Two weeks into the season and we get the busiest night of NHL action yet, with all 32 teams on the ice for Frozen Frenzy night.
And while it’s still far too early to draw any grand conclusions about players or teams (eight games is the most any squad has played, and some have only finished four) there have been some early stats and trends worth wondering about.
So, as we get set for a staggered night of 16 games, here is a look at one piece of good news, and one piece of bad news, for each of the NHL teams.
ANAHEIM DUCKS
Good news: With John Gibson on the sidelines, Lukas Dostal has been stellar. Through four starts the 24-year-old netminder is second to only Jacob Markstrom in saves made, fourth league wide in Goals Saved Above Expected per MoneyPuck, and is 2-1-1 behind the most porous defence in the league; Anaheim ranks last in shots against and high-danger chances allowed per game. When Gibson does return, so, too, will his annual place in the trade rumour mill.
Bad news: While Logan Stankoven, Lane Hutson and Matvei Michkov have launched out of the gate, fellow pre-season Calder Trophy candidate Cutter Gauthier has experienced a much more bumpy start to his career. The fifth-overall pick of the 2022 draft (made by Philadelphia) still doesn’t have a point this season and found himself benched in a game last Wednesday against Utah, playing 12:49.
BOSTON BRUINS
Good news: The only games they haven’t earned at least one point in so far have been against the Florida Panthers (whom they’ve faced twice) and though Jeremy Swayman is perhaps not at his peak best yet (alternating between great and not-so-great starts), his contract negotiations did not drag on into the season. The fourth line has been humming and Cole Koepke, with three goals and six points in six games, has already tripled his previous career-high totals.
Bad news: It’s early, but are cracks beginning to show? The Bruins rank 28th in Corsi-for percentage, 25th in expected-goals-for percentage, 21st in power-play percentage and are barely a top-10 offence with a sky high 12.38 shooting percentage at 5-on-5 so far. Tensions boiled over Saturday night when a Brad Marchand turnover initially led to a Utah goal the other way (which was called back on review) and head coach Jim Montgomery was seen lashing out at his captain on the bench. Much is being made of what this interaction could potentially mean, as both coach and captain are in the final year of their contracts.
BUFFALO SABRES
Good news: After a breakout campaign last season, JJ Peterka is off again with four goals in his past three games and a team-leading 55.07 shots-for percentage. And while early pressure has been building on the group, some underlying numbers to the Sabres’ biggest stars aren’t all bad, as Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin have been on the ice for more 5-on-5 goals scored than allowed, and their expected difference is even larger. But expected outcomes are one thing …
Bad news: The actual results so far have been concerning in Buffalo. In 21 attempts, the power play has yet to score, while the opposition’s penalty-kill unit has notched one shorthanded marker. Neither Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Devon Levi have a .900 save percentage so far, but the defence is also allowing the ninth-most shots against per game. Dylan Cozens has zero goals and two points, as does Dahlin, who got into a practice scuffle with Peyton Krebs last week. So, yes it’s early, but through nearly three weeks since their season began the Sabres have the East’s second-lowest points percentage (.357) and hope is evaporating. It was supposed to be different this time.
CALGARY FLAMES
Good news: One of four teams that still hasn’t lost in regulation, the Flames are reminding us that while expectations weren’t high heading into the season, the cast of players on the roster still makes them competitive. This lineup hasn’t been hollowed out like Chicago’s was. They have five players humming along at a point-per-game, led by Jonathan Huberdeau as he seeks to re-establish himself as a dangerous scorer in the league. If this goes on much longer and the Flames hold a playoff spot a month from now, talk will begin to turn away from potential trade rumours involving someone such as Rasmus Andersson, and instead focus on what they might add.
