Top Scorer of the Week
When it comes to points, last week belonged to the star Connor McDavid, who was the only player to reach double digits with ten points. Four teams felt the full force of his skill and finesse, with Detroit suffering the most; in that game, the Canadian forward notched four assists.
He scored twice against both Toronto and Buffalo, added an assist in Toronto, and picked up another in Montreal, where he set up Edmonton’s only goal.
McDavid finished the week with a plus-six rating and fired 15 shots on goal, but Edmonton still needs to improve their results, as they’re teetering on the edge of a playoff spot.
Thanks to his stellar week, Edmonton’s captain climbed to second place in the league’s scoring race, trailing Nathan MacKinnon by just three points. The Richmond Hill native is on pace for nearly a 130-point season and is expected to surpass the 100-point mark for the ninth time in his career.
Goalie of the Week
Four goalies picked up three wins each last week- John Gibson, Filip Gustavsson, Alex Lyon, and Brandon Bussi. Out of this group, we’re highlighting Bussi, who seized his opportunity in Carolina with flying colours.
The undrafted American had waited a long time for his chance in Boston, where he was at best a backup. He had never played in the NHL before this season, but the Hurricanes put their trust in him, and he’s repaying them.
So far, he’s started twelve games and won eleven. In his last three outings, he allowed just four goals on 75 shots, setting a new NHL record.
He needed only eleven games to reach ten wins - no other goalie in league history has done it that quickly. With his ninth straight victory on Sunday night, he tied Cam Ward’s record for consecutive wins within the Hurricanes/Whalers organisation.
Story of the Week
A blockbuster trade shook up the entire NHL over the weekend. The captain of Vancouver left the league’s worst team and, in a somewhat surprising move, landed in Minnesota. Quinn Hughes had long been linked mainly with New Jersey, but in the end, general manager Bill Guerin made a bold decision. He gave up a lot to land his coveted reinforcement.
The Canucks lost a huge pillar and the face of their franchise, but the trio of Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, and Liam Ohgren could become key figures for Vancouver in the future. Buium already made an impact, picking up two points - including the game-winner - in his debut against New Jersey on Sunday.
Hughes also had a dream start up north, scoring in a convincing win over Boston. The Norris Trophy winner is, after the record contract for Kirill Kaprizov, another major move by Guerin, who admitted in a media interview that the trade was finalised while he was at home enjoying the holiday season with his family.
"I’ll be honest with you. I was making meatballs with my family at home when Patrik Allvin, Vancouver’s general manager, called me. I had to take off my latex glove to answer the phone," Guerin recounted.
This move clearly shows that the Wild are going all-in for a shot at the Stanley Cup, even giving up a first-round draft pick.
Stat of the Week
Pittsburgh extended their losing streak to five games, though they managed to pick up four points, as each loss came in overtime or a shootout. But it was the last two games that really stood out.
Against San Jose, the Penguins led 5-1 with seven minutes left, but ended up losing 6-5 in overtime. They were up by three goals against Utah, but suddenly found themselves trailing 3-4. Even though Justin Brazeau tied it up, Dylan Guenther scored the winner in the first minute of overtime.
"I never thought I’d be back in front of the media 24 hours later having the same conversation. It feels like a broken record," said coach Dan Muse.
Captain Sidney Crosby is still two points behind Mario Lemieux, who leads Pittsburgh’s all-time scoring ranking and is eighth in NHL history.
Social Media highlight
Talented Connor Bedard was in fantastic form and on pace for a 100-point season, but suffered an injury in the final seconds of the game against St. Louis. Chicago were trailing 2-3 and pushing for a quick finish when the young star was hit hard by opposing captain Brayden Schenn, leaving the Blackhawks leader grimacing in pain as he left the ice.
At first glance, the collision looked serious - possibly a dislocated shoulder. The Blackhawks have yet to provide any updates on his condition. He didn’t play in the next game.
More information is expected Monday evening before Chicago head out on a three-game road trip. Bedard has an impressive 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in 31 games and is also a candidate for the Olympics.
Photo of the Week
Strange, isn’t it? As is often the case with major trades, fans now have to get used to seeing a superstar in a new jersey.
Until now, Hughes was known exclusively as a Vancouver player, but it looks like he’ll be wearing green for years to come. Once again, we’ll have to adjust to seeing a big name suit up for a different team than we’re used to.
