The NHL is exactly one month into its 2020-21 regular season. While COVID-19 outbreaks have forced the postponement of 35 games thus far, the league has continued playing on as scheduled, albeit a few schedule shuffles here and there. There have also been some interesting disappointments and surprises amongst teams that have either drastically failed or exceeded their preseseason expectations.
Of course, there have been some usual suspects at both the top and bottom of the league standings. Stanley Cup contenders like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs have all jumped out of the gate early. On the other hand, either one of the rebuilding Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks or Detroit Red Wings could easily land the No. 1 pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
However, these disappointments and surprises have been intriguing. Many of these teams were regarded as borderline playoff contenders that have either exceeded that mark or are simply in the league’s basement right now.
Here’s a breakdown of some early season disappointments and surprises, analyzing five teams per category.
Disappointment: Vancouver Canucks (6-11-0)
Following a three-game home sweep of the Ottawa Senators and a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets Jan. 30, the Canucks have lost six straight. In those six games, opponents have outscored the team 29-11 — en route to a 6-11-0 start.
This is the same team that pushed the Golden Knights to seven games during last year’s Western Conference Semifinals. The same team with a plethora of rising stars, most notably Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. The same team that acquired veteran stalwarts in goaltender Braden Holtby and defenseman Nate Schmidt last offseason.
It’s tough to pinpoint exactly one area of Vancouver’s early season shortcomings, but fourth-year head coach Travis Green could be on the hot seat if his team’s issues persist. Holtby and Thatcher Demko, the latter of whom impressed in last year’s semifinals, both have subpar goals against averages of 3.75 and 3.81, respectively.
Playing in a talented North Division doesn’t help. However, the Canucks have been nothing short of a disaster this season. Vancouver has too much talent on paper to continue their early struggles.
Surprise: Montreal Canadiens (8-4-2)
Arguably no team in the NHL has surprised more than the Canadiens. The team looked like a borderline playoff contender at best heading into the season.
While it’s still early, defenseman Jeff Petry is having a career year thus far. While he has been a solid option all throughout his career with the Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers, the 33-year-old has put up an impressive 14 points with a +13 rating. Offseason additions Tyler Toffoli and Josh Anderson have both shown tremendous flashes of potential, too.
The addition of Jake Allen has also worked out nicely. He is 4-1 with a 1.84 goals against average through five games and is an above-average option for Carey Price at backup.
Granted, four of Montreal’s eight wins have come against the lowly Canucks and Senators. However, this team’s depth is something special and could pay off in the long run.
Disappointment: Pittsburgh Penguins (6-5-1)
Any time you have franchise cornerstones Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, there will be pressure to win. However, the Penguins are struggling to do just that consistently this season.
Where do the team’s shortcomings begin? The tandem of Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith have combined for a 3.40 goals against average behind what is a mediocre defense at best, and the latter of whom could be exposed in this summer’s Expansion Draft and en route to the Emerald City. Furthermore, both Crosby and Malkin have averaged less than a point per game.
While you can never count out the aforementioned twosome, the Penguins might not necessarily have the weapons to keep up in the highly competitive East Division. A retool might be necessary if they want to reclaim their status as an elite and perennial contender.
Surprise: Chicago Blackhawks (6-5-4)
Stumbling to an 0-3-1 start right out of the gate, the Blackhawks looked just as what everyone predicted. A young, unproven team lacking depth and consistent goaltending.
However, that hasn’t been the case these last three weeks, as the team has gone 6-2-3 since.
What many predicted would be the team’s greatest weakness has arguably been one of its greatest strengths. 25-year-old Kevin Lankinen has been nothing short of stellar in net. He has made his case as an early Calder Trophy frontrunner with a solid .924 save percentage.
The team’s youth movement has been something special, too. Complementing Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat offensively are rookies Pius Suter and Philipp Kurashev. Neither are projected as top-tier talent yet, but they have delivered in clutch moments, most notably Suter’s 2-1 overtime winner against the Dallas Stars Feb. 9. Kane has also continued his dominance as one of the league’s premier players with a team-high 20 points.
Can the Blackhawks keep this momentum going, or are they simply a young team hitting their peak? Even if the answer is the latter, there’s plenty to like when it comes to Chicago’s youthfulness.
Disappointment: Nashville Predators (6-8-0)
Since losing to the Penguins in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, the Predators’ Stanley Cup window has slowly, but surely been slammed shut. The team could lose its stalwart goaltender Pekka Rinne this offseason due to free agency. While he has looked respectable thus far, his protégé, Juuse Saros, has struggled to do the same with a 3.68 goals against average.
Special teams have been a huge concern in the Music City. The team’s penalty kill is the worst in the league at just below 63 percent, and its power play ranks 22nd. Center depth is a glaring hole between the struggles of Matt Duchene and Erik Haula, and Ryan Johansen’s recent injury doesn’t help either.
