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

Calgary Flames

Plus: Matthew Tkachuk is proving to be a bit of a steal as the sixth-overall pick from the 2016 Draft. The 18-year-old eclipsed the 10-game benchmark and will therefore stick around for the entire season. He celebrated the news by scoring a game-winning goal against San Jose, and now has three goals and three assists in 12 games.

Minus: Calgary's top players are officially on watch after Flames president Brian Burke called them out for not getting it done. "I'm not one for calling players out or naming names, but our top guys are not playing up to their level - it's that simple," he said Monday.

Take: The Flames have been doused as of late, and their 5-8-1 record is below expectations. The Pacific Division is arguably the worst in hockey, meaning a playoff spot remains within striking distance.

Edmonton Oilers

Plus: The Oilers have rebounded from three straight losses with a pair of wins, and the resilience displayed may finally signal an actual turning of a corner in Edmonton.

Minus: It's rare to rank Connor McDavid as a minus, but with only two assists in his past five games, we'd say he's in a bit of a funk (by his standards, at least). Still, McDavid sits in a tie for fourth among all players in points, while the Oilers have gone 2-2-1 during his mini-slump.

Take: It's still very early, and the Oilers have 69 games remaining on the schedule. But they sit first in the Pacific with a five-point lead, and not making the playoffs this season will be seen as a disappointment.

Montreal Canadiens

Plus: A 10-1-1 record has put the Canadiens atop the NHL standings, and a 7-0-0 home record has somehow made Le Centre Bell an even more intimidating place to visit.

Minus: A 10-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets will not soon be forgotten. Poor Al Montoya.

Take: As long as Carey Price remains healthy, the Canadiens have to be seen as one of the best teams in hockey and legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Without him, all bets are off.

Ottawa Senators

Plus: Ottawa continues to rally around Craig Anderson, who's playing some of the best hockey of his career despite unthinkable circumstances off the ice. Mike Condon was brought in as insurance in net, and recorded a shutout in his Senators debut.

Minus: The dream of playing a game on Parliament Hill is dead, and the club is unlikely to pursue an outdoor game at the local football stadium. Sad!

Take: Guy Boucher has quietly led his new team to a record of 7-4-0, putting him in position to be a viable Jack Adams candidate should the Senators keep up their winning ways.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Plus: Frederik Andersen has strung together three straight wins to begin November, with a save percentage of .948 in starts against Edmonton, Buffalo, and Vancouver. Not the strongest competition, but a much-needed confidence boost for a goalie whose first month with his new team was one to forget.

Minus: Remember Auston Matthews' four-goal NHL debut? The first overall pick has scored only two goals in 11 games since Oct. 12, and has registered a single assist in his past six games.

Take: Despite Matthews' aforementioned cold spell, the Maple Leafs are led in scoring by three rookies (including William Nylander and Mitch Marner). If that wasn't enough, recent fireworks in a game against Vancouver proved Toronto is as close to a must-watch team as any other around the league. You literally never know what you're going to see.

Vancouver Canucks

Plus: After scoring only two goals over a stretch of five games, the Canucks exploded for five in their past two! Vancouver is also not dead last in the NHL, which is a positive only for those who believe this team can salvage a dreadful start.

Minus: The Canucks are mired in an eight-game losing streak, with games against the Rangers (two, in fact), Red Wings, and Stars on the horizon. A pair of November dates with the Coyotes - the only team with fewer points - may be their best bet to get back in the win column.

Take: Willie Desjardins has jumped to the top of the "first coach likely to be fired" list, and general manager Jim Benning should not be too far behind. It's well past time to kickstart a full rebuild in Vancouver.

Winnipeg Jets

Plus: Jacob Trouba is returning to the club after signing a two-year, $6-million contract. His long-term future with the Jets remains unclear, but it's a win for both sides in the meantime.

Minus: Exiling Ondrej Pavelec to the AHL and committing to Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson in net was supposed to improve Winnipeg's goaltending numbers. The pair have combined to record an .896 save percentage, and the Jets have given up the fourth-most goals. That's not going to cut it.

Take: Trouba's return will help stabilize a struggling defense, but it's likely he'll be traded now that he has a deal in place. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff hasn't pulled off too many trades in his day, and can't afford to botch this one if he indeed chooses to go down that road.

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