Here are ten stats that may catch your eye as we close in on the 2009 year:
- Alexander Ovechkin leads the NHL with a 1.48 points per game total. Sidney Crosby trails the leader sitting in ninth spot with a 1.19 points per game. Crosby has been coming on as of late, so watch for that gap to close.
- Paul Stastny has the second most total face-offs won in the NHL but actually sits with a below 50% success rate. Stastny is icing 21:40 minutes per game which places him sixth in the NHL among forwards.
- Thought to be past his prime–which he is–Roman Hamrlik is playing big minutes in Montreal–24:49 minutes per game. With Andrei Markov slated to comeback soon, expect that total to drop off.
- Not surprisingly, Dustin Brown and Ryan Callahan lead the NHL in total hits tied at 117. While both players continue to throw their bodies around, the two American forwards have only combined for 14 goals through a total of 67 games (0.194 per game). Last season, the two forwards totaled 46 goals (24 for Brown, 22 for Callahan) on the campaign. Regardless, I expect both to be on Team USA in Vancouver.
- Phoenix and Montreal are tied for the least amount of first period goals this season with 17. Less of a problem for Phoenix, a team that plays very low scoring games. Want evidence? The Coyotes have only allowed 19 goals against in the first period this season. The Habs, on the other hand, have allowed 34.
- Atlanta and Vancouver lead the NHL in third period goals with 43 and 42 respectively. Vancouver quietly has the third most goals for in the NHL right now.
- Colorado is first in the Northwest Division and last in the NHL in shots on goal per game. Craig Anderson is a big factor in their success but the team is also shooting quite efficiently (sit 11th in the NHL in goals per game). Don’t expect that to continue.
- Joe Thornton leads the NHL with 27 road points and his linemate Patrick Marleau is second with 23 road points. The Sharks are a dominant team and part of that is their ability to win on the road.
- Scott Hartnell leads the NHL in minor penalties with 22. He has only played 31 games so Hartnell is going to need to severely cut down on those totals. Hopefully Peter Laviolette can affect those totals.
- With 18 points, 22:00 minutes of ice time per game and a +9 +/- rating makes Tyler Myers is my rookie of the year so far this season. Note: Myers actually grew up in Texas and was eligible to play for Team USA until he suited up for Team Canada at the Under-18s a couple years back. Once you play for a country in international competition, you are disqualified for playing for another country. Canadian fans should be happy about that.