Bad news: Doing so much better than expected, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Flames have the league’s third-highest shooting percentage plus save percentage (PDO), making it likely that some sort of cool-down period is around the bend. Even the bad news comes with some positivity, however, as some of the Flames’ underlying numbers are promising, including the fact they allow among the fewest high-danger chances for their netminders to face. If this goes on long enough it might turn into bad news if Calgary’s management pushes aside their “rebuild” and seeks ways to be more competitive in the present. Though even that could come with the upside of playoff hockey.
CAROLINA HURRICANES
Good news: For as much concern as there was after losing a couple of key pieces on the blue line, the Hurricanes are where they always are — leading the league in Corsi For percentage. They’ve still managed to control most of the run of play and also lead the NHL in expected-goals percentage and shots-for percentage at 5-on-5. Frederik Andersen isn’t quietly giving up the No. 1 job to Pyotr Kochetkov and has been fantastic in two starts so far.
Bad news: While their puck possession ways haven’t shown much sign of change yet, a long-time issue has been showing itself early again. Offence has not been a strong suit of this team and while the power play is converting at a 25 per cent clip (ninth-best in the league) the Canes are tied for 25th in 5-on-5 goals and only three players have scored more than once: Shayne Gostisbehere, Jackson Blake and Jack Roslovic.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Good news: Connor Bedard is off and running, looking set to build on his rookie campaign. Bedard hasn’t yet been on the ice for a 5-on-5 goal against and his line with Nick Foligno and Teuvo Teravainen is dominating the opposition. Chicago ranks 13th in shots-against per game after finishing 28th in the stat last season, which shows some marked improvement so far in a key area.
Bad news: The fact is there’s still a long way to go here. After the top line, offence is hard to come by, with a collection of players in the next tier at two points apiece. The Hawks have the 27th-ranked offence to date and one of the lowest shooting percentages going, which is all but cancelling out pretty good starts in net from Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
Good news: There’s so much talent here that, much like the Oilers last season, you can’t count the Avalanche out as a big-time come back team — and they have won two in a row now. Plenty of underlying numbers remain promising. Colorado is among the best in shot differential, expected-goals percentage and all of their top players are driving play as well as you’d expect. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen are tied for fourth in league scoring, while Cale Makar leads all blueliners with 12 points — five clear of the next batch of defencemen. Even Casey Mittelstadt, an important second line centre trade addition from last season, has scored four times in six games.
Bad news: Alexandar Georgiev is taking the brunt of the blame for Colorado’s early season slumber, with a league-worst minus-9.9 Goals Saved Above Expected total in 15 periods. His best save percentage in a game so far? How about .861 in a 6-2 loss to the Islanders. It won’t be long until Kaapo Kahkonen, or someone else acquired, starts to get looks. Meantime, the penalty kill is among the league’s worst and the depth of the forward group has been concerning — just three goals have been scored by bottom-six players so far.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Good news: With a top-10 team offence in the league, two youngsters in particular are starting off on the right foot and showing they could be in line for true breakout seasons: Yegor Chinakov and Kirill Marchenko. Top-line centre Sean Monahan has come better than advertised so far, with Columbus earning 74 per cent of all the shots taken when he’s been on the ice.
Bad news: A top-10 offence makes way for bottom-10 goaltending, as the Blue Jackets have allowed just as many goals as they’ve scored. Elvis Merzlikins has continued to struggle after being challenged by the front office, with an .857 save percentage in two games, but Daniil Tarasov has not grabbed the job yet either, allowing at least three goals against in each of his starts.
DALLAS STARS
Good news: While Jake Oettinger has been on the Vezina radar since his breakout playoff performance (in a Round 1 loss) in 2022, and signed an $8.5-million long-term extension last week that pays him as a top netminder in the current climate, he still had some proving to do after a statistically softer 2023-24. So it’s good to see that through four games his .953 save percentage is tops among all starters and he’s yet to lose a game. Meantime, rookie Stankoven has taken over retired Joe Pavelski’s spot in the lineup and has seven points (all assists) in six games to lead NHL freshmen.
