About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2026-27 NHL season, which started on Sept. 29, is officially entering its second month.
Though Thanksgiving is considered a better bellwether of whether a team can make the playoffs, the end of the first month is a good time to assess how teams and players are faring.
The New Jersey Devils were already playing well before adding the best goalie in the league, the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes are on a roll and Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid is on fire. Meanwhile, a couple of goalies have outperformed the No. 1 netminders on their teams.
Here's a look at strong starts that we're starting to believe:
Oct. 13: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) fights with Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) during the second period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct. 13: Boston Bruins' Nikita Zadorov fights with the San Jose Sharks' Darnell Nurse (25) during the third period at SAP Center. (Ezra Shaw, Getty Images) Oct. 13: Florida Panthers left wing Brady Tkachuk (8) celebrates his natural hat trick goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Nationwide Arena. (Russell LaBounty, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct. 13: New York Rangers' Matt Rempe (73) fights Tampa Bay Lightning's Jeffrey Viel. (Sarah Stier, Getty Images) Oct. 13: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) celebrates with goalie Spencer Knight (30) after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins. Bedard made his season debut after offseason shoulder surgery. (Michael Reaves, Getty Images) Oct 13: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) checks Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during the second period at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct 12: Minnesota Wild forward Nico Sturm (78) is helped off the ice after he was hit in the head by a puck. (Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct 11: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) reacts after scoring a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at Capital One Arena. It was the 930th of his career. (Brad Mills, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct. 9: New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) is helped off the ice after being injured against the Washington Capitals. He was ruled out for the season. (Geoff Burke, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct. 9: Pittsburgh Penguins center Blake Lizotte (46) falls to the ice after a check from Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Carson Soucy (7) during the second period at Nationwide Arena. (Russell LaBounty, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct. 6: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Gavin McKenna (92) celebrates scoring his first NHL goal against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. (Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct 6: Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) and Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour (62) fight during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena. (Steven Bisig, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct. 7: NHL stars Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby chat with each other in the final season of their rivalry. Ovechkin announced he'll retire from the NHL after this season. (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) Oct. 8: San Jose Sharks left wing Mason Marchment (27) checks St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Barron (72) during the third period at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Curry, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct. 1 New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) celebrates after scoring against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He's the first Rangers player with a goalie goal. (Brad Penner, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Oct. 1: The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal by defenseman Evan Bouchard (2) in the first period. Bouchard had eight points over his first two games. (Bob Frid, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) Sept. 29: The Carolina Hurricanes raise the 2026 Stanley Cup banner before a game against the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 1 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 13: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) fights with Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) during the second period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 1 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 13: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) fights with Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) during the second period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 2 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 13: Boston Bruins' Nikita Zadorov fights with the San Jose Sharks' Darnell Nurse (25) during the third period at SAP Center. (Ezra Shaw, Getty Images) 3 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 13: Florida Panthers left wing Brady Tkachuk (8) celebrates his natural hat trick goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Nationwide Arena. (Russell LaBounty, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 4 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 13: New York Rangers' Matt Rempe (73) fights Tampa Bay Lightning's Jeffrey Viel. (Sarah Stier, Getty Images) 5 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 13: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) celebrates with goalie Spencer Knight (30) after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins. Bedard made his season debut after offseason shoulder surgery. (Michael Reaves, Getty Images) 6 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct 13: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) checks Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during the second period at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 7 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct 12: Minnesota Wild forward Nico Sturm (78) is helped off the ice after he was hit in the head by a puck. (Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 8 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct 11: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) reacts after scoring a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at Capital One Arena. It was the 930th of his career. (Brad Mills, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 9 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 9: New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) is helped off the ice after being injured against the Washington Capitals. He was ruled out for the season. (Geoff Burke, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 10 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 9: Pittsburgh Penguins center Blake Lizotte (46) falls to the ice after a check from Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Carson Soucy (7) during the second period at Nationwide Arena. (Russell LaBounty, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 11 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 6: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Gavin McKenna (92) celebrates scoring his first NHL goal against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. (Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 12 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct 6: Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) and Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour (62) fight during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena. (Steven Bisig, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 13 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 7: NHL stars Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby chat with each other in the final season of their rivalry. Ovechkin announced he'll retire from the NHL after this season. (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) 14 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 8: San Jose Sharks left wing Mason Marchment (27) checks St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Barron (72) during the third period at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Curry, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 15 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 1 New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) celebrates after scoring against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He's the first Rangers player with a goalie goal. (Brad Penner, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 16 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Oct. 1: The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal by defenseman Evan Bouchard (2) in the first period. Bouchard had eight points over his first two games. (Bob Frid, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) 17 / 17 Fights, checks and big plays from the 2026-27 NHL season Sept. 29: The Carolina Hurricanes raise the 2026 Stanley Cup banner before a game against the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect) New Jersey Devils can return to playoffs USA TODAY had the Devils returning to the playoffs after an off year, with concerns expressed about whether their goaltending would be strong enough.
General manager Sunny Mehta changed that by winning the Connor Hellebuyck sweepstakes after the goalie requested a trade and was suspended by the Winnipeg Jets for not reporting to training camp. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner, 2024-25 MVP and U.S. Olympic gold medalist , stopped 17 of 18 shots to win his Devils debut.
His arrival allows Jake Allen to return to backup status and Hellebuyck is active with the puck, helping the Devils' high-flying attack.
Mehta also beefed up the forward group and Luke Evangelista has been productive. Arseny Gritsyuk is thriving on the top line. And more important, Jack Hughes (outside some more lost teeth ) has been healthy this season.
The true answer will be told in April and beyond, but the Hurricanes are off to a strong start. Jackson Blake is continuing the run he had in the playoffs, they're getting scoring up and down the lineup and they survived injuries to Seth Jarvis (since returned) and Jordan Staal.
The only drawback is a slow start by Stanley Cup-clinching goalie Brandon Bussi but Pyotr Kochetkov (8-0, 1.62 goals-against average) is playing well.
He has 36 points in his first 13 games, which puts him on pace for the league's first 200-point season since Wayne Gretzky in the 1980s. Even if he doesn't do that, he has a solid chance to break his career best of 153 points in 2022-23.
What's contributing to his torrid pace? Previous Oilers coaches usually played him with Leon Draisaitl as a nuclear option if the team was trailing and needed a boost. First-year Oilers coach Mike Babcock has kept the two together and used Vasily Podkolzin as the third forward on the line. That trio, along with defenseman Evan Bouchard, has made the Edmonton power play lethal.
McDavid has set an NHL record with his season-opening 13-game assist streak. He and Draisaitl reportedly pushed for Babcock and it's paying off.
The Montreal Canadiens goalie started the season in the American Hockey League but was called up when Sam Montembeault was injured. His arrival coincided with a slow start by 2026 playoff hero Jakub Dobes. Coach Martin St. Louis is riding the hot hand. Fowler started and won the Heritage Classic and had a 46-save shutout of the St. Louis Blues. Fowler was a standout at Boston College and in the AHL, so his early NHL success is a follow to that. He leads the league in Moneypuck's goals saved above expected and will be in the mix for the Vezina Trophy if this continues.
Fowler joins Kochetkov and the Calgary Flames' Devin Cooley in pushing themselves into stints as No. 1 goalies, though Cooley left Wednesday's game with a lower-body injury.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The NHL season is one month old. Here are strong starts we believe.
Source: Sports
0 Comments