NHL Season Update: Early Trends and Surprises

We’re just a little more than two weeks into the NHL season, and, wow, it’s been quite the ride. There’s a lot of hockey still ahead, but we’re already starting to see some trends. They look encouraging for certain Stanley Cup contenders, while fans of other teams might be feeling a bit uneasy—or, you know, hovering over that panic button, ready to slam it down any moment now.

Among the most surprising stories so far are the Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers. These are teams that, honestly, many figured wouldn’t be in the playoff conversation at all. Yet, both are making quite the impression at the start of this season. In fact, they’ve made it into the Top 10, coming from 29th and 23rd place in our preseason rankings, respectively. It’s a remarkable turnaround, although time will tell if they can keep it up.

Let’s take a look at the full rankings as they stand right now, and then we can explore this a bit further.

The Carolina Hurricanes: Surprising Dominance

Normally, you’d expect the defending Stanley Cup Champions to take a step back, but the Hurricanes are proving that theory wrong in a big way. After a shaky start in their first two games, they’ve surged back, winning six consecutive matches against some solid competition.

What’s interesting about Carolina’s style is that it often emphasizes team play over star power. Typically, they thrive on having multiple players finish the season with around 60 points rather than relying on a few superstars to dominate. Yet, this season, they seem to be balancing both—Sebastian Aho has racked up 13 points in just eight games, while Andrei Svechnikov isn’t far behind with 11. Critics have sometimes called them underperformers, but they’re suddenly shining brightly, likely playing the best hockey of their careers—and perhaps even in the league.

Currently, the Hurricanes have six players on track to surpass 60 points, with Aho and Svechnikov possibly hitting the 100-point mark. They’ve truly stepped it up a notch, and honestly, it’s a little scary.

Oilers on a Mission

Everyone in Edmonton knows that their window for a championship run is pretty limited. Connor McDavid made that clear when he signed a contract that signaled urgency for the Oilers: it’s now—or never before he potentially leaves in 2027-28. The clock is ticking, and Edmonton is eager to prove it can compete for a title while McDavid is still around.

Right now, they’re undefeated and the top team in the west. Vasily Podkolzin’s emergence as a solid goal scorer is injecting new life into the team, enhancing something they’ve needed. Their combination of top-tier talent—McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard—with the energy of younger players makes the Oilers a team to keep an eye on.

On another note, the Dallas Stars are excellent defensively, but for some reason, they can’t seem to score. With just two goals each from Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson, it’s hard to understand given the amount they’re being paid. They’re supposed to be offensive contributors, but that just isn’t happening.

Jake Oettinger is doing his best in goal, sporting a .944 save percentage and a 1.20 goals-against average, yet he still sits at a 2-2 record due to the lack of scoring. If this doesn’t change, it’s going to be a longer than anticipated season for Dallas.

Honestly, I was pretty optimistic about the Flyers taking a positive step this season after their playoff appearance. I thought players like Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov would break out. But, boy, was I wrong. Philadelphia is, quite frankly, just not good.

No one can seem to find the net; their passing is average at best, the defense is struggling, and goaltender Daniel Vladar has regressed. The Flyers are winless, sitting at a staggering -21 goal differential, ranked dead last in goals scored and almost as bad for goals against. There’s really not much else to add.