Scheifele Makar for Zizing 11_25_24

NHL.com staff writer Mike Zeisberger has been covering the NHL regularly since 1999. Each Monday he will use his extensive networks of hockey contacts to write his weekly notes column, “Zizing 'Em Up.”

SAN JOSE -- It’s that time again.

Whether you buy into the notion or not, there’s been an unwritten credo in the hockey world for the past couple of decades that suggests the NHL standings at Thanksgiving in the United States provide a legitimate indication of who’ll qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs five months later.

A year ago, we asked the question to broadcasters Kenny Albert and Chris Cuthbert: With the parity that dominates the modern-day NHL, does that theory still hold true?

At that time, the Edmonton Oilers were out of a playoff spot and had just made a coaching change, bringing in Kris Knoblauch. Both Albert and Cuthbert felt the Oilers would rebound and buck the Thanksgiving odds to qualify for the postseason.

They were right, and then some. Indeed, Edmonton soared all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, where it fell one goal short in Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.

Fast-forward 12 months. With Thanksgiving approaching this Thursday and the NHL season having recently reached the quarter mark, it’s time to pick the brains of Albert and Cuthbert once again.

As renowned national broadcasters, these two have seen the landscape of the League firsthand. Albert is the top hockey play-by-play man for TNT; Cuthbert is the voice of "Hockey Night of Canada."

Here’s how each feels about various topics, including early-season surprises and disappointments, what the top story to date in the NHL has been, and what they’re looking forward to seeing over the final three quarters of the season.

Do you feel the standings at U.S. Thanksgiving are as much a legitimate foreshadow of playoff qualifiers down the road as they once were?

Cuthbert: “I’m mixed on this. I guess the stats tell you it is, but I keep coming back to St Louis in 2018-19 when the Blues could be in last place in January and go on to win the Cup. Then there’s the story of the Oilers last year. I don't think you can write teams off. When you win 16 in a row starting around that period of time like the Oilers did last year, you’re probably in pretty good shape. But it is one of those evaluation points that we do. Thanksgiving means you kind of can start to make an evaluation on most teams, where they are and where they might be going.”

Albert: “With what the Oilers did last year, I feel like there’s room for two or three teams to go on some kind of a run. I do think Thanksgiving gives somewhat of indication, because it's a quarter of the way through. But you know, like we saw with the Oilers last year, I certainly wouldn't count a team out that gets off to the type of start that they’d hoped would be better.”

What has been the top story of the young season for you so far?

Albert: “I think some of the individual performances that we've seen so far -- Alex Ovechkin and his run of 15 goals in 18 games at his age, he has to be right up there. Unfortunately, now he’s injured. But I think you have to put that right at the top. When you look at some of the, well, not the newest players in the League because they've both been around for five or six years, but what Kirill Kaprizov of Minnesota and [Martin] Necas of Carolina have been doing to lead their teams is impressive. But I think you have to put Ovechkin at the top of the list. I think the Winnipeg Jets getting off to a 17-4 start, those would probably be the top two.”

Cuthbert: “For me, it’s Winnipeg. Even those who were optimistic about their chances this season could not have predicted this.”

Biggest surprise of the young season to date?

Cuthbert: “Again, the Jets. I mean, everybody on that team seems to be playing well. And if there's a secondary surprise it’s that they haven't left the rest of the Central Division in the dust. I mean, for Minnesota to stay within striking distance, I think, that’s almost as surprising and pretty impressive. So, those two teams. And I'll carry the Canadian colors a little bit more and say I think Calgary has been a very pleasant surprise in the first 20 games.”

Albert: “There are a number of teams I think you could put in that category. I think when you look at what the Capitals have done as a team and the start that they've gotten off to, they certainly are part of that. Obviously, Winnipeg, as I mentioned earlier. And I think you have to look at teams like Minnesota and Calgary. The Flames have done it without a huge scoring output. I know they had a couple of big games early, but they've gone on a long stretch without scoring more than three goals, yet they've been able to win a lot of those games. So, I would say those are probably the four biggest surprise teams to this point -- Capitals, Jets, Wild and Flames.”

