What is your first pleasant surprise of this 2024-25 season?

[Davenport]

My first pleasant surprise came Thursday morning when I was checking the box scores from the night before. Victor Olofsson - who I had forgotten all about - scored two goals in Vegas' 8-4 victory over Colorado. One of his goals was a powerplay goal. I've always had a soft spot for the so-called one-trick-ponies who do nothing but score - and most often do their scoring on the powerplay. Camille Henry is/was the patron saint of such players.

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[Megustaelhockey]

Utah is immediately competitive.

 

[Stealth1616]

Took Dylan Guenther ~200 overall in 3 fantasy drafts.

Kid is gonna score 50 goals in his career and looks to be a beast this year

 

[Slats432]

That our goal differential went from -7 in game one last year to -6 in game one this year.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

My first pleasant surprise came Thursday morning when I was checking the box scores from the night before. Victor Olofsson - who I had forgotten all about - scored two goals in Vegas' 8-4 victory over Colorado. One of his goals was a powerplay goal. I've always had a soft spot for the so-called one-trick-ponies who do nothing but score - and most often do their scoring on the powerplay. Camille Henry is/was the patron saint of such players.

Olofsson seems to have bought into Cassidy's system pretty well so far and had some good defensive plays as well. With Cassidy's heavy defense-oriented bias, he'll have to play a 200' game. But, yeah, a pleasant surprise to us as well. With Marchessault gone, somebody was going to have to make up for his scoring.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

1 game in and they managed kopitars minutes.

 

[Primary Assist]

Hildebeast played really well for his NHL debut, always love seeing that for young goalies.

The Leafs tandem in the crease at least to start the season is collectively over 13 feet tall. I found that surprising and perhaps even a bit pleasant.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Joel Blomqvist’s first game in goal for Pittsburgh.

 

[Davenport]

Olofsson seems to have bought into Cassidy's system pretty well so far and had some good defensive plays as well. With Cassidy's heavy defense-oriented bias, he'll have to play a 200' game. But, yeah, a pleasant surprise to us as well. With Marchessault gone, somebody was going to have to make up for his scoring.

In 2019-20 - in his first full season in Buffalo - Olofsson scored 20 goals, 11 of them on the powerplay. Jack Eichel assisted on many of those goals. If those two are out together on the powerplay with Vegas, I think they'll click again.

 

[PaulD]

the Sens look better than the leafs.

 

[Three On Zero]

Took Dylan Guenther ~200 overall in 3 fantasy drafts.

Kid is gonna score 50 goals in his career and looks to be a beast this year

If he’s only going to score 50 goals in his career, I can see why he was 200th

 

[Race Dawg]

the Sens look better than the leafs.

That's just an illusion and fake news. The Leafs are already 6-0.

 

[torniojaws]

That our goal differential went from -7 in game one last year to -6 in game one this year.

Baby steps. Looking forward to 2030-31?

 

[DJJones]

Pachal and Bean looked like a legit 3rd pairing.

Bahl had an absolutely horrendous 1st period but looked great after that.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Broberg immediately looking like a top 4 dman

Kyrou off to a hot start after very cold starts the past two years

The overall resiliency of the Blues with the two impressive comeback wins to start the season

 

[Mogo]

Took Dylan Guenther ~200 overall in 3 fantasy drafts.

Kid is gonna score 50 goals in his career and looks to be a beast this year

50 goals in a career is not much

 

[FromChaos22]

Broberg immediately looking like a top 4 dman

Kyrou off to a hot start after very cold starts the past two years

The overall resiliency of the Blues with the two impressive comeback wins to start the season

Are they easing Broberg into things, why is Faulk PP1 with a guy you just traded for being known for offense?

 

[Lunatik]

After a terrible first period Thursday (down 4-1, shots 15-5, shorthanded 4x), they didn't give up, battled back to not just tie the game, but take teh lead. Then after giving up a 6-on-5 goal to send it to OT, they still had no quit.

Anthony Mantha. Gordie Howetrick.

 

[SJSharksfan39]

The Sharks showed potential in that second period last night. Unfortunately Macklin might sit due to injury for some time, but this felt like an entirely different vibe than before. It was actually a fun game to watch, despite the outcome.

As for the entire league, Calgary was the team that most surprised me so far. All that talk about rebuilding and being a bottom feeder, and they went out and probably gave us the game of the season so far. It was pretty exciting.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Are they easing Broberg into things, why is Faulk PP1 with a guy you just traded for being known for offense?

He’s been on the second pairing with Faulk and they’ve looked awesome. Wouldn’t be shocked to see him flipped with Leddy sometime soon.

As far as the PP, Faulk is a better offensive player(had 50 pts in his last healthy season), and Broberg has been the QB on the second unit.

 

[Whileee]

Almost everyone having very low expectations for the Jets (again). They thrive under the radar.