Drouin finally solid in Tampa; meet the Jackets unlikely leading scorer
Jonathan Drouin's future with the Tampa Bay Lightning looked particularly bleak at this point last year.
The third overall pick of the 2013 draft was unhappy in Tampa then amid inconsistent opportunities under head coach Jon Cooper and had requested a trade from the club in November. He was demoted to the American Hockey League by January and later suspended indefinitely without pay as trade speculation swirled.
The Lightning ultimately opted against dealing their frustrated winger ahead of the Feb. 29 trade deadline and by playoff time Drouin had emerged as a crucial element in the Bolts attack, totalling 14 points in 17 games en route to the club's second straight Eastern Conference final.
After a sluggish start offensively this season (seven points in 17 games), the 21-year-old is flying again.
Drouin has seven goals and 13 points in 10 games this month, including a combined five points in back-to-back wins last week. His offensive emergence has been timely for Tampa, which has been without Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat, Ryan Callahan, Vladislav Namestnikov and No. 1 goaltender Ben Bishop due to injury.
The Ste-Agathe, Que. native may soon join that group after exiting Tampa's final game before the holiday break with an undisclosed injury.
Regardless, Drouin's future with the Lightning would appear secure, quite the turnaround from one year ago.
MEET THE JACKETS' LEADING SCORER
Easily the most unknown leading scorer of the NHL's most surprising team this season, Cam Atkinson was the 157th overall pick of the 2008 draft, a smallish winger plucked out of Avon Old Farms high school in Connecticut. Atkinson, who leads the sizzling Blue Jackets with 35 points in 32 games, has quietly scored at least 20 goals in each of his three full NHL seasons, including a career-best 27 goals and 53 points last year.
The 27-year-old trails only Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby with 15 points in December, tied for sixth in NHL scoring on the season. The five-foot-eight 182-pound Atkinson has done the majority of his damage on the league's top power play, currently tops among all NHL players with 17 power-play points this year, already a career high.
TROUBLE IN BIG D
The Dallas Stars had their best campaign in a decade last year, posting 50 wins and 109 points to lead the Western Conference. It's been an entirely different story this year though with literally every facet of the Stars' game falling off and by a considerable margin.
A look at a few key numbers for Dallas, currently absent from the west's playoff picture:
Goal differential last year: plus-37
This year: minus-17
Goals per-game last year: 3.23
This year: 2.54
Goals against per-game last year: 2.78
This year: 3.03
Power play last year: 22. 1 per cent
This year: 16.5 per cent
Penalty kill last year: 82.3 per cent
This year: 77.3 per cent
Puck possession last year: 52.5 per cent
This year: 48.8 per cent
Times shut out last year: 1
This year: 3
NO. 1'S
Frederik Andersen has found his way for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but a few other new No. 1 goaltenders have yet to get on track.
Jake Allen, who signed a four-year extension worth US$17.4 million last summer (which starts next season), has a .905 overall save percentage and a .907 mark at even strength which ranks as the worst among goalies with at least 20 starts. John Gibson, who inherited Anaheim's top gig following Andersen's departure, has a .907 save percentage, including an .897 mark in December.
Petr Mrazek has a .899 save percentage after re-signing in Detroit for two years and $8 million while Connor Hellebuyck has given up three goals or more 13 times in 26 appearances, much of the damage coming when the Jets, the league's third-worst penalty kill, are shorthanded.
Only Mrazek's job has been threatened with Jimmy Howard re-emerging before a recent injury (.934 save percentage).
Andersen, meanwhile, has the NHL's second-best save percentage (.938) since the start of November, registering his first shutout with the Leafs in their second-last game before the break, a 38-stop blanking of the Colorado Avalanche.
EARLY RETURNS
One of the more intriguing trades last summer saw 23-year-old Mika Zibanejad shipped from Ottawa to New York for 29-year-old Derick Brassard. For the Senators it was an injection of veteran stability, the Rangers an infusion of youth.
How's it worked for both sides so far? It's probably too early to say.
