This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
By my count, eight of the NHL's top 53 scorers with at least 60 points in 2014-15 averaged at least one point per game: Jamie Benn, John Tavares, Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Tyler Seguin, Evgeni Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk and Patrick Kane.
So far this season, 23 of the NHL's top 53 scorers with at least 16 points are averaging at least one point per game (entering Sunday's action).
What's the moral of the story?
Small sample sizes can often be misleading. Don't fall in love with a player outpacing his usual numbers unless something in his game has changed. Defenseman Ryan Suter, for example, is off to a great start with 19 points in 19 games. It would be unwise to count on those numbers the rest of the way. Is Artemi Panarin going to finish with a point per game all season long? Probably not. What happens when Patrick Kane cools off or gets hurt?
By the same token, slow starting Sidney Crosby will almost surely pick up his scoring pace. There's a decent chance he averages one point per game over the final 62 games.
It's a long season and three-quarters of the season remains. It's more important to look forward than to what's happened in the rear view mirror.
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid
St. Louis Blues (Jake Allen) at Buffalo Sabres (Linus Ullmark), 7:00 PM
Nashville Predators (Pekka Rinne) at New York Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist), 7:00 PM
Carolina Hurricanes (Eddie Lack) at Philadelphia Flyers (Steve Mason), 7:00 PM
Edmonton Oilers (Cam Talbot) at Washington Capitals (Braden Holtby), 7:00 PM
Boston Bruins (Tuukka Rask) at Toronto Maple Leafs (James Reimer), 7:30 PM
Los Angeles Kings (Jhonas Enroth) at Florida Panthers (Roberto Luongo), 7:30 PM
Colorado Avalanche (Reto Berra) at Winnipeg Jets (Ondrej Pavelec), 8:00 PM
Injury News For Teams Playing Monday
St. Louis Blues
Paul Stastny, C - Stastny (foot) participated in the Thursday morning skate and is moving closer toward rejoining the lineup, Lou Korac of NHL.com reports. (11/19/2015)
Patrik Berglund, C - Berglund (shoulder) has been placed on long-term injured reserve. (10/7/2015)
Jaden Schwartz, LW - Schwartz will miss at least 12 weeks after receiving surgery on a fractured left ankle, Andrew Allsman of KMOV reports. (10/24/2015)
Buffalo Sabres
Zemgus Girgensons, C - Girgensons (undisclosed) will not travel with the Sabres for their two-game road trip. (11/18/2015)
Mike Weber, D - Weber is week-to-week after undergoing surgery to repair his injured knee Friday, John Vogl of The Buffalo News reports. (11/13/2015)
Patrick Kaleta, RW - Kaleta, who suffered a knee injury during the preseason, still doesn't have a return date, reports Kevin Oklobzija from the Democrat and Chronicle. (10/30/2015)
Robin Lehner, G - Lehner is dealing with a high ankle sprain and will miss 6-to-10 weeks, Bill Hoppe of NHL.com reports. (10/11/2015)
Mark Pysyk, D - Pysyk (lower body) is still without a timeline for his return to action, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports. (11/21/2015)
Cody McCormick, C - McCormick (illness) was placed on injured resereve Tuesday, John Vogl of the Buffalo News reports. (10/6/2015)
Nashville Predators
Petter Granberg, D - Granberg was claimed off waivers by the Predators on Sunday, Bob McKenzie of TSN reports. (11/22/2015)
Carolina Hurricanes
Nathan Gerbe, LW - Gerbe suffered a lower-body injury in Sunday's game against the Kings and will not return. (11/22/2015)
Ryan Murphy, D - Murphy (concussion) won't play Friday against the Maple Leafs. (11/20/2015)
James Wisniewski, D - Wisniewski is expected to be sidelined six months after undergoing surgery on his left knee Friday to repair the torn ACL he suffered in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Predators, NHL.com's Michael Smith reports. (10/9/2015)
Philadelphia Flyers
Mark Streit, D - Streit (pelvis) was placed on long-term injured reserve Saturday, and is expected to be out six weeks after he undergoes surgery Tuesday morning to repair a pubic plate detachment. (11/14/2015)
