With All-Star Weekend upon us, "On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, will look at four predictions leading up to the festivities in Los Angeles.

McDavid scorches record books

Hagerman: Dylan Larkin made one hell of an impression at the NHL skills competition last year.

The Detroit Red Wings dynamo set a skills competition record winning the fastest skater competition in a time of 13.172 as a rookie, besting Mike Gartner's previous mark of 13.386 seconds which had stood since 1996.

This year we could see the record broken once again.

Connor McDavid has quickly become the premiere offensive talent in the league. He paces the NHL in scoring with just over one full season under his belt. Sure, his hands and vision are unworldly, but his most deadly asset is his skating.

What makes McDavid so lethal is that he can beat the fastest skaters in a foot race and even more impressively, can set up and make plays at that speed.

So is he fast enough to break Larkin's record? Absolutely.

The Oilers held their own skills competition on Jan. 15 where McDavid also bested Gartner's mark, finishing his lap in a time of 13.382 seconds. McDavid doesn't have to go much faster to earn the official record and with the entire hockey world watching, one has to believe the phenom will deliver.

Metro takes the tourney

Vaswani: The Metropolitan, the best division in hockey - four teams have 60 or more points at the break, with Washington's 72 leading the NHL - will win the All-Star three-on-three tournament. It must, because an All-Star Game victory is about the only accomplishment - albeit minor - missing from Sidney Crosby's resume.

Somehow, Crosby will play in only his second All-Star Game on Sunday. He last played in the showcase in 2007, in Dallas, when the Western Conference took down the East 12-9. Somehow, again, Crosby didn't register a point.

Think about it for a minute: Thanks to injuries and the Olympics, it's been 10 years since a Crosby All-Star appearance.

That's nuts.

So be sure to enjoy No. 87 out there with the rest of the best. With Sid shooting 20.4 percent this season, it's more than likely he scores a bushel Sunday.

Oh, and he could be out there at three-on-three with Alex Ovechkin by his side. Yeah, that'll do.

Crosby vs. McDavid replaces John Scott story

Sachdeva: It’s going to be tough to match last year’s theatrics, as this year’s All-Star festivities will be without what was arguably the most intriguing part of the 2016 iteration - John Scott.

The veteran’s unexpected presence helped fans avoid thinking about how lackluster the All-Star games have become, but with no outsider aspect this time around, we’ll see how interesting the new format truly is.

But there are still a few noteworthy storylines heading into the event. Key among them - how Crosby and McDavid fare in a full tournament of 3-on-3 action.

With half of 2016-17 in the books, the two centermen have made it clear they remain a step above the rest of the league, with Crosby leading the way in the goals department and McDavid ranking as the NHL’s scoring leader.

They’re both ultracompetitive, in a different stratosphere in terms of skill, and surely well aware of all the talk surrounding who takes the crown as the NHL's true No. 1. Here’s hoping they spice up All-Star weekend with a few highlight-reel head-to-head performances.

Rookie sensation will earn MVP

O'Leary: The Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets will be represented in Los Angeles by their two brightest stars: Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine.

The two phenoms - likely to be linked together for the entirety of their careers because of their draft positions - have ushered in a new wave of talent in the NHL in style, manufacturing electric seasons to start their NHL tenures.

Their first meeting was as hyped as an NHL game in October can be, and this time, with extra ice at their disposal, Matthews and Laine are sure to put on a show again.

Think about the space Laine will have to unload his lethal shot. Think about the opportunities Matthews will have to put his extraordinary puck skills on display. Excited yet?

All four teams are chock-full of elite NHL talent, but as evidenced at the World Cup in September, fans are rabid for the youth movement. Laine and Matthews are 1-2 in rookie scoring, and are both in the top 10 in goals, there's no reason to believe one of them won't steal the show in Tinsel Town.

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"On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, will reflect on a week full of goals in this installment. Below are three thoughts on a brief flashback to the '80s in the NHL.

Moderation, please

Hagerman: How much fun was this week's 8-7 goal fest between the Penguins and Capitals? Everyone - minus the three goalies who dressed in the game - would likely give it a big thumbs-up.

It was fantastic. It almost never happens. And such an uncanny display makes for great TV, so long as it doesn't happen all the time.