Bad news: A top defensive unit last season, Dallas is so far in the bottom half of the league in overall shots against per game, and high-danger chances allowed. The top defence pair of Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley hasn’t been off to the strongest start, with two points (zero goals) between them, while being outshot and out-chanced at 5-on-5. The power play, another strength from last season, is 29th out of the gate in 2024-25.
DETROIT RED WINGS
Good news: Remember two years ago when Alex Lyon was thrust into late-season duty and willed the bubble Florida Panthers into the playoffs? He moved on to Detroit last season and, though he played the majority of games and was statistically their best, began this season as the No. 3. That lasted less than a week as Ville Husso has been waived and Cam Talbot pulled for Lyon in his last start. Maybe Lyon deserves a run again with what he’s shown so far.
Bad news: Their only wins have come against the winless Nashville Predators and Detroit has been outscored 15-6 by their other opponents. The power play ranks 22nd, penalty kill 31st, and they allow among the most shots against per game. Dylan Larkin has three goals in five games, but none of their vital contributors are going above and beyond.
EDMONTON OILERS
Good news: Well, they’ve been here before — and actually in a worse position when they started 2-9-1 last season. They recovered from that and went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, so it’s hard to get too concerned about a 2-4-0 start in 2024-25. One off-season acquisition, Jeff Skinner, has shown pretty well early on in a mostly third-line spot. There are plenty of positive individual underlying numbers and the fact this team currently has the second-lowest shooting percentage (and fifth-lowest PDO) tells us the turn is coming.
Bad news: Once a historically great power play, this year’s version has been meager to say the least. Converting on just one of 15 chances so far, the Oilers’ extra man attack is better only than the zeroes posted in Anaheim and Buffalo — not exactly the teams this powerhouse should be surrounded by. As well, Stuart Skinner has the second-lowest Goals Saved Above Expected in the league and Viktor Arvidsson has been held pointless so far (though his on-ice expected goals against is one of the best on the team).
FLORIDA PANTHERS
Good news: Without Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell has stepped up into the top six with four goals and seven points in five games since the captain exited the lineup. Sam Bennett has looked like the playoff version of himself so far and, if you thought Sam Reinhart’s career-best 57-goal season would be a statistical blip, his great start with a team-leading five goals will come as a surprise. Adjusting to off-season losses and key players out of the lineup, Florida is still off to a good start.
Bad news: The loss of a few quality defencemen has stretched Florida’s blue line and, after finishing third in shots-against per game last season, they’ve started this one in the bottom third. This inevitably will put stress on the goalies, and both Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight have sub-.900 save percentages so far. Despite sitting atop the Atlantic Division (ranked second by points percentage) Florida has a minus-1 goal differential.
LOS ANGELES KINGS
Good news: Anze Kopitar has been brilliant, Darcy Kuemper was effective in his first two starts before being shelled by the Senators (and placed on IR with a lower-body injury), they have moved away from the 1-3-1 system, have lost a single game in regulation so far — and have done all of this on the road, without any home games until later this week. They’ve also done it without Drew Doughty, who’s out of the lineup for a while yet.
Bad news: They have had a relatively light schedule in terms of opponents, and none of their three wins have come against teams that made the playoffs last spring — the Kings are 0-1-1 in those games. Special teams is also a soft spot, with Los Angeles in the bottom half in both PP% and PK%. Quinton Byfield was looked to as a potential breakout candidate, perhaps able to make a case for Team Canada’s 4 Nations roster, but he’s been slow out of the gate and a team-worst minus-3.
MINNESOTA WILD
Good news: Brock Faber is following up a fantastic rookie season with a phenomenal sophomore campaign, averaging over 26 minutes of ice time per game (fourth in the league) and being on for more than 70 per cent of the expected goals at 5-on-5. A team hungry for centres, the Wild are happy to see Marco Rossi off to a point per game start on the top unit as he begins a critical contract season where both sides are trying to figure out his value and place on the team. Filip Gustavsson, who flashed in 39 games two seasons ago, has been one of the best starters in the league and even scored a goal himself.
