from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- This is rather unusual: San Jose’s Erik Karlsson leads the NHL in points for a defenceman and in most goals for at even strength and most goals against at even strength.

- If you were putting together a Team USA for an international hockey competition, which of these forwards would not play among the top nine: Matthews, Thompson, Patrick Kane, Jason Robertson, Jack Eichel, Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau, Joe Pavelski, Jack Hughes, Alex Tuch, Matty Beniers, Kyle Connor, Chris Kreider, Dylan Larkin, Cole Caufield? I’m leaving out three or four obvious candidates. The depth up front is over-the-top great.

- Stats that come from nowhere: Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark is 15-1 this season with a league-leading 1.82 goals against average and a league-leading .939 save percentage.

- If you add up all their goals, regular season, playoffs, NHL, and WHA, Gretzky scored one more goal than Gordie Howe: 1,072 to 1,071. That was brought to Gretzky’s attention when Mr. and Mrs. Howe were still alive and well. If you add up all of Alex Ovechkin’s goals, he has 868, more than 200 behind Gretzky and Howe. Bobby Hull, by the way, scored 1,018 goals in his career.

more including a look at some of the NHL young stars from non-traditional markets in the US...