Welcome to the Quirky Quarter: NHL’s First 25% Unpacked!
Well, well, well! As we hit the quarter-mark of the 2024-25 NHL season, I can’t help but feel like I’ve just finished a marathon. But let’s be real, we’ve barely slipped past the starting line— and with all this action, it’s more like a three-legged race after a frat party!
What a wild ride it’s been — injuries, milestone moments, and coaches getting the heave-ho faster than you can say “offside”! Just when you thought you had a grasp on the standings, it feels like the teams threw a curveball (or should I say, a slapshot?) to keep us guessing.
Major Highlights — The Highs and Lows
Let’s talk about the headline makers, shall we? Connor McDavid coming back with a bang and hitting his 1,000th point while avoiding the customary “my dog ate my homework” excuse. Talk about impressive! On the other hand, Ovechkin appeared ready to play house with Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, only to trip over a great big plot twist called “injury.” What a dramatic plot twist — I almost expect a soap opera theme song to start playing!
Top Performers and Surprises
Now, speaking of surprises, the Winnipeg Jets have taken us all by storm— 16 wins out of 19? It’s almost like they’re intentionally trying to reshape our expectations. Meanwhile, Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes has decided he’s going for the offensive MVP award, and darn it, he’s going to keep us guessing if it’s possible to score more points than I acquire on quiz night at the pub!
The Power Rankings Breakdown
Now here comes the power rankings that leave you wondering if they’ve taken a few too many pucks to the head:
- 1. Winnipeg Jets (16-3-0) – Who are these guys? Their success is so unexpected, I half expect them to turn out to be the cast of a reality TV show, “Making a Contender.”
- 2. Carolina Hurricanes (14-4-0) – Let’s be real, they might just hurricane-force us into submission with their offensive might!
- 3. Washington Capitals (13-4-1) – It seems that even without Ovi on the ice, the Capitals have put on quite the show. Stand back, folks!
- 4. New York Rangers (12-4-1) – Is Will Cuylle the new poster boy for “expectations versus reality”? Someone better get him on a box of Wheaties!
The Not-So-Fabulous Bottom-Dwellers
Let’s not forget our beloved strugglers, where some franchises seem more lost than I am on a first date:
- 30. San Jose Sharks (6-11-4) – After starting off in abysmal fashion, they’ve recovered enough that fans are no longer crying in their overpriced nachos.
- 32. Chicago Blackhawks (6-12-1) – Where even their golden boy, Connor Bedard, has more holes in his goal-scoring résumé than my old pair of pants after a buffet night.
Conclusion: The Road Ahead!
So, what do the next 75% of the season have in store? Will the Jets keep soaring, or will they tumble back to Earth with a spectacular crash landing? Will Ovi emerge healed and reclaim his hunt for history? Will the coaches tighten their belts, or will they be out on job-seeking websites by Christmas? Only time will tell!
One thing’s for sure, folks: this season is shaping up to be a wild one, and if it’s anything like my last attempt at rollerblading, it’s going to be filled with dramatic falls and a few awkward moments! Buckle up!
Nobody can claim the first 25 percent of the campaign has been uneventful. Connor McDavid faced a setback due to an injury but remarkably returned to the ice to achieve a milestone by securing his 1,000th career NHL point in the fourth-fewest games played in league history. On the other end of the spectrum, Alex Ovechkin, who had signalled his intent to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record with a blistering start, found himself sidelined by injury in Monday’s game, where he had just scored his league-leading 15th goal.
We’ve witnessed the Winnipeg Jets setting a remarkable standard, winning an impressive 14 of their first 15 games. Additionally, the trade landscape has shifted, highlighted by the Pittsburgh Penguins moving Lars Eller to the Capitals. Unfortunately, the season has also seen drama off the ice, with the Boston Bruins letting go of coach Jim Montgomery just 16 months after he was awarded coach-of-the-year honors in 2023.
While things have obviously been calmer in some markets than others, there’s enough of a sample size to leverage this week’s power rankings to underline key events, storylines, and performances from the first quarter of the season for all 32 franchises.
1. Winnipeg Jets (16-3-0) Even if you thought the Jets were a Central Division contender — and many of us had them battling for the final two or three playoff spots after a lackluster off-season — nobody could have foreseen their extraordinary start, achieving 16 victories in just 19 outings. How about the incredible 12-12-24 statlines produced by both Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor? It’s fantastic to witness such offensive juggernauts in Manitoba.
2. Carolina Hurricanes (14-4-0) Martin Necas has emerged as a true offensive powerhouse, currently ranking third in league scoring with 30 points, trailing only greats Nathan MacKinnon (34) and Kiril Kaprizov (33).
3. Washington Capitals (13-4-1) The Ovechkin injury is undoubtedly a significant blow, but it should not overshadow the impressive achievements that the Capitals have secured in the early part of the season. Predicted to contend for a wild-card berth at best, they have instead drawn attention thanks to key contributions from players like Dylan Strome and Connor McMichael, bolstering their claim as one of the league’s top teams by both wins and advanced metrics.
4. New York Rangers (12-4-1) Will Cuylle has turned into a delightful revelation on the Rangers’ third line. The 22-year-old sophomore is currently on pace to achieve an impressive 68 points, riding high from 21 points during his rookie season. Even if he ends up being a 20-goal, 50-point player, it would still represent remarkable output for a 6-foot-3, 211-pound winger.
5. Minnesota Wild (12-3-3) Kirill Kaprizov, an already established scoring star in the league, has stepped up this season with a goal-scoring ambition aimed at claiming the Art Ross Trophy. Meanwhile, the narrative around Filip Gustavsson has shifted dramatically; once considered surplus, he currently boasts an outstanding second-best save percentage at .926 among goalies who have played a minimum of 10 games this season.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (12-6-2) Following Joseph Woll’s stunning 3-0 shutout win over Vegas on Wednesday, the Leafs proudly hold the fourth-best team save percentage in the league at .913, with Anthony Stolarz leading the NHL with a remarkable .927 mark.
9. New Jersey Devils (12-7-2) Jacob Markstrom struggled in his first seven games with the Devils, posting a record of 3-3-1 with a .891 save percentage. That narrative has shifted dramatically over the past seven games, where he turned things around to go 5-2-0 with a .924 SP. His resurgence, along with Jake Allen’s strong contributions, is signaling a promising development for the new goalie duo in New Jersey.
12. Calgary Flames (10-6-3) It’s a remarkable surprise to see Calgary positioned within playoff contention after a quarter of the season, propelled by the noteworthy performance of Calder Trophy candidate goalie Dustin Wolf, who has emerged as a critical component of the team’s success.
23. Ottawa Senators (8-9-1) An underwhelming November, where Ottawa only secured two victories in 11 games a year prior, has left fans feeling stuck as the Sens struggle with a 3-5-1 record since November 1 this season. The frustration continues to mount as the team faces challenges on the ice.
32. Chicago Blackhawks (6-12-1) The glaring disappointment surrounding Connor Bedard’s merely three goals to date cannot be overlooked. Moreover, despite high hopes fueled by a flurry of promising free-agent acquisitions, the team has failed to elevate its position in the standings, remaining stagnant thus far during the season.