from Kevin Allen of USA TODAY,

The 2016-17 NHL season has mostly been about the Columbus Blue Jackets’ rise, Auston Matthews' and Patrik Laine’s rookie contributions, Sidney Crosby’s goal binge and the Metropolitan Division’s early-season dominance.

But here are other important happenings that could have escaped your notice:

Big Joe has two goals: San Jose Sharks star Joe Thornton, 37, has always been a playmaker more than a goal scorer. He’s long been one of the game’s most creative set-up artists.

He still ranks in the top 20 this season with his 24 assists. But it’s impossible to ignore that he’s on a pace to score four goals this season. The issue: Thornton isn’t shooting the puck. He has 43 shots in 42 games, which represents the lowest shot frequency of his career. His shooting percentage is 4.7%. Over the past two seasons, it’s been at 12.1% and 15.7%.

Vancouver Canucks changing on the fly: The Canucks have refused to fully embrace rebuilding, probably because they still have aging stars Henrik and Daniel Sedin. But the Canucks have quietly experienced a youth movement of sorts.

At 21, Bo Horvat is the team’s leading point producer with 30 points. Sven Baertschi, 24, has become an important offensive contributor. With 24 points, he might finish with 50 points this season. Markus Granlund, 23, is on a pace to score 20 goals for the first time.

At 22, Troy Stecher is the team’s No. 2 defenseman in minutes played. Six-foot-seven, 265-pound Russian defenseman Nikita Tryamkin is getting a shot. Net result: Canucks are one point out of the playoffs.

three more topics including Braden Holtby and the Wings...