from Katie Strang of ESPN,

Trending up
Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings: It’s easy to be excited about the depth of the young talent making strides in Motown, but let’s not overlook the continued prowess and veteran leadership of Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg, who delivered a spectacular performance in Detroit’s comeback win Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres. Zetterberg recorded a hat trick in the third period and added an assist in the Wings’ thrilling 6-4 victory. The 34-year-old paces the team with 41 points this season.

New York Rangers: With a 5-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, the Blueshirts gained ground on one of their main Metropolitan Division foes. The Rangers have won seven of their last 10 games and are tied for third place in the division with the Washington Capitals. Rick Nash continues to roll -- he tallied twice in what has already been a phenomenal season for the star winger -- and center Derek Stepan matched his efforts with a two-goal game of his own.

much more

Trending down:
Chicago Blackhawks: The Hawks better watch out, because the Jets are making gains and a middling stretch is starting to prove costly for the former titans of the Central. With the Predators perched atop the division standings, the Hawks are locked in a third-place tie with the Jets following their second consecutive loss. The Hawks have to feel good about the All-Star break coming up, because it provides them a breather from a daunting seven-game road stretch ahead.

Kings in the shootout: Not quite on par with the New Jersey Devils of last season, but the shootout has not been kind to the Kings this year. Edged in the skills competition by the rival Ducks over the weekend, the Kings are now scoreless in their last 22 shootout attempts. Their shootout record is a woeful 1-7 this season. Ouch.

more