As the NHL's teams reach the midpoint of the 2022-23 season, there are many proclamations to debate. The best and worst. The surprises and disappointments. Whether the Arizona Coyotes' Mullett Arena is a great place to watch a game or the greatest place to watch a game.
But there are two claims that aren't up for debate. They exist beyond even our capacity for hot-takery. They are:
1. That the Boston Bruins are the best team in the NHL through the first half of the season. A 32-4-4 juggernaut that leads the league in team defense and is second in average offense. There's the Bruins, and then there's everyone else this season. Facts.
2. That Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers is the most dominant player in the NHL this season, with 34 goals and 43 assists in 42 games. He's currently on pace to become only the sixth player in NHL history to hit 150 points in a season and the first to do so since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96. We can debate whether he's the most valuable player to his team, but McDavid's status as the league's single most fundamental force can't be denied.
That established, here are some other NHL awards and superlatives for the midpoint of the 2022-23 season: