Mid-January Update

It’s mid-January, and we’re in the thick of the NHL season. In this week’s edition of The Puck Bulletin, we’re taking a look at the current NHL individual point leaders. We’ve also got the usual Weekly Roundup and the Player Spotlight!

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Current NHL Point Leaders

At about the midpoint of the NHL season, let’s take a look the top ten league leaders in points:

1. Connor McDavid (EDM) ~ 37-46-83

2. Leon Draisaitl (EDM) ~ 26-42-68

3. Nikita Kucherov (TBL) ~ 17-45-62

4. Jason Robertson (DAL) ~ 29-31-60

5. David Pastranak (BOS) ~ 33-26-59

6. Tage Thompson (BUF) ~ 31-27-58

7. Erik Karlsson (SJS) ~ 13-43-56

8. Jack Hughes (NJD) ~ 28-26-54

9. Matthew Tkachuk (FLA) ~ 22-31-53

10. Mikko Rantanen (COL) ~ 29-24-53

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The Weekly Roundup

Atlantic:

1. Boston Bruins (70 pts | 33-5-4)

   • LW: L 0-3 SEA, W 4-3 TOR

   • 1/16 vs. PHI, 1/18 @ NYI, 1/19 @ NYR, 1/22 vs. SJS

   • The Bruins suffered their first home regulation loss of the season against Seattle.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs (59 pts | 26-11-7)

   • LW: W 2-1 NSH, L 1-4 DET, L 3-4 BOS

   • 1/17 vs. FLA, 1/19 vs. WPG, 1/21 @ MTL

   • The Leafs had a meh week with a tough loss in Detroit.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning (55 pts | 27-13-1)

   • LW: W 6-3 CBJ, W 5-4 VAN, W 4-2 STL

   • 1/16 @ SEA, 1/18 @ VAN, 1/19 @ EDM, 1/21 @ CGY

   • Tampa Bay is once again humming along.

4. Buffalo Sabres (44 pts | 21-18-2)

   • LW: L 0-4 PHI, L 3-4 SEA, L 2-4 WPG, W 5-3 NSH

   • 1/16 vs. FLA, 1/17 @ CHI, 1/19 vs. NYI, 1/21 vs. ANA

   • The Sabres cooled off a bit but are still eyeing a playoff position.

5. Florida Panthers (44 pts | 20-20-4)

   • LW: W 5-4 COL, L 2-4 VGK, W 4-3 VAN

   • 1/16 @ BUF, 1/17 @ TOR, 1/19 @ MTL, 1/21 vs. MIN

   • The Panthers are due for a bit of a win-streak.

6. Detroit Red Wings (43 pts | 18-16-7)

   • LW: W 7-5 WPG, W 4-1 TOR, L 3-4 CBJ

   • 1/16 @ COL, 1/17 @ ARI, 1/19 @ VGK, 1/21 vs. PHI

   • The Red Wings are still fighting to stay in the playoff hunt.

7. Ottawa Senators (41 pts | 19-20-3)

   • LW: L 0-3 NSH, W 5-3 ARI, L 0-7 COL

   • 1/16 @ STL, 1/18 vs. PIT, 1/20 @ PIT, 1/21 vs. WPG

   • The Sens got shutout twice this week.

8. Montreal Canadiens (39 pts | 18-23-3)

   • LW: L 0-4 SEA, W 4-3 NSH, L 1-2 NYI, W 2-1 NYR

   • 1/9 vs. SEA, 1/12 vs. NSH, 1/14 @ NYI, 1/15 @ NYR

   • Montreal had a .500 week.

Metropolitan:

1. Carolina Hurricanes (62 pts | 27-9-8)

   • LW: L 3-5 NJD, W 6-2 CBJ, W 2-1 PIT, L/SO 3-4 VAN

   • 1/19 vs. MIN, 1/21 @ NYI

   • The Canes are now 4-0-0 against the Penguins this season.

2. New Jersey Devils (59 pts | 28-12-3)

   • LW: W 5-3 CAR, W 6-2 ANA, W 5-2 LAK

   • 1/16 @ SJS, 1/19 @ SEA, 1/22 vs. PIT

   • The Devils are surging again.