Zibanejad: The Swede was living up to last season's career-best production (21 goals, 51 points) before breaking his fibula last month, totalling five goals, 15 points, a 52 per cent possession and 53.7 per cent success rate in the face-off circle in 19 games. He's not expected back until after the New Year.
Brassard: The former Blue Jackets first rounder is well off the near-60-point pace he managed in each of the previous two seasons, totalling only seven goals and 15 points in 34 games (a 36-point pace) for the Senators. Brassard did score in three straight games last week and boasts a strong 54 per cent puck possession mark, tops among Ottawa regulars.
Jonathan Drouin's future with the Tampa Bay Lightning looked particularly bleak at this point last year.
The third overall pick of the 2013 draft was unhappy in Tampa then amid inconsistent opportunities under head coach Jon Cooper and had requested a trade from the club in November. He was demoted to the American Hockey League by January and later suspended indefinitely without pay as trade speculation swirled.
The Lightning ultimately opted against dealing their frustrated winger ahead of the Feb. 29 trade deadline and by playoff time Drouin had emerged as a crucial element in the Bolts attack, totalling 14 points in 17 games en route to the club's second straight Eastern Conference final.
After a sluggish start offensively this season (seven points in 17 games), the 21-year-old is flying again.
Drouin has seven goals and 13 points in 10 games this month, including a combined five points in back-to-back wins last week. His offensive emergence has been timely for Tampa, which has been without Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat, Ryan Callahan, Vladislav Namestnikov and No. 1 goaltender Ben Bishop due to injury.
The Ste-Agathe, Que. native may soon join that group after exiting Tampa's final game before the holiday break with an undisclosed injury.
Regardless, Drouin's future with the Lightning would appear secure, quite the turnaround from one year ago.
MEET THE JACKETS' LEADING SCORER
Easily the most unknown leading scorer of the NHL's most surprising team this season, Cam Atkinson was the 157th overall pick of the 2008 draft, a smallish winger plucked out of Avon Old Farms high school in Connecticut. Atkinson, who leads the sizzling Blue Jackets with 35 points in 32 games, has quietly scored at least 20 goals in each of his three full NHL seasons, including a career-best 27 goals and 53 points last year.
The 27-year-old trails only Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby with 15 points in December, tied for sixth in NHL scoring on the season. The five-foot-eight 182-pound Atkinson has done the majority of his damage on the league's top power play, currently tops among all NHL players with 17 power-play points this year, already a career high.
TROUBLE IN BIG D
The Dallas Stars had their best campaign in a decade last year, posting 50 wins and 109 points to lead the Western Conference. It's been an entirely different story this year though with literally every facet of the Stars' game falling off and by a considerable margin.
A look at a few key numbers for Dallas, currently absent from the west's playoff picture:
Goal differential last year: plus-37
This year: minus-17
Goals per-game last year: 3.23
This year: 2.54
Goals against per-game last year: 2.78
This year: 3.03
Power play last year: 22. 1 per cent
This year: 16.5 per cent
Penalty kill last year: 82.3 per cent
This year: 77.3 per cent
Puck possession last year: 52.5 per cent
This year: 48.8 per cent
Times shut out last year: 1
This year: 3
NO. 1'S
Frederik Andersen has found his way for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but a few other new No. 1 goaltenders have yet to get on track.
Jake Allen, who signed a four-year extension worth US$17.4 million last summer (which starts next season), has a .905 overall save percentage and a .907 mark at even strength which ranks as the worst among goalies with at least 20 starts. John Gibson, who inherited Anaheim's top gig following Andersen's departure, has a .907 save percentage, including an .897 mark in December.
Petr Mrazek has a .899 save percentage after re-signing in Detroit for two years and $8 million while Connor Hellebuyck has given up three goals or more 13 times in 26 appearances, much of the damage coming when the Jets, the league's third-worst penalty kill, are shorthanded.
Only Mrazek's job has been threatened with Jimmy Howard re-emerging before a recent injury (.934 save percentage).
Andersen, meanwhile, has the NHL's second-best save percentage (.938) since the start of November, registering his first shutout with the Leafs in their second-last game before the break, a 38-stop blanking of the Colorado Avalanche.
