O Canada: Montreal’s dynamic duo, sensational Senators

Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."

Calgary Flames

Plus: Supposed backup netminder Chad Johnson remains the Flames' savior, as he's 7-4-1 with a 2.23 GAA and .922 save percentage in 12 starts.

Minus: The Flames haven't treated home fans to much this season, putting together a measly 3-7 record at the Saddledome, which traditionally has been tough on opposing teams.

The Take: Calgary has the worst powerplay, the second-worst penalty kill, and have allowed the most goals against in the NHL. But hey, they're only two points out of a wild-card spot in the uncertain Western Conference.

Edmonton Oilers

Plus: Connor McDavid is stealing the show atop the NHL's scoring race, but next on the Oilers' production list is Leon Draisaitl, who's quietly racked up 17 points in 23 contests.

Minus: Really? The Coyotes? After dropping both games in a home-and-home with Arizona last week, Edmonton is 0-21-4 in their last 25 contests versus their foes from the desert. Seriously.

The Take: If McDavid stays healthy, a top-three position in the Pacific Division is definitely attainable, but one wonders, when will Cam Talbot's workload ease? The 29-year-old has started 21 of the Oilers' 23 games.

Montreal Canadiens

Plus: Both Alex Galchenyuk and Alexander Radulov have been outstanding for Montreal this season, serving as the catalysts for an offense averaging more than three goals a game.

Radulov has 10 points in his last 10 games, while Galchenyuk has benefited greatly since joining his line. The 22-year-old sniper ranks seventh in league scoring with 22 points, averaging just under 16 minutes per game.

Minus: Tomas Plekanec is struggling mightily a quarter of the way through the season, with only one goal and five assists in 22 games. He's topped the 50-point plateau in each of the past two seasons.

The Take: The Habs have a threatening offense and the best goaltender in the universe. Don't expect them to fall out of first place any time soon.

Ottawa Senators

Plus: Ottawa's won four in a row, and seven of their last 10, supplanting Tampa Bay for second in the Atlantic. They've done so on the strength of Craig Anderson, who sits at 12-4-1 on the season, with an exceptional 2.03 GAA and .936 save percentage.

Minus: Ryan Dzingel's ear looking like a mashed potato.

The Take: If the goaltending can stay hot, the Senators will remain in the playoff race, but any regression could spell trouble, as Ottawa is allowing 31.2 shots per game, and are scoring at the second-lowest rate in the NHL.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Plus: Breathe easy, Maple Leafs fans, Auston Matthews is off the schneid. The 2016 first overall pick broke out of his slump in a big way last week, earning three points versus New Jersey, then adding another tally in Saturday's impressive win over Washington.

Minus: Despite Matthews' slumpbuster, which saw Toronto jump out to a 3-0 lead over the Devils, the Leafs squandered another advantage, ultimately losing in a shootout.

The Take: Toronto is 5-4-1 in their last 10, and sit above .500 as December approaches, so that has to resonate well with the young club. However, the Leafs embark on a three-game road trip this week, which should serve as a tough test, only earning one win on the road this season.

Vancouver Canucks

Plus: It looks as though Bo Horvat is emerging into the star Vancouver hoped he'd become. The former ninth overall pick leads the Canucks with 15 points, 11 of which have come in his last 10 games.

Minus: The Canucks have won three of five, but other than a brief uptick in their offense, they're still struggling in many facets of the game, allowing too many shots, while barely squeaking out the majority of their wins in extra time.

The Take: Vancouver seems to be wedged in the middle of tearing it all down, and unnecessarily pressing to make a run with an insufficient roster. Hardly anyone expected much from the Canucks this season, but as the rest of the season plays out, it will be interesting to see which route management pursues.

Winnipeg Jets

Plus: The Jets erased an ugly five-game skid with an impressive 3-0 shutout Sunday over Nashville. Time to regroup. Bryan Little is also due back soon, which should help an offense that's struggled of late.

Minus: Maybe rookie slumps are contagious. Patrik Laine has just one goal in his last 10, while the rest of the Jets attack has sputtered to only nine tallies in six games.

The Take: Now it's up to Winnipeg to find its balance again. With their slide a memory, the Jets need to capitalize on four of their next six games on home ice, where they've been better all season.

Canucks World