Welcome to the next installment of my hockey article series ... which still doesn't have an official name. We are very close to being about a quarter of the way through the NHL season. So it's time we take a look back at my 5 picks for teams to watch this season who are on the rise. Some are doing really well, and others ... not so much. First we have:
The Edmonton Oilers
This is one of the teams that is doing very well right now. The Oilers started the 2016-2017 NHL season hot, winning 7 of their 9 games in the month of October. Sine the hot start though, Edmonton has been up and down in November. With the month almost over, Edmonton has only won 2 games. This included a long 5 game losing streak from November 8th until the 19th. Luckily for the Oilers though, this losing streak did not impact their standings in the league too much. They currently sit at 2nd in the Pacific Division, 4th in the Western Conference, and 13th in the overall league. Which may be in part to the newfound depth in their lineup. Adding players like Milan Lucic, Patrick Maroon, and Adam Larsson has really helped Edmonton put together a more complete game. Overall it hasn't been a bad start for the Edmonton Oilers, especially considering their previous seasons.
The Carolina Hurricanes
Oh, Carolina. You have to feel a little bad for them right now. They did not get the luck of the draw when it came to opening schedules, as they spent their first 6 games of the season on the road. And on that crazy season-opening road trip, the Hurricanes were only able to win one game in Calgary. Since coming home in late October, the Hurricanes still haven't had much luck on the ice. Carolina has also dealt with some off ice troubles that have no doubt impacted their play slightly. From rumors about the team being sold and relocated, to forward Bryan Bickell being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis on November 11th, it has not been an easy start to the season for the Carolina Hurricanes. Things are looking up, though, as the team is on a 4 game win streak headed into Thanksgiving. Hopefully, that momentum can spur the Hurricanes on to a better season.
The Calgary Flames
Calgary is another one of those teams that was projected to do well but has underperformed to start the season. The Flames were unable to win a game in their first week of play and went 4-6 in the month of October. It took the team until the end of October to start getting some team chemistry. While signing new and talented players is always an exciting time, it does not mean instant success for a team, which can be seen in Calgary's performance so far this season. Right now Calgary is three spots out of the Wild Card for the Western Division and near the bottom of the league. We'll see in another month where the Calgary Flames will be with team chemistry and wins.
The New Jersey Devils
The Devils are a team that has gotten quite a bit better since last season. At the end of the season last year, New Jersey was 7th in the metropolitan division and 20th in the overall standings. Right now the Devils are sitting pretty in the second wild card spot for the Eastern Conference. This is mainly due to the Devils improved possession game this season. If we want to get into advanced stats, New Jersey's Corsi numbers have gone up by 4.6, the most improved Corsi number of any team so far this season. The additions of Taylor Hall, Vernon Fiddler, and Ben Lovejoy have been crucial for the Devils. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Devils climb the standings as the year moves along.
Last but not least ...
The Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus has been on a roll so far this season. During October, CBJ was up and down to start the season. As the season has moved along, the team has started to gel so well it's weird to say they are the same team as last year. Columbus' new team members from their AHL team, the newly named Cincinnati Monsters, have really bolstered the team. Right now the Blue Jackets are on a 4 game win streak and have the top wild card spot for the Eastern Conference and 8th in the league. It's been a good season so far for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Also, an honorary note to their goalie Sergei Bobrovski who has had a stellar season so far. Bobrovski looks almost like he did the year that he won the Vezina trophy for the best goalie in the NHL. If the Blue Jackets keep up at this rate, they could take over a place or two in the Metropolitan Division.
Looking back at my predictions for the year, 3 so far have seen improvement. While two at this moment need some work. But hey, none of these five teams are last, and only one is skirting the bottom five. It's only been a quarter of the season, though, o it will be interesting to see where these five teams are in a month. We'll check back in with them then. Now go watch some more hockey!
