It's not often a Detroit beat writer gives us a view on the NHL, but Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News does.

Teams such as Washington, St. Louis, Boston and Tampa looks capable of winning the Stanley Cup — but also face nagging questions that could derail their expected runs.

There appears to be a growing number of sleepers that could be getting healthy, or hot, at just the right time — a group that includes Pittsburgh, Columbus, Colorado and Dallas.

Some of the best stories have come from individual stars who continue to dominate.

Connor McDavid (Edmonton) has returned from a scary-looking knee injury to star yet again, and veterans such as Patrick Kane (Chicago), Alex Ovechkin (Washington) and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin continue to marvel.

Another exciting aspect of this season has been the spectacular play of rookie defensemen Cale Makar (Colorado) and Quinn Hughes (Vancouver), each of whom is playing beyond his age.

The tight races and lack of clear-cut favorites promise to make the stretch run one of the best in recent memory.

Here is a look at the NHL, heading into its All-Star break:

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