THE NHL / HELENE ELLIOTT : Halfway Through Season, Players Not Up to Speed

Reaching the halfway point of the season normally calls for serious study of where teams are headed as playoff time approaches.

But as the NHL lurched past the midpoint of this lockout-shortened season Monday, only a few trends were obvious. Foremost was the decline in scoring, which was down from 6.7 goals a game after 310 games last season to 5.8 through Sunday.

Except for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who started 12-0-1, and the Quebec Nordiques, who were 13-2, inconsistency has been the rule. No other team won more than five consecutive games or had an unbeaten streak longer than six games. Of last year’s playoff semifinalists, only the New York Rangers (13-10-3) lead their division, and they struggled for the first month. The Toronto Maple Leafs reached .500 last week.

“It’s just a weird season,” St. Louis winger Brett Hull said.

That it is. On the principle that a shortened season deserves a shortened analysis, here’s a brief rundown of first-half successes and failures:

WINNERS

The Quebec Nordiques (17-5-3), who have not lost consecutive games, are scoring in bunches. Joe Sakic, who has 36 points, second to Pittsburgh’s Jaromir Jagr, and Wendel Clark are a potent pair. Quebec also has cut its goals-against average from 3.45 last season to 2.42.

The Penguins (17-6-2) were deep enough to jockey with the Nordiques for the Northeast lead despite losing Tom Barrasso, Mario Lemieux and Kevin Stevens. Bravo to Ron Francis, Joe Mullen and second-line center John Cullen.

The Detroit Red Wings (15-6-2) are playing good team defense and getting reliable goaltending from Mike Vernon. This might be their year--finally.

The Chicago Blackhawks (14-8-2) have a potent power play. That and rugged, mobile defense should make them a force in the playoffs.

UNDERACHIEVERS

The Calgary Flames have more talent than their 11-9-5 record indicates. Dave King’s humorless approach makes his players chafe. It wouldn’t hurt him to loosen up a bit.

The only place the New Jersey Devils (9-11-4) are going is Nashville. Or Minneapolis. They’re going nowhere in the Atlantic Division. Their production is down a goal from last season and their goals-against is up.

The Mighty Ducks (6-15-2) expected Paul Kariya, Oleg Tverdovsky and Valeri Karpov to raise the team’s skill level in their second season, but all three have struggled. The second-year Florida Panthers (10-12-3) also flailed until goalie John Vanbiesbrouck began a 3-0-2 streak. He has given up five goals in that span.

Barry Melrose’s big-is-better philosophy with the Kings (7-11-4) misfired because many of the big guys are short on skills. Wayne Gretzky was often noticeable only when he let second-rate forwards get away from him. He seems to have lost his enthusiasm. With some of the moves the club has made, who can blame him?

HE’S NOT BOWING OUT YET

This was supposed to be the last season as coach for Detroit’s Scotty Bowman, but the lockout has changed his plans. Bowman, who doubles as director of player personnel, intends to stay behind the bench.

“I have to have a full year,” said Bowman, who has won six Stanley Cup rings as a coach and one as an executive. “I can’t go after half a year. Of course, it depends on what happens in the playoffs, but I feel I have to go another year. Then we’ll see where I go from there.”

ANOTHER CUP FOR COFFEY?

Paul Coffey, who will be 34 in June, is again in Norris Trophy form. He has bought into Bowman’s defensive system and his teammates are following his example. Offensively, he’s as much a threat as ever. Through Sunday, he led NHL defensemen with 26 points--four goals, 22 assists--and was the only defenseman leading his team in scoring.

“Winning motivates the hell out of me,” said Coffey, who played on three Cup winners in Edmonton and one in Pittsburgh. “Having a legitimate chance to win again is a great feeling.”

Coffey likes the Red Wings’ new commitment to team defense but wants to see a stronger commitment to postseason success. Detroit hasn’t gotten past the second round since 1988.

“I think it’s time for this team to start putting pressure on itself,” he said. “Just because you get past the first round doesn’t mean you’ve accomplished anything. It’s time this team won the Stanley Cup.”

JUST FOR THE HULL OF IT

The lockout will cost Hull a shot at an NHL record, but he says he has no regrets about the players’ stand.

Hull overtook Jagr for the goal-scoring lead last week, with 18. Over 48 games that projects to 40 goals, which would end his streak of consecutive 50-goal seasons at five. The NHL record for consecutive seasons with 50 or more goals is nine, held by the New York Islanders’ Mike Bossy. Over an 84-game season, Hull’s pace projects to 69 goals.

“I’m not worried about it at all,” Hull said. “You can’t do anything about it. As a group of players we stood for what we believed in. You have to make some sacrifices. I probably won’t score 50 goals and the streak will end, but maybe next year I’ll start a new one.”

FLYING HIGH IN PHILLY

They’re big, they’re strong, they’re winning--but they’re not the Broad Street Bullies of the 1970s.

Sparked by the acquisition of right wing John LeClair and defenseman Eric Desjardins from Montreal, the Philadelphia Flyers are on a 6-1-2 run and trail the Rangers by two points. The beefy line of LeClair at 6 feet 2, 219 pounds, Mikael Renberg at 6-1, 218, and Eric Lindros at 6-4, 229, has dominated. LeClair has 12 goals and 24 points in 14 games, and Lindros has eight goals and 19 points in his last nine games, tying him for second in scoring with 10 goals and 34 points.

LeClair has been crucial to the team’s turnaround, but Bill Barber, the Flyers’ director of pro scouting and a member of their 1974 and ’75 Cup-winning teams, considers Desjardins, who has 14 points and is plus-12 in 14 games as a Flyer, equally praiseworthy.

“Desjardins plays well in his own end and moves the puck well,” Barber said. “When I went through my notes, I had him rated as (Montreal’s) best defenseman last year.

“He can make the outlet pass and get the offense going. He has it all. You can go through 10 years of drafting and not find a guy like that.”

HOW NOT TO NEGOTIATE

Steve Thomas is in a contract dispute with the Islanders, but he didn’t dispute Coach Lorne Henning’s decision to bench him late in a game last week.

“I’m playing like a piece of garbage,” said Thomas, who has only six goals. “I’m playing like I’ve never played the game before. It’s inexcusable.”

Thomas wants a four-year, $6-million deal. The Islanders offered $4.9 million.

Pierre Turgeon, who has a four-year, $11-million contract--but only eight goals and a minus-11 defensive rating--complained when he was benched in the same game as Thomas. Hey, Pierre: quit whining and produce.

SLAP SHOTS

To understand the Devils’ woes, simply look at Scott Stevens. He had 18 goals and 78 points and a league-leading plus-53 defensive rating last season. This season he has one goal, 12 points and is minus-1. . . . An arbitration hearing is scheduled Wednesday for Red Wing defenseman Terry Carkner. He contends he had an unwritten agreement with former general manager Bryan Murray on a new contract for two years at $800,000 a year, but club officials say no such agreement exists. He was suspended without pay.