MacKinnon, McDavid, Ovechkin among team MVPs in first quarter

There is only one Hart Trophy. It's awarded to the most valuable player in the NHL. But every team has its own MVP, and that's what this exercise covers as we speed into the second quarter of the 2018-19 NHL season.

Here's a look at all 31 teams (in alphabetical order) and the one player who should be considered its MVP:

Anaheim Ducks: John Gibson

Gibson's goaltending has kept his team afloat despite Anaheim's rash of injuries and inconsistent offensive play. He has a 2.49 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in 19 appearances, all starts.

Arizona Coyotes: Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Ekman-Larsson, the Coyotes captain and top defenseman, is second on the team with 12 points (two goals, 10 assists), all in the past 16 games. He averages the most ice time of anybody on the team by more than three minutes (23:49) and continues to have the biggest impact of any skater in all situations.

Boston Bruins: David Pastrnak

Pastrnak is tied third in the NHL in goals with 17. He also has nine assists to give him 26 points, tied for a team-high with injured center and linemate Patrice Bergeron. He is also second in the League in power play-goals (eight), one behind Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets.

Buffalo Sabres: Jeff Skinner

The left wing gets the nod over center Jack Eichel because of his goal production. Skinner has 18 goals, one behind Laine for the NHL lead. He has scored at least one goal in 12 of Buffalo's past 17 games, with two or more in four games. He's a big reason the Sabres have won nine in a row.

Calgary Flames: Mark Giordano

Giordano, who was third in NHL.com 's voting for the Norris Trophy at the quarter mark, stands out ahead of forwards Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk because of his production and his minutes played. Giordano is tied for fifth in the League among defensemen with 20 points (two goals, 18 assists), putting him fifth overall on the Flames behind Tkachuk (27), Gaudreau (26), Monahan (25) and Lindholm (23). Giordano leads the Flames in ice time per game (24:20) and is tied with Monahan for second in shots on goal (67).

Carolina Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho

The 21-year-old forward leads the Hurricanes with 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists), including 17 (four goals, 13 assists) during a 12-game point streak in October. He joined Wayne Gretzky and Ken Linseman as the only players in NHL history to have an assist in each of his team's first 12 games.

Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Kane

At age 30, Kane leads the Blackhawks with 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists). The speedy right wing has points in 17 of the 23 games he's played, including two game-winning goals, one in overtime.

Colorado Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon

Tough call between MacKinnon, Colorado's top center, who is second in the NHL in scoring with 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists), and Mikko Rantanen, his right wing, who leads the League with 38 points (10 goals, 28 assists). MacKinnon gets the ever-so slight edge because of his goal production, ability to get shots off and how he drives Colorado's top line with his speed. He leads the Avalanche goals and shots on goal (99, tied for second in the NHL).

Columbus Blue Jackets: Cam Atkinson

Atkinson has gotten hot of late, putting the 29-year-old forward on track to equal or better his career-high of 35 goals from two seasons ago. He has nine goals during a seven-game goal scoring streak, giving him 15 goals in 24 games this season. Columbus is 8-2-1 when he scores and 5-6-1 when he doesn't.

Dallas Stars: Alexander Radulov

Radulov has missed 10 games because of injury, but when he's been in the lineup he has been the Stars' most effective player, with 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 13 games. His presence, especially on the forecheck, makes linemates Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn even more dangerous. Seguin and Benn have combined for 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in the 13 games Radulov has played, 11 points (five goals, six assists) in the 10 games he missed.

Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin

The Red Wings are 28th in the NHL in scoring (2.65 goals per game), but Larkin is still a near point-per-game player with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 23 games. The 22-year-old center is playing in all situations and he's generated offense in all situations, including two shorthanded goals. He also has scored two overtime goals.

Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid

McDavid, the Oilers' captain and
NHL.com's
choice for the Hart Trophy at the quarter mark, is third in the League with 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists). He has points in 19 of Edmonton's 22 games, including at least two points in nine games. Edmonton is 0-3-0 with three goals when McDavid has been shut out. He's had a hand in 51.6 percent of Edmonton's goals (32 of 62), the highest percentage of any player in the NHL.

Florida Panthers: Aleksander Barkov

Barkov, who has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists), isn't the Panthers' leading scorer, but he's arguably the biggest reason that his wingers, Mike Hoffman (22 points) and Evgenii Dadonov (20 points), are Florida's top scorers with a combined 20 goals. Barkov drives the Panthers' top line with his three-zone play, especially with his ability to force turnovers (he leads the NHL with 40 takeaways) and win face-offs (54.1 percent). He also leads all NHL forwards in ice time per game (22:39).

Los Angeles Kings: Jack Campbell

The Kings have struggled, but Campbell was solid in filling the void left by a knee injury to starting goalie Jonathan Quick before he too sustained a knee injury that required surgery earlier this month. Campbell was 5-7-0 with a 2.33 GAA and .923 save percentage in 13 appearances (12 starts) from Oct. 7-Nov. 10. Three of his seven losses came in games when he allowed two or fewer goals.

Minnesota Wild: Mikael Granlund

The 26-year-old forward is having an impact in all areas. Granlund leads the Wild with 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 23 games. He has seven points on the power play (one goal, six assists) and two shorthanded goals. He also has three game-winning goals, including one in overtime. The Wild are 13-3-1 when he gets a point and 1-4-1 when he doesn't.

Montreal Canadiens: Max Domi

Domi, has 11 goals in 23 games, two more than the 23-year-old forward scored in 82 games with Arizona last season. He had points in 11 straight games from Nov. 1-21, the longest point streak of any Canadiens player since Pierre Turgeon's 11-game streak from April 5-29, 1995.

