We’re a little more than a week into the new NHL season, and there are already a few surprises, both among players and teams that have gotten off to quick starts and those who are still looking to find their games.
Here’s a look at some of the most prominent in each category:
Who’s Hot – Players
Dylan Guenther, Utah Hockey Club
The NHL First Star for the week ending on Oct. 13 is a big reason that Utah won three of its first four games. The 21-year-old forward has scored a league-leading five goals, becoming the ninth player in NHL history to score five or more goals in his team’s first three games of any season at age 21 or younger. He also became one of just six players in the League’s modern era (since 1943-44) to score in each of a franchise’s first three games.
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
The No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft shares the League lead in points (8) with teammate Mark Stone. He’s had at least one point in all four of the Golden Knights’ games, beginning with a four-assist effort on opening night against the Colorado Avalanche. There’s no questioning Eichel’s talent; his bugaboo has always been staying healthy, having played more than 70 games just twice in his first nine seasons. If he stays in one piece, this should be his best offensive season.
Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers
Panarin’s first-week performance indicates that his 120-point showing last season was no fluke. He’s had at least two points in each of the Rangers’ first three games, the fourth player in Rangers history to do so. There’s no reason he can’t become the first player in Rangers history with multiple 100-point seasons, and Jaromir Jagr’s single-season team record of 123 points looks well within reach.
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
The two-time Vezina Trophy winner (including last season) is off to a fast start in his drive for a third, and he’s the biggest reason the Jets are off to a 3-0-0 start. He started the season with a 6-0 shutout against the Oilers in Edmonton, then allowed just one goal in each of the Jets’ next two games. The NHL Second Star last week leads the lLague with a goals-against average of 0.66 and a .976 save percentage.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
The best news for Tampa Bay is that Vasilevskiy looks like his old self after struggling through much of last season following back surgery. He’s allowed one goal in each of the Lightning’s first two games, stopping 46 of 48 shots. Whatever issues might have slowed him down last season appear to be gone, and he looks like the goalie who backstopped the Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.
Related: 10 most recent goalie goals in NHL after Filip Gustavsson joins list
Who’s Hot – Teams
Calgary Flames
The Flames are supposed to be in a rebuilding mode, but they’ve confounded everyone by winning their first four games, including road wins against the top two teams in the Pacific Division, the Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. The biggest surprises have been the revival of forward Jonathan Huberdeau’s offense (three goals and six points in four games) and the play of defenseman Rasmus Andersson (six points, NHL-best plus-7 rating).
Dallas Stars
Unlike the Flames, seeing the Stars start 4-0-0 is not a surprise — after all, they made it to the League’s final four in each of the past two seasons. Dallas hasn’t been filling the net (11 non-shootout goals in four games) but have allowed just five goals and are the only team in the League with two shutouts. When their deep, talented offense gets it going, look out.
Winnipeg Jets
Like the Stars, the Jets have succeeded by keeping the puck out of their own net. They’ve also been opportunistic, winning each of their past two games 2-1 in overtime. Hellebuyck’s brilliance gives them a chance to win every night, and Mark Scheifele (four goals and six points) has given them an offensive boost. It’s easy to forget the Jets were fourth in the overall standings last season; they’re still a good team.
Related: 10 biggest surprises after first week of NHL season
Who’s Not – Players
Steven Stamkos, Nashville Predators
No points in three games and a minus-2 rating is not why the Predators signed Stamkos after the Lightning let their longtime captain leave as a free agent. After reaching the 40-goal mark twice in the past three seasons, he’s failed to cash in on any of his 10 shots on goal and contributed nothing offensively despite averaging 20:07 of ice time, nearly two minutes more than he did with the Lightning last season.
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
It’s not that last season’s goal-scoring leader (69) isn’t trying – he’s been credited with 14 shots on goal through Toronto’s first three games, including eight in a 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. It’s just that they’re not going in; he’s gone three games without a point for the first time since early last season. His overall game is OK – he’s plus-2 and averaging 21:21 of ice time – so the Maple Leafs hope this is just an early-season blip.
Alexandar Georgiev, Colorado Avalanche
Georgiev led the NHL in wins last season (38) despite a save percentage of .897. That below-NHL average save percentage would look pretty good right now to the Avs; Georgiev has lost two of his three starts (the Avs bailed him out on the other one, with Justin Annunen taking the loss), owns a 6.58 goals-against average and a save percentage of .787. There’s no way he should be that bad all season, but his subpar start is a big reason the Avalanche are digging themselves a big hole in the Central Division race.
Zach Hyman, Edmonton Oilers
Hyman, a 54-goal scorer last season, is still looking for goal No. 1 in 2024-25. Even more alarming is that he’s managed just five shots on goal and is minus-3 in Edmonton’s first four games. The Oilers managed to get their first win on Tuesday after opening the season with three losses, but they’ll need Hyman to find his scoring touch to right the ship after their slow start.
Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
The future Hall of Famer got his first point of the season, an assist, in a 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday. Kane says he’s healthier than he’s been in five years after having hip resurfacing surgery in June 2023, and he gets top-six minutes and power-play time. But his numbers have to improve for the Red Wings to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Who’s Not – Teams
Nashville Predators
The Predators opened their wallets during the offseason, bringing in Stamkos, 42-goal scorer Jonathan Marchessault and veteran defenseman Brady Skjei. But the results so far haven’t matched expectations: They’ve lost all three games, two at home, while being outscored 14-6. Their next three games and five of the seven remaining in October are at home, so there’s a chance to put the wheels back on the bus before it rolls too far into the ditch.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado’s 0-3-0 start is a mixture of injuries and underperformance. Injuries have taken away key pieces like defenseman Devon Toews and forwards Artturi Lehkonen and Jonathan Drouin, but bad goaltending and poor defensive play have been bigger factors. Colorado does not have a single plus player and has allowed 20 goals (17 with a goalie in place) in three games.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers finally got a win on Tuesday after opening the season with three losses by overcoming a two-goal deficit and defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime. But they’ve still got problems – most notably on special teams. The power play, the NHL’s fourth-best last season at 26.3 percent, is 1-for-9 (11.1 percent) and the penalty kill has surrendered seven goals on 16 opportunities, a league-worst 56.3 percent.