EARLY RETURNS
One of the more intriguing trades last summer saw 23-year-old Mika Zibanejad shipped from Ottawa to New York for 29-year-old Derick Brassard. For the Senators it was an injection of veteran stability, the Rangers an infusion of youth.
How's it worked for both sides so far? It's probably too early to say.
Zibanejad: The Swede was living up to last season's career-best production (21 goals, 51 points) before breaking his fibula last month, totalling five goals, 15 points, a 52 per cent possession and 53.7 per cent success rate in the face-off circle in 19 games. He's not expected back until after the New Year.
Brassard: The former Blue Jackets first rounder is well off the near-60-point pace he managed in each of the previous two seasons, totalling only seven goals and 15 points in 34 games (a 36-point pace) for the Senators. Brassard did score in three straight games last week and boasts a strong 54 per cent puck possession mark, tops among Ottawa regulars.
Today at 9:06 am by Bama Diva
» Biden-Harris administration blasted for running out of money to deal with Hurricane Helene after blo
Today at 8:16 am by Bama Diva
» Fake Amazon sites everywhere
Today at 8:02 am by Bama Diva
» MM&C 10/3/24 World Bank: Iraq has made progress in improving the business environment, making it glo
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» MM&C 10/3/24 Central Bank comments on preparing the budget for next year
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» utube 10/3/24 MM&C Iraq Update-Iraq Securities Exchange- Transform Iraq-Export Oil - Federal Co
Today at 5:14 am by Rocky
» utube 10/1/24 MM&C Iraq Dinar News - Iraqi Stock Exchange - Private Sector - Water - Infrastructure
Today at 5:14 am by Rocky
» The dinar collapses against the dollar.. Is the specter of 1600 looming on the horizon?
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Baghdad International Airport: Why is it unable to compete with regional airports?
Today at 4:57 am by Rocky
» Nineveh reveals projects worth billions that have been stalled for 12 years
Today at 4:56 am by Rocky
» Iraq calls for protecting oil routes in the Arabian Gulf
Today at 4:55 am by Rocky
» State of Law Leader: America Has No Desire to Leave Iraq
Today at 4:53 am by Rocky
» MP reveals 170 stalled projects have been resolved
Today at 4:52 am by Rocky
» Rafidain Bank announces the collection of more than four trillion dinars electronically for the bene
Today at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Karbala Municipality: Starting to plant gardens and green spaces inside residential neighborhoods
Today at 4:48 am by Rocky
» Customs: Our revenues during 7 months of the current year exceeded one trillion dinars
Today at 4:47 am by Rocky
» World Bank: Iraq is witnessing a major transformation in improving the business environment and publ
Today at 4:45 am by Rocky
» New program turns unified card into food ration card in Iraq
Today at 4:43 am by Rocky
» The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq announces the launch of financial transfers to Türkiye acco
Today at 4:40 am by Rocky
» World Bank issues optimistic report on Iraq, points to 'major transformation'
Today at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Supply concerns send oil prices up more than 5 percent
Today at 4:37 am by Rocky
» Rafidain: More than 4 trillion dinars in electronic collection amounts for government departments
Today at 4:35 am by Rocky
» Iraqi government opens accounts to deposit donors' money for Gaza and Lebanon
Today at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Public money and government wheels enter the Kurdistan Parliament elections propaganda
Today at 4:30 am by Rocky
» How did current events cast their shadows on the Iraqi parliament presidency file?
Today at 4:29 am by Rocky
» Production stops at Karbala refinery.. and the local government acknowledges the shortage of fuel su
Today at 4:25 am by Rocky
» Iraq imports large quantities of calves and sheep to control meat prices
Today at 4:23 am by Rocky
» IMF: Continued conflict in Middle East could have major economic repercussions
Today at 4:22 am by Rocky
» Israel threatens to bomb more than 35 sites in Iraq
Today at 4:20 am by Rocky
» The crisis of choosing the parliament speaker.. Will political tensions impose “Al-Mashhadani” on “A
Today at 4:19 am by Rocky
» “Hidden Terrorism”: How Cyber Weakness Threatens Iraq’s Future More Than Bullets?
