This is the week in which we all give thanks for family, friends, good health and great food. Or, if you're an NHL franchise, for residing in a Stanley Cup playoffs seed at the quarter mark of the season, because that usually means you'll still be in one when the postseason begins.
Teams in playoff positions on Thanksgiving have made the playoffs 77% of the time during 82-game seasons in the salary-cap era (since 2005-06), according to ESPN Stats & Information.
In other words, a lot of opinions formed about teams and players by the 20-game mark could end up justified by season's end.