NHL’s greatest surprises early in 2024-25: Rising stars, surprising begins and extra

NHL’s greatest surprises early in 2024-25: Rising stars, surprising begins and extra

Simply over 3 weeks into the 2024-25 NHL season, issues are taking a look fascinating. The Edmonton Oilers — our preseason Stanley Cup favorites — are suffering to attain aims. The Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild — two groups that neglected the playoffs closing 12 months — are swiftly off to sizzling begins. And the Winnipeg Jets don’t seem to be simply just right however undefeated.

Even our boldest predictions are being surpassed through the surprises of a season in motion.

What has been every group’s greatest awe up to now, just right, sinister or unpleasant? The Athletic posed that query this month to its NHL group of workers. Right here’s what they stated.

Mason McTavish getting dropped within the lineup: There have been a couple of applicants for this: Trevor Zegras with simply 2 issues in six video games, Cutter Gauthier in spite of everything getting at the scoresheet previous this month, Lukáš Dostál off to a sizzling get started in target. However person who raised some eyebrows was once Geese educator Greg Cronin shedding McTavish from his normal Disagree. 2 heart place to the fourth wrinkle Tuesday opposed to the San Jose Sharks. It doesn’t seem like any roughly everlasting sentence for McTavish, as he nonetheless performed just about 17 mins and assisted on Leo Carlsson’s decisive power-play target. But it surely’s every other signal that Cronin has majestic expectancies for the 21-year-old, who has most effective 8 photographs on target along side hideous ownership and defensive metrics. As he did with Zegras closing season and with Gauthier, in benching him for long stretches all over a tournament, Cronin will ship a message to his gifted younger forwards if he isn’t getting what he desires out of them. — Eric Stephens

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Right here they proceed once more — the Geese are making past tricky for Lukáš Dostál in target

Cole Koepke’s offensive emergence: The Bruins signed Koepke, 26, as a intensity wing on a one-year, $775,000 do business in. He was once now not assured to put together the group. However because the Disagree. 4 proper wing nearest to Johnny Beecher and Mark Kastelic, the ex-Tampa Bay Lightning ahead has 3 aims and six issues in his first 8 video games. Koepke had scored only 1 earlier NHL target. He’s been a no-nonsense, straight-line ahead who takes pucks to crispy disciplines. — Fluto Shinzawa

Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn have 0 aims: Cozens and Quinn are on Buffalo’s moment wrinkle, get power-play day and are anticipated to have heavy seasons. However via 8 video games, they have got mixed for 0 aims and 3 assists. Quinn was once a wholesome scratch for one tournament. Cozens leads the group in photographs on internet however hasn’t been in a position to complete. And Buffalo nonetheless hasn’t scored at the capability play games. The Sabres want those two to get committing to whisk some drive off the peak wrinkle. — Matthew Fairburn

Calgary Flames

Their franchise-best get started: There’s Jonathan Huberdeau’s point-per-game manufacturing, Martin Pospisil being a viable heart choice and Dustin Wolf’s best possible 3-0-0 document. And we will’t overlook about Justin Kirkland. Whilst you upload that each one in combination, you get a Flames group that has defied expectancies with its preferrred get started in franchise historical past. Many analysts had Calgary pegged to complete as a bottom-three group within the standings. Now, population are questioning if the Flames must load up on property for a playoff run. Will this book? We’ll see. However Flames fanatics are able to benefit from the trip so long as it lasts. — Julian McKenzie

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LeBrun: What’s at the back of the Flames’ sizzling get started? Catching up with Craig Conroy

Shayne Gostisbehere exceeding expectancies: All of us knew Gostisbehere may rating. Entering this season, Gostisbehere had 97 aims since changing into an NHL steady in 2015-16, the Tenth maximum amongst defensemen. However “Ghost” has exceeded expectancies to start out this season with 4 aims in his first 5 video games. He’s simply the second one defenseman in franchise historical past (Dougie Hamilton, 2019) and the primary within the NHL since Filip Hronek (Detroit Pink Wings, 2022) to attain in 4 unbending, and he has are compatible completely at the peak power-play unit that completed moment within the league closing season. — Cory Lavalette

The added veterans haven’t been impactful: The Blackhawks added 8 veterans within the offseason. Excluding Teuvo Teräväinen, they haven’t made a lot of a excess. Craig Smith has had moments, however he has additionally been a wholesome scratch. Tyler Bertuzzi doesn’t have some extent in five-on-five play games via 8 video games. T.J. Brodie has struggled defensively. Ilya Mikheyev is unnecessary. Patrick Maroon has the second-worst on-ice anticipated aims share at the group. Alec Martinez and Laurent Brossoit are out with accidents. — Scott Powers

