Trending Up, Trending Down: Ovechkin soars, Vegas has a Knight to forget
Each week, theScore looks at the teams, players, and other hockey figures trending upward and taking a step back.
▲ Alex Ovechkin
It's been business as usual for the Washington Capitals captain, who's doing everything he can to avoid taking a back seat amid the influx of talented youngsters bursting onto the NHL scene.
Ovechkin made another statement Wednesday night, notching his 16th career hat trick to become the active leader in three-goal games in a win over the St. Louis Blues.
He has five goals in his last four games, and four of Ovechkin's 12 goals have been game-winners.
Ovechkin trails only San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns in total shots on goal (with a game in hand), and ranks behind only injured New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall among qualified skaters in shots per game.
His latest hat trick vaulted him into a tie for second on the NHL's goal-scoring list this season. The 31-year-old is serving notice to the incoming teenagers that one of the best pure goal-scorers in NHL history isn't going to fade away any time soon.
▼ The Vegas Golden Knights
After months of buildup, the NHL's newest expansion franchise had a painfully awkward introduction to the world this week that was almost universally panned on social media.
Watch: Technical difficulties derail Vegas Golden Knights unveiling
First came an avalanche of jokes at the expense of the club for a video that failed to properly play, then came criticism of the team name, with many wondering why "Las" was omitted and others questioning the nickname itself.
Related: UCF would appreciate if you'd stop calling them the Golden Knights
One thing most people agreed upon, though: While the logo sure looks a lot like Magneto's helmet, it's pretty well conceived by NHL standards.
▲ Connor McDavid
A healthy Connor McDavid is truly something to behold.
The youngest captain in NHL history collected three points and scored the game-winner Wednesday night, guiding the Edmonton Oilers to a victory over the Colorado Avalanche.
McDavid sits atop the NHL points list with 27 in 21 games, and he ranks fifth in the league in average ice time among forwards, logging over 21 minutes per contest.
We all knew he'd be this good, but the fact that's been this dominant with less than a full NHL season under his belt confirms he's ready to lead an Oilers resurgence sooner rather than later.
▼ The NWHL
To say it's been a tough week for one of the two major professional women's hockey leagues in North America would be an understatement.
NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan announced over the weekend that the league planned to reduce player salaries (reportedly by as much as 50 percent) in the wake of diminishing attendance, and the players responded by demanding an audit of the league's finances.
Related: NWHL DJ plays 'B---h Better Have My Money' in warmup after salary cuts
It's unfortunate to see the league struggling, and even more of a shame to see the players being short-changed without warning as a result. Here's hoping both sides can figure out a solution that allows the women's game to further grow south of the border.