Surprising Starts in the NHL That Will and Won’t Last
Let’s take a look at the surprising starts in the NHL that will and won’t last.
The NHL season is just over two weeks old, and this is the point where the standings begin to take shape, yet still look a little odd. Inevitably, some of the teams that we expected to be at the top or bottom of the standings have already assumed their positions.
It’s the other teams, though, the ones that have us scratching our heads, that are fun to keep an eye on at this time. Some teams will continue to produce unexpected results, while others will eventually move to where they are generally expected to be in the standings.
So, which teams are actually proving people wrong, and which ones are simply deceiving us in the early stages of the 2021 campaign? Two weeks of play in the 2020-21 NHL season have produced some surprising results. Which ones will prove to be a fluke, and which ones will we have to get used to seeing?
Surprising starts in the 2020-21 NHL season that will and won’t last
Montreal Canadiens: Surprise Will Last
When I picked the Canadiens to make the playoffs, and eventually win the Scotia North Division, I did so because I thought I’d take a chance on an upset in an unpredictable division. I didn’t realize that the Habs would give the league something to be nervous about all season.
The goaltending tandem of Carey Price and Jake Allen, I believed, would be the driving force for Montreal, especially in a division with high-powered offenses. As it turns out, though, the Canadiens’ offense is potent, and as a result, this team boasts a 5-0-2 record.
Led by Tyler Toffoli, the Canadiens scoring attack has put up at least three goals in every game this season. While it may not continue to light up its opposition, the fact that this team can be counted on to score goals and still features elite goaltending means that this team is for real.
Edmonton Oilers: Surprise Will Last
It appears that, once again, it’s the same story for the Oilers. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to prove that they are among the NHL’s elite, but the team around them can’t hold up its end of the bargain.
2017 was the last time that this club won a Playoff series, and its only postseason appearance since then was last season when Edmonton lost to the twelfth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.
I want to believe that after a 3-6-0 start the Oilers have enough talent to bounce back, but recent history suggests that that will not happen. I fully expect McDavid and company to come up short yet again.
New York Rangers: Surprise Won’t Last
It’s no secret that the New York Rangers are an up-and-coming team that is loaded with young talent. There may be mixed opinions on whether or not 2021 is the year that New York returns to the postseason, but I would imagine that either way, most people did not have them in the basement of the MassMutual East division.
I certainly did not, nor do I expect this to be something that lasts throughout the season. The 2-4-1 Rangers picked up a win on Thursday night thanks to Alexis Lafreniere‘s first NHL goal. As he finds his way, Mika Zibanejad picks up his scoring, and Artemi Panarin continues to lead the club, New York will climb out of eighth place in the division and into Playoff contention.
New York Islanders: Surprise Will Last
The New York Islanders have stormed onto the scene in the last two postseasons, most recently reaching the Eastern Conference Final over the summer. While most would expect this team to continue to progress, I think the sub-.500 start will prove to be more permanent than expected.
Now, I’m not sure that the Isles will finish below .500, but I do believe that they will struggle and miss the postseason. The East is the most difficult division in the NHL, and the Islanders saw more subtractions than additions in the offseason.
Every team in this division added talent, or at least changed personnel, via Free Agency and the Draft, and the Islanders got passed by their rivals. They won’t finish in last, but regression should be anticipated this year.
Florida Panthers: Surprise Won’t Last
I want this one to last. The Florida Panthers have felt for years like they were so close, but they just couldn’t quite reach the roster’s potential. Like the Islanders, the Panthers lost some key players in the offseason, namely Evgenii Dadonov.
Florida did add players, though, like Patric Hornqvist, which will keep them competitive in a relatively weak Discover Central Division. The problem I have is that the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Dallas Stars should absolutely qualify for the postseason, and that leaves only one spot for Florida to target.
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The Panthers have yet to not earn a point in a game (3-0-1), but they also have not faced any of the three previously mentioned frontrunners. That will be the true test, and it is not one that I expect this team to pass. There are plenty of teams to keep an eye on as the 2020-21 NHL season progresses, but these clubs could really alter the standings if they continue to surprise the league.