Ross Colton stepping right into a first-line position: With Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin and Jonathan Drouin out of the operating to play games along Nathan MacKinnon on Colorado’s peak wrinkle, educator Jared Bednar grew to become to Colton. All Colton has accomplished is rating seven aims, which ranks moment within the NHL at the back of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov (8). Colton’s offensive outburst coincided with Colorado’s turnaround, as he scored two times in every of the group’s first two wins (together with the game-winner Sunday in San Jose). He’s been a nice and much-needed awe early on. — Jesse Granger

Mathieu Olivier … target scorer? The Blue Jackets’ well-known target scorers up to now this season are Kirill Marchenko, Sean Monahan, Yegor Chinakhov and … Olivier? Sure, the profession fourth-liner (refuse tiny supposed) has 3 aims, one help, 4 issues and a plus-1 score within the first six video games, together with his first profession two-goal tournament Tuesday as opposed to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Olivier, who scored a club-high 4 preseason aims, stated he spent the offseason running at the abilities facet of his tournament, together with an apparatus tweak, which he didn’t need to speak about. Howdy, why jinx it? — Aaron Portzline

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Blue Jackets get heavy spice up from Mathieu Olivier, Justin Danforth in rout of Leafs

The dearth of manufacturing from the again finish: If we’re selecting nits from an finest get started, it’s how tiny the Stars defensemen are contributing offensively. Dallas has only one target from the again finish, a Thomas Harley tally in its 7th tournament, a loss to Buffalo. But it surely’s now not simply aims. Miro Heiskanen’s secondary help on Jason Robertson’s target Thursday evening in Boston was once the primary level recorded through a Dallas defenseman alternative than Harley. So via 8 video games, just about 10 % of the season, 5 defensemen — together with a possible Norris Trophy contender — have mixed for refuse aims and one secondary help. At the dazzling facet, the Stars are nonetheless 6-2-0. If and when Heiskanen begins chipping in additional, they’ll be that a lot more bad. — Mark Lazerus

Detroit Pink Wings

Simon Edvinsson’s fast adjustment: Edvinsson carries heavy expectancies long-term as a Disagree. 6 pick out, nevertheless it’s been remarkable how briefly he’s grow to be a core piece of the Pink Wings blue wrinkle, enjoying primary mins and opposed to peak strains early in this season. He briefly rose to the group’s peak protection pairing and has held up neatly there — in particular in protective a decent, 1-0 top opposed to the Unutilized York Islanders, appearing his superb defensive stick with abandon entries and crack up performs. Edvinsson has performed in simply over 30 NHL video games in his younger profession, and he’ll no doubt have some ups and downs because the season performs out, particularly if he rest in one of these difficult position. But it surely needs to be encouraging for the Pink Wings to peer him succeeding in that spot this early. — Max Bultman

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What I believe, and what I do know, in regards to the Pink Wings then 7 video games

Edmonton Oilers

They are able to’t rating: The Oilers were an offensive juggernaut since changing into a perennial playoff group in 2020. Together with a four-goal efficiency Friday opposed to Pittsburgh, they’ve scored simply 18 instances via their 8 video games. That’s 2.25 consistent with game, a fee that ranks forward of simply San Jose. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in spite of everything netted his first marker of the season Friday, however offseason signee Viktor Arvidsson has but to search out the web. Neither has Zach Hyman, the winger who racked up 54 aims within the 2023-24 steady season and added 16 extra within the playoffs. The facility play games, led through Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, has long past from being the hallmark of the group for the hour six seasons to educator Kris Knoblauch toying with the theory of group of workers adjustments. It’s all so perplexing. — Daniel Nugent-Bowman

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Clock ticking on Oilers as they believe making adjustments to capability play games

A sluggish get started for Carter Verhaeghe: Lacking Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk for lots of the early going — although Tkachuk has since returned — wasn’t within the Panthers’ plans. The champs have controlled to tread H2O, although. Disagree hurt, refuse foul. Possibly we’re slightly shocked that Verhaeghe didn’t raise the group slightly extra within the period in-between; he has one target and 5 issues (simply 3 at even energy) in his first 9 video games. That seems like nitpicking, although. Be expecting him to search out his tournament. — Sean Gentille

