Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

A Quarter Of The Way Through The NHL Season

11/23/2015 at 7:12am EST

from Dan Rosen of NHL.com,

Predictions are great for clicks on a website and debates pretty much everywhere hockey fans gather, online or in person, but in reality they're meaningless because nobody making them has a crystal ball to see into the future. Storylines and trends have to develop. Teams and players have to deal with adversity by living through it or crashing and burning because of it.

Ultimately, a season in the NHL teaches us more than we ever could have predicted. Through 25 percent of this season, here are 12 things we have learned so far:

- Zero for three in Calgary

The Calgary Flames were hoping by this point in the season that one of Jonas Hiller, Karri Ramo or Joni Ortio would have stepped out and earned the No. 1 goalie job. It hasn't happened. All three have struggled. Hiller is hurt, Ortio isn't getting many opportunities and the Flames have the worst save percentage in the NHL (.882). If you're looking for a reason for regression in Calgary, look no further than the crease. That said, the good news is Ramo, who has started 10 consecutive games, has allowed three goals in winning his past two starts. The better news is the Flames have allowed 39 total shots on goal in those games, a significant drop from their first 19 games, when they yielded 30.9 shots per game.

- New Jersey and Arizona are playoff contenders

The New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes weren't expected to be in the playoff race at any point this season. They're both within striking distance of a wild-card spot with 25 percent of the season complete. Devils coach John Hynes is making a difference. It's more than just the all-star season New Jersey is getting from goalie Cory Schneider. Hynes is getting more out of Travis Zajac than previous coach Peter DeBoer ever could. Mike Cammalleri is a point-per-game player. Adam Henrique is performing like a No. 1 center. The young defensemen are improving. Meanwhile, the Coyotes are thriving with rookies playing starring roles. Duclair and Domi have breathed new life into the organization.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]

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