The NHL season is still in the early stages, with teams having played only a handful of games so far. Despite the small sample size, there are already some trends emerging that could impact the standings as the season progresses. The Athletic recently reached out to NHL staff for insights on each team’s performance.
The Ducks are seeing mixed results from their talented youth, with players like Pavel Mintyukov showing promise while others like Tristan Luneau and Olen Zellweger are experiencing some challenges. The Bruins’ goalie Jake Swayman has struggled after signing a big contract, while the Sabres are struggling with their special teams play.
For the Flames, center Martin Pospisil has been a surprising standout, while the Hurricanes are dealing with issues on their special teams. The Blackhawks have shown improvement, while the Avalanche are struggling defensively despite promising underlying metrics.
In New Jersey, recent acquisitions are making a big impact, and the Islanders are facing familiar struggles early in the season. The Rangers are showing improvements in their five-on-five play, and the Senators are looking to improve their special teams performance.
The Flyers have seen success on the power play thanks to rookie Matvei Michkov, while the Penguins are relying on a strong power play to help overcome goaltending challenges. The Sharks are still searching for their first win, and the Kraken are showing improved offensive play.
Overall, it’s still early in the season, but some teams are already showing strengths and weaknesses that could shape their performance in the coming months. As more games are played, it will be interesting to see how these early trends develop and impact the standings.
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