Sure, many fans - and the league - would like to see more goals, but that comes with a limit. As the NHL looks at ways to increase scoring, one could argue problems would also arise with too many goals being scored. Heck, goalies might argue for larger equipment.

Continued onslaughts would have coaches searching for a way to lower the number of goals and slow down the game, while the luster of such crazy contests would fade quickly. It takes away the allure of scoring a goal when everyone is scoring in bunches.

Bring on more 8-7 games, but give us the time and space to recognize just how crazy they are.

Goals, goals, and some more goals

Gold-Smith: Just hook it to my veins.

High-scoring games seem to be happening more frequently this season, and after years of lament about declining offense league-wide, it's refreshing to see more high-octane affairs with crooked numbers on the scoreboard.

Everyone loves great goaltending, and there's something to be said for solid defense, but most fans would probably prefer a plethora of filthy dangles, bar-down wristers, and perfectly executed one-timers to a game lacking a slew of highlight-reel offensive plays.

Why not have the frenetic pace of three-on-three overtime at five-on-five and all the time?

Back-and-forth barnburners are much better for ratings, and they make for a far more marketable product. They're not ideal for those with heart conditions or fans invested in the teams involved, but for everyone else, they're far more exciting than a 1-0 defensive clinic.

Low-scoring games are fun, too

O'Leary: I like defense. Sue me.

While watching the Capitals and Penguins use up the ink in the scorekeeper's pen was entertaining, it didn't represent the best product the sport has to offer.

Although there were 15 goals - nine of which came in one period - it wasn't exactly a showcase of offense so much as a defensive slopfest.

Scrambles and deflections off shinpads and various other extremities aren't the most entertaining concept to me, even if the puck does wind up in the back of the net.

When teams trade dangerous scoring chances, but don't beat the goalie on every opportunity, it creates intensity. A 0-0 tie late in the third period can be just as gripping as a 7-7 score.

A high number of goals doesn't always determine the quality of the game.

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"On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, is looking to the second half in its latest installment. Below are four players who are going to have big winters.

Patrice Bergeron

Justin Cuthbert: Stuck on single-digit goal and assist totals, and on track for a career-worst season statistically, you have to believe a star like Patrice Bergeron is about to bust out.

That's not because he's "due," per se, but because he's been dominant.

Bergeron's line with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak has tilted the ice more effectively than any regular unit. They're up around 64 percent possession, and creating more shot attempts than any other trio.

As a result, Marchand and Pastrnak are on track for 30-goal, 60-plus-point seasons. But for whatever reason, and aside from his lowly 5.1 shooting percentage, Bergeron's production has lagged behind.

For now.

Ben Bishop

Cory Wilkins: You can't win without goaltending and Ben Bishop will play a big role down the stretch for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

With his recent injury woes behind him, look for Bishop to return as the clutch netminder who has 22 postseason wins over the past two years.

Among the goaltenders who appeared in at least 10 playoff games last spring, Bishop's .939 save percentage came second to only Braden Holtby - the lone netminder to finish ahead of Bishop in Vezina voting.

Bishop has struggled through the first half of this season, with just 10 wins in 23 games. Despite his average play and the constant trade chatter, Bishop has still outperformed the younger Andrei Vasilevskiy and remains the top option in Tampa Bay's crease.

A year ago, the St. Louis Blues - a Stanley Cup contender like the Lightning - held onto their pending free agents at the trade deadline, most notably captain David Backes. The Blues' top priority was to win. With Tampa Bay in a Cup window of its own, we could see a similar non-move, where Bishop is considered more valuable as a current part of the team than as a piece in a deal focused on the future.

Nathan MacKinnon

Ian McLaren: If the Colorado Avalanche are intent on building around youth and speed, there are few better cornerstones than Nathan MacKinnon.

The thing is, the 21-year-old has gotten off to a slow start in this, his fourth NHL season. Through 39 games, he had recorded only 10 goals, putting him on pace for 21 - or three fewer than the career high he set as a rookie.

MacKinnon did score his 11th goal Thursday, marking the second straight game he found the back of the net.

With questions surrounding the long-term futures of Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene, Colorado appears set to become MacKinnon's team, and he's going to show why with a big second-half performance.

