Nearly a month into the NHL season, looks safer than EdmontonB次元官网网址檚 playoff chances, there might be a challenger for the worst team in league history and the Stanley Cup hangover is nowhere to be seen in Las Vegas.
Alex Ovechkin off to an uncharacteristically slow start, the OilersB次元官网网址� terrible goaltending and the their first 11 games are among some of the disturbing early trends. Elsewhere, the , for Chicago and following a disappointing first-round exit.
for being in a playoff position is still two weeks away, but there are good signs for Detroit, Vancouver and Anaheim. Not so much for Pittsburgh, Ottawa and Calgary.
Even with some jagged starts, no one except San Jose is more than six points out of a playoff spot.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a situation throughout the league,B次元官网网址� Washington general manager Brian MacLellan said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a few teams that are firing on all cylinders, but I think thereB次元官网网址檚 quite a few teams that are, like us, trying to find their game and be consistent at it.B次元官网网址�
OVIB次元官网网址橲 2 IN 10
Ovechkin has scored just twice B次元官网网址� and once into an empty net B次元官网网址� matching his lowest total through 10 games in his nearly two-decade career with the Capitals. Just like the previous two times (in 2008-09 and 2013), it came after training camp with a new coach.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 having chances, but sometimes you just have to look at yourself and think what you should do differently,B次元官网网址� Ovechkin said Tuesday. B次元官网网址淚f you have that kind of slump when you canB次元官网网址檛 score, you just have to work and find a way to create chances for yourself, for your teammates and find a way to put the puck in.B次元官网网址�
Exactly 300 of OvechkinB次元官网网址檚 824 goals B次元官网网址� he trails Gretzky by 70 B次元官网网址� have come on the power play, and the Capitals are second-worst in the NHL in that department at 9.7%. New Jersey leads at 42.9%.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to fix that,B次元官网网址� said. B次元官网网址淥ur passing on the power play, passes to him, but also he can help that as well of getting his feet set, being able to adjust off certain passes, seeing a play thatB次元官网网址檚 about to come. So weB次元官网网址檙e just a little bit off.B次元官网网址�
TOOTHLESS SHARKS
three-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson as part of a teardown that precedes a rebuild, the Sharks were expected to be bad. But this bad?
They entered Tuesday nightsB次元官网网址� game 0-10-1 after losing their past two games 10-1 and 10-2, and have been outscored 55-12. TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Auston Matthews has more goals himself with 13.
San Jose could be worse than the current NHL standard for futility: the 1974-75 Capitals, who went 8-67-5. But there is a long season ahead.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e losing way too many battles,B次元官网网址� winger Anthony Duclair said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 way too easy for the opposing team. B次元官网网址� Our battle level is just non-existent sometimes, and itB次元官网网址檚 costing us.B次元官网网址�
BRUINS ROLLING
Losing their top two centers, and , to retirement hasnB次元官网网址檛 slowed down the Bruins in their second season under coach of the year Jim Montgomery. and goaltenders Jeremy Swayman and sharing the net, Boston is an Eastern Conference-best 10-1-1.
B次元官网网址淲e rely on them a little bit too much,B次元官网网址� said of the goalies, who have a league-best .939 save percentage and 1.92 goals-against average. B次元官网网址淲e can always be a little bit better in front of them, but itB次元官网网址檚 nice when we break down theyB次元官网网址檙e there for us.B次元官网网址�
LEAKING OIL
The Oilers are at the other side of the goaltending spectrum with a league-worst .864 save percentage between Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell, the latter of whom was put on waivers Tuesday. After giving up six goals Monday to Vancouver, Skinner said: B次元官网网址淚 can do a lot better to help my team out.B次元官网网址�
EdmontonB次元官网网址檚 defense can also do better to help everyone else out. Only the Sharks have fewer points than the Oilers, whose stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl could miss the playoffs in the prime of their careers if the trend continues.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think IB次元官网网址檝e ever had a worse start to a season in my career, and itB次元官网网址檚 a test, for sure,B次元官网网址� . B次元官网网址淏ut I know we have the team to turn it around.B次元官网网址�
KNIGHTS TIME
The only team better than Boston so far is Vegas, which hasnB次元官网网址檛 missed a beat coming off . It took until game 13 for the Golden Knights , and their for 23 points shows not every Cup winner struggles out of the gate. Vegas is notably 7-0-1 at the B次元官网网址淔ortressB次元官网网址� just off The Strip.
BEDARD BUMP
by the Chicago Blackhawks and hyped up arguably more than McDavid or Sidney Crosby, Bedard has delivered early in his NHL career. BedardB次元官网网址檚 five goals are tied for the most , and only three have more points than the 18-year-old forward.
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