At 5v5, the new Rangers top line has scored four times and allowed two in the four games they've been together. When you add powerplay numbers, they've scored 9 goals and still just allowed two. Individually, Zibanejad leads the trio with 3 goals and 5 assists in that span. Lafreniere is keeping pace with 5 goals (including a hat trick) and 3 assists.
Against one of the typically top five-on-five teams in the NHL, the Capitals put together what was one of their best games of the season. While that may be hard to believe considering they were down 3-0 at one point in the game, the Caps were never behind the eight ball analytically throughout regulation, finishing on top in shot attempts 64-48, shots on goal 33-20, scoring chances 33-18, high-danger chances 16-8, and expected goals 3.8-2.28.
Alexis Lafreniere is a bust. As a huge fan of Lafreniere (he is my favorite player on the New York Rangers), it's taken me far longer to say that than most. I held out hope through an up and down first season. I held out hope through a rough second season. In the 2022 postseason, I was the first one to point out his seemingly improved play. In 2024, I was the first person screaming that this was the start of a breakout for the young forward.
Victor Wembanyama is one of the NBA's best players, but does he have a real chance to win his first MVP award this season after missing the past two weeks with a calf injury? The odds are against him -- he enters December at 150-1 to win the award on DraftKings Sportsbook -- but the San Antonio superstar shouldn't be counted out.
Of course, Patriots fans have made sure to praise Maye, but so have national media members. That was recently on display in a Midseason Awards piece by FOX Sports' NFL writers. New England's young quarterback was named as the midseason MVP by the group, with NFL reporter Ben Arthur praising Maye for being "the NFL's most consistently dominant and efficient quarterback this season," before emphasizing how it's not even close.
It's a competitive group. Where you think you may have advantages if you're the other team, they make up for it with their activity and their toughness. They have a lot of belief and spirit about them that's great. And then offensively - wow. They really play a collective game. The ball moves, they cut, they move great without the ball. They find open players. It's really a fun group to watch.