Today at 4:17 am by Rocky
» Iraq plans to establish modern industrial cities amid challenges of electricity and corruption!
Today at 4:16 am by Rocky
» Ministry of Planning reveals details of drawing the new population map in Iraq
Today at 4:15 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: Escalation in Lebanon and Gaza threatens to slide the region into a comprehensive war
Today at 4:14 am by Rocky
» Planning: Taking measures that focus on promoting sectors that affect citizens’ lives
Today at 4:12 am by Rocky
» Civil Service Council approves new batch of appointments
Today at 4:11 am by Rocky
» Commerce reveals new program that transforms the unified card into a food ration card
Today at 4:10 am by Rocky
» Iraq announces launch of new mechanism for financial transfers to Türkiye
Today at 4:08 am by Rocky
» Transparency: Sulaymaniyah and Halabja imports amounted to more than 11 billion dinars in one week
Today at 4:06 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Integrity: Collecting parliamentary signatures to question the Minister of Constructio
Today at 4:04 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary talk about the person closest to the coordination to assume the presidency of Parliame
Today at 4:03 am by Rocky
» Gov. Ron DeSantis orders National Guard to end longshoremen's strike over hurricane disaster
Yesterday at 5:20 pm by Bama Diva
» BREAKING: Mayor Pete orders citizens to stop using drones to find stranded victims as feds fumble hu
Yesterday at 5:07 pm by Bama Diva
» Elon Musk obliges Trump, reconnects disaster areas to the internet for free via Starlink
Yesterday at 12:15 pm by Bama Diva
» MM&C 10/3/24 Amending the Oil Law: A Step Towards Reform or Just Another Promise?
Yesterday at 7:11 am by Rocky
» In less than half an hour, Washington sends three messages via Baghdad to Tehran
Yesterday at 7:04 am by Rocky
» "Soon" .. Iraqi-Kuwaiti negotiations to resume to end differences
Yesterday at 6:58 am by Rocky
» On the seventh anniversary of Talabani’s passing, Al-Sudani recalls his national legacy and his role
Yesterday at 6:55 am by Rocky
» Planning: The general census will show the rates of enrolment in education and unemployment.
Yesterday at 6:50 am by Rocky
» Economist: Zionist bombing exacerbates economic conditions, calls for urgent intervention by governm
Yesterday at 6:47 am by Rocky
» Iraq, Kuwait to resume negotiations "very soon" to resolve outstanding issues
Yesterday at 6:46 am by Rocky
» Iraq and China take the largest share of Iranian goods
Yesterday at 6:43 am by Rocky
» Advisor Mazhar Saleh: No concern about Iraq's financial situation
Yesterday at 6:41 am by Rocky
» Amidst the Storms: Baghdad and Washington Support Regional Calm
Yesterday at 6:39 am by Rocky
» MP reveals reasons for delaying the approval of the Personal Status Law
Yesterday at 6:37 am by Rocky
» Al-Surji: The Union is capable of forming the next regional government
Yesterday at 6:36 am by Rocky
» Government measures to control the region's import of gold
Yesterday at 6:34 am by Rocky
» Central Bank comments on preparing the budget for next year
Yesterday at 6:33 am by Rocky
» Anbar citizens threaten to demonstrate over private generator pricing
Yesterday at 6:32 am by Rocky
» Dollar trading halted in Anbar due to high exchange rate
Yesterday at 6:31 am by Rocky
» Iraqi Parliament Prepares to Pass “Most Important” Law to Recover State Funds from Corrupt People
Yesterday at 5:14 am by Rocky
» World Bank identifies key issue for sustainable development in Iraq
Yesterday at 5:12 am by Rocky
» World Bank: Iraq has taken steps to develop human capital
Yesterday at 5:11 am by Rocky
» Electricity: Loss of 7,100 megawatts due to a decrease in the release of national gas and the supply
Yesterday at 5:09 am by Rocky
» Work: Issuing more than 220 thousand national cards for those covered by social protection
Yesterday at 5:08 am by Rocky
» France: Recommendation to eliminate 100,000 jobs to reduce government spending
Yesterday at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Iraq, Turkey sign MoU on migration and voluntary return
Yesterday at 5:05 am by Rocky
» Al Mazrouei: The world needs additional investments in the energy sector
Yesterday at 5:03 am by Rocky
» Agriculture announces compensation for livestock farmers’ losses, plans to control diseases
Yesterday at 5:02 am by Rocky
» Moscow advises its citizens not to travel to a country neighboring Iraq
Yesterday at 5:01 am by Rocky
» Holidays cost Iraq 34 trillion dinars annually!