Ryan White, RW - White will miss two-to-four weeks due to an upper-body injury. (11/15/2015)
Scott Laughton, C - Laughton, who left Saturday's game with an upper-body injury, will have his status updated Sunday, according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer. (11/21/2015)
Logan Pyett, D - Pyett was diagnosed with sarcoma in his upper left leg Friday and is out indefinitely, NHL.com's Dan Rosen reports. (10/9/2015)
R.J. Umberger, LW - Umberger (undisclosed) did not travel with the Flyers for Saturday's matchup with the Senators, Sam Carchidi of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. (11/21/2015)
Edmonton Oilers
Andrew Ference, D - The Oilers have placed Ference on the trade block, reports Edmonton Journal. (10/2/2015)
Justin Schultz, D - Schultz (back) will begin taking contact soon and should return on an upcoming five-game road trip that begins Monday against the Capitals, per Oilers coach Todd McLellan. (11/21/2015)
Luke Gazdic, LW - Gazdic (illness) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. (11/18/2015)
Rob Klinkhammer, LW - Klinkhammer (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. (10/28/2015)
Dillon Simpson, D - The Oilers signed Simpson to a three-year, entry-level contract Tuesday, reports the Edmonton Journal. (4/23/2014)
Connor McDavid, C - McDavid (collarbone) has shed his sling and started doing upper-body work, reports the Oilers web site. (11/16/2015)
Washington Capitals
Jakub Vrana, RW - Vrana underwent successful wrist surgery Wednesday morning, adding that he will require 3-to-4 months before returning to "full hockey activities." (11/4/2015)
Brooks Orpik, D - Orpik (lower body) was not on the ice in the morning skate ahead of Saturday's game against the Avalanche, which he will miss, CSN's Chuck Gormley reports. (11/21/2015)
Boston Bruins
Chris Kelly, RW - Kelly suffered a left femur fracture in Tuesday's game and will be sidelined 6-to-8 months. (11/3/2015)
Landon Ferraro, RW - Ferraro (knee) was claimed by Boston after being placed on waivers by Detroit on Saturday, Bob McKenzie of TSN reports. (11/22/2015)
Alexander Khokhlachev, C - Khokhlachev (hand) is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks while recovering from the hand surgery he underwent Tuesday, Mark Divver of The Providence Journal reports. (11/10/2015)
Kevan Miller, D - Miller (upper body) was placed on injured reserve by the Bruins on Sunday. (11/22/2015)
Ben Sexton, C - Sexton had surgery on his hand Monday, Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports. (10/19/2015)
David Pastrnak, LW - GM Don Sweeney relayed Wednesday that Pastrnak is dealing with a small, non-displaced crack in his foot. (11/11/2015)
Frank Vatrano, C - According to Bruins head coach Claude Julien, Vatrano (upper body) will not play Saturday night against the visting Maple Leafs. (11/21/2015)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Stephane Robidas, D - Robidas (knee) still hasn't resumed skating, and remains without a definitive timetable to return to practice, Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun reports. (11/17/2015)
Nick Spaling, C - Spaling (upper body) won't play Saturday against the Bruins, Jonas Siegel of TSN Radio 1050 reports. (11/21/2015)
Los Angeles Kings
Matt Greene, D - Greene (upper body) won't travel on the Kings' upcoming five-game road trip, Rich Hammond of the Orange County Register reports. (11/16/2015)
Dwight King, LW - King (foot) will remain in a soft boot for about two more weeks before resuming training, Rich Hammond of the Orange County Register reports. (11/16/2015)
Florida Panthers
Dmitry Kulikov, D - Kulikov (lower body) will be sidelined for the next 2-to-4 weeks with a lower-body injury, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. (11/19/2015)
Marc Savard, C - The Panthers acquired Savard's (concussion) contract Wednesday along with forward Reilly Smith in a deal that sent Jimmy Hayes to the Bruins, TSN.ca reports. (7/1/2015)
Colorado Avalanche
Alex Tanguay, LW - Tanguay (knee) is expected to miss an "extended period" of time, Tommy Chalk of Fox Sports reports. (11/10/2015)
Brad Stuart, D - Stuart has returned to Denver due to some back issues, Drew Spevak of ESPN Denver reports. (11/12/2015)