Filip Forsberg

Navin Vaswani: After back-to-back breakout seasons with 64 and 63 points, including a career-high 33 goals last season, Filip Forsberg's on pace for 20 markers and 31 assists. Respectable, sure, but guys named Forsberg are better than that.

Things are going to change in the second half, and let last season be a lesson to all of us:

Forsberg lives for the cold. After a five-point January 2016, Forsberg erupted, scoring 19 goals and 34 points in 32 games after the All-Star break. And he's going to do it again, because the Nashville Predators need him to.

The Swede's doing it already, in fact. Forsberg has eight goals and two assists in his last 15 games - he's heating up.

Last season was Forsberg's best on the power play, too, as he scored eight times and added 15 assists. Nashville converted on 19.7 percent of its man-advantage opportunities in 2015-16, and is at 18.7 percent in 2016-17. In other words, Forsberg's power-play points are coming - and they better be. Four goals and two assists isn't cutting it.

When they do, Forsberg will be a 60-point player once more, and the Predators a playoff team again.

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In this edition of "On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, we discuss teams that could rescue Jarome Iginla from the Colorado Avalanche.

The Oilers

After what seemed like a never-ending rebuilding phase, the Edmonton Oilers appear set to finally make a postseason appearance for the first time since advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006.

Meanwhile, Iginla, an Edmonton native, has said he'd consider waiving his no-move clause to jump on with a playoff team, which makes sense seeing how the 37-year-old is in the final year of his contract with the last-place Avalanche.

While the Oilers may not quite be up to the level of true Cup contenders, adding Iginla would give the young squad some added veteran experience, and perhaps some depth on offense as well. Iginla's goal-scoring is way down this season, but he did average 25.5 over his first two years in Colorado, and likely has enough gas left in the tank to make a contribution when it matters most.

Additionally, he'd come cheap, and Edmonton is one of the only potential playoff teams with the cap space to take on what's left of his contract.

Bring Iggy home, Oilers.

The Bruins

The Boston Bruins need scoring badly, and while Iginla is struggling to do that this season, his most successful campaign in recent years - a 30-goal, 61-point campaign - came with the Bruins in 2013-14.

They have a pair of holes on the right wing, and despite Iginla's lack of production this fall and winter, he'd still be an upgrade over Riley Nash and Jimmy Hayes on Boston's third or fourth lines, respectively.

He carries a $5.3-million cap hit, but it would be prorated to whenever a potential deal took place, and the Avalanche could always agree to cover enough of it to get a trade done.

Putting the black and gold back on might be exactly what Iginla needs to get his mojo back, and the Bruins are going to need to make a move both for the playoff push and to give themselves more separation from their Floridian rivals in the Atlantic Division.

The Kings

What better way to end a star-studded career than a trip to Hollywood?

The Los Angeles Kings should trade for Iginla. The deal would mark a reunion between the former Calgary Flames captain and Kings bench boss Darryl Sutter, who were together in Calgary for seven seasons, including the Flames' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2004.

There is a familiarity between the coach and player, and Iginla's crash-and-bang style would fit the playing style of the Kings like a glove. And while Iginla's scoring touch isn't what it once was, the Kings could use all the help they can get when it comes to finding the back of the net. As a Cup contender, Los Angeles is also a solid bet to provide Iginla with his first Cup ring.

A deal between the Kings and Avalanche would take some cap creativity, with the Kings having about $1.5 million to play with, while Iginla's remaining salary is nearly double that money. If the Avs are willing to retain some salary, and possibly take back an expiring contract in a potential deal, it could be the last step needed to send Iginla to the City of Angels.

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See ya, 2016.

Over the past week, we've been looking back on the year that was in the NHL. The past 365 days gave us a little bit of everything.

From youth being served, to remembering those who left us, to hockey's Person of the Year, to our favorite moments, here's theScore's NHL year in review:

• 2016 belonged to the teenagers
• Remembering those we lost in 2016
• Sidney Crosby, NHL Person of the Year

• 5 players who reached new heights in 2016

• VIDEOS: The 10 best hits of the year
• VIDEOS: The top 5 saves of 2016
• VIDEOS: 5 unforgettable goals in 2016

• 4 of our favorite moments of the year
• 5 storylines that dominated hockey in 2016
• 3 teams on the rise in 2017

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This week on "On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, we're reflecting on the year that was. Here are four memorable moments from 2016 that have stayed with us.

