from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

- The player at the top of the Hart Trophy leaderboard after a month’s worth of games is no other than Artemi Panarin, who has elevated his game to previously unforeseen heights. That should tell you something about this player who has been dancing on the pinhead of NHL excellence for nearly a decade.

The 32-year-old is driving the Rangers, perhaps the most pleasant surprise in the league at 10-2-1. Panarin has returned unencumbered by last spring’s disappointment through which, we have been told, there was visible tension between the winger and head coach Gerard Gallant — who parted ways with the club within a week after elimination by the Devils....

- Lou Lamoriello made nine in-season coaching changes over his 28 years running the Devils, but none in his three years as GM of the Maple Leafs and none in his five-plus years with the Islanders.

So far, that is.

Lane Lambert may not be the problem — Noah Dobson in 2018 is the last Islanders draft pick to make an impression while Mat Barzal in 2015 is the last drafted forward to make an impact — but there is no indication that the coach is (or has) the solution, either....

- Two years ago, Jay Woodcock was a genius behind the Edmonton bench. That changed the moment GM Ken Holland presented the coach with the netminding tandem of Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner.

This is the flawed Philadelphia model in the late 1990s and early 2000s when Bob Clarke was running the hockey show. Don’t bother to get quality in goal when you can settle for less.

It was always a bizarre philosophy given the fact that just the two Cups in franchise history, in 1974 and 1975, were a product of Bernie Parent’s incomparable Conn Smythe goaltending each year.

- Finally, endorsing the need for protective equipment is all the rage these days, but then why did no fewer than a half-dozen Red Wings take pregame warmup at the Garden on Tuesday without wearing their helmets?

more on the first two topics plus other notes too...