NHL's Biggest Surprises: Month One Recap
On Monday, October 7th, the NHL commenced its 2022-2023 season in Prague as part of the Global Series where the Nashville Predators faced off against the San Jose Sharks. The first game in the US kicked off with an eastern conference finals match-up from last season, the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the New York Rangers. Going into this season, there were lots of expectations for certain teams and their performance levels. Let’s unpack what teams have been the biggest surprises a month into a season that is clear to bring some big upsets.
Coming into the 2022-2023 season, the St. Louis Blues were destined to dominate the central division of the NHL. Jordan Kyrou, the 24-year-old right winger was set to lead the team in points in goal. Kyrou has had an impressive rookie season, ending last year with the second-highest number of points on the Blues. 23-year-old Robert Thomas faced high expectations to lead the team to a clear playoff run. With the addition of Torey Krug from the Boston Bruins, the Blues’ journey to the western conference finals secured their place as the front-runners for the top of the table in the central division. After a month into the season, they sit at the bottom of the table with a record of 3-8-0. We’ll see if the rest of the season follows down this path or if the Blues will find their way out of a difficult first month.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were said to have had their own version of “The Last Dance” in the 2021-2022 season. After losing to the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs and Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang’s futures not being confirmed, it seemed as though their chances of a successful season were over. This quickly took after a tough playoff exit in a series that went to seven games. The three players that held the record for the most games played together as a trio at 118 all confirmed their interest in staying with the team and signing new contracts. It seemed that the base of the trio, Jake Guentzel and new pickups Jason Zucker and Rickard Rikell, with the help of healthy goalie, Tristan Jarry, would surely bring another successful season and place near the top of the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins, however, went on a seven-game losing streak to start their 2022-2023 season. They hold a record of 4-6-2, putting them second to last in their division. Nobody expected it, as the word around the league was that the Penguins were surely cup contenders. There is much time to improve, but after the first month morale is low among the fanbase.
Let’s turn the page.
The New Jersey Devils have consistently finished at the bottom of not only their division but also the league as a whole over the past 4 years. They’re amidst a rebuild as first pick Nico Hischer and Jack Hughes are set to lead the young team into a squad reliant on youthful talent. Still remaining extremely young, a breakout year for Jack Hughes wouldn’t even be able to guarantee success. 13 games in, and the Devils are at the top of the Metropolitan with a record of 10 wins and 3 losses. Opposite to the Penguins, they currently hold a winning streak of eight. “The Rock” has been full this first month as Lindy Ruff is holding on to his tenure as head coach, a new pickup of Vitek Vanecek between the pipes, and a breakout start for Jesper Bratt have carried them to their early success. The start to the Devils season has been an impressive one, but the real question is if they have the depth to go far into the playoffs, one that will be answered as the season progresses.
We all know Philadelphia has had a great few weeks, the Flyers included, with an astonishing start to their season. Most of the results may come as a surprise, but the most shocking has to be their record of 7-3-2. Similarly to the Devils, Philly has been at the bottom of the pack the last two seasons, and Claude Giroux’s exit seemed like the knife in the metaphorical coffin. Their brightest moment was the reveal of their viral mascot, Gritty, while a serious back injury to Couturier was a big hit. Star center Kevin Hayes is being heavily relied on to bring the team to success. Unfortunately, their rookies aren’t good enough to bring wins, so they brought in reinforcements. John Tortorella is no doubt the harshest, most abrasive coach in NHL history. His brutal tactics have paid off, whipping the Flyers into shape. It’s clear Tortorella has had an impact, as they are at the top of the league and their division for the first time in years. Travis Konecny, Hayes, Farabee, and new addition Tony DeAngelo all have led the team in points and are a huge factor in their win rate. The Flyers first month has been impressive, but the real test will be if they can last.
A few weeks into the NHL has bred unexpected results. The front-runners have fallen short, while the underdogs have overcome their obstacles. We’re only 13-14 games in, so things are bound to change, but it’s clear that this season will be special. Thankfully, we have 70 more games to go and the best is yet to come. What do you think the league will look like a month from now?