Ben Street, C - Street is out of Thursday's lineup against Pittsburgh with a chest injury, Mike Chambers of The Denver Post reports. (11/19/2015)
Jesse Winchester, LW - Winchester (concussion) has been placed on injured reserve, Marc Moser of AltitudeTV reports. (10/6/2015)
John Mitchell, C - Mitchell (oblique) won't play Thursday against the Penguins, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports. (11/19/2015)
Winnipeg Jets
Grant Clitsome, D - Clitsome did not pass his pre-training camp physical and, as a result, will not play for the Jets this season, Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press reports. (9/19/2015)
Ondrej Pavelec, G - Updating an earlier report, Pavelec, who was injured in Saturday's game in a collision with the Coyotes' Shane Doan, was seen leaving the arena on crutches, reports the CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. (11/21/2015)
Hot
Kevin Shattenkirk, D, STL – File this one under the "better late than never" category. Shattenkirk missed 10 games with a groin injury, this after sitting out a total of 26 games last season. But he's back now, seemingly ready to continue the improved offensive production bump he enjoyed in 2014-15. A seven-point, five-game streak gives him eight points in 11 games, which comes out to a .73 point per game pace. Is it sustainable? In 354 games before 2014-15 he averaged .56 points per contest, but last season he averaged .79 points per game. With talent like Vladimir Tarasenko in front of him, he seems capable of maintaining his improved numbers.
Nathan MacKinnon, C, COL -- By Wayne Gretzky's third season, his point total had jumped from 43 goals and 104 points to 55 goals and 164 points with plenty more to come. Mario Lemieux moved from 43 goals and 100 points in his rookie season to 70 goals and 168 points in his fourth NHL campaign. While MacKinnon probably isn't ever going to score 200 points, let alone 150, the 2013 No. 1 selection is picking up his production big time in his third season. After sophomore slumping, the centerman has scored nine goals and 21 points through 20 contests, including six PP points. Last year he scored 14 goals and 38 points in 64 tilts, with seven points on the man advantage. The breakout is here. Will he continue to average a point per game? Probably not, but it's looking like his 63-point freshman output is closer to his fantasy baseline than his 38 points a year ago.
Cold
Mark Giordano, D, CGY – Giordano is due like a Lanny McDonald shave. Aside from a three-point night against Detroit, Giordano has scored three points in 20 contests – hardly the production one envisions from a Norris Trophy hopeful. The blueliner signed a six-year, $40.5 million deal In August. It's quite possible he's pressing to justify his contract, but not one point on the power play? Giordano's totaled 36 PP points in 125 games the last two years. Once he gets going on special teams everything else figures to fall into place.
Brendan Gallagher, RW, MON – Easy come, easy go around here in Daily Puck land. A day after fellow writer, Joe Mahoney, nominated Gallagher as one of his two hot players disaster struck the diminutive forward. Gallagher was nicked by a shot Sunday, fractured two fingers and is expected to be out indefinitely. With 19 points in 21 games, Gallagher will be hard to replace. That's too bad, as a team defying Gary Bettman's no-offense incarnation with a league-leading 78 goals loses one of its most productive players. Oh well, all-world goalie Carey Price is back. Let the 2-1 games commence inside Centre Bell.
Recommended Pickup
Justin Williams, RW, WASH – Mr. Game 7 isn't to be confused with Mr. October or Mr. November, but he's playing that way. The free agent acquisition has fit in nicely as a consistent, counted-upon producer for the Capitals – he's scored five goals and 13 points in the last 15 games. Washington hosts Edmonton, Winnipeg, Tampa Bay and travels to Toronto in the coming week. The juicy schedule makes Williams a solid potential pickup, though any of the Caps' scoring options could really serve as recommended options.
