* Twenty-six of 31 teams have changed standings positions since Jan. 1 – including significant leaps for the Blues (17-5-1), Hurricanes (16-6-1),Islanders (14-5-3), Flyers (13-7-2), Coyotes (11-8-3) and Blackhawks (11-6-3), who have gone a combined 82-37-13 (.670 points percentage) after all sitting outside the playoff picture on New Year’s Day (with STL, CAR, PHI, ARI and CHI all among the bottom 10 of the League).

* The eight bottom teams in the NHL standings through games of Dec. 31 – Carolina, Detroit, Arizona, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Ottawa – had a combined .452 points percentage (124-154-36). Since Jan. 1, those clubs are 90-68-16 for a .563 points percentage – just shy of the points percentage of clubs who ranked Nos. 2-9 on New Year’s Eve (92-65-14 since Jan. 1; .579).

* The Blues sat in last place in the Western Conference on New Year’s Day (tied for the fewest points in the NHL) but have the League’s best record in 2019 (17-5-1, 35 points).

* The Hurricanes were tied for the fourth-fewest points in the NHL 53 days ago but are tied with the League-leading Lightning for the second-most wins since Jan. 1 behind the Blues (17).

* The Islanders have vaulted from outside the playoff picture on Jan. 1 into the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, a position they have held since earning their 28th win on Jan. 18.

* The Flyers ranked second-last in the Eastern Conference on Jan. 1 but have accumulated 28 of their 63 standings points since – including a 13-4-1 stretch since halting an eight-game skid on Jan. 10.

* The Coyotes sat eight points outside the playoff picture on Jan. 1 but have won half their games since to put themselves among a group of four teams within four points of the second Wild Card spot in the West.

* The Blackhawks fell eight points back of a playoff spot with their loss in the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic but have earned points in 14 of 20 games since (11-6-3). Chicago’s surge has been led by Patrick Kane, who owns an active 20-game point streak dating to Jan. 3 and is on pace to surpass both the 50-goal and 120-point marks for the first time.

* St. Louis (Jan. 2), Chicago (Jan. 17-19) and Philadelphia (Jan. 9 and Jan. 12-13) all are in the running to accomplish a feat managed only six times in the NHL’s Expansion Era (since 1967-68): make the playoffs after ranking last in the entire League at any point after their 20th game of the season. The only teams to accomplish the feat in that era: the 1976-77 North Stars, 1979-80 Oilers, 1982-83 Maple Leafs, 1987-88 Kings, 1987-88Maple Leafs and 1996-97 Senators.

* Overall, 25 teams either occupy a playoff spot or sit within eight points of one, including 11 teams who were not part of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* In three of four divisions, the difference between first and second place is between one and three points.

LIGHTNING, KUCHEROV LOOK TO MAINTAIN PACE NOT SEEN IN 20+ YEARS

The one constant this season has been the play of the Lightning (47-11-4, 98 points), who are led by Nikita Kucherov (30-70—100 in 62 GP), and currently own an 18-point lead in their division and 15-point edge over the next-closest NHL team.

* The first team in NHL history to win at least 47 of its first 62 games of a season, Tampa Bay aims to close the regular-season by capturing the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history.

* Tampa Bay has held first place in the overall NHL standings since its 26th game on Nov. 29. Since the 82-game schedule was introduced in 1995-96, only three teams have occupied first place in the League standings from their 26th game or earlier until the end of the season: Dallas in 1998-99 as well as Detroit in 2001-02 and again in 2007-08. The Stars and Red Wings went on to capture the Stanley Cup in each of those campaigns.

* The Lightning are on pace to conclude 2018-19 with 62 wins and 130 points, which would match the NHL record for most wins in a season and mark only the third instance in League history of a team recording at least 130 points.

* Kucherov is on pace to hit both the 40-goal and 90-assist marks this season. He is on pace for 93 assists, which would be the highest total in a season since Joe Thornton in 2006-07 (92). He also is on track to become the first player to reach the 130-point mark in a season since 1995-96, when Mario Lemieux (69-92—161 in 70 GP) and Pittsburgh teammate Jaromir Jagr (62-87—149 in 82 GP) both did so.

HIGH-SCORING GAMES, THRILLING COMEBACKS REMAIN HALLMARKS OF 2018-19

The NHL is averaging 6.1 goals per game in 2018-19 (5,755 G in 944 GP). Since 1996-97, only one campaign has averaged more than six goals per game at season’s end (2005-06: 6.2 G/GP). Trends to watch:

* Of the 69 players who have recorded 50 or more points this season, 51 of them (73.9%) are on pace to record a career high in points. This list includes each of the top-eight point producers in 2018-19.

* Seventeen players have hit the 30-goal mark this season led by seven-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin (43), the highest number of 30-goal scorers through 944 games of a season since 1998-99 (19).

* The 2018-19 season has seen a total of 421 lead changes, the highest total through this point of a season since 1995-96 (426).

* Dubbed the “Season of the Comeback,” there have been 405 instances of a team rallying from a deficit of any kind to win, the second-highest total through 944 games in NHL history (414 in 2005-06). Additionally, a team has staged a multi-goal comeback win on 107 occasions, also the second-highest total through this point of a season in NHL history (123 in 1985-86).

the information above was provided by the NHL PR department