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

Calgary Flames

Trade Target: Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning

Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving already addressed one of his club's needs by trading for defenseman Michael Stone. With a week left to go before the deadline, it's time to shore up the rest of the roster.

That starts in net, where Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson have been decent enough but surely not great. Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Ben Bishop could serve as an excellent long-term upgrade, and with Andrei Vasilevskiy signed long term and level with Bishop in starts this season, the Lightning look willing to deal.

The Flames would need to make room for Bishop's hefty contract - now and moving forward - but the fact he's an unrestricted free agent this summer likely brings the price down a bit.

There's no question the veteran represents a considerable upgrade for the Flames, especially after a strong 2015-16 season that saw him finish as the Vezina Trophy runner-up.

Edmonton Oilers

Trade Target: Keith Kinkaid, New Jersey Devils

For the first time in a long time, the Edmonton Oilers are sitting pretty heading into the deadline, ranked second in the Pacific Division. But despite Connor McDavid's offensive dominance, there are still holes to be filled, especially if the club wants to avoid a quick first-round exit in its postseason return.

Defense is the perennial need in Edmonton, but a more pressing one right now is finding a backup goaltender to help out Cam Talbot, who's started 53 of the team's 59 games. Talbot has been exceptional, but if injury strikes, the Oilers will have few options - backups Jonas Gustavsson and Laurent Brossoit have failed to impress this season.

The Oilers don't need a big name here. New Jersey Devils netminder Keith Kinkaid could be an affordable option. The 27-year-old has a .913 save percentage this season and plenty of starts under his belt. Plus, the Devils still owe Peter Chiarelli for the Taylor Hall deal.

Montreal Canadiens

Trade Target: Mike Ribeiro, Nashville Predators

The Montreal Canadiens have been hampered by injuries all season long, yet they've managed to remain atop their division through it all. Their stars have held down the fort but adding some offensive depth before the playoffs seems wise given the team's recent luck.

General manager Marc Bergevin made waves with the decision to add Alexander Radulov in the offseason, ignoring the perceived attitude issues and rolling the dice on his skill. The gamble has clearly paid off, so how about another try? Mike Ribeiro's time with the Nashville Predators is clearly coming to an end, and after enduring the waiver wire, a return to his hometown and first NHL club could be just the inspiration he needs to rediscover his touch.

The veteran posted 50 points just last season, and amassed 25 points through 46 appearances this year. Ribeiro's still got the hands and vision to make an impact, and it's hard to imagine the asking price will be very high.

Ottawa Senators

Trade Target: P.A. Parenteau, New Jersey Devils

The Ottawa Senators' trade deadline needs changed dramatically in the last few days, as the club recently lost Bobby Ryan, Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone, and Tommy Wingels to injury.

But the Senators still rank second in their division, so packing up and going home likely isn't on the agenda. Ottawa has some cap space to work with, but the team also stays on the lighter side of things financially, so a blockbuster move to add offensive depth may not be in the cards.

New Jersey Devils veteran P.A. Parenteau is likely the best bargain-bin offer the Senators will be able to find, coming in with a $1.3-million cap hit and 13 goals on the year.

The 33-year-old is fresh off a 20-goal campaign last season for the Toronto Maple Leafs - and that performance came before Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner were in town, so it's clear Parenteau could provide the Senators with an offensive boost all on his own while Ottawa's stars heal up.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Trade Target: Anthony Duclair, Arizona Coyotes

With only 24 games left on the schedule, the Toronto Maple Leafs' playoff hopes are still firmly intact. And the club has an absurd amount of space to work with - as much as $13 million - as it approaches the trade deadline, courtesy of a few recent LTIR moves.

Toronto could use that money to buy big, adding centerman Matt Duchene or defender Kevin Shattenkirk, but that may not be the right approach. The Leafs have enough space to fit in all of the big-ticket deadline names, but they aren't getting any of them without giving up one or more of their young stars - a clear deal-breaker.

A better option: Bring in more elite young talent that can grow with the team past 2016-17. Arizona Coyotes winger Anthony Duclair has fallen out of favor with the club's head office after a fairly tumultuous campaign. But the 21-year-old collected 20 goals and 44 points last season, and has plenty of talent still untapped.

The asking price likely isn't enormous, and if Duclair can rediscover his offensive consistency under head coach Mike Babcock, it could be a game-changing steal for Toronto.