The Kings’ Jekyll-and-Hyde nature: Their 4-2-2 document is okay, they usually’re unusually sandwiched between Calgary and the regular Pacific Section contender Vegas Blonde Knights. And it’s early, with most effective one-tenth of the time table having been performed. However the sudden part of the Kings is how they’ve been both their regular stingy selves or lit up through a number of aims. Toronto and Vegas put six on them of their law defeats, and the Ottawa Senators scored 8 of their wild extra time shootout. Differently, the Kings have giving up two or fewer of their alternative 5 contests. No longer having Drew Doughty of their protection generally is a contributing issue. David Rittich has held i’m sick the castle in target, however Darcy Kuemper, who was once activated Thursday, must be able to start out Saturday opposed to the Utah Hockey Membership then lacking 4 video games. Ditching their 1-3-1 neutral-zone entice and a few pristine group of workers have led to a few inconsistency, however the Kings pulled in issues throughout a tricky seven-game street slate to visible the season. In any case, that’s what issues. — Eric Stephens

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What labored and didn’t paintings at the Kings’ season-opening street commute

Minnesota Wild

Using the Gus Bus: Wild normal supervisor Invoice Guerin must believe himself fortunate he didn’t business Filip Gustavsson closing offseason — and lots of alternative GMs are most definitely kicking themselves that they didn’t chunk. 5 begins into his season, Gustavsson could be enjoying higher than he did even two years in the past when he completed moment within the NHL in save share and goals-against reasonable. No longer most effective did he grow to be the fifteenth goalie in NHL historical past and the primary in Wild historical past to attain a target, however he has additionally allowed most effective seven aims in 5 begins and is 4-0-1. Gustavsson has the league’s preferrred goals-against reasonable (1.40) and second-best save share (.952). — Michael Russo

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Throughout the Wild’s Filip Gustavsson’s completely aimed goalie target

Lane Hutson’s ice day: Although he’s coming off a troublesome tournament, Hutson’s transition to the NHL has been smoother than any individual can have imagined. Thru seven video games, he leads the Canadiens in day on ice at 23:16 consistent with tournament, and that’s with out visible any day at the peak power-play unit. At even energy, he’s enjoying 20:05 consistent with tournament, which is peak 20 within the NHL, greater than Moritz Seider will get with the Pink Wings or Devon Toews will get with the Avalanche or Noah Dobson will get with the Islanders. And although there were some defensive problems, they have got now not been just about as obvious as everybody concept they’d be for a 5-foot-9, 160-pound defenseman. — Arpon Basu

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Lane Hutson predicted Canadiens wouldn’t serve about his measurement. He’s proved himself proper

The whole lackluster play games: The Preds in spite of everything recovered from the worst get started in group historical past, 5 video games and 5 law losses, with a desperately mandatory 4-0 win over the Bruins. So perhaps that begins issues within the alternative course. However within the early phases, there isn’t one facet of this group’s tournament this is residing as much as expectancies. Juuse Saros all the time begins sluggish, in order that’s now not a immense awe. However including Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei to a bunch that did so neatly in Andrew Brunette’s gadget closing season was once intended to be fast hearth. — Joe Rexrode


Johnathan Kovacevic has been becoming in effectively with the Unutilized Jersey Devils. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Photographs)

Johnathan Kovacevic’s emergence: The Devils got Kovacevic for a 2026 fourth-round pick out this summer time, and he has are compatible in effectively. He was once averaging 21:18 of ice day heading into Friday’s tournament, with a target, 5 issues and a plus-3 score. His workload will most likely proceed i’m sick with Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce returning, however the Devils need to be proud of what they’ve gotten from him up to now. — Peter Baugh

Unutilized York Islanders

Ilya Sorokin at complete energy: Sorokin’s unrevealed offseason again surgical treatment led to him to pass over all however a couple of days of coaching camp, which made his regular-season debut and play games a plethora query mark. He has alleviated any considerations. He hasn’t simply been wholesome; he’s been finest. Heading into Friday’s tournament, he had allowed 4 aims in 3 begins. Too sinister his teammates can’t rating any aims for him. — Arthur Staple

The 3rd wrinkle’s brilliance: It’s now not stunning that the Rangers’ 3rd wrinkle of Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko has been just right, however the trio has been a power for Peter Laviolette. Each and every participant has a minimum of 5 issues, and the Rangers haven’t allowed a five-on-five target with them at the ice via seven video games. Chytil neglected maximum of closing season with a suspected concussion, and having him wholesome and efficient has been plethora. He can force play games. A 3rd wrinkle with scoring skills makes the Rangers a lot deeper, and it’s a heavy explanation why they’re off to a 5-1-1 get started. — Peter Baugh