Nashville Predators: Ryan Johansen

Johansen leads the Predators in assists (17) and points (21) through 23 games. He's a big reason why Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Craig Smith, his primary linemates this season (Smith has replaced an injured Arvidsson on the top line) have combined for 27 goals. Johansen also has the best possession numbers on the team among players who have played a full season (56.59 SAT percentage), largely because he has won 55.4 percent of his face-offs (271 of 489).

New Jersey Devils: Kyle Palmieri

Palmieri has been a bright spot in what has otherwise been a trying season so far for the Devils. The 27-year-old forward has a team-leading 12 goals, including five on the power play, and his 21 points are second on the Devils behind Taylor Hall (23). A lot of his production came in October, when he had 14 points (nine goals, five assists) and the Devils were 5-3-1. They've struggled in November, going 4-6-2. Palmieri has seven points (three goals, four assists) this month.

New York Islanders: Thomas Greiss

Greiss has taken over as the Islanders' No. 1 goalie ahead of Robin Lehner. He is 8-3-1 with a 2.40 goals-against and .928 save percentage with one shutout in 14 appearances (12 starts). Greiss is 5-0-1 with a .945 save percentage when facing 35 or more shots in a start.

New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist

Lundqvist looks more like the Lundqvist of three seasons ago than the previous two with his 8-7-2 record, .920 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average. The 36-year-old has also bought into everything coach David Quinn is asking of his players, specifically the veterans. The Rangers have exceeded expectations and are in the Stanley Cup Playoff race largely because of Lundqvist.

Ottawa Senators: Mark Stone

Stone is trying to do it all for the Senators. He has 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists). On a team that has struggled to defend -- Ottawa is last in the League in goals-against per game (4.35) and shots against per game (38.6) -- Stone is the only Senators forward who has played at least 13 games and has been on the ice for more shot attempts than against (53.49 shot-attempts percentage). His plus-7 rating is second on the team and tops among forwards.

Philadelphia Flyers: Claude Giroux

Giroux, Philadelphia's first-line left wing, leads the Flyers with 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists), 10 more than anybody else on the team. The Flyers are 10-4-1 when their captain gets a point, 0-7-1 when he doesn't.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Evgeni Malkin

Malkin leads the Penguins and is tied for fourth in the NHL with 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists). He had 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 11 games, including four three-point games, through Nov. 1 before hitting a lull for four games. The 32-year-old center has responded with points in seven consecutive games (two goals, eight assists).

San Jose Sharks: Timo Meier

The 22-year-old has come a long way and has arguably been San Jose's most consistent forward this season. He has 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 24 games. Meier is tied for the Sharks lead in goals with Joe Pavelski and with Logan Couture for the most points among forwards; defenseman Brent Burns leads the Sharks with 24 points (three goals, 21 assists). Meier, who had 36 points (21 goals, 15 assists) in 81 games last season, had 11 goals in the first 14 games.

St. Louis Blues: Ryan O'Reilly

O'Reilly leads St. Louis in goals (12), assists (14) and points (26). He's also one of the NHL's best on face-offs as well. The 27-year-old center, acquired from the Sabres in a trade on July 1, is sixth in the League in face-offs taken (487) and first in winning percentage (60.4 percent) among the 48 players who have taken at least 300.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Brayden Point

The third-year center leads the Lightning in goals (15) and power-play goals (six), and he has two game-winning goals. Point is second on the Lightning in points with 28, two behind Nikita Kucherov. He's plus-10, best among Lightning forwards. He plays 3:00 per game on the power play. The only thing he isn't doing is regularly killing penalties, which he did last season.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Morgan Rielly

Rielly, NHL.com's pick as the favorite to win the Norris Trophy, is second among all NHL defenseman and tied for second on the Maple Leafs with 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists). Rielly is already halfway to his point total from last season (52) in 24 games. He has scored two of Toronto's three overtime goals and leads the Maple Leafs with 10 points on the power play (one goal, nine assists).

Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson

Pettersson, who leads all rookies in goals (13) and points (21), is NHL.com's pick as the favorite for the Calder Trophy this season. He was a unanimous selection among the 17 people who participated in the voting. Pettersson has slowed down after a torrid start that featured 10 goals and a five-point game in his first 10 games. He had two points, both goals, during Vancouver's eight-game losing streak (0-7-1) before contributing a goal and an assist in a streak-ending 4-2 win at the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

Vegas Golden Knights: Jonathan Marchessault

Marchessault, who centers the first line, has been the Golden Knights' most consistent player in what has been an inconsistent season. He leads the Golden Knights in goals (10), points (20) and shots on goal (99), and he's tied for the team lead in power-play goals (three) and points (seven), as well as game-winning goals (two).

Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin

Ovechkin has been dynamic all over the ice, leading the Capitals again in scoring with 17 goals and 27 points while backchecking and forechecking like crazy to provide energy and create turnovers. Ovechkin already has five multigoal games. The Capitals are 10-1-1 when he scores a goal.

Winnipeg Jets: Blake Wheeler

Even though he hasn't been scoring as many goals as he'd probably like, Wheeler has been the most consistent player on a team that is loaded with talent. The evidence comes in the form of his 11-game point streak from Oct. 18-Nov. 14, when he had 20 points, including 18 assists. Winnipeg's captain and top-line right wing has 27 points (four goals, 23 assists) to lead the Jets. He has 14 assists on the power play.