David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports activities
October is all the time the perfect time to begin overreacting about your NHL staff’s season outlook. The Nashville Predators are in a tailspin and the Winnipeg Jets appear like world-beaters, and with that comes all of the doomsayers and plan-the-parade sorts.
Nevertheless, some issues are panning out precisely as they’re imagined to. That’s the case with these 5 NHLers, who’re off to the perfect begins of their careers. Right here’s why you must imagine in them:
Cole Caufield, RW, Montreal Canadiens
It’s been a sluggish and regular rise for the Canadiens’ undersized sniper, however he lastly appears the a part of an elite NHL goal-scorer with six targets and 7 factors in seven video games.
Consistency is one thing that takes time for a purpose scorer, and he appears to have a couple of extra issues discovered enjoying with bettering linemates. 4 of his targets have come towards high quality opponents in Toronto, Boston and the New York Islanders, so he’s not simply choosing on weak groups both.
His practically 30 p.c capturing fee is because of come down, however he’s proven an extremely constant capturing quantity that would completely yield a 40-goal season. He can be Montreal’s first 40-goal man since Vincent Damphousse lit the lamp 40 instances in 1993-94.
Jake Sanderson, D, Ottawa Senators
By final season, Sanderson was already the undisputed No. 1 D-man in Ottawa, clearly usurping Thomas Chabot as a 21-year-old. However with 38 factors in 79 video games, offensive contributions separated Sanderson from being an elite defender that would stack as much as the league’s greatest.
Nevertheless, with six power-play factors by way of six video games to begin 2024-25, Sanderson has emerged as a really, very early Norris Trophy candidate. Particularly if that interprets right into a extra aggressive Senators staff.
Whereas the Sens’ offense has lastly began to move by way of him, he does want to wash up in his personal finish to achieve the highest echelon of NHL defenders. In keeping with moneypuck.com, he’s simply barely breaking even in shot-attempt proportion and unblocked shot-attempt proportion.
Dylan Guenther, RW, Utah Hockey Membership
The Utah Hockey Membership has shot out of a cannon to kick off their inaugural season, and who higher than Guenther to attain the franchise’s first purpose? Drafted ninth general in 2021, he guarantees to be a core piece of Utah’s up-and-coming group. He parlayed that fast begin into 5 targets in his first three video games.
Guenther has slowed down with only one help in his previous 5 video games, however he’s nonetheless a primary breakout candidate after tallying a formidable 35 factors in 45 video games final season. Guenther is the go-to shot on Utah’s first power-play unit, and watching him play alongside gifted sophomore Logan Cooley can be enjoyable to look at all 12 months lengthy.
Anton Lundell, C, Florida Panthers
After a career-high 44 factors as a rookie in 2021-22, Lundell regressed to seasons of 33 and 35 factors. Nevertheless, for the reason that starting of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Lundell has produced 26 factors in 33 video games.
This season, an damage to franchise heart Aleksander Barkov opened the door to a top-line function alongside 50-goal scorer Sam Reinhart. Lundell has seized the chance with 5 targets and 9 factors to begin the season, proving he belongs on the prime of an NHL lineup.
Whereas Barkov is slated to return in brief order, enjoying with Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk won’t be a really massive step down for Lundell’s manufacturing. Energy-play time is the important thing to unlocking extra offense, so he’ll doubtless must unseat Sam Bennett for that proper.
If not this 12 months, Bennett’s contract expiring on the finish of the season stands out as the break Lundell must cement himself because the Panthers’ No. 2 heart behind Barkov.
Ross Colton, LW, Colorado Avalanche
Amidst the chaos of the Colorado Avalanche’s poor begin and goaltending woes, Colton has been a shock.
Colton was a important depth piece for the Tampa Bay Lightning throughout their 2021 and 2022 Cup runs, however the Avalanche are trying to make one thing extra of the 2016 fourth-round choose, who reached a career-high 40 factors in 80 video games final season with the staff.
Not everybody can sustain with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, however Colton has stood tall to the duty, netting seven targets and eight factors to begin the 12 months. Sure, the Avs are lacking Jonathan Drouin, Artturi Lehkonen and Gabriel Landeskog, so it’s not assured Colton will maintain his top-line function all 12 months, nevertheless it’s exhausting to argue with outcomes. Colton’s 25 p.c capturing fee is excessive however on the decrease finish in comparison with the opposite seven prime goal-scorers within the NHL.
Exterior of the Avs’ prime line, which has posted 17 targets, the remainder of the roster has solely offered 12. Even when gamers return to the lineup, Colton has the chance to persuade Colorado that they haven’t any cause to shift him down.