Bad news: Gustavsson probably won’t run this hot all season so the Wild will need some help in the crease if they’re going to make a charge. Marc-André Fleury’s first start — in this final season — wasn’t great, and AHL prospect Jesper Wallstedt has also started slow in the minors. All but one of Minnesota’s games have been against non-playoff teams from last spring so they’ll be tested this week in the middle of a long road trip against the Panthers (Tuesday) and Lightning (Thursday).
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Good news: Can Cole Caufield score 40 goals in a season? Early on in 2024-25, all signs are pointing to yes as he’s a goal-per-game player through six games. Meantime, Sam Montembeault has been the best Canadian netminder in the league and making a real push for consideration on the 4 Nations roster. Those lists need to be in by Dec. 2, so another month of solid play from the Habs netminder should lock him in as one of the top three.
Bad news: If a playoff push is realistic, the team needs to be far better defensively. Montreal ranks last in expected-goals against, third-last in high-danger chances allowed per game and they are one of four teams giving up more than 33 shots against per game (this, by the way, makes Montembeault’s showing all the more impressive). They’ll also need to find offence from more than just one source — while Caufield has scored six times, the rest of the team has combined for 10 goals and their 2.67 goals per game rate ranks 25th in the league. This is where Patrik Laine is missed most.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Good news: Let’s turn some bad news into good — the Preds have the league’s worst shooting percentage at 5-on-5 (4.35) and second-worst save percentage (.849) that give them far and away the worst PDO going. Both of those rates are so far below league norms that some course correction is inevitable. This team still leads the league in shots per game.
Bad news: Critically, Juuse Saros hasn’t shown any sign that he’ll get back on a Vezina track, posting an .875 save percentage in four appearances. The two 40-goal scorers they signed in free agency have combined for two goals and neither came at even strength. The last time a team started this poorly and made the playoffs was in 1996.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Good news: A popular pre-season pick to bounce back into a contender, the Devils sit atop the division in points, third in points percentage. At seventh in goals against and with the third-best penalty kill, the only two games they have not recorded a point in were: a) their first game back in North America after a trip to Europe; and, b) the second half of a back to back on the road. Some great performances from depth players Stefan Noesen, Paul Cotter and Seamus Casey have been a huge early-season help.
Bad news: There’s more to get from some of their key players, including Jack Hughes (one goal, minus-1 in eight games), Dougie Hamilton (two points, minus-1), and Jacob Markstrom, who has been outperformed by backup Jake Allen in the latter’s two appearances. They are 1-2-1 against playoff teams from last season.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Good news: Just one regulation loss in five games, the Islanders are top 12 in shots against and top 10 in goals against, with Ilya Sorokin especially shining in net through his two starts after missing camp with an injury.
Bad news: While their defence has been stout, the Islanders are struggling to score again and are 26th in goals-for per game. We’ve seen this before, haven’t we? Defenceman Noah Dobson, with zero goals and four points, leads the team in scoring. Special teams is also a sore point, ranking 26th on the power play and 30th on the penalty kill.
NEW YORK RANGERS
Good news: The big debate for the Rangers right now is who is the more important player to the team: the MVP calibre winger who is leading the league in scoring, or the Vezina-winning netminder who has a sub-2.00 GAA and .935 save percentage (and, ahem, is a pending UFA) this season. The only Eastern Conference team left without a regulation loss, New York has everything rolling right now, including a great start from Alexis Lafrenière as he, too, works up a case for a lucrative long-term extension. They are top four in special teams on both sides of the puck.
Bad news: The defence is a little loose, 26th in shots-against per game and 29th in high-danger chances allowed per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick. In his own critical contract season, Kaapo Kakko is goalless with two assists early on.
