Eastern Conference

 Atlantic Division: The Toronto Maple Leafs lead the division and are thriving with Auston Matthews, who is back from an injury. Mitch Marner and William Nylander have standout seasons, but defensive consistency concerns the team. Matthew Tkachuk’s scoring goals and laying the hits for the Florida Panthers keep them in the mix for a strong second half. The Tampa Bay Lightning are leaning on Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point offensively, which is working now but could become dangerous come playoff time. The Bruins adjust without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak stepping up offensively and defensively. Still, goalie Jeremy Swayman does not have the season many thought he would. Ottawa’s young stars like Tim Stützle are thriving offensively, but inconsistency has kept them fighting for playoff contention. Like in Ottawa, Montreal has a bright offensive spot in Cole Caulfield. Their penalty kill ranks 8th in the league, but their power play is struggling. Detroit Red Wings’ rising stars Maritza Seider and Lucas Raymond show potential but lack the depth and experience to remain competitive against top teams. Another team struggling with goaltending is the Buffalo Sabres. Their dynamic offense, led by Rasmus Dahlin, is lapsed by backend struggles.

Metropolitan Division: Alex Ovechkin is at the top of his game while pursuing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, and the Capitals are at the top of the league on January 18th. New Jersey has had an exciting season. Jack Hughes has been on a tear along with the Devils’ power play, but they are another team with goaltending inconsistencies that could derail their playoff hopes. The Carolina Hurricanes are one team not struggling defensively, but the lack of consistent secondary scoring has made it difficult for them to compete with high-powered offenses. Another team standing firm on the blue line is the Columbus Blue Jackets. Zach Werenski leads the team with 13 goals and 48 points and is one of the league’s best defensemen. A solid defense paired with young skaters leading their offense, the Blue Jackets are on track for a positive season. The Philadelphia Flyers play a gritty game, but a lack of offensive firepower has kept them from competing for a playoff spot this season. The New York Rangers have one of the most talented rosters in the league. Still, they’ve had trouble maintaining chemistry, which has been painful since they won the Presidents’ Trophy last season. The Islanders are struggling this season. They have the league’s worst power play and penalty kill, and they are seventh worst in the league in scoring. While they have a strong power play and solid goal scores in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been unable to make for weak backend and goaltending.

Western Conference

Central Division: The Chicago Blackhawks are struggling more than the Islanders. Connor Bedard is a star in the making, but they’re last (32nd) in the league as of January 18th, highlighting the continued struggles in Chicago. For the Colorado Avalanche, Nathan MacKinnon leads the league with 72 points and 55 assists, and as of now, they hold a wild card spot. The Dallas Stars rank 1st in the league on the penalty kill and sit at 3rd in the Central Division. Minnesota has had an interesting season. They sit at 5th in the league in points. However, their power play is average, and their penalty kill is one of the worst in the league. The Predators are in the bottom three of the league, but one thing they have going for them is their penalty kill, ranked 4th in the league. Winnipeg’s is 1st in the division and 2nd in the league. Their power play ranks number one in the league, and if they continue what they’re doing, they are strong Stanley Cup contenders. The St. Louis Blues are shy of a wild card spot in the Central Division. In-season coaching change seems to have given the Blues the push they need to reach the playoffs. The NHL’s newest team, the Utah Hockey Club, has shown promise in their inaugural season, but they have been inconsistent, putting them at the bottom of the league. 

Pacific Division: The Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes leads his team in points, assists, ice time, and power play points, but others have been riddled with injuries. Like the Blue, they sit just shy of a wild card spot, but can they work past missing key players and show they could be a playoff team? Anaheim is better than last season, but many feel a higher draft pick is more in the cards for the Ducks than a wild card spot. Los Angeles ranks 3rd in the division and 3rd with the fewest losses in the league, which comes from their reliance on the entire roster. 14 players have scored at least 10 points, and goalie Darcy Kuemper is one of the best in the league right now. The last Californian team in the league, though at the bottom of the pack, ranked 31st. They have a bright future with young stars Macklin Celebrini, William Eklund, and Will Smith, but the team still waits for its shining moment. Tied for 1st in the division are the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Jack Eichel is showing the potential to reach 100 for the first time in his career. Though they lost core players Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson, the Golden Knights have remained a team in top playoff contention. The Kraken are as far away from a wild card spot as they are from the worst record in the league. Do they have time to turn things around, or should they focus on the upcoming draft and pending unrestricted free agents? Moving up to Canada, the Calgary Flames have hopes for a playoff spot, but how they play over the next month will determine their place in the wild-card race. The second team tied for 1st in the division are the Edmonton Oilers. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are on track to exceed 100 points again. The Oilers are a top Stanley Cup Contender with a strong power play and work to their penalty kill.