Mike Brophy

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy writes Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday on Sportsnet.ca and appears regularly on Hockeycentral.

Without question the biggest storyline thus far in the NHL is the number of injuries to star players. Alexander Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Andrei Markov and Evgeni Malkin have all spent significant time on the sidelines with various ailments.

But it's not just Russians going down.

The Boston Bruins have been crippled by the loss of Marc Savard and Milan Lucic; the Carolina Hurricanes are going nowhere without Eric Staal and Cam Ward while the Florida Panthers are euchred without David Booth.

However, as we know the game does not wait on its injured star players.

Here is a look at the highs and lows for all teams and individuals over first quarter of the 2009-10 season:

SURPRISE TEAMS

COLORADO AVALANCHE

Picked to be a lottery team by many, the Avs shocked the hockey world by quickly climbing to the top of the standings. Although Colorado has slipped of late, it remains a team that cannot be taken lightly. Craig Anderson worked magic in his first real opportunity to be an NHL starter while teammates Ryan O'Reilly and Matt Duchene are proving they belong in the league.

LOS ANGELES KINGS

General manager Dean Lombardi made a very clever acquisition in the offseason bringing in Ryan Smyth to play on the top line with Anze Kopitar who now is the top scorer in the NHL. Now the Kings have a bona fide No. 1 line and some pretty good depth up front. As well, the defence - led by sophomore Drew Doughty - has been solid, too.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

The NHL's Kings of the Road with a 9-1-0 record away from home are playing typical Devils hockey. That, of course, means they are tough to score against despite the fact they have a no-name defence. Jacques Lemaire, who couldn't get the Wild over the hump in Minnesota, seems to have the ears of the players who like his calm approach.

DISAPPOINTING TEAMS

ANAHEIM DUCKS

Did the Ducks actually think they could get rid of Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin and still be a contender in the West? Much of Anaheim's problem this season surrounds its inability to keep the puck out of the net. They have scored 10 fewer goals than they have allowed and neither Jonas Hiller nor Jean-Sebastien Giguere has played well in net.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Things have started to turn about a bit, but the Lightning were surprisingly had out of the chute. How can a team boasting Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St-Louis, Steven Stamkos, Alex Tanguay and Ryan Malone have just 48 goals in 18 games?

CAROLINA HURRICANES

OK, I already mentioned Staal and Ward are injured. But this team was in a huge funk even when they were healthy. Carolina seems to go good year, bad year, good year, bad year and this season is no exception. One wonders exactly how long GM Jim Rutherford can remain calm before blowing this thing up?

BRIGHT LIGHTS

MIIKKA KIPRUSOFF, CALGARY FLAMES

When his team had trouble scoring early, Kiprusoff kept the Flames in games with his spectacular saves. Jose Theodore was the last goalie to be named league MVP and if Kiprusoff continues to play as he has, he could be next.

ANZE KOPITAR, LOS ANGELES KINGS

Nobody has ever denied this guy has skill, but did he have the passion or even knowledge to be a winner. Let's be honest, when you are Slovenian, you probably haven't played a whole bunch of must-win games in your career. The shifty Kopitar looks like he gets it.

MARIAN GABORIK, NEW YORK RANGERS

Many wondered what this guy would be like in a less restrictive system and Gaborik has not disappointed this year playing under John Tortorella. He is dangerous every time he is on the ice and should make a serious run at leading the league in scoring.

MISSING IN ACTION

VINNY LECAVALIER, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Four goals and 17 points in 18 games is simply not acceptable for a guy who just signed an 11-year contract that pays him $10 million a year for the first seven seasons. Lecavalier has all but played himself off Team Canada and has not displayed the passion that made him one of the most exciting players in the league to watch.

JASON SPEZZA/ALEXEI KOVALEV, OTTAWA SENATORS

Spezza has just one goal in 14 games while Kovalev has four in 17 to go with a team-worst minus-7. Any way you cut it, those numbers are awful and unless these two guys wake up, the Senators are going to be hard-pressed to make the playoffs.

BRYAN LITTLE/SLAVA KOZLOV, ATLANTA THRASHERS

After a 31-goal season last year, Little has managed just two goals for the Thrashers in 17 games. Kozlov, a veteran, has no goals and is a guy who should be good for 25 goals in his sleep. In 2006, Kozlov posted 80 points and 26 goals in a full season.

YOU HAVE TO SEE …

ZACH BOGOSIAN, ATLANTA THRASHERS

After scoring nine goals in just 47 games as an 18-year-old, Bogosian is proving that was no fluke with eight in his first 17 games this year.

RYAN O'REILLY, COLORADO AVALANCHE

This 18-year-old rookie sensation is third in team scoring with four goals and 15 points in 20 games and leads the club with a plus-10.

BRAD RICHARDS, DALLAS STARS

Richards seemed to take a step back after helping the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2003-04, but looks as good as new this season.