NHL season already has been full of surprises

Every team in the NHL has passed the one-quarter mark of the season. Some have barely reached it — Detroit has played only 21 games — but the Chicago Blackhawks are barreling toward the midpoint of the season, having played 26 games.

The biggest surprise? That only one coach has been fired — Scott Gordon of the New York Islanders, succeeded by interim coach Jack Capuano.

Here are some of the biggest surprises of the season so far:

The Pleasant

•Carey Price has survived a goaltending controversy and emerged stronger, compiling a 1.95 goals-against average and .935 save percentage for the swift and persistent Montreal Canadiens. Critics wondered whether they traded the wrong goalie last summer when they sent Jaroslav Halak to St. Louis. It has been the rare deal that helped both teams: Halak (2.37, .911) has been solid for the Blues.

•The Columbus Blue Jackets, under first-year NHL Coach Scott Arniel, have become a force in the Western Conference. The goaltending of Mathieu Garon (1.33, .950) has had a lot to do with that, given that their only real elite player is winger Rick Nash (13 goals, 17 points).

•Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, nicknamed “the perfect human” by Red Wings fans, hasn’t been far off that level. Lidstrom, 40, is winning raves for his play at both ends of the ice.

•Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos has blossomed into a full-fledged superstar. With 21 goals in 24 games he’s on pace to exceed 71 goals, which probably won’t happen, but it will be fun to watch him try.

• Dustin Byfuglien, traded to Atlanta by the Blackhawks because of their post-Stanley Cup salary crunch, has thrived on defense with a team that likes defenseman to jump up into the play. He leads NHL defensemen with 25 points.

The Not-So Pleasant

•Left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, he of the 15-year, $100-million contract that also cost the New Jersey Devils a $3-million fine and two draft picks for attempting to circumvent the salary cap, has only four goals and is minus-11 in the plus/minus category for his struggling team. No sympathy for the Devils around the NHL, though.

•The Islanders recently endured a 14-game winless streak. Early injuries robbed them of what little depth they had. No regular player has a plus/minus rating above zero.

•Getting the first overall draft pick in June figured to accelerate the Edmonton Oilers’ development. Taylor Hall has had some moments, but this young team is still a long way from respectability.

•Family Feud is losing its appeal in Calgary, where Flames General Manager Darryl Sutter traded his son, Brett, to Carolina a few days after the kid was jailed following a fight in a bar. Fans were hoping Darryl’s brother Brent, the Flames’ coach, would also be exiled.

•The NHL is still inconsistent in applying the new rule regarding hits to the head. Technically, that’s not a surprise, but it is a disappointment.

Farewell, Pat Burns

Pat Burns was remembered Monday as a tough but fair coach who bridged several worlds with flair and ease.

Burns, the police officer turned three-time NHL coach of the year and 2003 Stanley Cup winner, died of lung cancer Nov. 19 at 58. His memorial service was held Monday at the Mary, Queen of the World cathedral in Montreal, a few blocks from the Canadiens’ home at the Bell Centre.

The New Jersey Devils, who employed Burns as a scout, attended as a team. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, executives of several clubs and former players also paid their respects at a service that included a miniature Stanley Cup with his ashes near the altar.

“His bark sometimes was a little louder than his bite, but he could actually bark pretty loud. But he could also have the other side, that was understanding and supportive,” Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque told the Canadian Press news service.

“He was fun to play for. I really loved him and he was the best defensive coach I’ve ever had.”

Slap shots

No timetable has been set for the return of Detroit center Mike Modano, who underwent surgery to repair a severed tendon and nerve damage in his right hand after he was cut by an errant skate, but he’s expected to be out of the lineup for several months. He had picked up the pace after a slow start, centering for Todd Bertuzzi and Dan Cleary and playing the point on the power play.

San Jose’s Dany Heatley will visit Ottawa on Thursday for the first time since he asked the Senators to trade him. Heatley blocked a deal that would have sent him to Edmonton — and might have helped the Senators more than what they got from San Jose in September 2009: winger Milan Michalek, the long-banished Jonathan Cheechoo and a second-round draft pick. Senators fans haven’t forgiven or forgotten: reports there say fans have been booing the Sharks’ logo on the arena video screen when out-of-town scores are displayed.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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