With the quarter mark of the 2017-18 season now firmly in the rear view, we approach the portion of the NHL campaign when teams begin to jockey for playoff position and assess their rosters ahead of a few months of intense puck.

So naturally, we felt it was an excellent time to do some assessing of our own.

Here's a look at a group of five veteran free-agent signings from this summer who are currently leaving their general managers searching for answers.

Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks

Once a perennial 30-goal man, Sharp has seen his stock steadily decline over the past four seasons. But the Blackhawks still expected him to contribute on a regular basis when he was inked to a one-year deal in July.

Through 25 games, however, Sharp has struggled to find consistency while being shuffled up and down Chicago's lineup.

While few thought Sharp could recapture his 65-plus-point form, his current total of three goals and four assists just won't get the job done, regardless of his relatively cheap price of $800,000.

Sam Gagner, Vancouver Canucks

When Gagner was able to parlay his 18-goal, 32-assist 2016-17 campaign in Columbus into a three-year deal worth $3.15 million a season, Canucks general manager Jim Benning's competence as a front-office executive was questioned once again.

With Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat currently on fire, Gagner's lackluster start of three goals and seven assists have been somewhat masked. Gagner has struggled to find a fit in Vancouver's lineup, and at that price, he needs to be much better.

Radim Vrbata, Florida Panthers

Currently on pace for his lowest goal output since 2013 - a measly 12 - Vrbata is having a tough time hitting his stride in the Sunshine State. So far for the Panthers, Vrbata has been a complete non-factor while playing just under 14 minutes per night on a line with the offensively-challenged Henrik Haapala and Jared McCann.

Until the Panthers find him some better linemates who are more suited to supporting a 36-year-old player with his best days clearly behind him, Vrbata's point total of 11 might not be increasing all that much this year.

Chris Kunitz, Tampa Bay Lightning

The four-time Cup champion moved from one Eastern Conference powerhouse to another when the Lightning signed Kunitz from the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer on a one-year deal.

Despite the decorated mantelpiece, Kunitz has failed to translate his past success to his new club, registering only three goals, four assists, and a Corsi For percentage of 49 across 25 games for the Lightning.

Trevor Daley, Detroit Red Wings

Being the highest-paid player on this list (three-year, $9.5 million), Daley gets the least amount of slack for his poor performance so far this campaign. He was added to Detroit's roster in the summer to bring an element of veteran defensive stability to a Red Wings blue line that allowed the fifth-most goals only one season ago.

Fast forward to today, and the Red Wings are still allowing goals at an alarming rate.

Factor in Daley's one point, minus-5 rating, and a negative Corsi percentage of 48, Detroit is probably wishing it hadn't sunk what it did into this 34-year-old veteran.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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After scoring the game-winner for the wrong team Thursday night, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Kris Russell has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Russell spun and fired a shot into his own goal late in the third period versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, throwing away the chance at a crucial two points for his team, and giving way to some relentless mocking online.

But the Oilers are putting the miscue behind them, and head coach Todd McLellan came to defense of his oft-criticized defenseman on Saturday.

Per Tim Campbell of NHL.com:

"Kris Russell is a character individual and that's why our team cares so much about him. Whoever's criticizing this individual probably has never played a competitive sport in their life and if they have and they've been perfect and that event never occurred to them, then they should be in the hall of fame somewhere. Mistakes happen. There was no intent for him to shoot it in our net. That's the one video clip we don't even review. What are we going to look at? But what he means to our team ... and I know all the analytic nerds out there find ways to run him into the ground but he means a lot to our team. Every single one of those players, regardless of the goal the other night he put into his own net will tell you that any day in any place. I'm pretty sure a lot of guys in that locker room down the hallway would tell you the same thing. So analytics that, if you want."

Russell's analytics, though, are quite bad. This season, his Corsi For percentage relative to his teammates is -5.7. That said, the 30-year-old has 11 points in 26 contests to go with 67 blocked shots, which is why the Oilers see him as valuable.