Vancouver Canucks

Trade Target: Curtis Lazar, Ottawa Senators

If there's one Canadian team that should most definitely not load up at the deadline, it's the Vancouver Canucks. Their hopes aren't necessarily dashed, but it's clear Vancouver isn't getting far even if it does make the cut. All effort should be directed to selling off its veteran assets while the club can still get something in return.

That said, if the Canucks have a chance to add some young talent in the process, the need is surely there. Vancouver is starved for youth, with Bo Horvat ranking as the lone young, talented, NHL-ready piece moving forward.

Ottawa's Curtis Lazar has seen his name pop up in trade talks as of late while the 22-year-old continues to watch games from the press box. It might be a harder deal to swing now that the Senators' forward corps has been depleted, but if they're still willing to move the former first-round pick, the Canucks should move quickly to add the British Columbia native.

Lazar, a former Team Canada teammate of Horvat's, has just one point through 31 games this season, but remains a talented prospect with a strong junior resume - including a 41-goal, 76-point WHL season in 2013-14.

Winnipeg Jets

Trade Target: Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Winnipeg Jets' young offense has run rampant, with Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele emerging as two of the game's most potent scorers. But their lackluster goaltending has nearly negated that, as the team's minus-14 goal differential has them sitting just outside the playoff picture.

Pittsburgh Penguins veteran Marc-Andre Fleury is likely to accept a deal out of town before the deadline, since the Penguins want to protect Matt Murray from the expansion draft and Fleury wants to play.

The asking price has been high in the past, as Fleury still has the potential to be an elite starter, but the Jets have plenty of interesting options to include in a potential deal.

The Penguins are in need of some defensive depth after losing Olli Maatta and Justin Schultz to injury. Jacob Trouba would be the most obvious returning option, though Winnipeg could also offer up smooth-skating veteran Toby Enstrom, who isn't part of their future plans and would likely thrive in the Penguins' system.

(Photos courtesy: USA Today Sports)

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The Calgary Flames aren't winning the Stanley Cup in 2017.

This shouldn't be breaking news. Calgary has promise, but is simply not yet on the same level as the league's best, in terms of pure skill or consistency.

But the fact that the Flames don't yet have the tools to go for the ultimate prize doesn't mean a trip to the postseason would be of no use to them at all. Just look at the numbers Johnny Gaudreau posted after experiencing Calgary's 2015 playoff run.

Experience precedes growth.

After a pair of up-and-down seasons and a tumultuous start to 2016-17, the Flames are looking to take a step forward, and adding pieces at the deadline will be the straw that stirs that drink.

How they stack up

Calgary isn't in too bad a spot heading into the season's home stretch. With 62 points, the Flames currently hold a Western Conference wild-card position, with the Los Angeles Kings looking like the only club truly threatening to snag it from them.

But as has been the case for much of the Flames' recent history, they're a club trapped in the middle; not strong enough to go all the way, not bad enough to see the bottom fall out from under them.

Calgary tipped that scale last season, plummeting down the standings and earning a blue-chip prospect, Matthew Tkachuk, in the process.

This year, the Flames aren't looking for more future pieces. They're looking for progress.

It isn't as if they stand to be immediately dominated come playoff time. Sitting in a wild-card slot, the two teams they'd most likely face in the first round would be the Minnesota Wild or San Jose Sharks.

Both are strong clubs, but neither has given Calgary too much trouble this season. The Flames have won all three meetings with Minnesota in 2016-17 - the last one was a 5-1 drubbing - and they've earned victories in two of three games against the Sharks.

(Photo courtesy: Reuters)

Better than their record

The perception of the Flames' talent base took a hit during their display of mediocrity last season, but the fact remains that Calgary has plenty of quality pieces distributed throughout their lineup.

There is game-breaking talent in Gaudreau and Sean Monahan - and potentially Sam Bennett, if he awakes from his slumber, and top-tier blue-liners in Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, and T.J. Brodie.

And - a welcome new addition - they boast strong scoring depth, courtesy of Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk, and Michael Frolik, who have formed one of the league's best lines. The trio has combined for 108 points thus far, and remain the second-best puck possession trio in the league.

There are holes to be filled, but it's clear at this point that the club would be better served looking to address those needs and take the next step - however small it may be - rather than standing pat and filing away 2016-17 as another year undone by misfortune.

Selling off prime pieces like Bennett won't do the franchise any good, but if there are smaller moves to be made, general manager Brad Treliving would be wise to roll the dice.

