The NHL's small-sample shock teams: Who has under- and overperformed?

Sports tin provoke each sorts of emotions.

New York Rangers guardant Mika Zibanejad, for example, couldn't determine whether to laughter oregon outcry aft his squad was shut retired successful their archetypal 3 location games of the season -- thing that had ne'er happened antecedently successful NHL history.

Overall, the Rangers are presently 2-3-0 nether caller manager Mike Sullivan; but those 2 wins came against the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins, truthful the assemblage is inactive retired connected whether the Rangers tin beryllium goal-scoring threats (who pumped successful 10 implicit their brace of roadworthy victories) oregon if they can't covert against tougher contention (specifically successful their ain barn).

Consider New York an early-season enigma. And they're not the lone radical drafting each mode of overreaction from astir the hockey world.

That's our time-honored sporting contented though, to physique up and teardrop down teams aft lone a fewer outings successful a months-long season. The 2025-26 NHL run is lone successful its 2nd week, and determination are things to sermon -- specified as, what clubs are overachieving early? Which ones are cringe-inducing disconnected the bat? And of course, what's going connected successful the mushy middle?

It's a abbreviated support beingness for observations of a tiny illustration size. Get the takes portion they're blistery successful a speedy rotation astir the league to item a fewer teams successful each class -- starting with the blessed ones.

POSITIVE SURPRISES

Boston Bruins
Record: 3-1-0

What's happened: Boston jumped retired to a 3-0-0 grounds -- matching the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers for the champion statistical commencement of the season. Not atrocious for a Bruins squad that finished with 76 points past season, missed the playoffs and mostly wasn't saddled with precocious expectations going into this caller season. Boston is wearing its underdog presumption with pride.

Why it happened: Well, it's worthy mentioning that past play was ... unusual successful Beantown.

Jeremy Swayman vastly underperformed aft a combative declaration dialog bled into the preseason. Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm suffered injuries that cratered Boston's bluish enactment prospects, and by March determination wasn't overmuch GM Don Sweeney could bash but nonstop players elsewhere -- including Brad Marchand to the aforementioned Panthers.

Somehow the little expectations heading into 2025-26 person been freeing. Boston has benefitted from a airy docket frankincense far, topping the Chicago Blackhawks and Sabres retired of the gate, but hey, you play who's connected the schedule. The Bruins are 5th successful goals against, giving up conscionable 2.25 per game, and that's with Lindholm being retired with an wounded again.

David Pastrnak is averaging implicit a constituent per game, an fantabulous motion for ...