The Season So Far

It’s been a month since the 2017/18 NHL season began. The Vegas Golden Knights have proven that they’re a force to be reckoned with while the Arizona Coyotes are following in last year’s Colorado Avalanche’s losing footsteps. The Tampa Bay Lightning currently lead the Eastern Conference with 24 points having superstar Steven Stamkos put up 25 points in 15 games played. The Florida Panthers and the Buffalo Sabres are tied at 10 points for last in the Eastern Conference.

The St. Louis Blues sit at the top of the Western Conference with 23 points but the LA Kings aren’t far behind with 22 points. The Arizona Coyotes sit dead last in the Conference with only five points in 15 games while the laughing stock of the NHL last year: the Colorado Avalanche are tied for fifth with eight wins and five losses.

The Vegas Golden Knights, despite losing goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury, Malcolm Subban and Oscar Dansk to injuries within the past month, sit at third in the Conference and second in the Pacific Division. They are the first expansion team in NHL’s history to win their first eight of nine games in their inaugural season.

As for the winners of the offseason; the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, and Toronto Maple Leafs stand in good position within their Conferences. Dallas’ offseason additions Alexander Radulov and Ben Bishop help the Stars move up within the Central Division. The Winnipeg Jets signing Steve Mason and Matt Hendricks has proven to add to their team. Patrick Marleau’s signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs has paid off as he has collected nine points in 15 games so far.

So far, this season has surprised a lot of people: the Golden Knights are 9-4-0, the Avalanche is currently on a three-game winning streak, and the Canadiens’ Carey Price currently has a .881 save percentage. Although it’s too early to predict who will make it into the playoffs, these are just a few teams to keep your eyes on.