Deadline desires

So what exactly does Calgary need?

More reliable goaltending is clearly first on the list, as Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson have both brought a mixed bag of success and disappointment this season. Marc-Andre Fleury remains a viable option for Calgary, provided the ask isn't absurdly high, and adding the veteran could allow the Flames to flip one of their current netminders for another piece.

Bringing in another top-nine forward wouldn't hurt either, as offseason acquisition Troy Brouwer hasn't yet lived up to expectations in Calgary. New York Rangers winger Brandon Pirri could be an affordable option, though there are plenty of bigger fish if Treliving wants to aim higher.

A new defensive partner for Brodie could also be of use, as the club has seen him take a step back this season while spending most of his time with Dennis Wideman and Deryk Engelland - his former partner Giordano now paired with Hamilton. There isn't a need to reach for Kevin Shattenkirk, but Cody Franson may be a good fit.

This won't be the year that catapults the Flames back to the top of the pile. But if Treliving is looking for genuine progress, swinging a few astute deals at the deadline to ensure his club makes the playoffs seems the best bet.

There's no better learning experience than the grind of the postseason, and it's time for the Flames to continue their education.

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Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin rolled the dice last summer, betting big on KHL veteran Alexander Radulov in the form of a one-year, $5.75-million deal.

The gamble paid off. With 14 goals and 42 points through 56 appearances, Radulov has been the club's second-most dangerous offensive weapon, bested only by captain Max Pacioretty.

Even so, the captain has put his new teammate in the spotlight over himself, heaping praise on him for helping the offense become more dynamic as a whole.

Looking at the numbers, that praise certainly seems apt, as Radulov has been one of the best playmakers in the game this season.

It might not be clear from a quick glance at the scoring race - he ranks 40th in total points and 37th in assists - but boil it down to the most pertinent numbers, and his impact becomes more clear.

In terms of primary assists, the 30-year-old is tied for sixth in the league, sitting level with Sidney Crosby.

The central reason for the discrepancy in his first-assist ranking and overall ranking: Radulov has only five secondary assists to his name this season, the fewest of any of the top nine primary assist-getters of 2016-17.

But it's clear Montreal's new star is contributing where it counts.

Secondary assists aren't without value, and, in certain cases, the secondary assist can represent the most impressive sequence of a particular play. But for the most part, it's the primary assist that represents most of the heavy lifting - and a look at the game's best playmakers should start there.

The best still rise to the top when doing so, as Connor McDavid, Evgeni Malkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Patrick Kane, and Crosby all rank among the top seven.

Taking into account those leading the league with first assists and failing to rack up secondary markers can highlight some oft-missed elite talent. For example, the one other player among that All-Star list of primary playmakers is Mikael Granlund, who ranks second with 26 primary assists to his name, alongside just nine secondary helpers.

The Canadiens likely aren't sweating Radulov's lack of secondary numbers. Montreal has the 11th-best goals-per-game pace in the league with him in tow, and still holds a division lead.

Bergevin's bold offseason move made him the second-highest paid forward on his team's roster, but heading into the home stretch, the slick Russian has undoubtedly lived up to the hype.

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Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli isn't a flawless front office executive. The veteran roster architect has carried out his fair share of maligned decisions - the trades that sent away Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin being at the top of that list - but every once in a while, he comes up with a game-changer.

Such is the case with Patrick Maroon, one of the Oilers' most astute acquisitions as of late, and now one of the best bargains of 2016-17.

The big-bodied winger came to town as the embodiment of everything Chiarelli built during his time in Boston - heavy and menacing, but with deceptive skill. Maroon has exceeded all expectations this season, meshing well with the Oilers' top young talents and outshining the club's more high-profile acquisitions.

Through 56 games, Maroon ranks second on the team with 19 goals, bested only by Leon Draisaitl's 20. His 27 points rank fifth, with only the team's most notable stars - Connor McDavid, Draisaitl, Jordan Eberle, and Milan Lucic - sitting above him.

A closer look at Maroon's production makes it clear just how valuable he's been in Edmonton.

Stellar at even strength

While Maroon is among the team's top offensive weapons overall, he's even higher on the list when it comes to 5-on-5 play. His 17 even-strength goals are the most of any Oiler this season, while his 23 even-strength points are third on the team. Only McDavid and Draisaitl have put more points on the board at 5-on-5.