OTTAWA SENATORS
Good news: Jake Sanderson is making a great early case for consideration on Team USA’s 4 Nations blue line and signalling that a big breakout campaign may be underway. As well, Tim Stützle has started off very strong and showing that his own bounce-back season may be upon us. Linus Ullmark has been fantastic in the two games he’s played.
Bad news: While they have a top 10 offence at the moment, much of that has to do with an eight-goal output in a wild game against the Kings. The Senators are one of seven teams averaging less than two 5-on-5 goals per game. They depend heavily on Ullmark who, with a career high of 49 games played, has already missed three of the first five.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Good news: Matvei Michkov has come as advertised and is tied for the team lead in scoring through five games. The Flyers are top 12 in both power play and penalty kill and while they are at the bottom of the conference they have had a difficult schedule, beginning the season on a four-game western road trip.
Bad news: Among the bottom defensive outfits in the league, the Flyers also haven’t gotten good enough goaltending to make up the difference, as Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov both have a negative Goals Saved Above Expected rate. The Flyers are also 28th in goals per game and have the worst goal differential in the Eastern Conference, at minus-8.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Good news: Evgeni Malkin has been off to a fantastic start to the season, a throwback that the Penguins need him to sustain all the way through, and the power play is in the top 10. Whatever you think about his sustainability, Joel Blomqvist has been a positive story in net, keeping the bottom from falling out of the team.
Bad news: Tristan Jarry has three seasons left on a contract that pays $5.375 million against the cap and at this rate he’s losing the crease with an .836 save percentage and 5.47 GAA in three games. But the defence does him no favours: Only the Ducks allow more shots on goal per game than the Penguins.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
Good news: Although Yaroslav Askarov, a big off-season trade pickup, hasn’t played for the NHL squad yet, it doesn’t seem like he’s far off from a promotion. In two AHL games, Askarov has two shutouts and showing why he asked out of Nashville because he thought he was ready for an NHL job.
Bad news: One of just two teams left without a win, the Sharks have added some exciting young pieces to the roster, but it’s clear the rebuild is still a ways off from lifting. Macklin Celebrini had a great debut, but has been injured since and still considered week-to-week, with the next update not coming until early November. Their minus-14 goal differential is the worst in the league after finishing far and away last at the stat a season ago.
SEATTLE KRAKEN
Good news: After Joey Daccord won the net from Philipp Grubauer at the end of last season and then was given a somewhat risky three-year extension with a $5 million cap hit, the 28-year-old has continued to outplay his teammate and is a perfect 3-0 out of the gate. The Kraken were a top-five offensive team two years ago when they made the playoffs, then fell off a cliff last season, so it’s once again promising to see them tied in the top 10 in goals per game.
Bad news: Though he has only been on the ice for one goal against, Matty Beniers’ bounce back is slow coming out of the gate in 2024-25, with one assist in six games. Both special-teams units are in the bottom third of the league. The blue line depth is about to be tested with Vince Dunn (three points in four games) placed on LTIR.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
Good news: Interestingly, Joel Hofer has split starts with Jordan Binnington so far and has outperformed his fellow Canadian, making for what could be an interesting (if outside chance) at a push towards a 4 Nations spot. Offer-sheet signing Philip Broberg has been terrific running at a point per game pace early on and logging just shy of 20 minutes per game in a top four role.
Bad news: It hasn’t been the best start for another top-four defenceman, Nick Leddy, who has been held pointless and was a minus-3 through the first four games before being sidelined the past two with a lower-body injury.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Good news: The post-Steven Stamkos era is off to an OK start and Nikita Kucherov hasn’t missed a beat, leading the NHL with seven goals. And without Mikhail Sergachev on the back end anymore, the Lightning have still managed to be a top-four defensive team in keeping shots away from the net. Ryan McDonagh, Sergachev’s replacement, hasn’t been on the ice for a 5-on-5 goal against yet.
