WHO IS CANADA’S BEST NHL TEAM?

By: Braedyn Wozniak, RP Show Intern

It’s nearly December and (most) Canadian hockey fans have had a lot to cheer about this hockey season.

At the quarter mark of the 2022 season, teams North of the border have seen varying degrees of success this season.

But which team has the vote for Canada’s best team? Well, the answers vary.

Rod Pedersen raised the question to his guests on the Rod Pedersen Show Monday, which included NHL Legend Bernie Nicholls and sports analyst Jim Lang.

“The Leafs have a better record, but I think the Jets are the better team,” said Pedersen. “I looked at the Flames record and they’re .500. I’m like, ‘how did this happen? By playing like junk.’”

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets reside within the top 10 overall NHL teams standings wise. The Leaf shave 14 wins to the Jets 13, and both have proven themselves to be worthy contenders so far.

The Jets have been clicking without the help of star winger Nikolai Ehlers for most of the season. Breakouts for Josh Morrissey and Pierre-Luc Dubois pair nicely with the steady offence of Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele.

But it’s the Leafs that have overcome more adversity to earn their record, which has them fourth in the NHL. Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov have spent time on the Injured Reserve (IR) this season, leaving the goaltending in question.

Not to mention the fact that four(!) Leafs defenceman currently sit on IR. Morgan Reilly, Jake Muzzin, T.J. Brodie and Jordie Benn are all unavailable, and the team continues to win.

“Look at their record. They’ve got (fourteen) wins and are missing their top three defenceman,” said Lang. “Morgan Reilly has a knee injury and he’s gone a minimum of 10 games, then they win three games in a row. So, they’re doing something right.”

Toronto has played three more games than the Jets and only have one more point. The two teams are so close, Rod Pedersen Show co-star Darren Dupont was torn.

“They’re getting great coaching; they’re getting engagement from most of that line up on a nightly basis, they’re getting good goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck … The Jets are rolling.”

Dupont, however, still gave his vote to the Leafs.

“I’d still probably vote for the Leafs in the poll as of today. They’re playing pretty good too, and while it’s become a bit of a two-horse race right now, we know the Flames and Oilers could join that conversation at the drop of a dime.”

In Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames are two teams with lots of talent, but have seen varying degrees of success on the season, both sitting right around .500.

Bernie Nicholls says the Leafs are probably the best team, but one team in Alberta has his attention.

“When you have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisitl, (Edmonton) would probably be the team you would least want to face in a playoff series,” said Nicholls.

“Mario Lemieux always said when you got Sidney Crosby on your team, you always have a chance to win. I feel the same with Edmonton.”

The Flames, on the other hand, seem to be struggling to find chemistry after their tumultuous off-season which saw them lose two stars in Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau and bring in new studs Jonathan Huberdeau.

The Flames sit 9-9-3, but the talent is undeniable. Whether they can convert that talent into wins is the question.

“I still think Calgary is a special hockey team,” said Lang. “When it’s all said and done they’re probably going to be dangerous in the second half.”

After a rocky start to the season that saw the Vancouver Canucks lose their first seven games on the season, they have battled back to 9-10-3 record, sitting a half game back of the Flames.

Nicholls showed faith in the Canucks, saying Vancouver’s “turned a corner.”

Bo Horvat is third in the league in goals scored, pairing nicely with strong production from Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.

While the Montreal Canadiens were not referenced in the debate, they have shocked everyone in the first quarter of the season.

Owning an 11-9-1 record and sitting ahead of the Oilers, Flames and Canucks, the team is clearly clicking under head coach Martin St. Louis. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are looking like true stars in the making.

Then there’s the brutally underwhelming Ottawa Senators, who have seemingly taken no strides even with big-time offseason additions Alex Debrincat and Claude Giroux. They sit fourth from the bottom in the league standings with an 8-12-1 record.

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV, WQEE Radio & YouTube Live)

Photo: Edmonton Oilers