Adding to that unexpectedly high-end production, Maroon also boasts a team-leading Corsi rating of 56, and he's laid down 131 hits thus far, which is second among all Edmonton forwards.

There are two mind-blowing aspects of Maroon's 2016-17 season to consider.

The first is that the heavy-footed former Anaheim Ducks rumbler came into the season with career highs of just 12 goals and 27 points.

The second? Maroon is bringing all of his aforementioned value to the table for an absurdly low cap hit of only $1.5 million.

Where's Milan?

His bargain-bin impact would make Chiarelli look like a contractual genius if it wasn't for a few other names on the roster. The biggest elephant in the room: Milan Lucic's $6-million annual cap hit.

Lucic hasn't been terrible - he does have 30 points on the season thus far. But he hasn't been nearly as offensively useful as Maroon, and the former Boston Bruins bruiser commands a salary four-times greater than his fellow free-agent signing.

Making matters worse, Lucic is only in the first year of his contract, which is on the books until 2023. It's an inconvenience in any case, and could potentially be a colossal mistake with key names like McDavid and Draisaitl needing to be re-signed over the next few summers.

While other stumbling veterans like Benoit Pouliot - who takes home $4 million per year - at least have the excuse of not getting as much ice time alongside McDavid as Maroon, Lucic has no such out.

Lucic and Maroon have each spent over 200 even-strength minutes on their captain's wing, and the more inexpensive player has simply been a more effective option.

It's not a good look for Lucic, or the manager who handed him the heftiest of free-agent deals. But it's certainly a welcome plot twist for the now crucially important Maroon, who's set to cash in once he reaches free agency in 2018.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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The Buffalo Sabres came up with a loss for the sixth time in nine games Sunday night, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Vancouver Canucks.

And according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News, goaltender Robin Lehner wasn't having any of it.

The 25-year-old sounded off on his team's performance after the game.

"We haven't done anything," Lehner told Harrington after the loss. "We win one game and we think we're Chicago ... We haven't done anything in this league. (Gionta) has won a Cup. All respect to him, he's done something. The rest of us haven't."

Lehner pointed specifically to the Sabres' lack of structure throughout, going so far as to call his mates "disrespectful" for ignoring the coaching staff's game plan.

Yikes.

Buffalo's performance against Vancouver certainly left more to be desired. The Sabres gifted the Canucks with six power-play opportunities, trading goals with the Canadian club before going dry for the final two periods. Canucks winger Alexandre Burrows scored the eventual game-winner early in the second frame.

Lehner finished the night with 27 saves on 31 shots, and his 16th loss of the season. The Sabres remain five points out of a playoff spot heading into the home stretch.

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If you're the head coach of an underwhelming NHL club, you're probably not too excited about the new trend taking the league's coaching landscape by storm:

New coach, instant success.

That's certainly been the case for the most recent trio of clubs who swapped out their head coaches. The New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues, and Boston Bruins have all been flying high since parting ways with their former bench bosses, with only three regulation losses coming in their combined 21 games since Doug Weight, Mike Yeo, and Bruce Cassidy took over.

The Bruins earned the 16th win for the new-coach club on Sunday night, taking down the Montreal Canadiens with a dominant 4-0 effort. In doing so, Cassidy earned his third straight win at the helm, adding fuel to the coaching swap fires.

There's no denying the fact that coaching changes can have a significant impact on a club's success. Last year's Stanley Cup champion would certainly agree - the Pittsburgh Penguins looked like a shell of their former selves until Mike Sullivan was brought in, after which the club went on a months-long tear that ended with Lord Stanley.

This season's biggest surprise, the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Wild, are in the same boat. The Wild have gone from a fringe team to a genuine contender since bringing in Bruce Boudreau in the offseason - they continued their run Sunday night as well, earning a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

For talented clubs trending downwards, like the Canadiens and Dallas Stars, that's sure to raise a few eyebrows. Even the most drastic of moves - the Bruins' ill-timed ousting of longtime coach Claude Julien - has led to nothing but success thus far, which means Michel Therrien and Lindy Ruff could be on the clock.

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Unless his production falls off a cliff between now and the final game of the regular season, Auston Matthews will finish as one of the most prolific teenage snipers in NHL history.

Through 54 games this season, the rookie Toronto Maple Leafs centerman has racked up 25 goals - tops among his fellow first-years and tied for eighth-best among all NHL skaters. Matthews' ranking among this season's best is impressive enough, but his current trajectory has him in line to flirt with a much loftier crowd.

