The National Hockey League (NHL) is three weeks into its season, with some predictable results but also some surprises. With at least a five-game sample for every team, it is important to see where things stand — early success can lead to increased momentum for the rest of the year, and early losses can lead to lingering doubt.
There is no doubt surrounding the Vegas Golden Knights. The defending Stanley Cup champions have bolted to a 7-0-0 start, the best start in the team’s seven-year history. The Knights are coming off a season where they became the fastest expansion team to win the cup, and they expect to repeat as champions.
Center Jack Eichel currently leads the team in points with eight. The Golden Knights acquired him two years ago for multiple players and draft picks from the Buffalo Sabres. Before last year, Eichel had never been to the postseason, and the championship run helped him silence many critics.
The Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup victory can also be attributed to sensational goaltending from journeyman goalie Adin Hill. The Knights rewarded Hill with a two-year, $5.2 million contract in June, but there were still questions about whether Hill could sustain his exceptional play. So far he has answered those questions, boasting a .934 save percentage in four starts for Vegas.
Many fans expected the Knights’ early success, but the Edmonton Oilers’ early struggles were not anticipated. Vegas knocked out Edmonton in the second round of last year’s playoffs, which was considered a surprise since the Oilers have arguably the two best players in the league in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
McDavid led the league in points last season with 153, while Draisaitl was second with 128. Draisaitl’s 128 points were 15 more than his closest competitor. High-end scoring has never been an issue for the Oilers, but Edmonton has often struggled to get production from their bottom two lines. Despite the addition of Connor Brown in free agency to help this area, Edmonton has started the year 1-4-1, putting them second to last in the Western Conference.
One of the favorites to win the cup is the Carolina Hurricanes, who the Florida Panthers swept in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Carolina has made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, but has never made it further than the Eastern Conference Finals in that span.
A reason for their elimination was their inability to score goals, as they only mustered six in the four games of the series. Carolina spent money in the off season to address this, signing former Toronto Maple Leaf Micheal Bunting to a three-year, $13.5 million contract. The Hurricanes also signed Dimitry Orlov to a two-year, $15 million contract. They hope that this, along with the return of budding superstar Andre Spechnekov, will provide more offense. Carolina is currently 3-4-0, having lost their last two games.
The NHL can often provide the most uncertainty regarding who will make the playoffs and who will win it all. Half the teams in a given year make the postseason, so there are more opportunities to compete for a championship than in other leagues. As of now, five of the 16 teams who are currently above the playoff line missed the postseason last year. This makes for an unpredictable, exciting year that will culminate in an equally exciting Stanley Cup Final.
