This article is part of our NHL Barometer series.
This week's article includes a hot Flame, Jagr rolling, an Islanders' goalie earning more time, two big name netminders down along with two veteran leaders struggling.
First Liners (Risers)
Sean Monahan, C, CGY – Monahan, like the Flames, got off to a slow start with nine points in his first 26 games. Most expected the 22-year old to turn it around but he has done that and more, collecting 11 points – including seven on the man advantage – in the past 10 games. That hot streak should come as no surprise, as Monahan tallied 62 and 63 points the past two seasons, so it was just a matter of time before he found his game. That time is clearly now.
Kyle Turris, C, OTT – Turris is quietly having a rebound campaign after falling from grace last year. After tallying 58 and 64 points in 2013-14 and 2014-15, he notched just 30 in 57 games after his season was cut short by a high-ankle sprain. Turris got off to a slow start this year, but has 16 points in his last 20 games, to give him 24 in 34 overall. The addition of Derick Brassard has helped relieve some pressure; and if he could get hot, Turris might post even bigger numbers if he can play against second and third defensive pairings.
Jaromir Jagr, RW, FLA – Jagr earned the First Star of the Week from the NHL for surpassing Mark Messier for second place on the all-time scoring list behind Wayne Gretzky. The man whose first name is an anagram for Mario Jr. has amassed 1,889 career points (755 goals, 1,134 assists) in what has been a remarkable career. Jagr got off to a slow start, raising questions if it was time for him to retire, but he has turned the clock back recently with 12 points in his past 15 games.
Charlie Coyle, RW, MIN – Coyle, who has become the main man Minnesota acquired for Brent Burns, continued his fine start to the year with an empty-net goal and three assists Friday against the Rangers. Those four points give the Massachusetts native 12 goals and 15 assists in 33 games with a plus-13 rating. Coyle's point production has risen the past three years, topping out at a career-high 42 points last year – a total that looks likely to be surpassed.
Cam Atkinson, RW, CLM – So many Blue Jackets from which to choose, but Atkinson gets the nod this week. That honor comes as he extended his point streak to nine games with a power-play assist Friday. After scoring 40 points in 2013-14 and 2014-15, Atkinson took a major step forward, tallying 53 points last season. That career high may be short lived, as the winger already has 15 goals and 20 assists in just 32 games this season.
Victor Hedman, D, TB – Hedman was profiled six weeks ago but his consistent play warrants another mention. The second overall pick in 2009 saw his five-game point streak end Friday, which puts him at 10 points in his last six games. The supine Swede is up to 29 points, two behind Erik Karlsson for the most among blueliners, and his career-high of 55 points set in 2013-14 could be at risk. It's been a disappointing year so far for the Bolts but Hedman has been his usual solid self.
Thomas Greiss, G, NYI – Greiss headed into the NHL holiday break on a roll, stopping 76 of 79 shots in a pair of victories. In fact, the German has been excellent in five of the last six games, posting a 2.33 goals-against average and .929 save percentage despite allowing five goals versus the Blackhawks on Dec. 15. The Islanders will need to get on a major roll to get back in playoff contention and Greiss – rather than Jaroslav Halak – who went 23-11-4 with a 2.36 GAA and .925 save percentage last season, should get the chance to carry them there.
Frederik Andersen, G, TOR – The Maple Leafs are on the fringe of the playoff race in a year of growth and Andersen is a big reason why. The Great Dane came over from Anaheim in a pre-draft deal and immediately inked a five-year, $25 million contract. Since allowing seven goals to Tampa Bay on Oct. 25, he has gone 13-7-3 with a .937 save percentage, and he's only let in more than two goals in five of 23 appearances. Andersen's overall numbers aren't great, but they should improve as the team does.
Others include Connor McDavid, Joe Pavelski, Ryan Strome, Alexander Wennberg, Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, Claude Giroux, Eric Staal, Aleksander Barkov, Jeff Carter, Brandon Dubinsky, Mitch Marner, Mark Letestu, Anders Lee, Johnny Gaudreau, Patrik Laine, Artemi Panarin, Artturi Lehkonen, Chris Kreider, Bryan Rust, Mikko Rantanen, Kevin Labanc, Shane Doan (goal #400), Bobby Ryan, Nino Niederreiter, David Perron, Nikolaj Ehlers, Justin Schultz, Dougie Hamilton, Dion Phaneuf, John Carlson, Mathew Dumba, Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam Fowler, Ryan McDonagh, Brent Burns, Ian Cole, Jake Gardiner, Sergei Bobrovsky, Braden Holtby, Brian Elliott, Mike Condon, Devan Dubnyk, Cam Ward and Steve Mason.