If he continues to score at his current pace, Matthews will amass 38 goals by season's end, a sum that would tie Ilya Kovalchuk as the 10th-most ever posted by a 19-year-old NHLer.

That would put the new Leaf in some elite company - here's the list of history's top 10 goal-scorers at Matthews' age:

Considering the context of who he would pass and who he's outshone lately - none of the past seven No.1 draft picks managed to alter this top-10 list at age 19 - climbing up those ranks would be a noteworthy achievement for the young pivot.

Adding in the 18-year-old crowd, Matthews' production still projects to rank among the best. Only five players managed to post 39 goals or more at that age. Two are on the list above (Gretzky and Hawerchuk), with the others being Sylvain Turgeon (40 goals), Sidney Crosby (39 goals), and Steve Yzerman (39 goals).

Matthews' end-of-season production isn't easy to pin down, though.

If there's one thing the rookie star has made clear this season, it's that he's got a flair for the dramatic. Four goals in his debut, a thrilling overtime winner to clinch the Centennial Classic - he does his best work when the spotlight's bright and his back is against the wall.

That's going to be the Leafs' reality for the rest of 2016-17, as Toronto is caught in a tooth-and-nail battle for a playoff spot that won't be resolved any time soon.

Currently holding onto a wild-card position - just a point away from a top-three divisional ranking and in fact tied with the top playoff outsider trying to get back in - the Leafs are going to need every bit of Matthews' goal-scoring talent down the stretch.

His efforts thus far suggest he'll deliver. And if he does, the American sniper could find himself flirting with the 40-goal range by game 82, and likely a spot among history's most impressive teenage performances.

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One year removed from a sixth-place division finish and an early summer, the Vancouver Canucks have seemingly turned things around.

Heading into the home stretch of 2016-17, the Canucks sit just six points out of a Western Conference wild-card spot - a noteworthy achievement considering what was expected of them this season.

But if general manager Jim Benning is thinking long term, he'll begin his franchise's much-needed rebuild at this season's trade deadline. The first step in that plan? Closing the book on goaltender Ryan Miller and veteran Alexandre Burrows.

Benning has waffled on whether or not he'll seek to move his veterans, or whether he'll remain loyal and hopeful that Vancouver somehow manages to go all the way.

Though initially stating that he wouldn't ask veterans like Burrows to waive their no-trade clauses for the benefit of the franchise, Benning has since softened his stance.

"We're going to see where we're at,” Benning told The Province on Tuesday. "I'll have individual conversations with those players and their agents, but we're hoping we can stay in the (playoff) fight."

The true question Benning should be asking is: How far can this team truly go in 2017?

Is a playoff berth attainable? Perhaps, although landing a top-three divisional spot seems all but lost - Connor McDavid's Edmonton Oilers would be the team to pass, and they're 12 points out of reach at the moment.

But even if Vancouver can make the climb into a wild-card spot - passing the Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, and one of the Los Angeles Kings or Nashville Predators - what exactly is the end game?

The Canucks don't seem to have the pieces in place to get very far once the postseason grind begins, and they're not a young team for whom a small taste of playoff action would be good enough. So there seems little merit in holding on to pieces like Miller and Burrows - both unrestricted free agents by this season's end - for the sake of an early exit.

More importantly, the club's surprising resurgence means Benning has a chance to sell high on his veterans, particularly Miller.

The 36-year-old goaltender's .918 save percentage is tied for the second-best of his career, and he's fresh off recording his third shutout of 2016-17, having quelled the offensively prolific Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

Burrows hasn't been quite as strong this season, though his seven goals and 16 points through 48 games make it clear he's moved past his tumultuous 2015-16 performance, wherein he posted only nine goals and 22 points all season.

The longtime Canucks winger does have a decent track record of postseason scoring on his resume, however, having racked up 34 points through 70 career playoff appearances.

It's fair to assume Benning could find suitors for his two veteran stars, as plenty of clubs would likely line up for Miller's netminding services, and Burrows remains a serviceable depth winger.

Vancouver's brass has been hesitant to go down the rebuild route out of respect for their starring duo, Henrik and Daniel Sedin. But finishing 2016-17 without a meaningful playoff run and with zero assets attained for their two star free agents-to-be would do little for the franchise-leading duo.

Benning and head coach Willie Desjardins are both hopeful the Canucks can pull it all together down the stretch, both referencing the New England Patriots' recent Super Bowl comeback as possible inspiration, but the numbers suggest Vancouver's chances at making a real run at the Cup remain slim.