Bad news: After two good starts to open the season, it’s been three subpar games in a row for Andrei Vasilevskiy, who was pulled Monday night against the Maple Leafs. Jake Guentzel, brought in to replace Stamkos, has one goal so far (though is a point-per-game player). That swap has required Tampa to change its power-play setup and last year’s No. 1 ranked unit has fallen to 28th in the early going of this season.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Good news: There is some chatter that this blue line is the best to back up the Core Four yet, and the Leafs are a top five team in shot suppression. This has helped Anthony Stolarz to absolutely steal the show with a .938 save percentage in five games and open a discussion of who should be the No. 1 netminder when Joseph Woll returns.
Bad news: Timothy Liljegren, making $3 million per season on a contract extension just signed, has played a single game this season, unable to get into new coach Craig Berube’s good graces. Nick Robertson hasn’t scored a goal or point after such a great pre-season.
UTAH HOCKEY CLUB
Good news: The relocated franchise has started as well as they could have hoped, with a 4-1-1 record placing them among the best teams in the league. Dylan Guenther has picked up from where he left off last season and is looking like a dangerous budding sniper, registering five goals in six games already.
Bad news: The rebuilt defence is already facing injury hurdles. John Marino still hasn’t played a game and now Sean Durzi is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. They may find themselves having to make a deal sooner than later and, though they have the cap space and assets to find something, no one will be extending a helping hand.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Good news: With a 2-1-2 record the Canucks are off to a good enough start and, without Thatcher Demko available yet, the goaltending has held up with Kevin Lankinen and Arturs Silovs combining for the ninth-best 5-on-5 team save percentage. Quinn Hughes has been fantastic, tilting the ice heavily in Vancouver’s favour when he’s out there. J.T. Miller hasn’t been on the ice for a 5-on-5 goal against yet.
Bad news: Elias Pettersson had a slow finish to last season after signing his lucrative eight-year extension, followed it up with a quiet playoff performance scoring once in 13 games, and has seen that slump extended into this season. Pettersson hasn’t scored yet in five games, posting two assists so far.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Good news: The top line has arguably been the league’s best so far as each of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev are better than point per game players and Barbashev leads the league in 5-on-5 points.
Bad news: Adin Hill, who backstopped the team to its Stanley Cup win, is off to a not-so-great start this season after losing the net to Logan Thompson at the end of last regular season. With a 3.81 GAA and .851 save percentage, Hill has been outperformed by new backup Ilya Samsonov, who hasn’t been as reliable in his NHL time as Thompson had shown. A spot in Team Canada’s line up may be slipping out of Hill’s hand.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Good news: Looking to build on a career season, Dylan Strome is of to another hot start as the team’s leading scorer. Right behind him is Tom Wilson and, with five goals in six games, when he’s getting early buzz for consideration to be on Team Canada’s 4 Nations roster, it’s a good sign for the Caps, too. So far he’s managed to stay out of trouble, posting just two penalty minutes. We stress that it’s early.
Bad news: With Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson swapping starts, so far both have allowed more goals than expected, both have a save percentage below .900, and neither is making a case to take over more starts. Alex Ovechkin, though getting good opportunities, has scored once in four games. Remember he began last season with just five goals in his first 29 games.
WINNIPEG JETS
Good news: The only team left with a perfect points percentage, the Jets are getting stellar goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck, a goal-per-game pace from Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers is having a standout contract season, Neal Pionk is excelling — basically, everyone they need strong performances from has delivered so far and the Jets, who some corners had pegged for a fall off, look capable of repeating 2023-24’s regular season showing.
Bad news: While the Jets are tied with the Rangers as the best offensive teams early, Winnipeg’s power play is doing most of that lifting, converting on a league-best 43.8 per cent of its chances. At 5-on-5, however, the Jets slip down to 17th in scoring and are 22nd-best at generating high danger looks in that time.
