Way-Too-Early Report Cards for Every NHL Team After First Week of 2024-25 Season
Now that we are through the first week of the 2024-25 NHL season and have had our first looks at every team, it's time to hand out some way-too-early grades on each team's first impression.
Keep in mind, it is early and a slow (or fast) start does not necessarily mean anything for how the season is going to go. The Edmonton Oilers looked awful through the first month-and-a-half of the 2023-24 season and ended up playing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Things can, and likely will, change for a lot of teams. So, these grades are not necessarily an indicator of where each team will be this season. It's simply a quick reaction to what we have seen through one week.
Here are the early first impressions, reactions and grades.
Anaheim Ducks (B)
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The Ducks opened the season with a shutout win over the San Jose Sharks and then dropped a close game to the Vegas Golden Knights. In other words, they beat the team they were expected to beat and lost to the team they were expected to lose to.
The most encouraging sign so far is that Trevor Zegras has a goal already and Leo Carlsson has played well despite not recording a point yet.
While Ducks fans would probably like to see a playoff berth at some point, the most important thing for the team this season is simply showing improvement and having its young talent develop.
Boston Bruins (B-)
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The good news is the Bruins are 2-0 against teams that are not the Florida Panthers.
The bad news is they are 0-2 against the Florida Panthers, which is one of the teams they are going to have to get through if they are going to have any chance of competing for the Eastern Conference.
The worse news is that they are still showing some flaws in their 5-on-5 play (only a 46 percent expected goals share) and look like a team that is again going to be dependent on goaltending.
Jeremy Swayman has looked good so far, but Joonas Korpisalo struggled in his early start. That is going to be a situation to watch.
Not a bad start, but a lot of questions remain with this team.
Buffalo Sabres (C)
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The Sabres scored just three goals in their first three games (all losses) and got off to an extremely discouraging start before bouncing back with a big win over the Panthers.
So far, the schedule has been incredibly tough with games against New Jersey (two), Los Angeles and Florida. And while the results have not yet been there, they have had at least a few encouraging signs with the process in how they are playing.
Young goalie Devon Levi, 22, has played well in his first two starts, while their underlying 5-on-5 numbers (specifically their 56 percent expected goals share) have been promising.
They could probably use a little puck luck right now, but they still have a lot to prove this season to show their rebuild is actually making progress.
Another missed playoff team would be unacceptable, especially when the Sabres entered the season with more than $6 million in salary-cap space that is currently being unused.
Calgary Flames (A)
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There are a lot of unexpected surprises here early on. The biggest being that the Flames are 3-0 and have already scored 16 goals.
For a team that has spent the past year shedding proven players and money, expectations were extraordinarily low entering the season. If nothing else, they are giving their fans some exciting hockey at the start.
The most encouraging sign is that Jonathan Huberdeau already has five points, including three goals, in the Flames' first three games.
His contract has become one of the worst in the NHL with the way his production has evaporated since joining the club. Getting him back to being a top-line scorer would not only give the Flames some value for that money, but it might also make him somewhat tradable.
Carolina Hurricanes (B)
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It is tough to give a grade to a team that has only played one game, but we're going to try.
The Carolina Hurricanes were 4-1 losers to Tampa Bay in their opener, but that score is a little misleading.
For one, they mostly outplayed the Lightning in terms of generating chances and carrying the play. While two of the opposition's goals were empty-net goals at the end.
The Hurricanes had the right process but simply did not get the win.
That will happen over the course of an 82-game season. If they play as they did in their opener every night, they are going to win a lot of hockey games.
Chicago Blackhawks (C)
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With three points in six games, the Chicago Blackhawks are off to a solid start when you consider the opponents they have had.
Playing the opening game at Utah was like going into a playoff atmosphere, and then they had to play two more road games against Western Conference playoff teams Winnipeg and Edmonton.
Not an easy start to the season for a rebuilding team that is still short on talent.
In terms of results, there is nothing to be overly disappointed about.
But given the way they have actually played, they are probably a little fortunate to have the number of points they do have.
A 44 percent expected goals share is not going to work in the long term, and the goaltending has probably played a little over its head so far.
Colorado Avalanche (F)
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There are two things happening here: The first is that Avalanche are off to a brutal start with three consecutive losses and have already given up 20 goals. The second is we haven't really seen the roster as it was meant to be constructed due to an extensive list of injuries.
The latter point makes it easy to remain calm and not panic too much. They will be better and eventually get players back.
What is a concern is that the goaltending has been terrible, and that was one of the big preseason question marks for this team. They need more from that position.
Columbus Blue Jackets (B)
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It's hard to find much fault with anything here for the Blue Jackets.
