Quick Note: Only 4 teams in the East had 5 or more wins: NYR, TOR, CBJ, and MTL. I don't know what this means, but good job performing when more than 75% of the East struggled for whatever reason. (That's why not many East teams made it to this week's Super 16, sorry .) Super 16: Jets Have Taken Off! Also, A Perfect Week 1. Montreal Canadiens Hit: Umm.... they didn't lose a single game this week. Also, @Big Wet May puts together the best week of his season with 5 wins, a 91.1% sv percentage, and a 0.92 GAA. Miss: So many nail-biters this week with 5 one-goal games and another decided by two, the fans can't handle the stress. 2. Chicago Blackhawks Hit: 8 wins means a lot of guys stepped up. @STlCK now leads the Rocket race with 34 goals adding 6 this week. The team altogether allowed just 10 goals this week which is absurd. @RoaringViper would seemingly be a lock for POTW going 6-0 with close to a 92% save percentage and under a 1 GAA. Miss: You'd think 16 would help create some separation, but unfortunately almost all of the West were able to get at least 12 points this week. 3. Anaheim Ducks Hit: You get 16 of 18 possible points, you had a pretty good week. The Rated R boys mostly respond from a down week last week with some going 2-0-1 and the others 3-0. Miss: Not losing a game in regulation had to have them high in the standings, but couldn't have them any higher because...well... their two overtime losses came to a team that wen 9-0 (MTL) and.. the Lightning. 4. Colorado Avalanche Hit: Averaged well over 3 goals for per game this week, very hard to beat a team that's offense seems to have it all figured out. By the way, this was their best week yet. Miss: The Avalanche went looking for an easy win against the Blue Jackets only to find that maybe the Jackets had a little fight left in them. Only loss this week: 3-1 COL at CBJ. 5. Arizona Coyotes Hit: The last match ups with the Atlantic saw them improve their record to 12-1-2 against Atlantic teams. Miss: Definitely feel like a team with such good defensive depth gave up a lot more goals than usual this week with 18 goals against. 6. San Jose Sharks Hit: The @CrazzyCanuck line with @Gwan and @SNipeSHow Inc go 3-0 and at a great time as well because almost all of the Pacific got 12 or more points this week. Miss: Their top-scoring line, at least stats-wise, got shut out by the Canadiens which is (I think) the only game they've failed to score at least one goal. 7. Saint Louis Blues Hit: @mfricha goes 2-0-1 for the Blues in his debut week and should continue some of this success reunited with former Sens linemate @donnybrah . Is it too early to call this a good trade? Miss: 6-1-2 is a good week, but it almost looks like it wasn't compared to how well everyone in the Central did. The Blues are still on the outside looking in. 8. Dallas Stars Hit: @Gilleh has arguably his best week yet with 15 points in 3 games and now a 6 point lead in the Art Ross race. Miss: 10 points out with a few weeks to go seems like they're a team more likely to play spoiler at this point especially with a slew of trades, but I have to say I don't really hate any of these moves they've made if things weren't working out. Wouldn't be surprised if they can pick up some wins. 9. Los Angeles Kings Hit: This is definitely the best week they've had all season with a 6-2-1 record. Hollywood needed some entertainment and they got it from @Curi0sity @The MainEvent @The Gr8 Haxby as they go 3-0 this week. Miss: Seems too little, too late for the Kings as they're pretty much out of the playoffs. Definitely had put together a decent roster and improved through trades, but the Pacific was essentially a meat-grinder for the middle teams this season. 10. Edmonton Oilers Hit: They definitely had a good response from last week despite maybe not living up to their own expectations going 6-2-1. Keeping pace with the rest of their division is especially important now, and they've mostly done that this week. Miss: Felt like they were giving up some uncharacteristic goals this week, maybe that's why they went and made some roster moves acquiring @Tolvanen l11l and @FtB x Grizz . 11. Nashville Predators Hit: The powerplay was clicking this week, the top 6 were scoring at over 50%. @l Remiasz l9l turns in another good week with the Preds going 3-0. Miss: An overtime loss to the Sharks, currently 2nd in the Pacific, just leaves a bad taste in your mouth. 12. New York Rangers Hit: 5-3-1 for last season's Rangers (Jets) would have been a low point in the season, but it's actually pretty good considering the rest of the Metro struggled. Miss: Maybe they were feeling the absence of @Lingross a bit considering two of their losses came with ECUs at D. Regardless, they gained 2 points on the Penguins, though bit of a missed opportunity to widen the lead when they lost to the Penguins in OT on Wednesday. 