Each Friday throughout the season Kevin Weekes will be bringing you his Friday Four. He will be blogging about four players, teams, plays or trends that have caught his eye.

Arizona Coyotes continue to surprise

The Coyotes are 6-2-2 in their past 10 games and playing extremely well. Anthony Duclair and Max Domi, obviously they have exceptional skills and are making an impact on this team. But it's the respect they have for the coaching staff, starting with Dave Tippett, and also the respect they have for the opportunity for playing in the NHL and how they speak glowingly about Shane Doan that, to me, says a lot.

Doan has been incredible. He has seven goals in five games and has shown no signs of slowing down. He's gone back up from the third to the second line based on how well he is playing. Even though they've asked him to take a reduced role, he's so proud and continues to be productive. He has a chance to get 25 to 30 goals, which at his age, 39, would be incredible.

Goalie Louis Domingue has played well in the absence of Mike Smith. He allowed one goal on 26 shots in a 2-1 win against the Calgary Flames on Thursday and has a .930 save percentage in nine games. He and Anders Lindback; I don't think anyone saw that coming, how well they have played, so credit to them.

Lastly, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has continued his play from last season. He has 11 goals after leading all defensemen with 23 last season

In the ever-changing standings in the Pacific Division, the Coyotes have feasted on their rivals, going 9-1-2.

Florida Panthers not slowing down

Everybody talks about Jaromir Jagr for good reason. But for some reason goaltender Roberto Luongo has gotten lost in the shuffle. He's a few wins away from tying Tony Esposito for seventh all-time, which speaks for itself. I think when all is said and done he is going to have 500 wins, which puts him in the company of only two other goalies in Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. You look at the leadership of Roberto on the back end and the defensive leadership as well in what Willie Mitchell brings and then what Jagr brings, it's just been exceptional.

There are other guys who are stepping up, like Derek MacKenzie and Reilly Smith, who now looks to me again the way he did when he played for the Boston Bruins.

Coach Gerard Gallant has done an excellent job with the team. The Panthers clearly believe in themselves, having won 11 in a row. Having been an original draft pick with the Panthers myself in 1993, I know how important hockey is in that market. Right now it's a great story down in South Florida.

Of course that coincides with the decision by Broward County and the funding to stabilize the team, along with the owner getting some certainty in keeping the franchise there for the foreseeable future. That's great.

Toronto Maple Leafs surging

Quietly this has become an incredible story. What coach Mike Babcock has been able to do with the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially in this short amount of time, has been impressive. And they are beating good teams. Look at Leo Komarov coming back from the KHL; he means so much to them. He's very deserving of the increased role he has. He leads them with 15 goals and is second in points with 28, and was deserving to be an All-Star. He's an exemplary player in terms of work ethic and commitment, and it's nice to see him get rewarded with that honor.

They are not fully where they need to be defensively, but they have made some strides under Babcock.

In goal, what Jonathan Bernier has done has been really impressive. His game hit rock bottom. He was held accountable but didn't pout. He went to the American Hockey League and came back; he's had some bumps but has had some highs as well. For him to retool his game and retool his focus after an 0-8-3 start says a lot about his character. Not to mention accepting the conditioning stint and getting shutouts in three of four games in the AHL. A lot of guys wouldn't have done that. In his last three games he's had three 39-save performances against the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks -- all wins. It's really a good story and a positive story for all of us, how this game can humble us and how important it is to have a good attitude and the proper work ethic and how those things can help carry you through the tough times.

Winter Classic

We had a great time at the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, not only fans of the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins, two Original Six franchises, but NHL fans all over the world that we had a chance to speak with and see. The event was incredible. It was nice seeing New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on the ice. It was a great moment for Montreal goaltender Mike Condon and his father, a Massachusetts police officer, being involved. Condon played outstanding in the win near his hometown.

If you ever thought a player like Brendan Gallagher wasn't important to his team, take a look at the stats. The Canadiens are 5-11-1 without him and 18-5-2 with him in the lineup; the difference is staggering. Up front Gallagher is the heartbeat of that team. He's willing to do things that most players in the League aren't willing to do. The Canadiens' game is heavily dependent on him.

HONORABLE MENTION

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has 11 points in six games since returning to the lineup. The Penguins are 18-9-4 when he is in the lineup and 1-7-1 when he isn't. You look at Sidney Crosby's production as well, with 12 points in nine games. It's good to see him back playing the way he can play. These are two superstars we have in the game and it's nice to see them be healthy and producing.