They split a season-opening two-game road trip through Minnesota and Colorado, scoring an impressive 6-4 win in the latter game in what was probably penciled in as a preseason loss for people outside of Columbus.
This is going to be a tough year for the Blue Jackets given the lack of proven talent on the roster, but they have an outstanding prospect pool and just need to bring them along.
Kent Johnson is part of that collection of young talent and already has two goals in Columbus' first two games.
Dallas Stars (A)
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The Dallas Stars are one of the best teams in the NHL on paper, and they have played like it on the ice through their first three games.
They are a perfect 3-0, have allowed just three total goals and posted back-to-back shutouts in their past two wins.
There is not a true weakness anywhere on this roster, and they just keep bringing young standout players through their farm system.
After developing Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson, Jake Oettinger, Thomas Harley, Roope Hintz and Wyatt Johnston over the past five years, they have another emerging impact player in Logan Stankoven who might be a Calder Trophy contender this season.
The Stars have been a regular in the Western Conference Final in recent years and should have those expectations again this season.
Detroit Red Wings (C)
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There were very real, very legitimate and very obvious issues with this Red Wings team coming into the season.
Some of them have been on display through their first three games.
Those concerns are centered around their defense and goaltending, and while they did have a 3-0 shutout win over Nashville in their second game, that win was sandwiched between two tougher games against Pittsburgh and New York where some of the flaws were on display.
They have the potential to score goals, but how they stop teams is going to be a serious question. They may not have a good answer for it.
Edmonton Oilers (F)
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The Oilers have opened the season with a three-game home stand, including two games against teams that missed the playoffs a year ago and are expected to miss them again this season: Calgary and Chicago.
The results for the Oilers in those three games? An 0-3 record while being outscored by a 15-3 margin while Connor McDavid has yet to score a goal.
That's a tough start.
Try not to be too discouraged, Oilers fans, because your team got off to an even worse start a year ago and still ended up one win away from lifting the Stanley Cup. There is still a lot of time.
That does not take away the concerns that exist on this team (defensive depth, goaltending), but they are still too good to play this bad all season.
Florida Panthers (C+)
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The Panthers have scored two impressive wins against the Boston Bruins, but they have lost back-to-back games to Ottawa and Buffalo in between.
The goaltending has been a little spotty so far with a sub-.900 save percentage, and they also lost their captain—and best all-around player—Aleksander Barkov for a couple of weeks due to an injury.
The Panthers should still be one of the best teams in the NHL this season, but it should also be expected that they might take a small step backwards in terms of playoff success. It's really difficult to make three consecutive Stanley Cup Final runs.
This is the type of situation where the team might be just as good—perhaps even better—as the year before, but the results do not always show it just because it's really hard to keep going that far in the playoffs every year.
Los Angeles Kings (B-)
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The Kings are opening the season on a massive seven-game road trip.
It has began with them collecting at least a point in each of their first three games, including a pair of overtime losses in Ottawa and Boston. The latter game was a wild 8-7 loss in which starting goalie Darcy Kuemper struggled to stop the puck.
It was a big step backwards from his first two games where he looked sensational and made a couple of highlight-reel saves to help them steal the season-opening win in Buffalo.
Kuemper is going to be the big wild card for the Kings this season, especially if he can rebound from a couple of down years in Washington.
With Matt Roy gone in free agency and Drew Doughty sidelined for several months to open the season, it's going to put even more pressure on Kuemper to play well. So far, the results have been a little mixed.
Minnesota Wild (B)
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Through their first three games the Wild are third in the NHL allowing just 1.95 expected goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play, and just eight total goals.
The defensive numbers are encouraging, but even more encouraging is the development that goalie Filip Gustavsson has played well in his first two starts, allowing only four total goals in his appearances.
Gustavsson took a massive step backwards last year, but he still has No. 1 ability and potential.
If he bounces back closer to his 2022-23 form, it would really help a flawed Wild team that is short on salary-cap space to get back into playoff contention.
Forwards Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov are also off to strong starts offensively.
Montreal Canadiens (B-)
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The Canadiens' young top line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky has been outstanding, but there is only so much that group can do.
The depth here is still thin and this roster is very much a work in progress, especially with their biggest offseason addition, forward Patrik Laine, sidelined for several months due to a preseason injury.
They need one of their young goalies to take a big leap forward and be a game-stealer to keep them in the playoff race, and Sam Montembeault has played well at times early in the season.
That top line is going to cause some problems for teams, but the rest of the roster is going to cause some problems for the Canadiens.