Biggest disappointment?

Albert: “I would say the Oilers are disappointed with the 10-9-2 start they got off to, but they're still over .500. I certainly wouldn't count them out, and I'm sure they'll be there come playoff time. You look at the run they went on last year -- obviously they were disappointed at the end to lose Game 7 of the Final to the Panthers, but I still put the Oilers right up there amongst the favorites of the Western Conference despite what we've seen so far. Nashville, it’s certainly not the start that they would have liked either, but again, there's still three quarters of the season left, so I certainly wouldn't count out big pushes for those teams.”

Cuthbert: “I think probably Nashville's got to be, because I think a lot of us thought they won the offseason. But it certainly has not translated yet. They've dug themselves a little bit of a hole, and they're one of those teams that hopes that USA Thanksgiving isn’t a major calling card. I might even add Edmonton to that list. I didn't think they'd go through the issues that they've gone through this year. It's certainly not a fatal blow in the first whatever number of games this season, but I I think a majority of people north of the border looked at Edmonton as the Stanley Cup favorite. Maybe a lot of those people haven't changed their mind, but they are just kind of going along at .500 and don't look like a team ready to go on a 16-win run again.”

Among the teams not in a postseason spot at Thanksgiving approaches, which one do you expect to make a run?

Cuthbert: Well, I think Vancouver will be better. They're not in a playoff spot right now. But you have to consider that they've been without a 40-goal scorer in Brock Boeser, they're without a 100-point guy right now in J.T. Miller and they're without a Vezina Trophy candidate in Thatcher Demko. I know (coach) Rick Tocchet used the expression this week that the cavalry's coming soon, so I could see them making a run. But you know, right now, I don't see any other team outside the top 16 that is going to make a run. Is Boston going to turn around and make a run? You know, they're probably another team in the disappointing category. Other than Nashville, I’d say Boston would be No. 2 on the disappointment list.”

Albert: “’I'll say the Canucks, a team that went to Game 7 in the second round last year, and they played less games. You know, right now, they're on the outside looking in, but they played two or three less games than many of the other teams, and they have some key players obviously out of their lineup. So, I certainly wouldn't be surprised if we see the Canucks having a terrific second half and doing some damage in the postseason.”

Who are your early Hart Trophy front-runners as the NHL’s MVP?

Albert: “I think you have to put Cale Makar right up there. The Avalanche were missing so many key players at the start of the season, and they lost those first four games. But they hung in there, and now they're headed in the right direction. I think you probably have to put Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck right up there as a Hart Trophy candidate. Probably Kaprizov too. Ovechkin, to this point, would be too, although he’s hurt and going to be out a while.”

Cuthbert: “I think it's right now it’s Kaprizov. I really do believe that it's either him or Nathan MacKinnon of the Avs, and MacKinnon got a little bump last year because he hadn't won it before, and now he's the defending guy. MacKinnon’s got a chance to win his first Art Ross as the League’s top points-scorer as well. So, those two guys, I think, are front-and-center right now, and everybody else is playing catch-up.”

Finally, what storyline most tweaks your interest moving forward this season?

Cuthbert: “You know what? I probably should have listed the Capitals among the great surprises. The Ovechkin pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record was probably No. 1 on the list until he got injured. He put up so many goals so quickly, 15 in 18 games, that even though he's going to miss six weeks, I think you know, we'll start up that watch again in January. But the biggest story has got to be the 4 Nations Face-Off coming up in February and how exciting that's going to be, and how overdue watching best-on-best has been. Even though it's a limited four-country best-on-best, it should be special.”

Albert: “If I can go outside the box a little bit, I think the 4 Nations Face-Off is really going to be outstanding. Our TNT crew is going to have the opportunity to call two of those games in Boston, and I know how excited the players are for this tournament. They haven’t had the opportunity to go to the last couple of Olympics, so to represent their country is always really high on their lists. And we'll find out in about 10 days, I guess, what the what the rest of the rosters are. So, even though that's not necessarily an NHL storyline, it's all NHL players, so I think it's going to be really intriguing to see those rosters, and then the anticipation as we get closer to the games should just be so much fun. And, obviously, it’s a build up to the 2026 Winter Olympics.”

