LOS ANGELES – The NHL season has reached its mid-point and there is consistency 
of sorts at the top and bottom of the tables. It’s the middle, soft under belly of the league that has lacked consistency and that frustrates fans, players, coaches and general managers.
Joe Bartnick gives us his take on the NHL at the four furlong point in the season.
| RANK | Last Week | TEAM | BARTNICK’S TAKE |
| 1 | 2 | LIGHTNING | Vasilevskly is the Vezina leader. |
| 2 | 12 | GOLDEN KNIGHTS | The future is now. Marchessault signs a long-term contract. |
| 3 | 1 | JETS | Jets survived without Big Buff. Can they survive without Scheifele. |
| 4 | 5 | PREDATORS | Ryan Ellis is back but Filip Forsberg is out. |
| 5 | 3 | KINGS | Kopitar is back to being Kopitar on both sides of the puck. |
| 6 | 17 | BRUINS | McAvoy is making his case for the Calder. Chara is making his case for a new deal. |
| 7 | 13 | CAPITALS | Djoos is giving Capitals something they haven’t had in years. Young legs on the blueline. |
| 8 | 4 | MAPLE LEAFS | Leafs getting by without Matthews in regulation and Bozak in shootouts. |
| 9 | 6 | BLUES | Who knew Jaden Schwartz was Brett Hull? |
| 10 | 16 | STARS | Klingberg is back to being an elite scoring defensemen. |
| 11 | 10 | DEVILS | Brian Boyle has eleven goals since his return from cancer. Hero. |
| 12 | 11 | RANGERS | Henrik is the King again and backup Pavelic playing well too. |
| 13 | 7 | BLUE JACKETS | Are Jackets finally sick of Tortorella? |
| 14 | 24 | DUCKS | Like real Ducks, Anaheim floated above the water now everyone is healthy and they’re ready to fly. |
| 15 | 21 | WILD | Eric Staal is leading the charge to a playoff spot. |
| 16 | 19 | SHARKS | Will Joe Thornton have a powerful second half with one third of his beard missing? |
| 17 | 25 | AVALANCHE | MacKinnon is playing so good he must think its an international competition. |
| 18 | 23 | HURRICANES | The TSA is frustrating more teams than the real TSA. |
| 19 | 8 | PENGUINS | Is Daniel Sprong this year’s Jake Guentzal? |
| 20 | 15 | BLACKHAWKS | Jeff Glass in net was a shot in the arm but the Hawks may need the paddles. |
| 21 | 14 | FLAMES | Gulutzan’s tirade needs to work if he wants to continue working. |
| 22 | 9 | ISLANDERS | Late December swoon has Isles looking up in Metropolitan Division |
| 23 | 26 | RED WINGS | Jimmy Howard reclaiming the net at Little Caesars Arena. |
| 24 | 30 | FLYERS | Courturier is finally the player Pierre McGuire always thought he was. |
| 25 | 29 | PANTHERS | Reimer may be the goalie of the future. |
| 26 | 18 | CANUCKS | Travis Green is keeping this injury riddled team from becoming a dumpster fire or Buffalo. |
| 27 | 22 | OILERS | You can have McDavid and Gretzky but you won’t win if your goalies have an under .900 save percentage. |
| 28 | 27 | SENATORS | Duchene is warming up in Ottawa but does Karlsson care? |
| 29 | 20 | CANADIENS | When does the fire sale start? |
| 30 | 28 | COYOTES | The Duke, Anthony Duclair, is heating up. |
| 31 | 31 | SABRES | Hope Buffalo enjoyed the Bill’s season. |
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