The NHL All-Star Break is officially behind us. This means that the unofficial second half of the 2021 season is underway. The league is continuing to create headlines. This week, the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens parted ways with their head coaches. Dominique Ducharme was unable to replicate the magic after leading his team to the Stanley Cup Finals last year. He was let go after leading the Canadiens to just eight-win through 46 games.
Furthermore, after being hired by the team back in 2019, the Oilers fired Dave Tippett after leading the group to just seven wins over their last 23 games. Back with our weekly stock up, stock down article, the Calgary Flames are red hot. Darryl Sutter‘s group is riding a five-game win streak that has seen them catapulted into second place in the Pacific Division. Along with this, the Minnesota Wild are continuing to roll. They defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 on Sunday before shutting out the lowly Chicago Blackhawks 5-0 on Wednesday Night.
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Stock Up: Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins are hot on the heels of the Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. They defeated the Boston Bruins on Tuesday Night before shutting out the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. The team is led by the return of their captain Sidney Crosby. However, Pittsburgh continues to get strong performances from players up and down the lineup. Enjoying one of the finest seasons of his six-year NHL career, Jake Guentzel is on pace to rack up a new career-high in goals and assists. The 27-year-old has recorded nine points over his last five games to lead the team with 49. Furthermore, Bryan Rust is also currently riding a four-game goal streak. The Michigan native has tallied six markers over that period.
Stock Down: Montreal Canadiens
Things have quickly gone from bad to worse for Montreal. The team has now lost their last eight games. Beaten down on Tuesday Night by the New Jersey Devils, the Canadiens surrendered seven goals on 34 shots. The group has been unable to slow their opponents down in their own zone in the absence of captain Shea Weber and star goaltender Carey Price. Over their last five games, they have given 30 goals to sit dead last in the league, with over four allowed per game on average. Furthermore, after finishing seventh in scoring by a defenseman a year ago with 42 points, Jeff Petry is enjoying one of the most miserable seasons of his 12 year NHL career. The former second-round pick has just one goal on the year while being a -14.
Stock Up: Columbus Blue Jackets
A team full of firepower on the offensive end, the Blue Jackets are continuing to be a tough matchup for any opponent every night. They are now just 10 points back of the Bruins for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Fresh off a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday Night, Columbus has now won four of their last five after undergoing a three-game losing skid. Solidifying himself as the team’s number one defenseman after they shipped out Seth Jones to the Blackhawks, Zach Werenski has racked up 26 points in 43 games. Furthermore, center Boone Jenner has bounced back after a down year in 2020. The 28-year-old is currently leading the group with 19 goals.
Stock Down: Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo enjoyed a nine-day break between their first game to open the month and their overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on Thursday. The Sabres have now lost three in a row and are 3-5-2 in their last ten games. Struggling to find any consistency in goal, the team has used four different options. Former fifth-round pick Dustin Tokarski has made 15 starts to lead the way. Along with this, they have also struggled to generate chances on the offensive end. Don Granato’s group has scored just 120 goals to sit in fifth last in the Eastern Conference. While they have some solid pieces moving forward in Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin, and Owen Power, the Sabres roster still needs work if they hope to climb out of the basement in the Atlantic Division.
Stock Up: Ottawa Senators
A talented young group, the Senators have won three of their last five games. These include impressive victories over the Hurricanes and the Oilers. The team is now 7-4-2 since they recalled goaltender Matt Murray from the AHL. Home to one of the best young first lines in the game, winger Drake Batherson, captain Brady Tkachuk, and center Joshua Norris are leading the way for the group. Furthermore, former first-round pick Thomas Chabot has continued to provide a stabilizing presence on the backend. The 25-year-old has recorded 21 assists, and a 35.8 defensive zone start percentage while leading the league with over 26 minutes on the ice per night.
Stock Down: Winnipeg Jets
Surrounded by lofty expectations before the season’s start, the Jets continue to fall lower and lower in the Western Conference. Now 10 points back of the final wild-card spot, the team fell 3-1 to the struggling Philadelphia Flyers before taking advantage of a depleted Minnesota Squad on Tuesday. Enjoying another strong campaign in his sixth year in the league, Kyle Connor leads the group with 25 goals and 47 points in 43 games. However, veteran center Mark Scheifele continues to leave a lot to be desired for Winnipeg fans. Currently sitting third on the team in points, the 28-year-old has often looked disinterested while making poor plays in his own zone. With a tough four-game stretch on tap, including games against the Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, and the Wild, the group needs to create internal answers before this becomes a lost season.
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