June 29

Sean O'Leary: Where were you when P.K. Subban was swapped for Shea Weber? Or when Taylor Hall was unthinkably dealt one-for-one for Adam Larsson? Do you remember what you were doing when Steven Stamkos announced he was staying in Tampa Bay?

Well, chances are you were staring at your Twitter feed with your jaw on the floor. Either that, or you missed everything, because over the span of an hour, the hockey world was flipped upside down.

The entire landscape of the NHL's offseason was shifted June 29, all in a rapid fire of breaking news.

Is Edmonton getting anything else for Hall? Nope. Montreal actually traded Subban? You betcha. Oh, and after a full year of speculation, the biggest name in unrestricted free-agent history isn't going anywhere? Perfect.

All the shock, the reactions, and the hot takes made for unprecedented chaos in the hockey world. It was awesome.

Marchand wins hearts and minds

Ian McLaren: Brad Marchand was put in a prime spot to excel at the World Cup of Hockey, and he stepped up when Canada needed him most.

Named to the roster on the heels of a career season and a strong showing at the World Championship in June, Marchand was handed a dream line assignment alongside Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron to begin the best-on-best tournament.

Marchand responded with five goals and three assists in six games, including a shorthanded game-winning goal against Europe with 43 seconds remaining in Game 2 of the best-of-three final to seal the title for Canada.

Marchand proved he belongs on the big stage, and earned the love of an entire nation - including those who root against him at the NHL level - in the process.

Maple Leafs hit the jackpot

Craig Hagerman: Mission accomplished.

After lots of talk of tearing the whole thing down, the Toronto Maple Leafs did exactly that last season. Players were shipped out and questionable replacements were brought in to help aid the team as it tanked, and it worked. Toronto finished last in the league, giving it the best chance at the first overall pick in the NHL draft lottery.

The culmination of all that planning - and all that pain Mike Babcock talked about when he was hired - paid off in April when NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly announced that Toronto had indeed won the first overall selection in the 2016 draft - in other words, the right to draft Auston Matthews - on live television.

It was official: For the first time since drafting Wendel Clark No. 1 in 1985, the Maple Leafs would hit the podium first.

Toronto indeed drafted Matthews, and after only three months it appears there is light rather than more heartache at the end of the tunnel. The Maple Leafs look to finally be turning a corner.

OT in September

Justin Cuthbert: It was exhilarating and deflating, colossal, and trivial, and absolutely everything, though it would amount to nothing.

It was Nathan MacKinnon's electrifying and endorphin-pumping overtime winner at the World Cup of Hockey. And it was the last we would see of the team that no one ever wanted to see disband. Beginning with themselves.

This was the paradox that faced a tournament that struggled with legitimacy. What we'll remember most - that wide, audacious toe drag around Henrik Lundqvist's attempted poke check, the cool backhand flip, and the ecstasy when it hit mesh - carries with it no significance.

They had two wins to one loss, but Team North America was eliminated the next day when Russia defeated Finland. For that reason, we're left forever wondering what would have happened if the game's future had their shot at challenging the present.

But we'll always have that moment, and we'll always treasure just how much those kids treasured being teammates.

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theScore's NHL editors convened for an emergency session of "On the Fly," our weekly roundtable series, to discuss whether Ottawa Senators legend Daniel Alfredsson - whose No. 11 is being retired by the club Thursday - is worthy of a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Without a doubt

Ian McLaren: Alfredsson belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

With 444 goals and 713 assists, Alfredsson's 1,157 career points ranks him 51st on the NHL's all-time list. The biggest knock against him will always be that he never won a Stanley Cup, but Alfredsson's impact on the NHL - serving as face of the Senators franchise for 17 seasons - can't be understated.

He's Ottawa's all-time leader in goals, assists, and total points, and became the first European captain in league history to lead his club to a Stanley Cup Final after scoring a series-winning overtime goal against Buffalo in the conference finals.

Awards-wise, Alfredsson did bring home the 1996 Calder Trophy and the 2012 King Clancy Award, along with winning gold (2006) and silver (2014) with Sweden at the Winter Olympics.