Yesterday at 5:00 am by Rocky
» OPEC awaits global production estimates to confirm Iraq's compliance
Yesterday at 4:59 am by Rocky
» This is why oil traders are betting on it rising to $100
Yesterday at 4:57 am by Rocky
» Why are the social protection amounts not released for the current month?
Yesterday at 4:56 am by Rocky
» Baghdad and Washington discuss the need to protect sea lanes to ensure the export of Iraqi oil
Yesterday at 4:55 am by Rocky
» Iraq and the United Arab Emirates review procedures for judicial assistance files to recover persons
Yesterday at 4:53 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary-governmental meeting to discuss double taxation avoidance agreements
Yesterday at 4:51 am by Rocky
» Iraq and the United States stress the need for a ceasefire in the region and resolving crises throug
Yesterday at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Al-Mandlawi: The late President Talabani was keen, after the change, to play an honorable role in al
Yesterday at 4:48 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi-Turkish Joint Planning Group discusses the framework agreement concluded following Erdogan
Yesterday at 4:47 am by Rocky
» Baghdad and Washington discuss enhancing joint cooperation in the fields of energy, oil and economy
Yesterday at 4:46 am by Rocky
» Malekshahi: Successive regional governments faced local and regional difficulties and pressures
Yesterday at 4:43 am by Rocky
» Kurdistan: Starting to pay August salaries to employees tomorrow, Friday
Yesterday at 4:42 am by Rocky
» Iraq and America agree on the need for calm and not to expand the circle of conflict in the Middle E
Yesterday at 4:40 am by Rocky
» Dollar storm hits local markets.. Only half a point left for 155 thousand - Urgent
Yesterday at 4:39 am by Rocky
» "Serious and significant" economic risks await Iraq if it becomes involved in the Iran-Israel confli
Yesterday at 4:37 am by Rocky
» Total 140 days.. Financial costs of holidays in Iraq
Yesterday at 4:36 am by Rocky
» Within (8) months: The Al-Abbas’s Holy Shrine spends about (7) billion dinars on reducing the costs
Yesterday at 4:34 am by Rocky
» After "Noon News Agency" published its most important needs: Karbala Council forms a group of commit
Yesterday at 4:33 am by Rocky
» Government moves to build 6 new refineries
Yesterday at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Civil Service Council: Creating 6,000 job positions
Yesterday at 4:30 am by Rocky
» A project worth 16 billion dinars was seized by the Integrity Commission in Kirkuk
Yesterday at 4:28 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani orders suspension of work tomorrow, Thursday, and confirms that the region is entering a d
Yesterday at 4:27 am by Rocky
» In two separate calls with Sisi and the Jordanian monarch...the Prime Minister stresses the importan
Yesterday at 4:26 am by Rocky
» Transport: Completion of preliminary designs for the railway line and topographic survey of the deve
Yesterday at 4:24 am by Rocky
» Salaries are secured.. Finance Committee: Discussing 2025 budget schedules to begin next month
Yesterday at 4:23 am by Rocky
» Ports announces completion of work on the five berths project at the Grand Faw Port
Yesterday at 4:22 am by Rocky
» Contrary to the instructions, the Integrity Commission monitors violations in the implementation of
Yesterday at 4:21 am by Rocky
» The dollar exceeds 153 against the Iraqi dinar
Yesterday at 4:19 am by Rocky