Burnside: Team-by-team grades at the quarter mark

Most teams will hit the quarter mark of the NHL season in the next week. Here's a breakdown of where teams stand as they make the first turn in what has been a wildly exciting and unpredictable (aren't they all?) start to the 2008-09 regular season. Led by NHL scoring leader Evgeni Malkin , who has put aside a disappointing turn in last spring's Stanley Cup finals, the Penguins have overcome injuries to key defensemen ( Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney ) and new faces up front to surge to the top of the conference standings. Now the question is whether he can keep that warm, fuzzy feeling going all season long. Rumors abound that Brendan Shanahan may be looking to call Philadelphia his new home, which might mean the end of the road for classy veteran Mike Knuble in Philly. Kudos to another rookie coach, Scott Gordon, who has had to make do with backup netminder Joey MacDonald for much of the season with Rick DiPietro sidelined. Veteran Doug Weight has rediscovered his scoring touch after it looked as though his career might be done, and the Isles have been staying close and winning more than their share of one-goal games.

. Here's a breakdown of where teams stand as they make the first turn in what has been a wildly exciting and unpredictable (aren't they all? See Full Story »

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