NHL Early Season Report: Triumphs and Troubles for All 32 Teams as the Season Heats Up

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The Early Good News and Bad News for Every NHL Team

Two weeks into the 2024-25 NHL season, we’re already seeing some interesting trends and key performances. With 32 teams taking to the ice for Frozen Frenzy night, the action is in full swing. While it’s too early to draw major conclusions, there are certainly some early stats and narratives worth discussing. Here’s a look at one piece of good news and bad news for each team as the season unfolds.

Anaheim Ducks

Good News:

• Lukas Dostal has been stellar in net with 2-1-1 record despite playing behind the most porous defense in the league, ranking second in saves made and fourth in Goals Saved Above Expected.

Bad News:

• Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim’s 2022 fifth-overall pick, has yet to register a point this season and was benched last week.

Boston Bruins

Good News:

• The fourth line is thriving, and Cole Koepke already has three goals and six points in six games, tripling his previous career-high totals.

Bad News:

• The Bruins’ Corsi-for percentage is 28th, and tensions boiled over when Brad Marchand and coach Jim Montgomery had a heated exchange on the bench.

Buffalo Sabres

Good News:

• JJ Peterka has been impressive with four goals in his last three games, while Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin have positive 5-on-5 goal differentials.

Bad News:

• The Sabres’ power play has yet to score in 21 attempts, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi have save percentages under .900.

Calgary Flames

Good News:

• Jonathan Huberdeau and four other players are humming along at a point-per-game pace, showing that the Flames are still competitive despite lower expectations.

Bad News:

• Their PDO suggests a cool-down is likely, with Calgary riding the league’s third-highest shooting percentage and save percentage combo.

Carolina Hurricanes

Good News:

• Despite losing key pieces on the blue line, the Hurricanes lead the league in Corsi For percentage and continue to control play.

Bad News:

• Offense remains an issue as the Canes rank 25th in 5-on-5 goals, with only three players scoring more than once.

Chicago Blackhawks

Good News:

• Connor Bedard has been solid, dominating 5-on-5 play alongside Nick Foligno and Teuvo Teravainen.

Bad News:

• The Blackhawks’ offense, outside of the top line, is struggling. They rank 27th in scoring and have a low shooting percentage.

Colorado Avalanche

Good News:

• Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar are off to hot starts, with MacKinnon and Rantanen tied for fourth in league scoring.

Bad News:

• Alexandar Georgiev has been a weak spot in goal, with the worst Goals Saved Above Expected in the league, and the Avs’ penalty kill is among the league’s worst.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Good News:

• Yegor Chinakov and Kirill Marchenko are showing signs of breakout seasons, leading a top-10 offense.

Bad News:

• Goaltending remains a concern, with both Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov struggling to find form, leading to a bottom-10 defense.

Dallas Stars

Good News:

• Jake Oettinger leads all starters with a .953 save percentage, solidifying his status as a top netminder.

Bad News:

• The Stars’ defense hasn’t been as solid as last season, and their power play ranks 29th in the league so far.

Detroit Red Wings

Good News:

• Alex Lyon has emerged as a reliable goaltender, potentially earning more starts as the Wings’ defense struggles.

Bad News:

• Detroit’s offense has been inconsistent, with only Dylan Larkin performing well, while their special teams rank near the bottom.

Edmonton Oilers

Good News:

• Jeff Skinner has fit in well on the third line, and despite a slow start, the Oilers have been here before and recovered to reach the Stanley Cup Final last year.

Bad News:

• Edmonton’s once-dominant power play is struggling, converting just 1-of-15 chances, and Stuart Skinner has been underwhelming in net.

Florida Panthers

Good News:

• Sam Reinhart continues to shine with a team-leading five goals, while Anton Lundell has stepped up in Aleksander Barkov’s absence.

Bad News:

• Florida’s blue line has been stretched, leading to a bottom-third ranking in shots-against per game and subpar goaltending performances.

Los Angeles Kings

Good News:

• The Kings have been strong on the road, with Anze Kopitar leading the way and Darcy Kuemper excelling before his injury.

Bad News:

• Special teams are a weakness, and Quinton Byfield has yet to live up to expectations, posting a team-worst minus-3 rating.

Montreal Canadiens

Good News:

• Cole Caufield is off to a hot start, scoring a goal per game, and Sam Montembeault is making a push for Team Canada consideration.

Bad News:

• Defensively, Montreal ranks last in expected-goals against, and they’ve struggled to generate consistent offense outside of Caufield.

New Jersey Devils

Good News:

• The Devils sit atop their division in points, with contributions from depth players like Stefan Noesen and Paul Cotter.

Bad News:

• Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton are off to slow starts, with Hughes managing just one goal in eight games.

Nashville Predators

Good News:

• The Predators have the league’s worst 5-on-5 shooting percentage at 4.35%, meaning some positive regression is expected, and they still lead the league in shots per game, showing promise for future results.

Bad News:

• Juuse Saros is struggling, with an .875 save percentage in four appearances, and the free-agent acquisitions meant to bolster the offense have combined for just two goals so far.

New York Islanders

Good News:

• The Islanders have been defensively sound, ranking top 12 in shots against and goals against. Ilya Sorokin has been solid in his two starts, despite missing training camp.

