Most surprising impressive and poor starts?

[Mortimer Snerd]

washington had a great offseason and rebuilt their blueline in an extremely impressive manner. The fact that they're doing what they're doing without getting .900 goaltending suggests that if anything they've underperformed.

Edmonton always sucks in the early going of the season, but it sure looks like the choices theyve made with their bottom six were dumb.

How did Caps rebuild their blueline? They added Chychrun, who has played just 8 games picking up 4 pts and Matt Roy, who has played just 1 game.

 

[Jaytee]

The thing about Winnipeg is that a lot of players won't play there, but there are also many (mostly the family-oriented ones) who really, really, really love it there. More than most other teams, the Jets have to pick players whose personalities fit the type of city Winnipeg is. The single, hard-partying guys aren't ever going to want to play here, but the outdoor, sportsman types with young children often say it's ideal. For them, saying Winnipeg is no New York or L.A. isn't a putdown.

To each their own. It's the Jets' job to figure out who these players are.

 

[SimpleJack]

I'm really impressed by the Jets hot start, and they have such an insane amount of forward firepower right now all coming together at the right time. You've got several young highly skilled top 6 caliber talents like Perfetti and Vilardi, plus peak Connor/Ehlers. Scheifele still very good even if he might not be quite what he once was. They're doing what the 2010-2015 Blackhawks did utilizing their depth of firepower at the winger position in order to create 2 extremely dangerous top lines despite lacking a true 2C. And Namestnikov is a great glue piece that can hold down that role for now. On top of that top 6....Probably the best 3rd line in the NHL too. So think about that for a second....that's an OUTSTANDING top 9. Plus a solid 4th line too.

Dcore is also very deep and solid 1-6...although you can see more room there for upgrade if possible than you see when looking at the forwards. If anything....this is where the Jets can potentially try to improve the roster if its a realistic option. Pionk has been incredible thus far, and the Dcore collectively seem to all be producing offense at a level that seems unsustainable, though it should still go to show how dangerous this group can be when they're healthy. Morrissey is a very strong 1D.

Goaltending also looks great with a true star starting goalie in a time where there really aren't that many league wide. Just need him to come through in the playoffs. This might be the key thing that ultimately decides how far this team goes. If Hellebuyck plays at a high level at the right time behind the rest of that roster then look out.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

LA is third and NHL standings right now. That has to be the biggest surprise. They immediately got better after they got rid of their cancer known as Dubois.

 

[Three On Zero]

LA is third and NHL standings right now. That has to be the biggest surprise. They immediately got better after they got rid of their cancer known as Dubois.

Why? LA isn’t a terrible team. They just can’t beat Edmonton in the playoffs

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Why? LA isn’t a terrible team. They just can’t beat Edmonton in the playoffs

Many people consider Keumper to be a backup and their D is very thin after Doughty.

 

[ps241]

I would have loved the contract he signed with LA if he signed with Winnipeg - shows what I know.

The vibe I got is he was a pro with Winnipeg, unlike his tenure in CLB, but he absolutely did not want to be here.

IMO PLD is the rare professional athlete who once he got paid, stopped trying - I actually understand that mentality and would be my biggest fear if I were running any sports team.

Most fans were thrilled with how he played at times, especially the stretch in the first half of 21-22. He was really good with Connor that season and seemed to bring the best out of Kyle (at that snap shot in time). Then in 2022-23 he had 63 points in 73 games so he was a big producer for our team.

I think he really wore out his welcome towards the end when he didn’t commit. Most markets don’t love the rejection, especially the smallest one. Then he stunk in the last playoff game and that last impression was bad.

 

[AlaskaJet]

But, we just had mcgroaty force his way out this season. Pld the season before. I wonder how many teams have had as many players force their way out?

Mostly city boys leaving WPG who haven’t played pond hockey and don’t like fishing or hunting, just my two bits..

 

[winnipegger]

Wpg is surprising from a big picture. No one wants to play there. Prospects and players force their way out. Wpg needs to overpay to get anyone to come or stay.

Hall of Fame goaltender just signed a team friendly contract but sure. Who does this even apply to. Kane is terrible, Trouba overrated, McGroarty unknown whether he will even play or not. Dubois has requested a trade from every team in the league.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Colorado will be fine. They were down 3 or 4 of their top 6 forwards for a while. The only really scary thing for them is their goaltending which isn't likely to improve. When they get healthier they'll start winning some high scoring games again.

If they would just stop playing Georgiev the goaltending would improve.


Annunen has been pretty solid. 2.6 GAA, only an .894 sv% but that's also a product of the Avs quite frankly being quite stingy defensively this year and only allowing about 25 shots per game.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Nobody should be surprised by Winnipeg, they're really good team.

What we are surprised about is Scott Arniel because he was dog **** coach in Columbus.

