(All opinions expressed in this article are my own. Stats are recorded as of 12/6/2024.)
Which teams are feeling thankful at the quarter-season mark? In this edition of NHL recap, we’ll look at three of the top teams in the league, evaluate their performances and see what they need to do to remain amongst the league’s best.
MINNESOTA WILD
Record: 17-4-4, First in Central Division
The Minnesota Wild have gotten off to a wild start to the season (yes, that pun was very intentional). The Wild leads the league with 38 points and has top five players in almost every stat category. For starters, Kirill Kaprizov and Jake Middleton lead the league in plus/minus ratings (+19 and +18 respectively). Kaprizov is also third in points with 39 and tied for third in goals scored with 16. Filip Gustavsson has also been on fire for the Wild, leading all goalies with a .929 save percentage and 2.04 GAA (goals against average).
One thing to watch for: The Minnesota Wild have been playing a complete game with everyone on the ice contributing in some form, they just need to keep that momentum going. With the holiday break coming up towards the end of this month and a break for the NHL 4 Nations Face Off in February, the Wild need to make sure that their momentum carries through the end of the regular season. If they can keep playing at this level consistently, I think the Wild can be a legitimate cup contender.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Record: 17-6-2, First in Metropolitan Division
After the Capitals’ shaky 2023-24 season that ended in a first-round elimination by the New York Rangers (after barely managing to make the playoffs in the first place), there were a lot of questions about how the Caps would fare this season. So far they’ve proved the doubters wrong and continue to be a tough team to beat. Dylan Strome and Rasmus Sandin are two parts of a three-way-tie for fourth in plus/minus ratings at +17 (the third player is Dmitry Orlov from the Hurricanes). The Capitals also have the luxury of having Alex Ovechkin on their squad, even though he’s currently still injured after fracturing his left fibula on Nov. 18.
One thing to watch for: No matter how strong your skaters are, you need to have solid goaltending to complete your roster. The Capitals’ goalies haven’t been particularly bad this season, but they haven’t been particularly great either. Not that this necessarily reflects his play, but on Nov. 27 Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren committed one of the craziest own-goals I have ever seen. The Capitals managed to win the game anyhow, but a team needs to have 100 percent trust in their netminders. If the Capitals can restore confidence in their goaltending, then they’ll be set for a deep playoff run.
WINNIPEG JETS
Record: 19-8-0, Second in Central Division
Like the Capitals, the Jets also had a rocky 2023-24 season that resulted in a first-round elimination by the Colorado Avalanche. This season they’ve managed to join the Wild atop the Central Division leaderboard, causing the division to be arguably the hardest one to play against. The highlight of the Jets’ season so far has to be goalie Connor Hellebuyck, helping the team gain 38 points to this point. He is first among all goalies with 16 wins, has the second-best save percentage at .927 and is third with a 2.14 GAA.
One thing to watch for: The Jets do not need to become too reliant on Hellebuyck’s successes. A good goalie is crucial to a team’s success, but they need to make sure they’re helping Hellebuyck by both generating offensive chances and preventing chances from the other team. The Jets have been okay at this so far; they just cannot get used to having Hellebuyck as a safety net if they have an offensively weak night.
