by Max Goren
The Carolina Hurricanes are the league’s best team
Let’s get this out of the way up front. I have followed the Carolina Hurricanes closely since I was about 8 years old. This is the best roster the team has had in that time. Through four games, they are the lone undefeated team remaining in the NHL, and they own the league’s best goal differential at +11. Seth Jarvis is making his star turn, Logan Stankoven appears to be the solution at second-line center, Alexander Nikishin is as good as advertised (if not better), and Shayne Gostisbehere has arguably been one of the best defensemen in the league to this point. I could go on and on about the contributions the Canes are getting from all over the lineup. Visits to Vegas, Colorado and Dallas on their current road trip will provide a real test of this team’s mettle against top competition.
Montreal cannot play a normal game
Last season, the Canadiens surged into the playoffs, riding dramatic finish after dramatic finish to sneak into the final wild card spot. This season, it’s looking like more of the same- in their last three games, Montreal has scored a game-winning or game-tying goal in the final three minutes of regulation. Thursday night, Cole Caufield scored an electric tying goal against Nashville with 20 seconds remaining in the third period, then followed it up with the OT game-winner with three seconds left in the extra frame. For neutral fans looking for a fun watch, look no further than Les Habitants.
The Rangers set an NHL record
Six games into their schedule, the New York Rangers are sitting at 2-3-1. Not great by any means, but not exactly in the basement, either. However, when you look at their home results, it reveals a disconcerting statistic- the Rangers have not scored a single goal in their first three games at Madison Square Garden. Not one. They are the first team in NHL history to be shut out in their first three home games. Obviously, New York will eventually bury one at MSG- the Rangers host Minnesota and San Jose next week- but fans of the Blueshirts are likely fed up with going home to their $3000/month studio apartments without a goal.
League parity is apparent, but some teams are starting to separate
There is great competitive balance in the NHL. Any team can beat any other team on any given night. That being said, the elite are rising to the top, and the bottom-feeders are making themselves apparent. Carolina, Colorado, Dallas and Vegas will be at the top of the standings at season’s end. The endless nightmare continues for the Sabres in Buffalo; they may as well start booking some tee times for mid-April. Rebuilding teams like the Islanders, Sharks and Flames will not be in the postseason either.
Puck Knowers’ Player to Watch of the Week: Frank Nazar, Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago is a team that could be frisky this year, thanks in part to this young centerman. There were more than a few skeptics this summer when the Blackhawks signed Nazar to a seven-year, $46.3 million contract after just 13 career goals in 56 games of NHL experience. The 21-year-old center has lived up to the hype thus far, with six points in five games to start off his 2025-26 campaign. Centering Tyler Bertuzzi and former Hurricane Teuvo Teravainen on Chicago’s second line, keep an eye on Nazar, who will be a key piece to their rebuild going forward.