 

[castle]

Wpg is surprising from a big picture. No one wants to play there. Prospects and players force their way out. Wpg needs to overpay to get anyone to come or stay.

Overpay?
Who is overpaid?

 

[Devonator]

I thought my Flyers and Habs would have had better starts but man they both look bad thus far....

 

[BonMorrison]

The way Kings fans talk about their own team, I wouldn’t have expected them to be where they are in the standings.

 

[Bouboumaster]

It's not a team but f***ing Brendan Gallaggher, out of nowhere, suddenly stopped to suck and is having quite a good season

Not "6,5M / per year" great, but lightyears ahead of the past two/three years. Maybe a 20 goals + season for him this year?


As for teams:
Impressive start: Winnipeg, obviously.

Poor start: Canadiens. They weren't supposed to make the playoffs, but we expected them to compete to a degree.
They're getting absolutly walked over. It's kind of embarassing. Hopefully we tank hard and get another top 5 first round pick.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Washington impressive
Boston has been pretty brutal for me. If there is a team that can still bounce it's them tho

 

[jonlin]

I`m quite impresses with a player who everyone doomed a failure:

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

11gp 1g 7a 8p +7

He actually has the best +/- of Canes Top9. Good 2-way player atleast for the start of the season. Maybe he blooms late?

 

[Deno]

Probably but they are even more thrilled with Vilardi , Iafallo , Kupari and the 2nd round pick they got from PLD .

Who are all important players for the Jets .
PLD is on his 4 the team now.
So who is the real problem here?
I think the PLD trade was Chevy best trade since become Winnipeg's GM
That trade turned the Jets from a bubble team to a legit SC contender.

 

[Ulysses31]

surprised by caps record for sure

 

[Johnny HFBOARDS]

I would have loved the contract he signed with LA if he signed with Winnipeg - shows what I know.

The vibe I got is he was a pro with Winnipeg, unlike his tenure in CLB, but he absolutely did not want to be here.

IMO PLD is the rare professional athlete who once he got paid, stopped trying - I actually understand that mentality and would be my biggest fear if I were running any sports team.

I said it before and will say it again, (and I hope other repeat it)... Sighing BS trade deadline helpers are a great way to fail. The new players don't want to uproot/stress over working for a new contract and more... 95% just coast and draftpicks are wasted. AKA no buy in!


Jets better not upset the team again this trade deadline.!!!!!!!! No BS rentals, commit to players here that have more than 2 years left on a contract. Only makes sense.

Don't make move for the sake of making move Chevy, SN and TSN don't know where our team is anyway.

 

[Bounces R Way]

LA is third and NHL standings right now. That has to be the biggest surprise. They immediately got better after they got rid of their cancer known as Dubois.

They're 9th in pt% though, behind the Canucks. I don't think they are a good team.


No lie not a ton has truly shocked me so far this season. Maybe how good the Wild and Kaprizov have been. Jets are a very solid and very deep team with an all world goalie so not super surprised, but still impressed, by the heater they've been on. Still won't be able to take them all that seriously until they add a top 3 dman. Definitely figured Nashville and Seattle would be better with some of their UFA gets but shit like that takes time to come together. Wouldn't have had the Bruins as the 6th worst GA team either, although I expect this to improve.

Figured I would have the Oil on fraud watch eventually but didn't think it'd be so soon. 3rd worst GF/G is bad no matter how far through the season you are. That Minnesota goalie Gustavsson that scored is tied or would lead like half their fwds in Gs

 

[Johnny HFBOARDS]

LA is third and NHL standings right now. That has to be the biggest surprise. They immediately got better after they got rid of their cancer known as Dubois.

You know whats better than than beating Player Cancer?


Beating it the year before

Mostly city boys leaving WPG who haven’t played pond hockey and don’t like fishing or hunting, just my two bits..

You know what Norm mac Donald calls them?!




Fine upstanding citizens, that don't own a dog house.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Hot...Winnipeg.
Cold...Montreal.
Reversion to normalcy...Toronto.

 

[Kalopsia]

How did Caps rebuild their blueline? They added Chychrun, who has played just 8 games picking up 4 pts and Matt Roy, who has played just 1 game.

Chychrun's been fantastic on the top pairing with Carlson. Bummer that he went down with an upper body injury, but he shouldn't be out much longer.

Probably the biggest driver of the Caps turnaround though is the revamped top 6. PLD's been much better than his point totals suggest and his line with McMichael and Wilson's been dominant (61.5 xGF% with 39.5% OZ faceoffs). Young guys McMichael and Protas have also take a huge step as well-round, PPG wingers.

The surprise about the Caps is they're doing all this while their goalies have underperformed, their PP has been the worst in the league, and they've been missing one of their biggest offseason additions (Roy). They've been winning by absolutely dominating even strength play even with a diminished blue line.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Overpay?
Who is overpaid?

Yep, multiple ppl have pointed out I was wrong.