1. Free Fall: When we resume NHL play today, about 55.3% of this season's games still have to be played. Certainly nothing is guaranteed, but the Winnipeg Jets are a major disappointment for their fans. They finished first overall last season with 116 points.
Today, the Jets are 30th out of 32 teams, on a pace to finish with 77 points. But if they finish with that 77 total the 39-point drop would not be steepest one-season fall. The Philadelphia Flyers went from 101 points in 2005-06 to 56 points the following season. That's a 45-point drop.
2. Hurting His Rep: It's hard to see Calgary's MacKenzie owning an ugly plus-minus (minus-18). He was plus-112 coming into the season. That's what happens when you log heavy minutes for a struggling team.
3. Fluery's Future: While there is considerable sentiment to see French Canadian Marc-Andre Fleury in a Montreal Canadiens jersey, the Edmonton Oilers have to be pushing aggressively to persuade Fleury to come out of retirement to help them win the Stanley Cup. There is considerable pressure on the Oilers to win now. The ticking of the Connor McDavid clock is quite loud.
4. Karlsson Sweepstakes: Pittsburgh Hockey Now's Dan Kingerski explores the possibility that the Penguins might be able to move defenseman Erik Karlsson to the Carolina Hurricanes. What seems to be lost on people this season is that Karlsson has played well in 2025-26. We hear the 'Canes want to push hard to win it all this season.
5. Historic Record: The American Hockey League has been around for about 90 years, and no AHL team has started a season better than Grand Rapids Griffins have this season. The Detroit Red Wings is 25-10-1 after 27 games. The Griffins currently own a 14-game winning streak. Top Red Wings goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa is 14-1 with a 1.68 GAA and .936 save percentage. The Griffins will be tested tonight with a road game against the Milwaukee Admirals.
6. Statistics Don't Lie: Sometimes intangibles carry weight to the point that it's hard to know exactly why a team is a successful, but that is not the case for the Colorado. They are first overall because they rank first in scoring, first in goals-against and first in penalty killing. They have league's No. 2 scorer in Nathan MacKinnon and arguably the league's Norris Trophy favorite defenseman Cale Makar. The only flaw in Colorado's game is a power play percentage (16.1%) that ranks 27th. How is that even possible?
7. One for the Ages: Macklin Celebrini hadn't even reached his first birthday when Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby was named the team's captain in 2007. Won't it be fun if Celebrini makes the Canadians Olympic team? Here's hoping it happens.
8. High Value Target: Nashville Predators forward Ryan O'Reilly is a player who will attract plenty of interest before the NHL trade deadline. He's 34, but only has one year remaining on a contract paying him $4.5 million. O'Reilly is good value given what he offers. He's on pace for another 20-plus goals this season and he's a responsible all-around player. He's a career 55.7% faceoff performer. Giving up a late first-round pick, plus a prospect, is a small sum to pay for a player who can help many different ways.