3. New York Rangers (55 pts | 24-13-7)

   • LW: W 4-3 MIN, W 2-1 DAL, L 1-2 MTL

   • 1/16 @ CBJ, 1/19 vs. BOS

   • The Rangers are marching back up the Metro standings.

4. Washington Capitals (52 pts | 23-16-6)

   • LW: L 3-5 PHI, L 1-3 PHI

   • 1/16 @ NYI, 1/17 vs. MIN, 1/19 @ ARI, 1/21 @ VGK

   • Washington had a tough week against the hot Flyers.

5. New York Islanders (49 pts | 23-18-3)

   • LW: L/SO 1-2 DAL, L 1-3 MIN, W 2-1 MTL

   • 1/16 vs. WSH, 1/18 vs. BOS, 1/19 @ BUF, 1/21 vs. CAR

   • The Isles have an interesting week ahead against some strong eastern teams.

6. Pittsburgh Penguins (48 pts | 21-15-6)

   • LW: W 5-4 VAN, L 1-4 WPG, L 1-2 CAR

   • 1/16 vs. ANA, 1/18 @ OTT, 1/20 vs. OTT, 1/22 @ NJD

   • The Penguins are still stumbling down the standings.

7. Philadelphia Flyers (43 pts | 18-18-7)

   • LW: W 4-0 BUF, W 5-3 WSH, W 3-1 WSH

   • 1/16 @ BOS, 1/17 vs. ANA, 1/19 vs. CHI, 1/21 @ DET, 1/22 vs. WPG

   • The Flyers carry their winning streak into a five-game week.

8. Columbus Blue Jackets (28 pts | 13-27-2)

   • LW: L 3-6 TBL, L 2-6 CBJ, W 4-3 DET

   • 1/16 vs. NYR, 1/17 @ NSH, 1/19 vs. ANA, 1/21 vs. SJS

   • Columbus seems to have the bottom of the Metro locked up.

Central:

1. Winnipeg Jets (59 pts | 29-14-1)

   • LW: L 5-7 DET, W 4-2 BUF, W 4-1 PIT, W 2-1 ARI

   • 1/17 @ MTL, 1/19 @ TOR, 1/21 @ OTT, 1/22 @ PHI

   • The Jets are back atop the Central.

2. Dallas Stars (57 pts | 25-12-7)

   • LW: W 2-1 NYI, OTL 1-2 NYR, L 5-6 CGY

   • 1/16 @ VGK, 1/18 @ SJS, 1/19 @ LAK, 1/21 vs. ARI

   • Three close games for Dallas this week had three different results.

3. Minnesota Wild (52 pts | 24-14-4)

   • LW: L/SO 3-4 NYR, W 3-1 NYI, W 2-1 ARI

   • 1/17 @ WSH, 1/19 @ CAR, 1/21 @ FLA

   • The Wild had another solid week, and I think they’re a solid playoff team.

4. Colorado Avalanche (45 pts | 21-17-3)

   • LW: L 4-5 FLA, L 2-3 CHI, W 7-0 OTT

   • 1/16 vs. DET, 1/18 @ CGY, 1/20 @ VAN, 1/21 @ SEA

   • The Avs had another losing week but showed some good offense against Ottawa.

5. St. Louis Blues (45 pts | 21-20-3)

   • LW: W 4-3 CGY, L 1-4 CGY, L 2-4 TBL

   • 1/16 vs. OTT, 1/19 vs. NSH, 1/21 vs. CHI

   • The Blues are still lurking around in the mid-Central.

6. Nashville Predators (44 pts | 19-17-6)

   • LW: W 3-0 OTT, L 1-2 TOR, L 3-4 MTL, L 3-5 BUF

   • 1/16 vs. CGY, 1/17 vs. CBJ, 1/19 @ STL, 1/21 vs. LAK

   • The Preds cooled off after a big previous week.

