Regardless of where you stand in the analytics-versus-eye-test debate that's encompassed the hockey world over the past several years, advanced statistics in the NHL undeniably create some interesting talking points.

For example: How can a 29-year-old with under 90 NHL contests to his name rank in the same breath as two of the most prolific goal scorers the league has to offer? Well, let's find out.

Below are five individual-based advanced statistics and the five league-leaders in that category so far in the 2017-18 season, followed by a few takeaways to digest what we learned.

(All stats at 5-on-5, minimum 200 minutes. Per 60: 60 minutes of even-strength play. All stats courtesy: Corsica)

Goals per 60

• Gibbons, the aforementioned anomaly, leads the NHL in shooting percentage by a wide margin (19.51 percent on all attempts), and probably won't find himself beside the league's elite as the season wears on.
• Perhaps most impressive is Boeser, as the Canucks rookie is now up to 15 goals in 29 career games.
• Only two players eclipsed 1.5 goals per 60 last season, so expect some regression from everyone.

Primary Assists per 60

• Considering Schwartz is playing with Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn, his lead in primary helpers may hold up all season.
• Perhaps the Panthers (24th in goals for) wish they kept Marchessault around.
• Watch out for Aho, who's scored 13 points in November and has underlying numbers to suggest he's capable of even more.

Points

• Kings rookie Kempe is by far the most interesting name here, as he averages just 12:46 of ice time per game.
• The Flyers' dynamic duo remains one of the NHL's most potent combinations, too bad no one else on the team can score.

Individual Corsi-For

• Poor Burns, who is one of only two defensemen in the top 20 in this category, yet is converting under one percent of all his attempts. History would suggest that changes for the better soon.
• Gallagher has quietly enjoyed a nice bounce-back season, and has been one of the Canadiens' top producers.

Individual Expected Goals For

• Kane shoots more than anyone in the NHL not named Ovechkin, and he could be building quite a case for a significant raise in free agency come July.
• Hyman and Matthews are two-thirds of one of the most dominant lines in the NHL, and the thought of each player being expected to score even more makes Toronto's offense that much scarier.
• There's that Marchessault fellow again - it turns out he's quite good, and is the only player to appear in three of the five stats listed.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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Hats off to Alex Ovechkin.

The Washington Capitals captain pocketed three goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, and in the process fulfilled a promise to a 13-year-old fan and cancer survivor.

Alex Luey - who plays for the Niagara Falls Flyers and a survivor of osteosarcoma cancer - attended Saturday's contest after learning he'd have the chance to meet his hero at the game.

"It's an emotional moment. But I'm going to try to do the best I can, and this organization can, and do what every hockey player can to give (him) happiness and a smile," Ovechkin told Tom Gulitti of NHL.com on Thursday.

To begin the evening, Luey was invited into the locker room by Capitals coach Barry Trotz, where he announced the team's starting lineup. It was then when Ovechkin promised a goal for Luey.

Ovechkin would score not only once, but three times, fulfilling his pledge and serving as a perfect backdrop to the Maple Leafs' Hockey Fights Cancer Night.

Luey later met his hero following Washington's 4-2 victory, when the Capitals captain presented him with a collection of autographed gear.

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Eight was enough for Matt Duchene.

The Ottawa Senators forward scored Saturday night for the first time as a member of his new club, corralling and burying a rebound on the power play late in a loss to the New York Islanders.

Duchene had gone seven games without a goal for the Senators since Ottawa acquired him in a blockbuster three-way trade with the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators on Nov. 5.

He was technically on an eight-game scoreless streak including his final appearance with the Avalanche, but he was removed from that outing moments before the deal was announced after playing fewer than two minutes.

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Welcome back, Carey.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price recorded a shutout in his return from nearly a month-long injury hiatus, stopping all 36 shots he faced against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

The shutout was almost ruined when the Sabres scored with about 30 seconds left, but it was waved off due to goalie interference.

The Sabres tallied 10 more shots than the Habs, and out-chanced them 27-18, according to Natural Stat Trick. Price was clearly the difference in this contest.