THE LEGEND AND THE ROOKIE

After watching Joe Thornton’s No. 19 banner raised to the rafters in an emotional ceremony at SAP Center on Saturday, heralded rookie Macklin Celebrini was asked if he one day far down the road would like to have the same honor bestowed upon him.

“Isn’t that every kid’s goal, especially watching it?” the No. 1 selection in the 2024 NHL Draft said. “I think if you asked every kid in the stands today that play hockey and love it, that’s where they would want to be at the end of it.

“I mean, there’s a reason why it’s so special. It’s incredibly hard to do. And I mean, the way he did it was incredible, the amount of games he played. I mean, the highlights they showed and stuff like that, well …

“I mean, yeah, I can dream one day.”

The 45-year-old Thornton is helping set the foundation for the 18-year-old Celebrini to pursue that goal, even though it might be a couple of decades in the making. Not only did Thornton announce Celebrini’s name as the No. 1 pick in the draft at Sphere in Las Vegas in June, he opened the door of the family home for the young Sharks forward to live.

Thornton’s mentorship to Celebrini already has influenced the development of the highly regarded first-year prospect on and off the ice. As such, the kid was a sponge at the jersey retirement ceremony, soaking in the moment and understanding Thornton’s place in hockey history.

“This weekend was really special,” Celebrini said. “You could tell how emotional he was and the family was. I’ve only known him for a couple of months, but it’s emotional for me watching that, seeing how much it meant to him and his family, how others and his teammates spoke about him and the praise they gave him fits everything I know about him and everything I’ve heard about him.

“The kind of player he was, the career he had, all of his accomplishments, everything he’s done for the game and the kind of person he is, he's one of a kind. As everyone said out there, you won’t find anyone like him. The way he cares for every single person makes him feel welcome, and no matter who you are, he treats him like a peer. Those are the experiences I’ve had with him. It doesn’t surprise me that everyone else recognized that.”

Celebrini in Thornton 19 gear

During his speech, Thornton thanked Celebrini for helping Thornton’s son, River, with his math homework. When asked about it, Celebrini replied, “I’m not sure how the math is going because I haven't been around. We’re just back from a road trip.”

One thing Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky is sure of: Celebrini is a special person and talent who already has some of the same special characteristics as Thornton.

“I think the way [Thornton] was a leader, well, Macklin has God-given leadership qualities,” Warsofsky said. “He’ll be a really good leader when the time is right.

“No days off, like ‘Jumbo’ said. [Thornton] worked on his craft, his body and his mental game, all the things that go into being one of the best of all-time. The greats do something a little bit different; Tom Brady, Tiger Woods and Joe Thornton are driven by something inside themselves, and that’s what great athletes do.

“I hope Macklin is starting to see that, I’m sure.”

Judging by Celebrini’s comments, he already has.

'REIM' TIME

As the jubilant Buffalo Sabres came off the ice after a 4-2 victory against the Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday, goalie James Reimer was heard yelling, “I guess the old guy can still play a bit!”

Yes, he can. And it’s a testament to his perseverance, an example of why players should never give up when facing adversity.

The 36-year-old was signed by the Sabres during the offseason but was subsequently claimed by the Anaheim Ducks in October. After playing two games for the Ducks he was placed on waivers again, and Buffalo was quick to bring him back.

Then, playing his first game in Sabres blue and gold, he made 31 saves against the Sharks to complete Buffalo’s three-game sweep of San Jose, Anaheim and the Los Angeles Kings, leading one of Reimer’s teammates to proclaim the team should be known as the “California Sabres.”

Reimer’s biggest stop might very well be a save-of-the-year candidate, robbing Celebrini on a one-timer, then thwarting the potential rebound with a behind-the-back snatching of the puck. The save left the Sharks rookie shaking his head in disbelief.

Reimer truly is the definition of a journeyman. The Sabres are his seventh NHL team, having previously played for the Sharks, Ducks, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs.

