sbnation
Although the 2026-27 NHL campaign is still in its infancy, several patterns are starting to take shape that could shape the season's overarching storylines. From free-agent bets that are paying dividends to prospects making their mark and teams already mired in early-season struggles, there is no shortage of compelling narratives to monitor.
The New York Rangers have emerged as an early-season surprise. Sitting atop the Metropolitan Division, they have secured key victories, including a win over the Utah Mammoth—a playoff-caliber team in the West—and, more notably, a 5-1 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning, a squad many consider a Stanley Cup contender from the East.
Defensively, the Rangers have been stellar, surrendering only eight goals, which ranks third in the NHL. Having Igor Shesterkin between the pipes certainly helps, but the entire defensive corps is playing sound hockey. Offensively, the team has evolved after trading away Artemi Panarin, adopting a more balanced attack that involves more skaters. Alexis Lafrenière is starting to flash the potential that made him a No. 1 overall pick, Mika Zibanejad remains as reliable as ever, but the emergence of Gabriel Perreault is particularly noteworthy. Perreault has been outstanding to begin the season, and if the Rangers have unearthed an elite top-line winger, they could be a major surprise all year.
Key Analysis
The Dallas Stars present a puzzling case. The team opted to keep its core intact by re-signing Jason Robertson to a one-year deal, aiming for a deep run while sacrificing already thinning depth. So far, it's hard to get a read on them. They notched convincing wins over the Sabres and Sharks—two solid teams expected to be in the mix—but also fell to the Predators and Blues, opponents they should handle easily. The season's trajectory may hinge on whether those two losses were merely rust or a sign of the inconsistency that has plagued Dallas in recent years.
The Eastern Conference is undergoing a shakeup, with the Canadiens and Flyers surprisingly at the bottom of the standings. Montreal's defense has been atrocious, allowing 19 goals in four games, putting the team in unwinnable situations despite prolific scoring. Philadelphia's woes are even worse, as they struggle to find the net. With only six goals in five games, the Flyers are the league's lowest-scoring team, regressing from last season's struggles. The anticipated offensive leaps from Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov haven't materialized, and the defense is now leaky as well. If this continues, it will be a long season in Philadelphia.
Conversely, the Rangers are surging, and the Senators, Capitals, and Islanders have also taken steps forward. It will be fascinating to see if these teams can maintain their pace.
Carolina's goaltending issues persist. Though it's early, the defending champions are once again dealing with major questions in net. After famously turning to Brandon Bussi during the Stanley Cup Final, hopes were high that the Hurricanes had finally solved their goaltending woes. Instead, the season has started poorly. Despite a defense that has allowed only 105 shots in five games, Bussi's save percentage is .851 with a 3.24 GAA. Backup Pyotr Kochetkov hasn't fared much better, also posting a sub-.900 save percentage. The team has masked goaltending problems for years, but a major shakeup is needed to compete this season—because their hot scoring won't last forever.
The Calgary Flames might be the worst team ever. No one expected Calgary to be good, but they have been a disaster to start the year. At 0-4, they own a staggering -17 goal differential. Nothing is going right: they can't score, can't defend, can't stop shots—they can't do anything. If this persists into November, talk of the worst season of all time will begin. That dubious honor belongs to the 1974-75 Washington Capitals, who went 8-67-5 with a -265 differential. The Flames are on pace for a -349 mark.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken a tentative step forward. There's plenty of time to derail this, but for now, things look promising. They may only be 2-2-1, but they are playing teams close and appear more cohesive on both ends of the ice. Jim Hiller was a questionable hire, yet the former LA Kings coach has Toronto playing more organized hockey. Gavin McKenna is also ahead of schedule with three points in five games, gaining confidence with each shift. Realistically, contention may still be a couple of years away, but the Leafs look decent.
Originally reported by sbnation.