All told, Alfredsson had a remarkable career, and one that deserves recognition beyond Ottawa.

Sean O'Leary: There should be little debate about Alfredsson's Hall of Fame credentials.

While he's not an all-time icon of the sport, "Alfie" was criminally underrated during his time as a player. He was as consistent as his era allowed him to be.

Alfredsson won the Calder Trophy in 1995-96 with 61 points, and topped the 70-point plateau in nine consecutive season, including a four-year stretch with more than 80.

He also captained the Senators to eight consecutive playoff appearances, and recorded 22 points in 20 games during their lone march to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007.

He remains a terrific ambassador for the sport in Ottawa, and while Alfredsson may lack individual accolades, a 2006 Olympic gold medal with Sweden plus prolific scoring totals should be enough to get him in.

No, unfortunately

Navin Vaswani: Put simply: Alfredsson's career is worthy of Hall of Fame discussion, but in the end, no - he shouldn't make the cut.

The Swede had a remarkable career, and this is more of a gripe against the Hockey Hall of Fame, which has simply let too many guys in. It's supposed to be an exclusive group - raise the bar.

In my opinion, there's a baseline test: Did the player average a point per game in his career? Unfortunately, at 0.93, Alfredsson failed in this regard, albeit barely.

His career was still remarkable. Alfredsson was - and still is - the Senators. He's been inducted into the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame, and rightfully so. He's the second-highest scoring Swedish NHLer ever, behind Mats Sundin, and certainly belongs in Sweden's Hockey Hall of Fame. But being the greatest Senator of all time doesn't mean the gates of the Hockey Hall of Fame must open for him.

I know how Senators supporters will counter: If Sundin's a Hall of Famer - and he is - so is Alfredsson. But it isn't that simple.

Neither won a Stanley Cup - something that isn't their fault, although it should be noted that Alfredsson reached a final, something Sundin wasn't able to do. But Sundin hit two major benchmarks that give him the edge: 500 goals and the point-per-game mark.

Alfredsson deserves all the praise in the world. He was an incredible hockey player, and by all accounts a better person, whose involvement in the Ottawa community will far outlast any of his on-ice contributions. That he's not worthy of a Hall of Fame spot, in my opinion, doesn't take away from any of his accomplishments, and he deserves to be feted Thursday in a way no other Ottawa sports icon has before him.

Congrats, Alfie. No hard feelings.

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The NHL's movement toward speed and skill has dramatically reduced fighting and diminished hitting, but the modern game still features plenty of devastating checks.

From heavy hits in open ice, to hip checks, to clean but crunching collisions along the boards, there were many memorable body blows in 2016.

Here are 10 of the biggest ones:

Emelin rocks Stastny

One of the year's biggest hits came less than three weeks in, when Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin sent forward Paul Stastny airborne right in front of the St. Louis Blues bench back in January:

Orlov flips Duchene

There's nothing like a hip check. Dmitry Orlov and Matt Duchene proved it - again - in October:

Check out this still:

Byfuglien wallops Stone

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien is no stranger to this list, having made it for multiple collisions in 2015, and the burly blue-liner is back on it in 2016 for this destruction of Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone in March.

Stone missed the final five games of the season as a result, but it was arguably clean and there's no denying how thunderous it was, especially when viewed in slow motion.

Andrighetto meets Phaneuf

Dion Phaneuf is good for a couple of these a year.

In March, the Ottawa Senators defenseman rudely introduced himself to Sven Andrighetto, who had no idea No. 2 was coming:

Hickey ices Drouin

"Never cut across the blue line." - Jonathan Drouin

Russell steps up on Motte

In this case, Tyler Motte is advanced stats, and Kris Russell wants the world to know what he thinks of them:

Wilson obliterates Zadorov

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson plays on the edge. Ask Nikita Zadorov.

The Colorado Avalanche defender retrieved a dump in and proceeded to skate with the puck behind his net. The only problem: Wilson had just hit the ice on a change and came in with incredible speed, literally stopping Zadorov in his tracks:

Zadorov was concussed on the play, but luckily recovered quickly, missing only a game. Even he acknowledged the hit was clean.

"It wasn't the head or anything," he said. "It happened. I've been hitting all my life, and now it's probably time for me to get hit from someone."