Despite losing seven of their first eight games, the Canadiens are now just four points behind the Detroit Red Wings for third place in the Atlantic Division. With two meetings with the Wings this coming week, Price's return couldn't have come at a better time.

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From one leader to another.

Mats Sundin, who captained the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1997-2008, believes Auston Matthews should be next in line to wear the "C" for the iconic franchise.

"In my book, he's obviously the right person to be captain, no doubt about that," Sundin told Rosie DiManno of the Toronto Star. "He leads on the ice and you can tell he's a good man off the ice."

The Maple Leafs have not had a captain since 2016, after former leader Dion Phaneuf was dealt to the Ottawa Senators.

The team has been coy on when it will name its next captain, as general manager Lou Lamoriello noted in September, "With the number of leaders we have in that room, we don't feel it's necessary."

Matthews, 20, leads the Maple Leafs in scoring this season, with 22 points in 20 games. The reigning Calder Trophy winner - the first Toronto skater to take home Rookie of the Year honors since 1966 - finished last year with 69 points.

"I have (Matthews) right up there with Connor McDavid," Sundin added. "The Leafs have waited so long to have a young franchise player to build around. He's that player."

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Ordinarily speaking, the return of any team's most important player from an extended absence should provide a considerable spark. But right now, the Montreal Canadiens are no ordinary team, and Carey Price's comeback to the crease on Saturday night isn't enough to completely fix what ails the 2017-18 Habs.

Price missed 10 games after attempting to play through an injury he suffered in warmups versus Minnesota on Nov. 2, and although Montreal tread enough water to earn four wins without him, the Canadiens have now lost five consecutive games, with their struggles going far beyond reliable goaltending.

Charlie Lindgren filled in admirably by posting a .924 save percentage across eight starts, and Montreal was actually able to salvage a point with Antti Niemi in goal - which should probably count as a win considering his anemic body of work this season. Yet, potential security between the pipes isn't some magic elixir poised to solve all of the Canadiens' problems, and with Price (hopefully) healthy again, the spotlight needs to be shifted elsewhere.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

With Price shelved - a catastrophe so major in Montreal that his wife had to squash a rumor (yes, seriously) about her alleged desire to leave the city and her husband - the Canadiens scored 20 goals, good for 28th in the NHL. The power play operated at 16 percent (22nd), while the penalty kill only succeeded 74.2 percent of the time (24th). Over those 10 games, Joe Morrow, a defenseman with 78 NHL games to his credit, tied for the team lead in goals with three, more than each of Jonathan Drouin, Alex Galchenyuk, Phillip Danault, and Tomas Plekanec.

To put things succinctly: things have been bad.

Even though Price himself has put forth numbers below his all-world norm - .877 save percentage in 11 starts this season - he's the type of talent who's earned the benefit of the doubt in terms of being able to turn things around. It's his teammates who need to use his comeback as an opportunity to right the ship.

And it's as perfect a time there is for Montreal to do so, with the Atlantic Division being wide open. The Canadiens currently sit five points out of third place, despite being just three clear of last.

It's been a disastrous start for Montreal, but the chance to get on track is here and now, but it will take an entire team effort, not just No. 31.

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After a individually fruitless playoff performance last spring, Jordan Eberle's time with the Edmonton Oilers was done.

Eberle recorded just two assists across 13 postseason games, and earned the ire of his coach midway through the club's second round series versus the Anaheim Ducks.

As a final result, Eberle was shipped to the New York Islanders in the offseason for Ryan Strome, and the 27-year-old has since admitted the constant pressure from his former town negatively affected his performance.

"The Edmonton media can be pretty brutal and your confidence goes and this is a game you can't play if you don't have confidence," Eberle said, per Sportsnet's Tim Panaccio. "It's that simple. It's the Edmonton Oilers and everything around it. When you read articles every day about how much you suck, it's tough."

Despite a sour ending to his tenure with the Oilers, Eberle was actually quite consistent in Edmonton, recording 382 points over 507 games. Through his first 22 contests this season with the Islanders, he's notched eight goals and eight assists.

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