As the NHL's All-Star Break is drawing near, it's an excellent time to take stock of what we've seen in the 2016-17 season so far.
There is plenty of uncertainty about which teams will be contenders and which ones will be pretenders at playoff time. As a result, fans are already dialled in to watching the ever-changing standings on a night-by-night basis. Even during the dog days of winter, nearly every game is significant this year.
There's plenty to be excited about within those games, too. We're seeing revered veteran players hit impressive milestones in their careers even as an exciting group of young players shows that the game of hockey will be in very good hands through the next generation.