Voracek's helmet goes flying

In October, Dmitry Kulikov woke up Jakub Voracek.

The Philadelphia Flyers forward had his lid go flying after the Sabres defender rocked him after a turnover at the Buffalo blue line:

Emelin flips Colborne

Emelin's back, and we've got another hip check. Colorado's victimized again, Joe Colborne this time. And in a 10-1 game. Emelin cares not for the scoreboard.

Tyler Johnson can fly

Last but not least, not so much a hit but a shove-hit, one that proved that Tyler Johnson can fly:

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We're airing some grievances in this week's edition of "On the Fly," theScore's Friday NHL roundtable series. Below are four players taking an axe to our respective fantasy teams, and we're not pleased about it. Oh, and Happy Holidays.

Patrice Bergeron

Ian McLaren: Hopes were high in regards to Patrice Bergeron this season, and for good reason.

From 2013-14 through 2015-16, the versatile Boston Bruins center averaged 29 goals and 62 points, marking some of the most offensively productive seasons of his career.

Through 32 games this season, however, Bergeron is well off that pace, having recorded only five goals and five assists. His shooting percentage is well below his career average, meaning the puck is bound to start going in at some point. But what's most baffling is the fact he's playing with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, who are both posting solid numbers. So where are the assists?

At this rate, he'll be good for 12 goals and 25 points, which is flat-out unacceptable for a player drafted in higher rounds.

Bergeron did score Thursday against Florida, and hopefully that's a sign of things to come.

Evgeny Kuznetsov

Craig Hagerman: If you're unfortunate enough to have Evgeny Kuznetsov on your fantasy team, you're likely less than impressed with his production this season. If you used a spot in a keeper league on Kuznetsov and can no longer drop him, then you're really ailing - trust me, I know.

After a career-high 20 goals and 77 points in 82 games last season, when he led the Capitals in scoring, Kuznetsov's limped through the first three months of 2016-17.

He's got just three goals and 17 points through 31 games, putting him on pace to net only seven goals and 44 points - 33 fewer than last season. He has just four power-play points, no game-winning goals, and is also on pace to record nearly 50 fewer shots than last season.

Making matters worse, his trade value isn't very high at the moment, while the concept of giving him away for nothing is hard to justify, with the ever-possible chance the 24-year-old turns things around - something fantasy owners must be praying happens soon.

Kyle Palmieri

Navin Vaswani: Never put your faith in a Devil.

Kyle Palmieri was money in 2015-16. Dude scored 30 goals and led New Jersey in points with 57. And it wasn't even close. Adam Henrique's 50 was the next best on the Devils.

It was a good story, too: After back-to-back 14-goal seasons in Anaheim, the latter in only 57 games, Palmieri finally got a chance to play top-six minutes and rewarded the Devils' faith in him. A career 11.4 percent shooter, he was at 13.5 percent last year - it clearly wasn't all luck.

But, maybe it was. Palmieri's got five goals in 31 games, only three on the power play after 11 PPGs in '15-16, his shooting 8.5 percent, and his ice time's down, too. Even his Corsi's down, from 45.33 percent to 44.44 percent. It's literally all bad.

The most painful part: I drafted him in the second round of a 20-team keeper league (four per team), in which drafting successfully is paramount, ahead of Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Suter, Kyle Turris, Rick Nash, Jeff Skinner, David Pastrnak (that one really hurts), Nazem Kadri, Jakob Silfverberg, Ryan Kesler, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Marian Hossa.

The list goes on and on and on and on. I hate myself.

Dylan Larkin

Cory Wilkins: Dylan Larkin has a bad case of the sophomore slump.

The Detroit Red Wings forward has hit an offensive wall through his second pro season, coming away with just 12 points through the first 33 games of the season.

It's a major downfall from the 45-point campaign the rookie sensation put up with the Red Wings last year, when he finished at a 0.56 points per game pace.

This season, that number has hit the skids, with Larkin firing well below, at 0.36. While the goals are still there - he has 10 already, and is actually on pace for two more than last season - the helpers have been nearly non-existent, as Larkin has just a pair of assists on the year.

Whether that's on Larkin or his linemates is left to be determined, but no doubt more was expected from Larkin after he made the quick jump to the NHL as a 19-year-old.

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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.

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