And on and on he goes, with no aspirations of hanging up his pads any time soon.

“Like a bad infection, you can’t get rid of me,” Reimer told NHL.com before breaking into laughter as he walked toward the team bus after the game.

“It’s been good. I mean, any opportunity is a good opportunity. Just trying to enjoy it like my early days.”

That his first win with Buffalo came against San Jose on the same day as Thornton’s ceremony made the moment even more special. The Sabres were on the bench prior to the game to watch Thornton’s banner raised to the rafters.

“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “It was against an old team, and obviously this was Jumbo’s day. I didn’t play with him too long, but he’s a friend in the game and a legend, so it was fun to do on his night.”

With all due respect, for the Sabres, it was Reimer’s night too. Just another chapter in his continuing story of “Have pads, will travel.”

Stay tuned.

4 NATIONS STOCK MARKET

Each Monday, we’ll take a look at two candidates vying to make one of the teams (United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland) participating in the 4 Nations Face-Off -- one who’s hot, one who’s not.

Who’s hot: F Kyle Connor, United States

Although he wasn’t one of the six players originally named to the roster back in June, the Winnipeg Jets forward is about as much of a sure thing as you’ll find to be named when the remainder of the roster is revealed Dec. 4. Entering play Sunday, only Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers (16), Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers (16), Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (15) and Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche (14) has scored more goals than Connor (13), who also has 13 assists to give him 26 points in 21 games. What makes the 27-year-old so lethal is a quick, accurate release that drives goalies bonkers. Can you imagine an American power play with Connor at one face-off dot and Auston Matthews at the other? Dare to dream, U.S. fans.

Who’s not: F Erik Haula, Finland

With Finland seeking secondary scoring behind the likes of Rantanen and Sebastian Aho of the Carolina Hurricanes, the 33-year-old hasn’t distinguished himself this season if he had any plans to audition for that role. Sure, he can check and seems like he might be destined for a bottom-six role with Finland. But the New Jersey Devils forward continues to be an enigma in the offensive zone, producing just 10 points (four goals, six assists) through the first 23 games of the season. With only two points (both assists) in the past 11 games, he certainly is trending in the wrong direction.

QUOTE/UNQUOTE

“Coaching business aside, they’re the best players in Canada, and I’m going to be in the locker room with them. I’ve coached some elite players and won a Stanley Cup, but to have 20 of them at once, well, that's entirely different. This won’t be like an All-Star Game where you’re just calling out names and having guys sign autographs during the game. This is for real. So, that part will be exciting, getting to know these guys and see how they prepare, what their demeanor is like, and are they intense all the time. Hey, it’ll be an eye-opener for me too.”

-- Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, who will serve as an assistant to Jon Cooper for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

THE LAST WORD

Sunday morning brought word that the St. Louis Blues had replaced coach Drew Bannister with Jim Montgomery, who himself had been replaced by Joe Sacco with the Boston Bruins five days earlier.

And so, the coaching carousel has begun in earnest.

As hard as it might be to digest, will the floundering Pittsburgh Penguins be next to make a move?

If so, it’s important to remember this.

Mike Sullivan didn’t suddenly forget how to coach at an elite level.

USA Hockey knows that. It’s why that organization, in this case led by general manager Bill Guerin, earlier this year selected the Penguins coach to be behind the bench for both the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and the 2026 Milan Olympics 12 months later.

The Penguins are last in the eight-team Metropolitan Division at 7-12-4 for 18 points. They are 2-5-3 in their past 10. They have allowed an NHL-high 93 goals, 10 more than the next closest team, the Sharks.

The roster is in flux. Defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are a combined minus-25. Those two players, along with forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, are 34 years old or older.

Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic has a concerning .877 save percentage; Tristan Jarry’s is worse at .869.

Sullivan led the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. He is the winningest coach in team history with a record of 382-231-81.

Should Pittsburgh decide to make a change, it will be because they want a new voice. Understandable.

At the same time, if Sullivan becomes available, teams seeking coaching help should be advised to snap him up. Quickly.

Because when it comes to coaching, he’s still one of the best in the game.