Every Friday this season, theScore's NHL editors are debating a hot-button issue in 'On The Fly,' our roundtable series. This week, we look at storylines that have caught us by surprise this campaign.
Music City Blues
O'Leary: Outside the playoff picture is not where many expected to see the Nashville Predators 29 games into their season.
The Preds were the talk of the offseason, thanks to David Poile pulling the trigger to acquire P.K. Subban, his second big trade of the calendar year after pulling in Ryan Johansen last season.
It felt as if Nashville had all the ingredients to be a real Cup contender, but a pedestrian 13-12-4 record leaves it two points from a wild-card spot and eight back of third in the Central Division.
In fairness, the Predators started just 2-5-1 through October, slowing them down right out of the gate. But they're 3-9-2 away from home this season, and haven't been consistent enough to match their preseason expectations.
Slumping Schneider
McLaren: If the New Jersey Devils were going to have any shot at the playoffs this season, franchise goaltender Cory Schneider would have to be at the top of his game.
Unfortunately, Schneider - who entered the season as a low-key Vezina Trophy candidate - has been anything but.
Following a loss to St. Louis on Thursday, Schneider's record dropped to 9-9-4, and his save percentage rings in at .905, well below his career average of .923.
Even with the addition of Taylor Hall, the Devils' offense has produced a 27th-ranked 71 goals in 29 games, exposing Schneider's struggles even further.
Perhaps the loss of Adam Larsson on the blue line is having more of an effect than anticipated.
Hot Oil
Hagerman: For the first time in nearly a decade, the Edmonton Oilers are a playoff team ... at least for now.
Over the years, it's been hard to get high on the club. Time and time again, the club's stock of high-end draft picks has failed to put it all together the way management envisioned.
This offseason, the team made some drastic moves: shipping out Hall for help on the blue line while also inking Milan Lucic to a contract. It all looked good, but again it was hard to predict better results than those we'd seen in years previous.
However, it's one week before Christmas, and the Oilers hold down third place in the Pacific Division. Sure, the club stormed out of the gate to start the year and has regressed slightly, but it still appears poised for a playoff appearance.
Connor McDavid continues to be as advertised, while Cam Talbot has been solid between the pipes. There is certainly plenty of time for things to go south, but for now the Oilers are on the brink of finally ending a 10-year playoff drought.
Philly's Flying
Wilkins: The Philadelphia Flyers are good. Really good.
The Flyers entered the season with a lot of question marks and crossed fingers, hoping for bounce-back seasons up front and, in goal, that the duo of Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth would hold up.
That's exactly what's happened. After a disappointing 55-point campaign last season, forward Jakub Voracek is on pace for a career year. Only McDavid and the Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko outpace his 33 points.
Meanwhile, center Claude Giroux - an extra for Team Canada at the World Cup - has returned to form with 30 points. And that's not to forget Wayne Simmonds, whose 16 goals are topped by only three players league-wide.
Between the pipes, Mason has caught fire after a sluggish start, and is the first Philly goaltender to rattle off eight straight wins since netminder (and current general manager) Ron Hextall did so in the 1996-97 season.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.