HNIC's senior online reporter Tim Wharnsby dishes out the latest news, buzz and inside information in the hockey world.

Ryan Miller has the best goals-against average and save percentage in the NHL, and is tied for second in wins.Ryan Miller has the best goals-against average and save percentage in the NHL, and is tied for second in wins. (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

1. It was Miller time in the first half

If Ryan Miller can carry his wonderful play into the Olympics in six weeks, the United States instantly becomes a gold-medal contender. The Buffalo Sabres goalie sparkled in the first half of the NHL season, and as a result, he is our halfway Hart and Vezina trophies winner. Among the 30 starters in the league, Miller has the best goals-against average (2.02), the top save percentage (.934) and is tied for second in wins at 23, four behind New Jersey Devils record-setting netminder Martin Brodeur. The 37-year-old Brodeur also was a contender for our halfway Hart and Vezina, but we’ll give the nod to Miller because he has faced more shots in fewer games.

Our selections for the other major NHL awards:

  • Norris: Chicago’s Duncan Keith over Mike Green.
  • Calder: Buffalo defenceman Tyler Myers over Islanders freshman John Tavares and Colorado’s Matt Duchene.
  • Selke: Chicago’s Jonathan Toews over New Jersey’s Zach Parise.
  • Lady Byng: Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis.
  • Adams: Los Angeles’s Terry Murray over Phoenix’s Dave Tippet.

2. Our all first-half team

Vacouver’s Henrik Sedin has hit his stride as a goal scorer. So we’ll put him at centre between Marian Gaborik and Alex Ovechkin. Miller is our goalie with Keith and Green on the blue-line. There isn’t much grit with this unit, so Ovechkin will have to get busy in the physical department, too.

3. Our all-comeback/coming-out team

Colorado goalie Craig Anderson, defencemen Christian Ehrhoff (Vancouver) and Stephane Robidas (Dallas), forwards Brad Richards (Dallas), Dustin Penner (Edmonton) and Matt Moulson (N.Y. Islanders).

The 28-year-old Anderson has been solid in his first turn as a starter in the NHL. The acquisition of Ehrhoff has given the Canucks a solid defender in their own end and a productive point man on the power play. The five-foot-11, 193-pound Robidas already has checked in with a career-high 10 goals and 27 points with half a season to go.

Richards and Penner have enjoyed comeback seasons with their teams, and how can you not cheer for the 26-year-old Moulson, a story of perseverance who has scored 16 times in 43 games in his first full-time role in the NHL.

4. Surprises and disappointments

Surprises: The Avalanche lost Joe Sakic, but Joe Sacco has proven to be a capable coach and has Denver excited about hockey again. The Devils and Sabres have ridden strong goaltending to the top, while the Coyotes and Kings are making strong bids to end long playoff droughts.

Disappointments: The Philadelphia Flyers were supposed to be a contender and the St. Louis Blues were hoping to build off their second-half success of last season. But both teams have struggled and fired their coaches. In Canada, Toronto was hoping to make the playoffs, but performed miserably out of the gate. The Oilers also were hoping to make a move up the standings, but find themselves in the Western Conference basement.

5. Devils and Sabres: Moving on up

New Jersey was the last of the 30 NHL teams to hit the mid-season 41-game mark with their 4-0 win at home against Dallas on Tuesday. The Devils not only have the best record after 41 games, but they edged the Sabres with the best second-quarter 20-game record.

Eastern Conference overall standings

Team 1st-half record (points) 2nd-quarter record (points)
1. New Jersey 30-10-1 (61) 16-4-0 (32)
2. Buffalo 26-11-4 (56) 14-4-2 (30)
3. Washington 24-11-6 (54) 11-7-2 (24)
4. Pittsburgh 26-14-1 (53) 12-7-1 (25)
5. Boston 21-13-7 (49) 12-5-3 (27)
6. Ottawa 21-16-4 (46) 9-10-1 (19)
7. Montreal 19-19-3 (41) 9-8-3 (21)
8. N.Y. Rangers 19-17-5 (43) 8-8-4 (20)
9. Atlanta 18-17-6 (42) 7-10-3 (17)
10. Tampa Bay 16-15-10 (42) 7-10-3 (17)
11. Philadelphia 19-19-3 (41) 7-11-2 (16)
12. Florida 16-18-7 (39) 7-9-4 (18)
13. N.Y. Islanders 16-18-7 (39) 8-11-1 (17)
14. Toronto 14-18-9 (37) 10-7-3 (23)
15. Carolina 11-23-7 (29) 7-11-2 (14)

Western Conference overall standings

Team 1st-half record (points) 2nd-quarter record (points)
Chicago 28-10-3 (59) 14-5-1 (29)
San Jose 26-8-7 (59) 12-4-4 (28)
Phoenix 25-13-3 (53) 13-4-3 (29)
Calgary 24-12-5 (53) 11-6-3 (25)
Colorado 23-12-6 (52) 10-7-3 (23)
Nashville 24-14-3 (51) 12-6-2 (26)
Vancouver 24-16-1 (49) 13-6-1 (27)
Los Angeles 23-15-3 (49) 11-8-1 (23)
Detroit 21-14-6 (48) 10-8-2 (22)
Dallas 18-12-11 (47) 9-6-5 (23)
Minnesota 20-18-3 (43) 13-6-1 (27)
St. Louis 17-18-6 (40) 9-9-2 (20)
Anaheim 16-18-7 (39) 9-7-4 (22)
Columbus 15-18-8 (38) 3-12-5 (11)
Edmonton 16-21-4 (36) 8-11-1 (17)