Training Room (Injuries)
Mika Zibanejad, C, NYR – Zib suffered a fractured fibula slamming foot first into the wall in overtime last week against Florida and has since shed his walking boot. He is aiming for a mid-to-late January return, with the original prognosis expecting him to miss 6-to-8 weeks.
Jimmy Howard, G, DET – Howard, injured last Tuesday in a collision, suffered a sprained right MCL, which will sideline him 4-6 weeks. With a 1.96 GAA and .934 save percentage in 17 games, Howard was outplaying Petr Mrazek, but will now be a spectator to Mrazek and Jared Coreau. When Howard returns to action, Detroit could be far out of the playoff race. And with two years left on the six-year, $31.8 million extension he signed with the Red Wings in April of 2013, team management will probably be looking to deal him. If not, they may hope that Vegas snaps him up in the expansion draft.
Ben Bishop, G, TB – Bishop, who was injured while making a save in the same game as Jimmy Howard, will miss the next 3-4 weeks with a lower-body injury. It's been a subpar year for the giant American, who will now need to watch as Andrei Vasilevskiy tries to prove he should be the #1 netminder even when the incumbent returns to action. Bishop was on the block last offseason but his value would take a big hit if Vasilevskiy proves capable, unless the young Russian is dealt elsewhere.
Others include Sean Couturier (sprained MCL, missed 16 games, could play Wednesday), Steven Stamkos (knee, still on crutches, no change to four-month estimate), Rick Nash (groin, may be back this week), Michael Raffl (lower-body injury, out 1-2 weeks), Nikita Kucherov (lower-body injury, still on injured reserve), Matt Read (oblique, could play Wednesday), Reilly Smith (concussion, out 7-10 days), Tomas Hertl (knee surgery, no timetable for return), Ryan O'Reilly (appendectomy, indefinite), Mark Streit (shoulder, could play Wednesday), Mike Green (upper-body injury, out until at least New Year's Day), Semyon Varlamov (groin, day-to-day), Andrew Hammond (high-ankle sprain, out indefinitely).
Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)
Jonathan Toews, C, CHI – Toews is revered in the Windy City and in the NHL for his leadership and playoff performances. But his regular season numbers dipped slightly last season and have cratered this year. After scoring 66 points in 2013-14 and 2014-15, Captain Serious notched 58 points a year ago. This season, the drop has been much more precipitous, scoring his first goal in 13 games Friday to give him five along with 10 assists in 27 games. Toews is still elite in the postseason, just not anymore from October to early April.
Jarome Iginla, RW, COL – Like Toews, Iginla has seen his production wane, although the latter doesn't own the recent playoff pedigree to draw upon. Iginla has just four goals and four assists in 33 games, continuing his recent decline. He notched 61 points his one year in Boston, parlaying that into a three-year, $16 million deal with the Avalanche in July of 2014. The veteran winger posted 59 points his first year in Colorado, but dropped to 57 last year and eight this season. Maybe a change of scenery and a shot at the playoffs would rejuvenate the career 615-goal scorer.
Olli Maatta, D, PIT – Maatta raised expectations when he burst on the scene with 29 points as a 19-year old in 2013-14. Since then, a pair of shoulder surgeries, the removal of a cancerous tumor and a bout of the mumps has set back his development. Pittsburgh showed faith in the 22nd overall pick of the 2012 Draft, inking the Finn to a six-year contract extension worth nearly $25 million in February of 2016. But he has yet to take that next step, tallying just two assists in 35 games.
Roberto Luongo, G, FLA – Like Florida, Bobby Lu has had an up-and-down campaign. At times, he has been unbeatable, while in others – especially recently – he has been almost sieve-like. Luongo is still the undisputed #1 goalie for the Panthers, but his struggles have started the whispers as to whether he should cede more starts to James Reimer. However, with five years left on the 12-year, $64 million extension he signed with Vancouver in Sep. 2009, Florida will need to tread lightly.
Others include Jason Spezza, Alex Killorn, Mikko Koivu, Leo Komarov, Jussi Jokinen, Michael Cammalleri, Ryan Murray, Ryan Miller, Pekka Rinne and Mike Smith.
