Are the Washington Capitals headed for a second straight Presidents' Trophy? Will the Winnipeg Jets lose again with Ondrej Pavelec in net? Are we finally getting the Nashville Predators we thought we were getting? Inquiring minds, friends, inquiring minds.

The Caps are 12-0-2 in their past 14 games and have surged to the top spot in the NHL -- pretty much where they spent all last season. Along with a balanced, dynamic offense, the Caps boast the league's No. 1 defense. That's how championships are built.

The Wild are 17-3-1 in their past 21 games, have the best goals-against average in the Western Conference and lead the conference in goals scored per game. Seems like they've covered the two most important parts of the game.

The Pens have won four in a row and are starting to click on the road, which is bad news for the rest of the Eastern Conference. If Sidney Crosby doesn't get you, Evgeni Malkin does. Double jeopardy.

As long as the Ducks don't have to play former head coach Bruce Boudreau and the Wild, they are world-beaters. The Pacific Division leaders are 8-0-1 in their past nine games against teams not from Minnesota.

The Sharks have won four in a row, and Brent Burns continues to make a case for not just a Norris Trophy but also Hart Trophy consideration: He's fifth in scoring with 47 points in 47 games.

The Jackets, coming off a wild 7-6 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, are treading water since the end of their epic 16-game win streak. But it's better than sinking after a long streak (see: Flyers, Philadelphia), which means Columbus is still very much in the mix while at the top of the Metropolitan Division.

The Oilers continue to impress on both sides of the puck while playing nip-and-tuck with Anaheim and San Jose for the Pacific Division lead. When was the last time that sentence was written regarding the Oil battling for first? 2006?

When is it time to start worrying about the play of goalie Carey Price? Last week? This week?

Speaking of struggling goalies, Henrik Lundqvist, shaking off a midseason swoon, came up with a nice 1-0 shutout win over Detroit on Sunday. Good to see Mika Zibanejad back in the lineup after a long absence because of a leg injury.

As they have periodically over the past couple of seasons, the Blackhawks turned to backup Scott Darling to help shoulder the load for Corey Crawford. They have played more games but are still in the hunt for a Central Division crown in spite of a penalty kill that ranks 28th.

All of a sudden, the Preds have gone from outside the bubble to third place in the Central Division. Congrats to head coach Peter Laviolette on win No. 500 on Sunday.

I must write on a blackboard 1,000 times: "I will stop underestimating the Ottawa Senators." The Sens are 5-1-1 in their past seven and are in second in the Atlantic Division with a tiny bit of breathing space.

How many blown leads will the Leafs end up with this season? Which one is the one that'll knock them out of the playoffs?

The Canucks continue to impress by staying in the playoff hunt. They started the month on the outside looking in but have gone 5-2-3 in January to keep the pressure on Calgary, St. Louis and Los Angeles in the hunt for a wild-card spot in spite of a 29th-ranked power play.

The Jets have won two in a row after Ondrej Pavelec was repatriated from the American Hockey League. They'll need more to get themselves into the top eight in the Western Conference, but the return of Patrik Laine appears close.

The Blues are in free fall and their goaltending is in shambles, as No. 1 Jake Allen didn't even accompany the Blues on their recent road trip. Challenging times are ahead for GM Doug Armstrong and coach Ken Hitchcock.

If the Flames miss the playoffs, I wonder if they'll rue getting swept by the Edmonton Oilers in the season series? Asked and answered.

The Kings have lost three in a row and four of six, and they've fallen out of a playoff spot. The return of No. 1 goalie Jonathan Quick can't come soon enough for the up-and-down Kings.

The Devils have quietly sneaked back into the playoff discussion in the Eastern Conference with a tidy 4-1-1 run.

The Flyers got a crucial win coming out of their bye week over the Islanders as they try to arrest a crippling slide.

This is as well as the Sabres have played all season, with a 6-3-1 run in January. Ryan O'Reilly is heating up, and Robin Lehner has put in some nice work in goal.

The Canes have been dumped three in a row and need to find an antidote or risk sinking beneath the surface in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Goalie Cam Ward is showing signs of wear and tear.

Boston's mauling at the hands of Pittsburgh on Sunday will do nothing to quell the calls for coach Claude Julien's job, as the Bruins have three wins in 11 games this month. But, at least for now, they still occupy a playoff spot. Go figure.

Is there a team more devoid of an identity or consistency? How is that shake-up going?

The Isles have played well under interim head coach Doug Weight (2-0-1), but they still have the fewest points in the conference, an indication of the uphill path to relevancy.

The Wings have the 24th-ranked offense and the worst power play, which showed Sunday in their 1-0 loss to the Rangers.

How the mighty have fallen. The Lightning woke up Monday morning tied with the Sabres and the Islanders for the fewest points in the Eastern Conference.

The Stars continue to lose ground in the West, thanks in part to woeful special teams, including the 29th-ranked penalty kill. Soon GM Jim Nill will have to put the "sell" sign up in front of the AmericanAirlines Arena before the trade deadline.

The season from hell continues with no end in sight.

Nothing is more certain these days than an Avs loss and their place at the bottom of the Power Rankings.