7. Arizona Coyotes (31 pts | 13-24-5)

   • LW: L 2-4 SJS, L 3-5 OTT, L 1-2 MIN, L 1-2 WPG

   • 1/17 vs. DET, 1/19 vs. WSH, 1/21 @ DAL, 1/22 vs. VGK

   • The Yotes are stumbling down into better Bedard territory.

8. Chicago Blackhawks (26 pts | 11-26-4)

   • LW: W 3-2 COL, L 5-8 SEA

   • 1/17 vs. BUF, 1/19 @ PHI, 1/21 @ STL, 1/22 vs. LAK

   • All eyes remain on Patrick Kane ahead of the trade deadline.

Pacific:

1. Vegas Golden Knights (58 pts | 28-14-2)

   • LW: W 4-2 FLA, L 3-4 EDM

   • 1/16 vs. DAL, 1/19 vs. DET, 1/21 vs. WSH, 1/22 @ ARI

   • Vegas continues to hold a small lead in the Pacific.

2. Seattle Kraken (56 pts | 26-12-4)

   • LW: W 4-0 MTL, W 4-3 BUF, W 3-0 BOS, W 8-5 CHI

   • 1/16 vs. TBL, 1/17 @ EDM, 1/19 vs. NJD, 1/21 vs. COL

   • The Kraken set an NHL record, sweeping a 7-game road trip.

3. Los Angeles Kings (56 pts | 25-15-6)

   • LW: W 6-3 EDM, W 4-3 SJS, L 2-5 NJD

   • 1/19 vs. DAL, 1/21 @ NSH, 1/22 @ CHI

   • The Kings are playing good hockey, but the Kraken are playing amazing hockey.

4. Calgary Flames (51 pts | 21-14-9)

   • LW: OTL 3-4 STL, W 4-1 STL, W 6-5 DAL

   • 1/16 @ NSH, 1/18 vs. COL, 1/21 vs. TBL

   • Calgary is all of a sudden not too far off the Pacific leaders.

5. Edmonton Oilers (51 pts | 24-18-3)

   • LW: L 3-6 LAK, W 6-2 ANA, W 7-1 SJS, W 4-3 VGK

   • 1/17 vs. SEA, 1/19 vs. TBL, 1/21 @ VAN

   • Edmonton had a great week and looks to move back up the Pacific.

6. Vancouver Canucks (39 pts | 18-22-3)

   • LW: L 4-5 PIT, L 4-5 TBL, L 3-4 FLA, W 4-3 CAR

   • 1/18 vs. TBL, 1/20 vs. COL, 1/21 vs. EDM

   • Fans are calling for a tank in Vancouver.

7. San Jose Sharks (34 pts | 13-23-8)

   • LW: W 4-2 ARI, L 3-4 LAK, L 1-7 EDM

   • 1/16 vs. NJD, 1/18 vs. DAL, 1/21 @ CBJ, 1/22 @ BOS

   • Is an Erik Karlsson trade possible this year?

8. Anaheim Ducks (28 pts | 12-27-4)

   • LW: L 2-6 EDM, L 2-6 NJD

   • 1/16 @ PIT, 1/17 @ PHI, 1/19 @ CBJ, 1/21 @ BUF

   • Anaheim’s back-end struggled in their two games this week before heading out east.

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Player Spotlight

Tomas Tatar, New Jersey Devils

This week’s player spotlight is on New Jersey Devils forward Tomas Tartar. The 32-year-old Slovak is having a strong season for Devils, tallying 27 points (10g, 17a) in 43 games.

Drafted #60 overall in 2009 by the Detroit Red Wings, Tartar spent the first half of his NHL career with the Red Wings until 2018 when he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. After a few years in Montreal, Tatar, nicknamed “Tuna”, is now in his second year of his two-year, $9M deal with New Jersey where he is a key contributor on a team that is ready to win now. I do think “Tuna” is one of the best nicknames in the league, and I did a little bit more digging to find out that Tatar is a big fan of Bayern Munich.

Next time you’re watching New Jersey play, along with paying attention to their young super stars, try to look for #90, Tatar. I guarantee you’ll notice his effectiveness in 5-on-5 play.