The course of an 82-game NHL regular season never runs completely smooth. Some teams have felt that more than others.
October's optimism can quickly bleed into a nervy November. Injuries pile up along with losses. Identities crack before being fully formed. Confidence is at a premium. And we've barely hit the quarter mark of the season.
It's thought that a team can't secure its playoff spot in just a few weeks, but it can fall too far out of the race to catch up. Certain front-runners (Boston, Vegas, New Jersey, among them) have to feel secure in their early positioning.