NHL Team Of The Month: January 2008

As we turn the calendar page to February, it is time to look back on the first month of 2008 and name the NHL Team of the Month.

• Center: Evgeni Malkin (13 GP, 12 G, 5 A, +8, 6 PPP, 1 GWG)
  
• Right Wing: Shane Doan (13 GP, 7 G, 12 A, +7, 6 PPP, 2 GWG)
  
• Left Wing: Alexander Ovechkin (13 GP, 13 G, 9 A, 8 PPP, 2 GWG)
  
• Defense: Ed Jovanovski (14 GP, 4 G, 8 A, 21 PIM, 7 PPP)
  
• Defense: Sergei Gonchar (13 GP, 1 G, 10 A, +4, 8 PPP)
  
• Goalie: Tim Thomas (10 GP, 7 W, 2.06 GAA, .936 SV%, 1 SO)
  

Comments:

• Ovechkin has been playing out of his mind for the last couple months and wrapped up January with a four goal/five point performance against Montreal. Do we now have the "Ovechkin hat trick" (a goal, an assist, and a broken nose)?
• Evgeni Malkin has been one of the few people in the same stratosphere as Ovechkin and has really stepped up for Pittsburgh. Geno also notched his first two career hat tricks this month.
• Shane Doan is leading a surprising Coyotes squad into the thick of the Western Conference playoff chase. If Doan played in Toronto he would be a household name (by NHL standards).
• Jovanovski and Gonchar have both provided excellent offensive numbers for their respective teams. They have been particularly good on the power play.
• Tim Thomas has been quietly outstanding for the Bruins. He's a guy you rarely hear about, and then you look at the numbers and wonder why. Thomas is as solid as they come between the pipes.