The Los Angeles Kings, on Jan. 13, were the last team to play 41 games. With that halfway mark now officially behind us, the playoff picture is starting to take shape, but there’s still a lot of hockey left to play. Let’s take a look at each of the four divisions and the key storylines from the first half of the season.
Atlantic Division
Home to the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the Atlantic Division features the most contested race for a wild card spot. The Toronto Maple Leafs currently lead the division. With Toronto’s history of playoff struggles, potential wild-card teams could be eyeing a first-round matchup with Toronto.
Good teams are still good
The Maple Leafs, Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Boston Bruins all currently hold playoff spots. These are the same teams that made the postseason last year.
Toronto Maple Leafs
This year’s Maple Leafs have a different look to them. They’re winning more in regulation, leading the division with 25 regulation wins. Last season, 35.3 percent of their points came from overtime and shootout games. This season, that’s down to 19.3 percent, a sign of a stronger team. Toronto has achieved this despite Auston Matthews missing 15 games. While it’s too early to say this is their year, they’ve shown promise.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay is a team to watch. As of Jan. 20, they have games in hand, lead the division in goals scored (165), are 2nd in goals against (128), and boast four forwards over the 20-goal mark. Comparatively, the Kraken have zero 20-goal scorers right now.
Tampa Bay parted ways with long-time captain Steven Stamkos and was able to sign Jake Guentzel to a seven-year deal worth $63 million. The sharp-shooting Guentzel is working out well so far, averaging just over a point per game (46 points in 43 games).
Wild card race
The Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens are separated by only two points. Boston has played two more games than the others. Ottawa, with a positive goal differential (+5) and the most regulation wins (18) among the group, might have the inside track, if rookie goaltender Leevi Meriläinen continues his strong play in Linus Ullmark’s absence. Meanwhile, Montreal’s resurgence has been driven by a balanced effort led by Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and smooth rookie Lane Hutson (worth noting, Hutson was taken No. 62 overall in the 2022 draft, one spot after Seattle selected David Goyette at No. 61).
The Detroit Red Wings are hot on Montreal’s heels, with a recent hot streak under new head coach Todd McLellan keeping them competitive.
Metropolitan Division
The Metropolitan Division has delivered surprises. Last season’s playoff teams included the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and Washington Capitals. This year, two of those teams risk missing the playoffs without significant second-half turnarounds.
On the struggle subway
The Rangers and Islanders are struggling. The Rangers, last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners, started strong but have since faltered and are on the outside looking in for the playoffs. The Islanders have had trouble scoring goals, ranking 28th in the NHL with 123. Goalie Ilya Sorokin has not be the problem, but at the same time has not helped matters either and has the lowest save percentage of his career at .900 this season. Mathew Barzal has struggled to get into his usual rhythm after missing 21 games due to injury and only has 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 25 games played.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus just might be the most improved team in the NHL and has spring boarded from fourth-worst in the league last year to a wild-card contender. The Blue Jackets are a different team at home than on the road. In Columbus, they boast a 16-5-3 record but show signs of last year’s squad when away with a 6-13-4 record. Columbus can score goals in buckets and as of Jan. 20 are sixth in the NHL with 157 goals scored. However, on the flip side, stopping goals has been an issue, where they are sixth worst in the NHL with 158 goals against. Winning seven of their last 10 games—including a drubbing of the Kraken—has kept them in the playoff hunt.
Ovi watch
The Capitals have surprised everyone coming out of the gate hot and have kept the foot on the pedal. As of Jan. 20 they are in pole position for the Presidents’ Trophy race with 67 points. Dylan Strome is having a career year, and a resurgence from Pierre-Luc Dubois has also been key. Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin is defying age, sitting at 874 career goals—21 shy of Wayne Gretzky’s record. Ovechkin has 21 goals in 30 games this season, putting him on a pace that could see him break the record by season’s end.
Central Division
The Central Division shows a stark divide between its top and bottom teams. The Winnipeg Jets lead the pack, with the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche close behind.
Best in the West
Winnipeg set an NHL record by going 15-1-0 to start the season. Although they’ve slowed since then, they are No. 1 in the Western Conference. Connor Hellebuyck remains a standout, leading the league in wins (28), shutouts (six), save percentage (.929), and goals-against average (1.97). Hellebuyck is the front runner for the Vezina Trophy and a serious contender for the Hart Trophy.
Wild card battle
The Central Division should produce at least four playoff teams, with one landing in a wild-card spot. Each of these teams is on pace for 100 points. The last time a wild-card team had over 100 was in the 2023 playoffs when none other than the Seattle Kraken upset Colorado in the first round.
The bottom
The Blackhawks and Predators are settling to the bottom. Chicago’s bright spot is 19-year-old Connor Bedard, who also has had ups and downs this season, but scoring depth and goaltending remain issues. Chicago was not expected to make the playoffs this season but were hoping to take a bigger step forward that has not materialized yet.
Nashville is probably the biggest disappointment this season. After signing Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault during the offseason, the vibes were good, and expectations were high for this team. Nashville has failed to put the puck in the net and is second to last in scoring (115) in the NHL. At this point in the season it is hard to imagine either of these teams turning it around this season.
Pacific Division
Vegas keeps winning
The Golden Knights have the NHL’s third-most points (62), fueled by scoring depth and career years from Jack Eichel and captain Mark Stone. Goaltending can be described as “good enough,” but due to the team averaging 3.40 goals per game, Vegas keeps on winning.
