Flames - Matthew Tkachuk
With nine points (2G, 7A) in his first five games, Tkachuk has quietly got off to the best start of his NHL career. In addition to joining fellow 3M linemate Mikael Backlund as Flames' top two in shot share, the 20-year-old is piling up the looks offensively, and is in firmly in the Top 10 among all NHL forwards, manufacturing more than 64% (62-34) of the scoring chances when he's on the ice at even strength. Tkachuk, who finished with 24 goals last year, is on a similar pace in the goal-scoring department, but as he begins to put more emphasis on shooting, his individual production should rise alongside his overall point total. Considering how strong a start he's gotten off to, the Flames are quickly establishing one heckuva secondary scoring unit to complement the work of Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholmand Sean Monahan up front.
Predators - Filip Forsberg
For the first time in four seasons, Forsberg did not play in all 82 regular-season games last year. But that didn't stop him from having an impact in the 67 he did appear in. The 24-year-old had a career year in points per game, scoring 26 times and adding 38 helpers, tying his previous career high of 64 points in 15 fewer games. The 11th pick in the 2012 Draft is off to another hot start, leading the Preds with six points (4G, 2A) and doing it with the usual flair Nashville fans have become accustomed to. Forsberg, the quintessential human highlight reel, has already taken over the airwaves with a couple of showstoppers early on, and brings a three-game point streak into this evening's clash at the 'Dome.