The 2015-16 campaign for the NHL is about halfway done, so it's time to take a look at the highlights of the first half of the season. Obviously, a top-10 list can't touch on all the great things we've seen in the league so far, but here's some of the best.
1. Jaromir Jagr and the Florida Panthers - Most hockey players start to decline in their mid 30s. Jaromir Jagr has never been like most hockey players. Playing with a pair of linemates half his age, Jagr has provided quintessential veteran leadership and star-quality play to see the Panthers leading the Atlantic Division. There's always a question of when the bottom might fall out for older players, but Jagr is showing no signs of slowing down.
2. Patrick Kane's point streak - For the rough offseason Kane had, many questioned if he would be able to shake the distractions. What Kane proceeded to do for much of the first quarter of the season not only shook the allegations against him, but completely changed the narrative around him altogether. Kane rattled off the best point streak for an American-born player, and has continued to by an offensive dynamo with Russians Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov. Even better, he's taken a bunch of pressure off of Jonathan Toews and his linemates.
3. Braden Holtby - With Henrik Lundqvist buckling behind a terrible possession team, and Carey Price spending much of the season injured, Braden Holtby has stepped up to the podium of goaltending excellence. His Washington Capitals teammates have called them their best player, and the numbers indicate that as well. Holtby has a GAA under 2.00 and he's stopping over 93 percent of the shots he faces. The Capitals are miles ahead of the rest of the Metropolitan Division, and Holtby is a huge reason for that.
4. Johnny Gaudreau - The legend of Johnny Hockey has grown in his sophomore year. Avoiding the sophomore slump has seen Gaudreau pick up an All-Star nomination, and it's well earned. His 40 points in 40 games sees him on pace to shatter his 64-point mark from last year. The Calgary Flames team around his has regressed from their highly lucky previous campaign, but Gaudreau has helped to soften the blow significantly as he cements himself as a star in the NHL.
5. Dallas Stars offense - When the Stars traded for Antti Niemi as a challenge for Kari Lehtonen, they were roundly mocked for muddying a clear situation in goal. Neither has produced all that well, but it hasn't mattered all that much. The Stars' trio of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and John Klingberg have all blown opponents out of the water, with the former two in the top three in scoring, while the latter is the second-leading scoring defenseman. The result is high-octane hockey in an era increasingly void of that very thing. It may not be systematically pretty, but it's fun to watch.
6. 3-on-3 overtime - I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical about a change to the overtime system for this season. I personally didn't think a change was needed. I'm also not a big fan of the shootout. Once I saw how the new overtime worked, my mind changed very quickly. The action is thrilling and almost heart-stopping, at least when there's two teams who will lay it all on the line to win. This new overtime has produced great moments this season, especially for some of the league's top stars.
7. The rookie class - Coming into the season, the Calder question looked like a presidential ballot; you either thought McDavid or Eichel had it locked up. With an injury to McDavid and good but not dominant play from Eichel, the race is wide open. Artemi Panarin, Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Connor Hellebuyck, and many more have made the Calder race very interesting. With so many good young players performing at high levels, the league may be seeing their newest crop of superstars develop right now.
8. The Central Division - The teams as they stand today are a bit more separated, but the Stars, Blackhawks, Blues, and Wild are all very good teams that will battle throughout the second half of the season for a playoff spot. On the lower end, the Predators, Avalanche, and Jets will make the race for a second wild card spot very interesting, thanks to the lack of a challenge from the majority of the Pacific Division. Five teams from the Central will probably be in the playoffs, and all of them are going to make it entertaining with regards to how they get there.
9. The New Jersey Devils - Who would have thought going into the season that Mike Cammalleri, Lee Stempniak, and Kyle Palmieri could have such a big impact on a team's success. Clearly, we should be asking Ray Shero about the winning numbers for Wednesday's $1.3 billion jackpot, because he saw something in signing those players that everyone else missed. The Devils narrowly occupy a playoff spot through January 10th, and that's more than anyone expected for the team, which was widely thought to be a major participant in the Auston Matthews chase. With a workhorse goalie in Cory Schneider, the Devils may just be able to hold on and get an unexpected playoff experience, be it good or bad for the long-term development of the team.
10. Vladimir Tarasenko - The human highlight reel that is Tarasenko is a major reason why the St. Louis Blues are staying strong in the Central Division. Tarasenko not only fills the box score, but he provides YouTube with plenty of glorious goals. He's tied for fourth in the league with 24 goals, and many of them have been of the spectacular variety. Even better, he's able to play with a variety of players, allowing the Blues to have flexible lines, which makes them very difficult to defend. While they're not overwhelming anyone as a team, Tarasenko is a must-watch every time he takes the ice.
Is there anything I missed? Let me know what you've liked about this season in the comments.
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