Blackhawks
The team’s record stands at 13-0-3 after its victory over rival Vancouver in a shootout.
The victory gave the Blackhawks 29 points on the year and tied them for the longest point streak to begin a season in NHL history.
The last team to accomplish the feat was the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The record shows it, but the statistics hold up as well in support of the ‘Hawks.
The team is second best in the NHL at preventing goals, giving up less than two goals a game.
The Blackhawks score the second most goals per game in the league.
In a 48-game season, Patrick Kane is on pace to outscore last year’s full season production.
No doubt that playing in Switzerland during the lockout helped Kane’s cause as he is in great shape and playing better hockey than the NHL has ever seen from him.
In goal, Corey Crawford has been great, but in his absence due to a concussion, Ray Emery has been perfect going 7-0-0.
They are running on all cylinders.
The Blackhawks already are a Stanley Cup favorite, but if they ever get their act together on the power play, Chicago should be a no brainer to win it all. They are clearly the best team in the NHL this season.
-David Israel
Ducks
I’m writing this under the assumption that the Chicago Blackhawks will sustain a regulation loss at some point this season.
So once they return to the Milky Way Galaxy, people will finally be able to see why the Anaheim Ducks are the best team in the NHL.
The Ducks are 7-1-1 on the road this season, have won nine of their last 10 games, and in case anyone has forgot, they already beat the Blackhawks in a shootout.
Anaheim boasts a well-rounded team that has multiple weapons to score and defend. Between the posts, Viktor Fasth has been the best backup goalie in hockey. Fasth gives up less than two goals a game, and is 8-0-0 this year, including a 4-0 mark in shootouts. Once starting goalie, Jonas Hiller, gets back into his groove, nobody will be scoring goals on them.
The Ducks lineup has a terrific mix of veterans and young players making them arguably the best four-line team in the league. For instance, their leading scorer is Teemu Selanne, who is defying time by scoring 15 points in 15 games at 42 years old.
When this team gets to the playoffs, it’s going to be those veterans who will have the urgency to win the Stanley Cup, which is only going to make the Ducks that much better.
-Bobby Nightengale