Nashville Predators (C-)
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There is no shame in losing a 4-3 season-opening game to the Dallas Stars, but failing to score a single goal and getting shutout by that Detroit Red Wings defense and goaltending is a disappointing result.
The Predators have sky-high expectations this season after a stunning free-agency spending spree that landed them Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei, but they are off to a bit of a slow start.
Nashville made the playoffs a year ago and had the type of 5-on-5 performance that you usually see from a Stanley Cup contender. It just needed some finishers on offense to help bring it all together.
The Predators are hoping they added that in Stamkos and Marchessault. Both players scored 40 goals a year ago and should still have some juice left to make an impact for a Cup hopeful.
New Jersey Devils (A)
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The Devils are primed for a bounce-back season and have not disappointed so far.
They have won four of their first five games, outscoring teams by a 17-9 margin and have looked like a team that has a chance to compete for the Eastern Conference this season.
The biggest changes from over the past year are better health for their star players so far and the fact that they have a competent goaltending duo with Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen.
As long as players like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier all stay healthy, and Markstrom plays like a No. 1 goalie, this team should not only make the playoffs but also be one of the best teams in the NHL.
New York Islanders (B)
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The Islanders are off to a .500 start (1-1-1) after getting their first win of the season in Colorado on Monday night.
Free-agent signing Anthony Duclair has already made a strong first impression after scoring a pair of goals over the first three games. He was one of the most intriguing free-agent signings of the summer, bringing 30-goal potential to a lineup that is desperate for talented playmakers who can finish.
The 29-year-old has bounced around the league the past few years despite consistently producing, but he might finally have a home now on Long Island, especially with his former junior coach, Patrick Roy, behind the team's bench.
This is shaping up to be a typical Islanders season where they never really look impressive on any given night, but they have enough goaltending and can scratch out enough wins to sneak into the playoffs after everybody gives up on them.
New York Rangers: (A)
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It's really hard to find much fault here with the Rangers' start.
They are 2-0-1, have posted outstanding 5-on-5 numbers and are seeing some of their young players play exceptionally well, including Alexis Lafrenière who already has two goals.
The Rangers' underlying possession numbers were strong early in the 2023-24 season as well, but they were unable to sustain them all season, and that lack of quality play during even-strength hockey really held them back against Florida.
Can they sustain it this season?
If they can, the Rangers will really be onto something when combined with their power play and goaltending situation.
Ottawa Senators (B+)
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Can this be the year the Senators finally take a meaningful step forward?
They are off to a 2-1-0 start after Monday's wild 8-7 win over the Los Angeles Kings, and some of the most important players on this team are playing exceptionally well.
Tim Stutzle already has six points (three goals, three assists), while starting goalie Linus Ullmark has a .914 save percentage in his first two games.
The Senators have outstanding top-six players and now have a legitimate No. 1 starting goalie.
Depth is still a big question mark, but the Ullmark addition has a chance to be a big game-changer in the Atlantic Division.
Philadelphia Flyers (C)
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The Flyers are still in the middle of their rebuild, and even though there are a lot of question marks and potential holes on the roster, they do have the excitement of rookie forward Matvei Michkov getting his first taste of the NHL.
This might not yet be a playoff team, but the arrival of Michkov should accelerate the timeline and get the clock ticking on a return to the postseason.
With the way they defended a year ago, they have a strong defensive foundation in place. They just need more impact playmakers on offense. Michkov can be that, and he has a chance to be their biggest star in years.
Pittsburgh Penguins (B-)
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After getting embarrassed in their home opener against the New York Rangers, the Pittsburgh Penguins have played three pretty solid games since, winning two of them.
Captain Sidney Crosby is off to a slow start, but Evgeni Malkin looks rejuvenated while Erik Karlsson is also off to a better start than what we saw from him a year ago. They are also getting some surprising depth scoring from their third and fourth lines.
The big question is still in net where Tristan Jarry has continued to struggle and played wildly inconsistent hockey.
Their window for Stanley Cup contention might be closed, but there could still be a playoff team here if a lot of things go their way in terms of bounce-back performances for some key players.
San Jose Sharks (D)
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The Sharks just need to be more competitive than they were a year ago and see some progress from their young players.
Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, had a tremendous debut with a goal and an assist, but he was injured in that game while the Sharks blew a three-goal lead and lost in overtime.
That is a rough start to the season.
They were then shut out in the next game against Anaheim, which may have been even more disappointing than the season-opening defeat.
It would be difficult, if not impossible, for this team to be worse than it was a year ago. Still, those first two games weren't exactly a great start that will build optimism.
Seattle Kraken (C)
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We have kind of seen this movie from the Kraken before.
They have a good process during 5-on-5 play and have a top-10 expected goals share through three games.
