The NHL season is off to varied starts across the league. The Pittsburgh Penguins face tough decisions regarding star players amid a slow start. In Carolina, Pyotr Kochetkov has been excellent, ranking fifth in the NHL with 7.29 goals saved above average.
Joel Eriksson Ek has been great for Wild, leading with 15 points and a plus-13 goal differential. The Oilers rank 27th in five-on-five expected goals share at 45.4%, struggling without McDavid. The Devils' Arseny Gritsyuk has become a scoring machine with eight goals.
Hagens, the No. 7 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, is shaping up to be a steal for the Bruins with six goals and six assists. The Lightning navigate Nikita Kucherov's trade request, while Logan Cooley has been exceptional for the Mammoth. The Stars offense is off to a slow start, ranking 23rd in scoring.
Rasmus Andersson's $59.5 million contract extension is aging poorly for the Golden Knights. Seth Jones is driving play for the Panthers with 18 points. Jacob Fowler is an early Vezina candidate for the Canadiens.
Jack Quinn is scoring at a point-per-game pace for the Sabres. Frederick Gaudreau leads the Kraken, though his shooting percentage is unsustainable. Artturi Lehkonen is close to his career high for the Avalanche.
Sergei Bobrovsky's contract is under review for the Maple Leafs. Alex Tuch has fit well for the Capitals alongside Dylan Strome.
Source: CBS Sports NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing