headtopics
The 2026-27 NHL campaign is barely a month old, yet it has already produced two blockbuster trades and a slew of unexpected developments. The Winnipeg Jets are seemingly stepping back from contention in the Central Division, while the New Jersey Devils have emerged as a top-tier favorite in the Eastern Conference. Additionally, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a splash by acquiring Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets just before the season began.
Off-ice drama has also taken center stage, with several star players either sitting out or finding themselves in uncertain situations. The summer was marked by unrest, and as teams approach the 10-game mark, here are the ten biggest surprises so far.
1. Star Players in Limbo
Connor Hellebuyck has yet to suit up for the Jets, opting to sit out while the team seeks a trade partner. He is not alone: Detroit's Simon Edvinsson and Carolina's Alexander Nikishin, both restricted free agents without contracts, could be impactful top-four defensemen elsewhere. The Red Wings insist they will not trade Edvinsson, but the situation remains fluid. Meanwhile, former Detroit captain Dylan Larkin is still with the team and playing, though it does not feel like a long-term solution. Seattle's Shane Wright also requested a trade early in the summer but is currently playing for the Kraken. Given the number of trade requests, it is remarkable that so many quality players are either sidelined or in a holding pattern.
2. Boston's Unlikely Rise
The top four teams in the league include Carolina, Edmonton, and Vegas—the two Stanley Cup Finalists and a team featuring a player with 31 points in 10 games. The fourth? The Boston Bruins, who lead the league with a plus-20 goal differential. Boston has scored 42 goals and allowed 22, fueling an 8-2-1 start. The Bruins boast a league-best .929 save percentage, which has masked their middling 5-on-5 expected goals for percentage (12th and 14th on special teams). Only one Bruins player has more than eight points. While this pace seems unsustainable, every year a team defies analytics and logic.
3. Seattle's Scoring Surge
The Seattle Kraken are also finding the back of the net with surprising frequency. Entering Friday, Seattle was tied for fourth in goals per game, driving a 7-3-1 start. The Kraken were projected to be mediocre—not as bad as Vancouver or Calgary—but they have exceeded expectations. Freddy Gaudreau and Mackie Samoskevich have combined for 11 goals on 30 shots, and the team is shooting 14.04% at 5-on-5, trailing only Edmonton and Colorado. However, Seattle lacks the high-end talent to sustain this, ranking 28th in 5-on-5 expected goals for percentage and having a sub-70% penalty kill. Without improvement in these areas, the Kraken will likely fall to the bottom third of the standings as predicted.
4. Edmonton's Defensive Turnaround
After a rocky start in which they allowed 13 goals in two games against the Canucks, the Oilers have tightened up defensively. Edmonton has surrendered just 17 goals in its past eight games and holds an 8-1-1 record. The team is dumping the puck more and relying on its superstars to generate offense. While this approach is working, a one-dimensional fastball offense may not be enough to win the Stanley Cup. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combining for 300-plus points would be a sight to behold.
5. Utah's Emergence
The Utah Mammoth did not acquire Hellebuyck, but the Jets' decline only boosts Utah's rise. Last year, Utah was a legitimately good team, ranking sixth in expected goals for percentage and ahead of Minnesota and Dallas in the Central. This season, the Mammoth are second in the league in xGF% at nearly 62%, and their power play is tops at 38.5%. Nick Schmaltz has five power-play goals, and eight players have at least one. Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther have franchise potential, and the offseason additions are performing well. If goaltending improves, Utah could host Game 1 of a playoff series instead of Dallas or Denver.
6. Dallas's Defensive Dominance
The Dallas Stars are struggling to score but are nearly impossible to score against. They have allowed just 16 goals in 10 games, the best in the league. St. Louis scored four on opening night, but two were empty-netters, and Colorado is the only team to score three times on a Stars goalie. Dallas has scored only 25 goals, tied for 27th at 2.5 per game. However, the goals will come. If Jake Oettinger contends for the Vezina Trophy, the Stars will be tough to unseat atop the Central.
7. McDavid's Historic Pace
McDavid earns another spot on this list for his extraordinary start. How good must a player be to surprise with 31 points in 10 games? No one has recorded 30 points in a 10-game stretch since Mario Lemieux in 1996-97. The year before, Lemieux had 33 in his best 10-game stretch and 40 in the first 12 games, en route to 161 points—the most since 1990-91. That is McDavid's target; his career best is 153, the highest of the salary cap era.
8. Philadelphia's Free Fall
The Flyers have had a few good days to right the ship, but a team that reached the second round last year and has a solid young core should not lose nine straight to start the season. Fans in Vancouver and Phoenix may not be surprised, but Philadelphia ranks 30th in shots on goal per game and 31st in shots allowed. That illustrates just how poor the Avalanche were on Monday night in Philadelphia.
9. Atlantic Division Woes
Buffalo and Montreal were big risers in the Eastern Conference last season and engaged in an epic second-round series. This year, both clubs are off to rough starts and woke up Friday tied for last in the Atlantic Division. The reason? Both teams need saves. Utah has the league's worst collective save percentage, but Montreal and Buffalo are right there at 31st and 30th. The Sabres were linked to Hellebuyck, and the Canadiens are hoping one of Jakub Dobes or Jacob Fowler can figure it out. Perhaps one of these teams will pursue a goalie later in the year.
10. Lafrenière's Breakout
Alexis Lafrenière has gone from potential franchise player to No. 1 overall pick to solid middle-six forward—a bust at that draft position—to perhaps ready to fulfill his promise. He has eight goals and 14 points in 12 games and, along with Adam Fox, is leading a surprising Rangers team that is playing well despite losing ace goaltender Igor Shesterkin for the season with a knee injury.
Originally reported by headtopics.