The Boston Bruins are leading the NHL with a record of 24-4-2. Hampus Lindholm, a new star on the Bruins roster, has helped the Bruins get off to their best start in franchise history. Lindholm, a defenseman, held down the fort on the back end until Charlie McAvoy returned from injury. Lindholm has improved his game, averaging almost a point per game, garnering a plus-20 rating, and dominating every shift. David Pastrňák, a forward, has been terrific too, helping carry the offense with a strong 39 points to start the season so far.
Behind the Bruins are the underdogs, the New Jersey Devils (21-6-2). After a rough season last year, they weren’t expected to be successful this season but had a 13-game winning streak, setting a new franchise record for the longest win streak. The Devils captain, Nico Hischier, is on a quest; he is now a two-way player. Hischier is a true triple threat because of his talent (26 points in 24 games), work ethic, and leadership skills. This is Hischier’s best performance to date, and as New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff stated, he ought to be considered for the Selke Trophy.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a recent tear and have bumped the Golden Knights out of the third-place spot. Captain John Tavares has put up a strong performance of 30 points this season, with multiple star players following him. Auston Matthews, arguably one of the best goal scorers in the league, has 35 points this season, averaging over one point per game. Along with Matthews, Mitch Marner is leading the team with 37 points. He is currently on a 23-game point streak. Although it’s far off of Wayne Gretzky’s 51-game point streak, it’s still very impressive. Another Stanley Cup favorite is hoping to break the common occurrence of their first-round exit. The fan base is still awaiting a playoff series win for the first time in almost 20 years.
Following the Leafs in fourth place are the Vegas Golden Knights (21-9-1), currently one of the Stanley Cup favorites. Two of the three teams on the podium didn’t even reach the playoffs last year, which shows how big of a difference one season can make.