It's too soon to count the Canucks out. But regardless, if the franchise wants to meaningfully move forward in 2016-17, selling high on their veterans and building around Bo Horvat seems the most appropriate route - and a proactive approach from Benning is going to be the straw that stirs that drink.

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Mike Hoffman's time with the Ottawa Senators hasn't been the smoothest of tenures thus far. But that hasn't stopped the 27-year-old from continuing to grow his game with each passing season.

Hoffman broke out during his first full campaign in the big leagues, piling in 27 goals - tops among rookies that year - and 48 points to help the Senators return to the playoffs.

And yet, Ottawa hesitated to bet long term on Hoffman, instead taking him to arbitration and eventually inking him to a one-year deal. Hoffman answered with career highs of 29 goals and 59 points in 2015-16, earning a four-year, $20.8-million contract in the process.

But even last year, Hoffman's second consecutive strong campaign, didn't come without a few obstacles. The central roadblock: former head coach Dave Cameron, who demoted Hoffman to the fourth line for a lengthy stretch while unimpressed with his defensive play.

It's certainly not the type of treatment you'd expect of a young near-30 goal-scorer, especially on a team that isn't exactly brimming with snipers. But Hoffman has managed to take steps forward offensively regardless of the noise, and is doing so again this season.

Through 47 games, Hoffman has amassed 18 goals and 37 points, those totals ranking second and third among Senators skaters, respectively.

With the young sniper improving his goals per game and points per game rates for the third straight year, he's on pace to finish just a hair above his previous career-best offensive marks.

However, a closer look reveals some of the more poignant ways he's upped his game this season.

While Hoffman's overall totals may finish in a similar range as his 2015-16 numbers, he's managed to fine tune the ways in which he's contributing.

The smooth-skating winger currently ranks second in the NHL in power-play goals, already boasting a career-best 11 with plenty of time left in 2016-17. He's also racked up the third-most game-winning goals in the league thus far, scoring six up to this point.

His most dominant performance came in a late November loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Hoffman's club fell short, but clearly through no fault of his own, as he finished with a hat trick and an assist for the first four-point game of his career.

That effort made Hoffman the only Senators skater other than captain Erik Karlsson to post four points in a game in the past two seasons.

With 30 games left to go, the Senators sit second in the Atlantic Division, their 62 points giving them a good chance at returning to the playoffs either by keeping their divisional spot or dropping into the wild-card race.

Hoffman has been crucial in getting them this far, and the quickly rising winger is sure be at the center of any postseason success the Senators are able to attain come playoff time.

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The NHL is in a golden age when it comes to young, exceptionally talented prospects proving their worth immediately. And no club has benefited from that shift as greatly as the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Of the top 15 rookie scorers in the NHL this season, six wear Leafs colours. Wind that down to just the top four, and only one isn't a member of the blue and white.

Though the Leafs' youthful dominance has been the story of the season, it looks like Toronto's young guns are on the verge of kicking it up a notch, set to establish themselves as the club's best-ever rookie class.

The Leafs' 206 rookie points through 53 games have been scored by committee, though the heavy lifting has undoubtedly been done by Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, who boast 44 and 46 points, respectively.

William Nylander is just a step behind with 36 to his name, while Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown, and Zach Hyman all have at least 23 points in the bag. Nikita Soshnikov and Frederik Gauthier round out the group with a combined 10 points.

There's no question the standout rookies will soon top the franchise benchmark. The Leafs have just under 30 games remaining on the season, with Matthews and Marner both on pace to rack up roughly 25 points apiece over that span.

But the total points mark likely isn't the only franchise record the first-year phenoms will be claiming in 2016-17.

Peter Ihnacak's rookie record-setting mark of 66 points - posted during that 207-point, 1982-83 season - is in danger, with both Marner and Matthews on pace to outscore him at some point over the next couple months.

They're coming for Wendel too.

Leafs great Wendel Clark set the franchise record for rookie goals with 34 back in 1985-86. Matthews already has 25 tallies in the bag, and should be flirting with the 40-goal plateau by this season's end if he continues on his current trajectory.

Suffice to say, Toronto's rebuild isn't just going swimmingly - the Leafs have in fact put together arguably the best rookie class in team history. Bad news for their former rookie record-holders, but fantastic news for the club's promising future.

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