No. 87?

Brent Burns' beard is the best. Also, the Sharks defender takes a lot of shots. But back to that beard... (Getty)
Brent Burns' beard is the best. Also, the Sharks defender takes a lot of shots. But back to that beard... (Getty)

Beard softly and carry a big stick: San Jose’s bristly Brent Burns was leading NHL defensemen with 102 shots through 22 games; only two other D-men had more than 65 shots (Carolina’s Justin Faulk with 76 and Winnipeg’s Dustin Byfuglien with 73).

Just as we all predicted: Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth, leading the league with a .939 save percentage, ahead of the likes of Henrik Lundqvist (.936), Carey Price (.934, at least when he’s healthy enough to play) and, uh, James Reimer (.934). It should be pointed out that Lundqvist has played several more games than the three other netminders, but hey, give Neuvirth and Reimer their due.

Grumpy old man: Chris Neil, the Senators’ veteran tough guy, at 36 years old and in his 14th NHL season, was leading the NHL with 75 penalty minutes in 22 games. That’s not quite on pace for 300 PIMs over a full season, but it’s dangerously close. If he keeps it up he’ll set a career high, easily surpassing the 231 PIMs he collected as a rookie in 2001-02. Why so upset, Mr. Neil?