On the Fly, NHL Roundtable: What we're thankful for

"On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, continues. In the spirit of the day, we're shedding light on what we're thankful for this season.

3-on-3 OT

Josh Gold-Smith: The new 3-on-3 overtime format is must-see TV, and more importantly, it's dramatically cut down on the frequency of shootouts. It's rare that a significant change works this well right away, but the results - and the entertainment value - can't be overstated. Giving the league's best scorers more room to operate has helped them showcase their skills while deciding games in a more team-oriented way. The new format generates non-stop scoring chances, and while it should never be employed in regulation, it's a great way to sell the game to new fans while rewarding long-time NHL die-hards. The shootout may never die, but thanks to 3-on-3 overtime, it's been replaced more often than not by a thrilling alternative.

Domi and Duclair

Ian McLaren: Not much was expected of the Arizona Coyotes this season, except for a good shot at landing the first overall pick at the 2016 NHL Draft. But through 21 games, Don Maloney's seemingly rebuilding club boasts a winning record (11-9-1), sits one point out of a playoff spot, and has become a team to watch every time it takes the ice, courtesy of a pair of dynamic rookie forwards. Max Domi (8 G, 10 A) and Anthony Duclair (8 G, 6 A) sit second and fourth in rookie scoring respectively, and have amassed their points in often spectacular fashion. There's no shortage of young talent across the NHL, giving fans reason to keep an eye out all over the league on a nightly basis. But Domi and Duclair's Coyotes stand out like an oasis in the desert, and I, for one, am thankful for a new underdog to root for.

Swedish Twins

Navin Vaswani: As the Sedins get older - they turned 35 in September - it's hard not to ask the question: Is this the season their production dips for good? Through November, we've got our answer: Nope. And I'm thankful for that - for them - because watching the twins play hockey is like nothing I've ever seen. Daniel's got 25 points, sitting fourth in NHL, while Henrik's 22 put him 15th. They keep going, and their display against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, when they combined for nine points, was incredible to watch. The way they pass the puck to one another without looking, the way they innately know where they are on the ice, and where they're going to be, is both brilliant and a little scary. They've combined for 1,843 points in 15 seasons, and what makes their recent run all the more enjoyable is the fact they left 2013-14 behind. Oddly enough, or actually not oddly at all, both experienced down campaigns in the same season. Henrik had 50 points in 70 games, while Daniel had 47 in 73. The beginning of the end, always unexpected, always surprising, had seemingly finally arrived - or so I thought. I've never been so happy about being wrong. Here's to a combined 2,000 points.

The Tarasenk-Show

Mark Millard: I'm thankful for the Tarasenk-show. Night after night, Vladimir Tarasenko is single-handedly worth the price of admission. With 13 goals and nine assists this season, Tarasenko has 95 points over his last 99 games. But it's not about his impressive totals, it's about the electrifying way he tallies them. There's no doubt Alex Ovechkin is the NHL's best goal scorer, but the majority of his goals are often-seen one-timers from his "office" on the left side of the rink. Tarasenko's markers tend to come out of nowhere, leaving us on the edge of our seats every time he touches the puck. I'm thankful for his ability to turn a nothing play into an absolutely unstoppable shot on the best goalie in the league. I'm thankful for his cross-ice patience before gracing us with his incredible release, and I'm thankful he can out-wait a goalie in the dying minutes to send a game to overtime. It's easy to forget the 23-year-old is still a few years away from his prime. He's already one of the game's most exciting players, and he's only getting started.

The Game As Is ...

Justin Cuthbert: I'm thankful for the game as it is right now. While on one token, I understand that without constantly exploring and brainstorming new ideas, the NHL wouldn't be the healthy entity entertaining us today. But I refuse to be of the mind that every accident or mishap should prompt a discussion on rule changes. I mean, really, we should curb shot blocking because a potential All-Star on the league's best team broke two fingers? Absolutely not. Hockey will never be perfect - what sport is? But the league has never had as many superstars as it does at this moment. We have an exciting new overtime format that celebrates the glut of game-changers across the NHL. So everything else should take care of itself - as long as the game is called as the rule book states. So let's let it ride for a while.