The first half of this project is complete. The goal is to finish the 60-game regular season (20 games per team) by June 10, then play the playoffs shortly thereafter.
Here is a look at each of the six teams at the first half break: what's good, what's bad, and their prognosis for the second half and beyond.
Enjoy!
Montreal Canadiens (8-2-0; actual: 35-23-12)
The good: The offense! Canadiens have scored 46 goals and have won eight in a row after an 0-2 start. Seven players have 10+ points and the power play is fearsome: 32 percent success rate. They seem like a machine that can't be slowed down, let alone stopped.
The bad: Canadiens can score, but they can also be scored upon. They give up three goals per game so their defense isn't impenetrable. And as good as their power play is, their penalty killing is awful: 36 percent success rate by the opposition. But Canadiens have 41 power plays to opponents' 22, so Montreal is doing a much better job of drawing penalties. Another potential problem is the loss of forward Bernie Geoffrion for the season with a knee injury. Geoffrion was one of the players with double digit points (6 G, 4 A).
The prognosis: Until someone proves otherwise, Canadiens are the team to beat. They hold a four-point lead over second place Toronto, and Maple Leafs aren't expected to keep up that pace in the second half. Detroit Red Wings figure to have the best chance of overtaking Habs but don't count on it. But Canadiens must tighten up the defense and PK, because it may be unrealistic to expect them to score 4.6 goals per game all season. Prediction: first place.
Toronto Maple Leafs (5-3-2; actual: 21-34-15)
The good: Who had Toronto in second place at the halfway point? Maple Leafs had a strong first half behind a better than expected offense and the leadership of George Armstrong and Dick Duff. Goalie Ed Chadwick has been OK but has made big saves when they've mattered. Power play is humming along at a 39 percent clip.
The bad: Maple Leafs need more from guys like Ted Kennedy, Bob Pulford and Rudy Migay. Too much of the offensive burden is on the aforementioned Armstrong and Duff, who has seven goals but just one assist. Also debatable is whether Chadwick can hold down the fort in the second half.
The prognosis: Maple Leafs were not predicted to make the playoffs, let alone finish in second place and secure the coveted home ice advantage in the semi-finals. But here they are, playing above their heads. Toronto is 4-1 at home, and they will need to continue to play better at the Gardens. It's unlikely they can match their hot first half, however. Prediction: fourth place.
Detroit Red Wings (4-3-3; actual: 38-20-12)
The good: Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay are two of the best wingers in the National League, and their numbers prove it: Howe has 6-8-14 and Lindsay has 4-8-12. Both players provide physical presence that few wing duos can match. Like Montreal and Toronto, Red Wings are strong on the PP: 14/41 for 34 percent.
The bad: After a 2-0 start, Red Wings went through an 0-2-2 stretch to fall into third place. The reason was mainly giving up untimely goals, as goalie Glenn Hall went into a mini-slump. Alex Delvecchio, who centered Howe and Lindsay, went down in Game 5 after a hot start and will miss one more game before returning to action. That necessitated defenseman Red Kelly to move up to center, with mixed results.
The prognosis: Red Wings can score but the defense and goaltending must improve in the second half. Sounds like Montreal, except that Red Wings are doing better on the PK: 18 percent against. Delvecchio returns in Game 12 and that will help. More balanced scoring is needed, however. Prediction: second place.
Boston Bruins (4-5-1; actual: 34-24-12)
The good: Bruins are probably the most physical team in the league, with Chicago right there as well. As a result, Bruins win a lot of loose puck battles and create a lot of skating space for their forwards to gain the zone. Vic Stasiuk (6 goals) has been consistently good.
The bad: Bruins started the season with Terry Sawchuk in goal, but after a rough few games, Boston turned to Don Simmons, who played much better but then he, too, faltered. Fans wanted Sawchuk back but coach Milt Schmidt gave Simmons one more start and he then put together two straight strong outings. Real Chevrefils, expected to lead the team in goals, has zero so far.
The prognosis: The goaltending will be watched closely in Boston. Simmons has seemingly righted the ship, but will he fall into another slump? If he does, is Sawchuk up to the task? His resume would certainly say yes, but we'll see. Chevrefils must get going. This team was expected to challenge for first place but has underachieved. But expect a strong second half, especially if Chevrefils plays better. Prediction: third place.
New York Rangers (2-5-3; actual: 26-30-14)
The good: Andy Bathgate has 12 points, including three power play goals. Camille Henry and Danny Lewicki each have five goals. Bill Gadsby has been a steady presence on the blue line. The power play is doing OK, at 20.5 percent.
The bad: After Bathgate, Henry and Lewicki, Rangers don't have much offense. Goalie Gump Worsley went through a stretch where he gave up nine goals in two games and was pulled in one of them. The PK has been mediocre: 26 percent against. Andy Hebenton, expected to provide some offensive punch, is goal-less.
The prognosis: Not a playoff team. Too many holes on defense and not enough guys contributing offensively. Team is only 1-3-1 at home. Four games out of ten, Rangers have given up four or more goals, including nine to Detroit, at home. Prediction: fifth place.
Chicago Black Hawks (2-7-1; actual: 16-39-15)
The good: Eric Nesterenko is the best forward (5-5-10) and is also physical and hard to play against. Pierre Pilote leads the league in penalty minutes (34) but is also good defensively. Black Hawks are very aggressive and physical, and if the game is close, those little battles could break a game in their favor.
The bad: They can't score. If you take out a six-goal outburst against Red Wings, Chicago has scored 18 goals in nine games. They especially can't score on the PP: just 3 of 36. Only Nesterenko has more than seven points. Goalie Al Rollins is wildly inconsistent and is prone to giving up soft goals.
The prognosis: By far, the worst team in the league. Their only hope is to try to win games by scores of 2-1 or 3-2. Trouble is, they don't have the defense or the goaltending to pull that off on a consistent basis. Prediction: sixth place.
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