Vancouver Canucks (20-16-10, in the Pacific Division) vs. Edmonton Oilers (29-15-3, in the Pacific Division) Edmonton, Alberta; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST. BOTTOM LINE: Pacific Division

The Pacific Division is one of the toughest divisions in the NHL, and the Calgary Flames currently have the fourth-best record. How have the rest of the teams performed in the past week?

Two of the National Hockey League’s top teams will tangle at Rogers Center in Edmonton, Alberta, on Tuesday night. The Washington Capitols, which top all NHL teams with 67 points, will open a five-game road trip against the Oilers (29-14-3, in the Pacific Division), one of six teams with at least 60 points.

"At the beginning of the year, we weren't finding those ways to win, but you kind of go through it and now the confidence is a bit higher," Mattias Janmark said

The Capitals as a team lead the NHL with an impressive 31-10-5 record, having earned a point in 10 straight games (7-0-3). Washington will be seeking revenge against the Oilers for taking both games in the season series by a 12-2 goal margin. The two sides wrap up their season series on Feb. 23 in Washington.

The Edmonton Oilers’ decision to sign defenseman John Klingberg seems to only be the beginning of their trade deadline plans. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, speaking on Sunday's episode of the "Daily Faceoff" podcast, the Oilers are poised to maximize their window of contention.

As a 5-on-5 force, the Oilers remain a top-three club in both shot attempt differential (measuring total puck possession) and expected goals rate per Moneypuck.com. Then there is the largest concern of all, which has bitten the Oilers when push comes to shove every year they've been within arm's reach of a Cup: Goaltending.

Following a cross-checking incident in a recent game, one of the Vancouver Canucks' top defensemen is likely facing a suspension. The NHL's Department of Player

The Edmonton Oilers will start a three-game stint without the services of their suspended captain, Connor McDavid when they host the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. It’s never easy to lose a player from the top of your lineup,

For the record, Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers got the same three-game suspension for crosschecking Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard moments later. But for as much as McDavid will be missed this week, the numbers say the Oilers still boast the top centre in the league.

On Monday (Jan. 20), the NHL announced that Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has been suspended three games for cross-checking Conor Garland of the Vancouver Canucks.