There are concerns in Nashville. I’m honestly not sure how general manager David Poile handles matters should the team miss the postseason for the first time since 2014. Consistency has been a theme of the Predators over the last half decade, but that’s looking like the exact opposite this season.
Surprise: Winnipeg Jets (8-4-1)
The Jets have fallen short of expectations these past two seasons after advancing to the 2018 Western Conference Final, but they’ve had a nice early season run. The addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois gives them arguably the league’s most competent center depth with Mark Scheifele and Paul Stastny also in the fold.
Connor Hellebuyck is an early candidate to win back-to-back Vezina Trophies, stringing together an impressive 2.39 goals against average. While they could probably use another top-four defenseman or two, the Jets don’t necessarily have one glaring weakness.
With five of the team’s next seven games against the Canucks and Senators, the Jets have a great opportunity down the stretch to continue winning games. Should the consistency stay intact, they could very well make a push for the top of the North Division.
Disappointment: Columbus Blue Jackets (7-5-3)
While their record might not indicate it, the Blue Jackets are nothing but mediocre.
Led by head coach John Tortorella, whose sour relationship with Dubois led to his trade Jan. 23, the Blue Jackets are lacking the consistency they’ve had these past few seasons. Tortorella also abruptly benched new addition and 22-year-old sniper Patrik Laine for an off-ice interaction with an assistant coach Feb. 8. Like Green, he could be on his way out of town if the team continues underwhelming.
It’s been a slow start offensively, too. Just Jack Roslovic is averaging more than a point per game while Oliver Bjorkstrand and Cam Atkinson are the only two forwards with double-digit points. The team’s young goaltending tandem of Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo has also been a disappointment.
The loss of Zach Werenski to injured reserve has to be a reason for concern. His partner, Seth Jones, has a -11 rating — far below his standards. It’s not panic time in Columbus yet, but I don’t know if this team necessarily has the depth to earn a top-four spot in a tight Central Division.
Surprise: Florida Panthers (8-1-2)
Much like Montreal, Florida’s schedule thus far hasn’t been too challenging. Five of the team’s eight wins have come against the Predators, Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings. That said, Panthers fans have every right to be excited about the team’s hot start as they look for their first postseason appearance since 2016.
The duo of Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov has looked dominant as usual. Young stud Carter Verhaeghe has also taken a nice step forward, recording a team-high seven goals in 11 games. Should the team keep up its early momentum, three-time Stanley Cup champion Joel Quenneville could stir some conversation as a potential Jack Adams candidate.
While I want to see a little more sustained success, a 5-2 victory over the Lightning Feb. 11 has to be a major confidence booster. The Panthers have been winning games, and that’s what matters most in this pandemic-abbreviated season.
Disappointment: San Jose Sharks (5-6-1)
Because of Santa Clara County COVID-19 regulations, the Sharks have yet to play on home ice this season. That’ll change Feb. 13 against the Golden Knights, which has to be a breath of fresh air.
The Sharks have taken a significant step backward since reaching the 2019 Western Conference Final. Veteran Devan Dubnyk, who the team acquired last offseason to fix their goaltending woes, has a solid .917 save percentage. However, the same cannot be said about his counterpart, Martin Jones, who has a disastrous 4.08 goals against average in eight games.
The offense and defense are far below average. Young forwards Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc have just six and five points, respectively, while top defenseman Erik Karlsson remains scoreless and has a -6 rating. Since reaching the conference final, the two-time Norris Trophy winner has been nothing but a disappointment after coming over from the Senators in September 2018.
San Jose is washed. A top-three, or even a top-five pick in this year’s draft would pay major dividends in becoming younger and quicker. Unlike the Blackhawks, the Sharks don’t have enough young pieces to simply retool on the fly.
Surprise: Carolina Hurricanes (8-3-0)
Unlike the Panthers or Jets, the Hurricanes were regarded as a bonafide contender heading into 2020-21. That said, a five-game loss to the Boston Bruins in last year’s quarterfinals exposed some of the team’s weaknesses — most notably its goaltending.
While the recent loss of Petr Mrazek has raised concerns in net, he recently returned to practice and could continue building on his 0.99 goals against average in four games played.
Top forwards Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho have both averaged more than a point per game while the power play has clicked at just above 24 percent. Furthermore, captain Jordan Staal’s faceoff percentage of 60.34 ranks fourth in the NHL. He has been an absolute workhorse since returning from the league’s COVID-19 reserve list in late January.
If Mrazek continues his dominance, there’s no reason not to believe this team could be more than a borderline contender and dare I say, challenge the Lightning for divisional supremacy. The weapons are in place and should Mrazek hold up in net, this team is certainly above average at each position.
Enjoy this article? Check out our prediction of the Seattle Kraken roster for the 2021-22 season.