Rounding out the top three
The Edmonton Oilers have surged since the start of December, going 16-5-1, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the charge. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings are winning through team defense and strong goaltending from Darcy Kuemper. They boast a .853 points percentage at home (14-3-1) which is the best in the NHL.
Canucks-Flames rivalry
Calgary holds the edge for the last wild-card spot, while Vancouver has continued to slide down the standings. Injuries to Thatcher Demko and an NHL-leading 10 overtime losses have hurt the Canucks, but they are not out of the race. The rumor mill is rampant with Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller feuds and trade speculation causing uncertainty throughout the fan base.
Calgary has exceeded expectations this season after losing Jacob Markstrom and Andrew Mangiapane from last year’s squad. Goalie questions loomed for Calgary coming into the season, but rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf has been the answer and has taken control of the starting role. Wolf, a former Everett Silvertip, has started seven of the last 10 games and is posting numbers (.917 save percentage) that should have him in the conversation for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the best rookie in the NHL.
Shark tankers
The San Jose Sharks are at the bottom of the Pacific… And also the Pacific Division (get it?). But they have improved from last year, scoring 23 more goals and adding four more standings points. Rookie Macklin Celebrini has impressed with his play and is on a 61-point pace.
Not out yet
The Seattle Kraken have been inconsistent this season, falling short of expectations, but have shown flashes of promise. Currently sitting five points lower than last year’s team, the Kraken have shown the ability to push back and lead the NHL, with six comeback wins when trailing by two goals or more. Obviously, it would be better if they were not down by two-plus goals to start, but it is exciting to know they can be down and have a realistic chance to come back and win.
Kraken key developments during the first half of the season:
- Per the Sound Of Hockey intern a “blockbuster trade” where Kaapo Kakko was acquired.
- Continued positive development from Shane Wright and Ryker Evans.
- Joey Daccord locked in for five years.
- The Kraken prospect pool in development leagues continues to show promise.
The Kraken have had to deal with the injury bug as well. Jordan Eberle (pelvis injury), Vince Dunn (upper-body injury) and Yanni Gourde (mid-body injury) have all missed significant time.
Playoff push
As the league heads into the second half, the playoff race will intensify. My midseason Stanley Cup pick is the Edmonton Oilers, but I’m also watching to see if Ovechkin can break Gretzky’s record. Despite their struggles, I’ll be rooting for the Kraken to find consistency and play a full 60 minutes.
Who’s your midseason Stanley Cup favorite? What are your takeaways from the season so far? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
At what point do you think the Kraken cry “unkle” and start a fire sale? Although I am not sure if you would call it a fire sale when no one has been on fire this season. Or do we hold on until the last minute, hoping we make a push, thus putting us in a position to get less value?
For me, the trade deadline is the key focus. I’ve never been a fan of tanking and wish the NHL would reward teams that strive to compete rather than those that intentionally lose for draft positioning.
Beyond chasing a higher draft pick, the Kraken must focus on building and solidifying their fan base.
This year’s draft doesn’t project a generational talent, so it might not be worth the effort to move up from the sixth to the fifth pick.
I don’t think you get less value by holding on until the last minute. Many teams are up against the cap and that definitely includes the teams that are willing to take a shot at the trade deadline to make a run. Longer they hold off on making moves the less it affects their cap.
To me this is an interesting situation, the kraken clearly want to sell tickets and I’d think both Taniv and Yanni are more valuable to the teams ability to sell tickets then a few second round picks that might never make the NHL. The kraken might be wise to extend both of them if they are willing to sign reasonable contracts because they both as fan favorites.
Good point about waiting until last minute.
Regarding Tanev and Gourde – they’re my two favorite players on the team as their toughness and work ethic epitomize how the game should be played. The Kraken could attempt to sign them after the season to cheap/short-term contracts, but maybe – in the twilight of their careers – both would prefer to sign a similar contract with a contender? They play on a losing team with no playoff hopes, have skillsets greatly valued by teams with Stanley Cup aspirations, and both will turn 34 next season. If presented with good offers (IDK something like 1st/2nd round draft picks, top prospects etc.) the team must be willing to move on. Trading them would also free up ~ $9mm in cap space – a valuable commodity when trying to rebuild a team.
A 1st round pick might be pushing it for either of them, but it’s good to dream big. Since both players are on expiring contracts, we get the 9m back next season regardless.
I would be open to resigning them for sure, but I don’t think either of them will take a big pay-cut. As you mentioned, they have skillsets that are valued, so I would expect them to get similar dollars from other teams.
I agree with the other boys on the pod, the Kraken can’t keep re-signing declining players in their mid 30s. I appreciate the effort that Gourde and Tanev consistently bring, but they need to let their prospects play and get younger in order to be sustainably competitive.
Boist I get what you’re saying but would you not rather have Taniv on a reasonable deal in the lineup vs someone like Burakovsky? The reason why we are not successful isn’t our 4th line we need to look a little further up the ladder in regards to who needs to go. Yes we need room for prospects but generally speaking the more offensive prospects usually start on the third line not the fourth. My point is if Yanni Taniv or both want to stay and are willing to take team friendly contracts it’s worth more to us than a second round pick. That said if I were RF I’d be working those deals right now and if they can’t get done before the deadline then they are gone, a second round pick is definitely better than seeing them out through the season.
VAN has 10 ties so far.. WOW!