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It was '80s night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, only nobody was dressed as Doc Brown from "Back to the Future," Michael Jackson's biggest hits weren't played during every whistle, and fans weren't wearing acid-washed jeans.

It's possible only the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders received the memo.

The game had 10 goals through the first two periods - making it very reminiscent of high-flying '80s hockey. It forced each coach to pull his starting goaltender midway through the second stanza. It was the equivalent of a baseball game where both teams are in the bullpen by the third inning.

Nevertheless, Friday night's bout featuring the club with the NHL's longest active winning streak and one of the coldest teams in the league made for great entertainment, but it didn't end how many thought it would.

Just as fate would have it, the Senators - losers of seven straight heading into Friday - defeated the red-hot Islanders - winners of four straight, and seven of their last eight - in what was one of the craziest games of the 2017-18 season thus far.

Sens backup Mike Condon was able to stop all 19 shots he faced, outperforming Isles backup Jaroslav Halak, who allowed one goal on 15 shots in the 6-5 defeat. Still, Halak can hold his head high knowing he had the game's second-best save percentage.

There were four goals scored during a stretch of less than six minutes. It was a coach's nightmare, but a fan's dream.

Those fans can only hope for a similar outcome when the Sens and Isles meet again in March.

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The Buffalo Sabres are forgetting to know what it's like to score.

The club was shut out for the third straight game on Friday night - this time at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team has now dropped 10 of their last 11 games. With the club clearly hitting rock bottom, head coach Phil Housley called out his team to be better.

"It’s quite embarrassing," Housley said. "We had a game plan, and I don’t think we executed on that.

"The only way this is going to change is that group in that room. They’ve got a choice."

The Sabres currently occupy last place in the Eastern Conference, and with another game against the Penguins on Saturday and the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues next week, things won't get any easier.

"Hopefully, we'll look back at this stretch and learn from it," Housely said, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. "Right now we're in the thick of it and there's no easy way out. It's about digging in, having a lot of pride, and showing some emotion."

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No Murray, no problem.

With Matt Murray on the shelf with a lower-body injury, Tristan Jarry rose to the occasion Friday night recording his first career shutout as the Pittsburgh Penguins rolled over the Buffalo Sabres, 4-0.

The goose egg was a good sign for the club who - with Murray listed as week to week - don't intend to search for another goalie.

As for the Sabres, things seem to be getting worse. The team has now lost 10 of their last 11 games and have strung together just four points over that stretch.

Their 16 points see them tied for the worst record in the league with the Arizona Coyotes. Meanwhile, they hold a six-point cushion on last place in the Eastern Conference.

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Worst hat trick, ever.

New York Rangers speedster Michael Grabner registered arguably the most unimpressive hat trick of all time, scoring not one, but two empty-net goals Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Grabner's first goal of the game came near the beginning of the second period on a nice feed from Kevin Shattenkirk. However, with the Rangers holding onto a 2-1 lead late in the third, he notched his second of the contest with the Canes' net empty with 2:13 remaining. About a minute later, with Carolina's net still empty, he completed the hat trick.

Coaches league wide have been pulling their goaltenders earlier than usual, so multiple empty-net goals by the same player could become the norm.

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With a sly toe drag, Joe Pavelski slid the puck past Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo on Friday night to score the 300th goal of his career.

The milestone was a long time coming for Pavelski, who had gone goalless in the previous 11 games.

Pavelski joins Toronto Maple Leafs forward Patrick Marleau as the only players in San Jose Sharks history to score 300 goals with the franchise.

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John Tavares might not be the New York Islanders' hottest attraction.

Forward Anders Lee picked up another two goals against the Ottawa Senators on Friday night and now sits with 15 on the season, just three back of Alex Ovechkin for the league lead.

What is more impressive, however, is that Lee has now tallied 44 goals since Dec. 1, 2016. That's good enough for the second most in the NHL during that span, one more than the Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews and just two shy of Tampa Bay Lightning sniper Nikita Kucherov.

Lee set career highs in goals and points last season with 34 and 52, respectively. With 15 goals and 27 points through the first 25 games this year, he's on his way to shattering both those marks.

- With h/t to TSN

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