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How Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko navigates Kind 1 diabetes as an NHL participant

Ottawa Senators

Their capability play games: The Senators’ power-play conversion fee will ultimately proceed i’m sick. However that the Sens rank as majestic as they do (over 40 % as of Thursday) and had power-play aims in 4 consecutive video games prior to Friday evening’s tournament opposed to Vegas is a promising signal. The Sens have proven they may be able to go the puck round at the capability play games, and Jake Sanderson is a plethora conduit of that luck. Ottawa will most definitely want to generate extra high-danger possibilities to stay a number of the league’s preferrred, nevertheless it a minimum of has a cast head get started. — Julian McKenzie

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5 issues we’ve discovered in regards to the Senators then 5 video games

Jett Luchanko continues to be at the NHL roster: Two avid gamers from the 2024 NHL Draft are on their NHL rosters on the presen: San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, the Disagree. 1 pick out, and Luchanko, who was once decided on at Disagree. 13. Tutor John Tortorella has been complimentary of Luchanko’s tournament from the primary day he noticed him in coaching camp, persistently praising his pace, adulthood and hockey sense. Whether or not Luchanko is going again to youths or rest with the Flyers for the season is any individual’s supposition on the presen. — Kevin Kurz

Pittsburgh Penguins

Kevin Hayes is scoring aims: Base-six scoring hasn’t existed for far of a decade in Pittsburgh. Including Hayes didn’t determine to modify that, however he’s been excellent. No longer most effective has he scored 3 aims, however Hayes’ defensive play games has additionally stood out on a remodeled fourth wrinkle. He’s been just right across the internet, appearing talent and contact, and has been an general superb addition. — Rob Rossi

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Kevin Hayes displays worth in early days with Penguins

San Jose Sharks

Every other sizable winless begin to the season: Glance, the Sharks weren’t committing to win a number of video games. However with a pristine head educator and a number of adjustments to the roster, they had been anticipated to be a lot more aggressive and get their first win faster than closing season, after they began 0-10-1. It must were opening evening, after they took a three-goal top opposed to the St. Louis Blues into the 3rd duration. A win there don’t have conjured up that severe starting to 2023-24, however that is nonetheless a talent-starved team studying it will have to play games a whole tournament to emerge victorious. The aggressive facet has most commonly been there — for example, the Sharks performed a cast if now not robust ultimate 40 mins in Thursday’s loss to the Kings — and this doesn’t really feel like a group that can permit 331 aims or have a minus-150 target differential. However a tournament at Vegas is on faucet, adopted through one opposed to Utah and a rematch with Los Angeles. Profitable isn’t proving to be any more straightforward. — Eric Stephens

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Stephens: The Sharks are nonetheless looking for a win — and their pristine identification

Brandon Montour’s presence: When you’re looking at Kraken video games continuously, you understand Montour has been everywhere the ice, in the most productive conceivable manner, within the early going. The marquee unrestricted free-agent signing was once anticipated to serve a vital spice up at the Kraken again finish, however he has some distance exceeded all cheap expectancies in his first hour within the Pacific Northwest. The manufacturing has been there, however the two-way have an effect on and stylistic are compatible have made Montour one of these just right addition to the Kraken. His presence has given Seattle a dynamic, marauding play-driving presence at the again finish on either one of its top-four pairs, and the level to which the Kraken have outshot and out-chanced their fighters with Montour at the ice is fantastic. It’s early, however Montour seems like he has meaningfully increased the offensive ceiling of this group. — Thomas Drance

St. Louis Blues

Ryan Suter enjoying at the peak pair: Suter, 39, is the second-oldest participant within the NHL, most effective a few months more youthful than Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. He’ll flip 40 in January and is appearing refuse indicators of slowing i’m sick. He was once purchased out of his guarantee for the second one day in his profession closing summer time, and the Blues signed him as a intensity defenseman. However he has stepped in for an injured Nick Leddy and is enjoying within the group’s peak pair with Colton Parayko. Since taking that project, he’s averaging greater than 24 mins of ice day consistent with tournament and is a plus participant. — Jeremy Rutherford

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Sizing up the NHL: Inspecting 2024-25 groups through year, peak, weight and nationality