13. Toronto Maple Leafs Hit: Sort of a common theme, but the East got walloped this week for whatever reason. The Leafs getting 5 wins out of this week is huge and keeps them with a nice lead on the non-playoff teams and on the Senators. Miss: Hard to keep up with a 9-0 week, but just 2 extra points could have kept them in 1st in the Atlantic; instead, they get passed up by Montreal this week. 14. Vegas Golden Knights Hit: @Daddy Padre is just out here laying down the law with the ENF bulid. 5 goals, 6 assists, 16 hits, and a 2-1-0 record this week. (and another appearance in the IRL awards). Miss: I don't think expectations were super high for the Golden Knights, so not too many people should be disappointed at the season's end. At least, for the time being, they showed they could grind out a couple wins with a 6-3-0 record this week. 15. Columbus Blue Jackets Hit: 5-3-1 means they had one of the better records in the East this week. Seems like they used a bunch of ECUs and had to ban someone, but despite all that they're only a couple points out of the playoffs. In addition, had a couple one-goal losses to top teams and took down Minnesota and Colorado this week. Miss: A forfeit loss? Not something you want to see coming out of a team chasing a playoff berth. A double OT loss had to hurt as well. Still though, 5 wins left them in the top four in the East this week, so that should hopefully provide some solace. 16A. Winnipeg Jets Hit: The Jets are flying! 5-2-2 has been their best week yet. This has to be their best goal differential as well at +10. Also, great that very few forfeits have been taken in games the Jets are in. So thanks @Schwatz I83I . Miss: They're really just playing spoiler from here on out, so not a whole lot to put here besides a tough loss to a team they were probably eager to play in the Columbus Blue Jackets. 16B. Minnesota Wild Hit: Everyone loves big trades, and they definitely had a few this week exchanging @Drew x 8 and @Joyt7sm for @Jack Bauer tuna and @GETHESEHANDS . What do you think? Smart move? Miss: 5-3-1 actually gave them the worst record in the Central this week, that's pretty bizarre if you think about it. Still, not too much to fret about as they still have a 4 point lead on the Wildcard. Though, I bet those Blues are eager to hunt them down. Rookie of the Week: @l Lanctot l17l (RW) Lanctot is quietly having one of the better seasons as a rookie in the league. He was definitely struggling to get points as the Canadiens 3rd line had very limited scoring through the first couple weeks. Even then, he was 7-1-2 through week 4. His last 5 games, though, the offense has exploded and he's gotten 70% of his points the last two weeks. A couple weaker teams like Tampa and Vancouver in the last 5, but this week was still a solid one for the winger who went 3-0 with 14 points (150% more than the first 4 weeks combined) against VAN, SJS, and PHI. He's only been a minus player in 1 game so far this season, and that was back in week 2. Something else that's interesting, he's on of the rookies who stray away from the usual builds; he's used Dangler all season. Surprise of the Week: Montreal Canadiens Undefeated in Week 6 I had the Canadiens owner on The Hot Seat a couple weeks back when they slipped in the standings right after one of their best weeks. Well, they have a new best week as they just went 9-0. Not only were they undefeated, but the rest of their division struggled mightily with the average points among those teams being a paltry 6. When I looked at this team in preseason, I thought their weakness was their defense and I talked a bit recently about how they seemed to have turned that into a strength. Well, they allowed just 10 goals en route to going 9-0 this week which would support that. They outscored opponents 32-10 in week 6. Their goal differential prior to this week was +2. Remember, however, that after the last big week Montreal couldn't keep the momentum going, so can't let off the gas now. IRL Player Awards Georges Laraque "Enforcer Hat Trick" Award @Daddy Padre sorta self-explanatory, scored a hatty with the ENF (7/18/18 VGK at STL) Brenden Morrow "Bowling Ball" Award @Wadden l32l 18 hits in one game this week (probably upped his trade value) (7/15/18 TOR at VAN) Wayne Gretzky "Playmaker" Award @RaiN l 87 l 8 assists in one game this week (7/15/18 VAN at MTL)
Maybe the owner of Buffalo will be feeling some pressure? Perhaps @At43 is in... The Hot Seat. Look for S30 Week 7 Preview out Saturday.