Bad News:

• Offense continues to be a challenge. The Islanders rank 26th in goals-for per game, and their special teams are struggling, with a 26th-ranked power play and 30th-ranked penalty kill.

New York Rangers

Good News:

• Igor Shesterkin has been incredible, posting a sub-2.00 GAA and .935 save percentage, keeping the Rangers undefeated in regulation. Alexis Lafrenière is also off to a good start, raising his value in contract negotiations.

Bad News:

• The Rangers’ defense has been loose, ranking 26th in shots-against per game and 29th in high-danger chances allowed at 5-on-5. Kaapo Kakko has been quiet, with just two assists.

Ottawa Senators

Good News:

• Jake Sanderson is making a strong case for Team USA’s blue line in the 4 Nations Tournament, and Tim Stützle is showing signs of a bounce-back season.

Bad News:

• The Senators are heavily reliant on Linus Ullmark in net, and their 5-on-5 scoring is lacking, with Ottawa averaging fewer than two goals per game in that scenario.

Philadelphia Flyers

Good News:

• Matvei Michkov is living up to expectations, tying for the team lead in scoring through the first five games, and the Flyers’ special teams are performing well, with both power play and penalty kill in the top 12.

Bad News:

• Defensive struggles are evident, as the Flyers rank among the league’s worst in goals against and shots allowed, with goaltending not strong enough to compensate.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Good News:

• Evgeni Malkin has been off to a vintage start, helping the Penguins’ power play rank in the top 10. Joel Blomqvist has been a pleasant surprise in net, keeping things steady.

Bad News:

• Tristan Jarry continues to struggle, posting a dismal .836 save percentage and 5.47 GAA, which puts his status as the Penguins’ starter in jeopardy.

San Jose Sharks

Good News:

• Yaroslav Askarov has excelled in the AHL, posting two shutouts in two games, making him a prime candidate for an NHL call-up soon.

Bad News:

• The Sharks remain winless and continue to have the league’s worst goal differential, minus-14, raising concerns about the long road ahead in their rebuild.

Seattle Kraken

Good News:

• Joey Daccord has continued to impress, going 3-0 so far, and Seattle is once again a top-10 team in goals per game, showing early signs of their offensive potential.

Bad News:

• Matty Beniers has struggled to get going, with just one assist in six games, and the team’s special teams are in the bottom third of the league.

St. Louis Blues

Good News:

• Joel Hofer has outperformed Jordan Binnington in their shared starts, and Philip Broberg has been impressive, running at a point-per-game pace from the blue line.

Bad News:

• The Blues are missing Nick Leddy, who has been held pointless and is now sidelined with a lower-body injury, affecting their defensive depth.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Good News:

• Nikita Kucherov leads the NHL in goals, and the Lightning’s defensive play has been solid, despite losing Mikhail Sergachev in the offseason.

Bad News:

• Andrei Vasilevskiy has struggled in his last few starts, and the power play, once the best in the league, has fallen to 28th.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Good News:

• Anthony Stolarz has been a revelation in net, boasting a .938 save percentage through five games, which raises the question of who will be the No. 1 goalie when Joseph Woll returns.

Bad News:

• Timothy Liljegren has played just one game this season, unable to crack the lineup consistently under new coach Craig Berube, while Nick Robertson remains scoreless.

Utah Hockey Club

Good News:

• The relocated franchise has had an excellent start with a 4-1-1 record, and Dylan Guenther continues to develop as a dangerous scorer, netting five goals in six games.

Bad News:

• Injuries have begun to affect the defense, with both John Marino and Sean Durzi sidelined, leaving the team looking for depth solutions early in the season.

Vancouver Canucks

Good News:

• Quinn Hughes has been outstanding, leading the team’s defense, and goaltending has held up without Thatcher Demko, as Kevin Lankinen and Arturs Silovs have combined for solid performances.

Bad News:

• Elias Pettersson has continued his slump from last season, posting only two assists in five games, which is a concern for the Canucks’ offense.

Vegas Golden Knights

Good News:

• The top line of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Ivan Barbashev has been dominant, with Barbashev leading the league in 5-on-5 points.

Bad News:

• Adin Hill has struggled in net with a 3.81 GAA and .851 save percentage, raising concerns about his ability to secure the starting role long-term.

Washington Capitals

Good News:

• Dylan Strome is off to a great start, leading the team in scoring, and Tom Wilson has already netted five goals, positioning him as a potential candidate for Team Canada.

Bad News:

• Goaltending has been shaky, with neither Charlie Lindgren nor Logan Thompson posting save percentages above .900, while Alex Ovechkin has only one goal in four games.

Winnipeg Jets

Good News:

• The Jets are the only team with a perfect points percentage, thanks to strong performances from Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, and Nikolaj Ehlers.

Bad News:

• Winnipeg’s 5-on-5 scoring ranks 17th, and they are 22nd in generating high-danger chances, relying heavily on their power play to carry the offensive load.

As the 2024-25 NHL season progresses, the mix of promising starts and early struggles will continue to shape each team’s narrative. With some already showing their potential and others needing improvement, fans can look forward to a season filled with excitement, surprises, and intense competition.

RickRobbs

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