Tampa Bay Lightning

Brandon Hagel is dominating his mins: It’s now not that Hagel wishes elite capability to excel. It’s simply that he hasn’t neglected a step regardless of getting got rid of the peak wrinkle with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Level. Settingup the 12 months off the peak unit hasn’t dimmed his scoring, both: his 4.13 issues consistent with 60 presen is the perfect of his profession. A dozen of this is due to his exceptional five-on-five play games: The Lightning are producing extra feature offense in his mins, and he has one of the vital preferrred affects on their anticipated target suppression regardless of shouldering a tricky workload opposed to peak festival. — Shayna Goldman

Toronto Maple Leafs

The play games of Anthony Stolarz: Joseph Woll went right down to trauma the era prior to the beginning of the steady season, and it grew to become out to not topic for the Leafs. That’s as a result of Stolarz got here out rocking. He gave up two aims or fewer in every of his first 5 begins, preventing nearly 94 % of the photographs he confronted. The Leafs signed Stolarz to a two-year guarantee closing summer time. They was hoping he could be a reliable 1B to Woll. He’s been greater than that, settingup a sunlit edge on Woll, who returned to the fold Thursday evening then lacking the primary seven video games. — Jonas Siegel

Utah Hockey Membership

Connor Ingram’s struggles in target: There were a number of delightful surprises for Utah that experience contributed to its 4-3-1 get started. However one troubling signal early on is that the group’s Disagree. 1 goaltender hasn’t been in a position to put together saves on the fee he did a 12 months in the past. Ingram had a breakout season in 2023-24, showing in 50 video games and posting the Tenth-best aims stored above anticipated mark (minimal 30 begins) within the league. This season, he has an unpleasant .861 save share and has been outplayed through alternative Karel Vejmelka — to the purpose there is usually a goalie controversy already. A part of the problem is the Hockey Clubbers were coping with a lump of key accidents at the again finish, however Ingram additionally merely hasn’t been as smart as we’ve perceivable. — James Mirtle

Kevin Lankinen’s emergence: Signed towards the tip of Canucks camp then a hour of negotiation, Lankinen has briefly emerged because the membership’s first-choice launch goaltender all over Thatcher Demko’s protracted, indefinite absence. Lankinen has backstopped the Canucks to a 3-1-2 document with a ludicrous five-on-five save share within the .950s. His paintings within the blue paint has helped Vancouver habitat and book leads, which has been necessary, because the Canucks were slightly sluggish to retrieve their trademark lockdown defensive tournament from closing season. — Thomas Drance

Vegas Blonde Knights

The offensive explosion: Nearest shedding the franchise’s all-time well-known target scorer, Jonathan Marchessault, and key forwards Chandler Stephenson and William Service over the summer time, it seemed like the Blonde Knights must win with protection in 2024-25. During the first few weeks, that hasn’t been the case. Heading into Friday evening’s tournament opposed to the Senators, Vegas is the fifth-highest-scoring group within the NHL with 4.14 aims consistent with tournament and has scored fewer than 3 aims in a tournament most effective as soon as. The Blonde Knights have a sky-high taking pictures share of 15.4, which leads the league and will be the perfect since 1991, so regression is coming, however up to now the group has had refuse problems hanging pucks within the internet. — Jesse Granger

Alex Ovechkin’s defensive effects: The Caps had been all the time more likely to display growth as a five-on-five group this season as opposed to closing, however they’ve gotten greater than they may’ve bargained for generation Ovechkin is at the ice. Nearest years of lessen as an all-around five-on-five participant, Ovechkin has glowing goal-share numbers — over 63 %, latest and anticipated — and robust defensive numbers. Warring parties are generating 2.07 anticipated aims consistent with 60 with him at the ice, a bunch he hasn’t sniffed for a complete decade. — Sean Gentille

Winnipeg Jets

The protection has been simply as just right: Disagree, the Jets haven’t performed Stanley Cup contender then Stanley Cup contender to start out the season, and the only “elite” group they did play games, Edmonton, has had an unfortunate begin to its 12 months. However I anticipated extra rising pains from Scott Arniel’s Jets — I nonetheless do when the time table ramps up. Rather, Neal Pionk has been a lot better, Dylan Samberg has been excellent, and the group’s five-on-five play games hasn’t suffered underneath a pristine educator. The goaltending is superb, the group has stayed disciplined, and Winnipeg has giving up the fewest aims within the NHL once more early in 2024-25. — Murat Ates

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Inside of Scott Arniel’s analytics height and his struggle to lift unbeaten Jets

(Representation: Meech Robinson / The Athletic. Footage: Jonathan Kozub / NHLI; Ronald Martinez, Sarah Stier / Getty Photographs) 

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