But where is the actual offense going to come from to turn some of that territorial advantage into goals? Can Matty Beniers have a breakout year? Was the Chandler Stephenson contract the mistake everybody thinks it was? Those are the big questions that have to be answered.
Then there is the goaltending issue where they have invested a ton of money in Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer (more than $5 million per season to each of them) while not really knowing what to expect in future seasons.
Grubauer has been a disappointment from the first season, while Daccord has an incredibly small sampling of NHL work to guess on.
This could be a frustrating year for Kraken fans because there is a chance they do a lot of things well structurally and defensively but cannot get the finishing touch or goaltending they need to actually win and compete.
That has been the case so far through the first week.
St. Louis Blues (C+)
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The Blues have wins over San Jose and Seattle and a one-goal loss to Vegas to open their season. That is probably how you could have drawn up their start if you were trying to go game-by-game to project wins and losses.
They basically beat the two subpar teams and lost to the one good side. That is the type of hockey you expect from a team stuck in the middle ground of the league. This is not a rebuilding team, but it is also probably isn't a playoff team.
The bright spots for the Blues have been forwards Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich.
The former already has six points, scoring two goals and adding four assists, while the latter has already scored three goals in three games.
Tampa Bay Lightning (B)
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The Lightning are another of the few teams that have only played a single game so far. They won it, beating Carolina by a 4-1 margin, but it was not a particularly convincing win.
Starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy was sensational in the win, and the Lightning scored a couple of empty-net goals to pull away late.
It is difficult to find much else to say about the Lightning at this point because we've only seen them for 60 minutes.
They are not as deep as they were when they were winning Stanley Cups and playing in the Final every year, but they still have some major high-end talent at the top of the lineup.
Toronto Maple Leafs (A)
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The Maple Leafs' only loss so far was a 1-0 season-opening defeat against Montreal in a game that could have easily gone the other direction. They responded with back-to-back wins over Pittsburgh and New Jersey.
The biggest surprise so far has been how good the goaltending has been, especially with Joseph Woll sidelined to open the season. Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby have allowed only five goals in the three games, combining for a save percentage of .932.
Goaltending is a big question mark for this team, but it has been an impressive start for a couple of backups so far.
As is always the case with the Maple Leafs, though, every regular-season win is still going to be met with skepticism until they do something in the playoffs. That is how this team will be defined.
Utah Hockey Club (A)
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The vibes for Utah are a complete 180 degrees from what we saw from this franchise the past few years in Arizona.
That is not meant to be a knock on the Arizona fans, all of whom deserved better than what the former ownership provided.
It is just a statement of fact on how better the current situation feels on the ice. The team is playing in a real arena, has a competent owner, and the talent on the roster has dramatically improved after the offseason trades for Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino.
As good as those moves have been, the real game-changer here is the rapid rise of young star Dylan Guenther, who has been one of the most-see players in the league through the first week.
Utah is 3-0-0 to open the season and looking like a team that could be fun to watch this season.
Vancouver Canucks (C)
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The Canucks are in a tough spot right now because they are without starting goalie Thatcher Demko, which puts a big dent in their roster.
When the 28-year-old is healthy and playing at his best (as he did for most of the 2023-24 season), he is one of the best goalies in the league and completely changes the ceiling for the team.
They are still going to score goals no matter what (and they have), but they have also already allowed nine goals in two games and lost two games in overtime.
The talent here is legit and the ceiling is high, especially at the top of the lineup, but Demko's health will determine a lot.
Vegas Golden Knights (A)
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It felt like expectations were a little lower for the Golden Knights coming into this season. They faded down the stretch a year ago, were the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, lost in the first round and spent most of the offseason losing players instead of adding them.
They did not make any of the blockbuster moves we are used to them making, and it just seemed like a step backwards would be on the horizon.
It still might eventually happen, but it hasn't happened in the first week.
The Golden Knights won each of their first three games to open the season and have already scored 15 goals. Jack Eichel has been especially great with six assists and seven total points.
Washington Capitals (C)
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The Capitals snuck into the playoffs a year ago despite being outscored by more than 30 goals.
Statistically speaking, they were one of the worst playoff teams the NHL has seen in decades, and the front office knew the roster was going to need serious improvements.
They attempted to make them with the additions of Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Matt Roy, Jakob Chychrun and Logan Thompson.
At this point we have only seen them in action for one game, a 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils, and are still waiting to get a more detailed look.
The roster still has some flaws, but it is definitely better on paper than what they had a year ago. Now we just have to wait and see if it can produce better results.
Winnipeg Jets (A)
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The Jets are 3-0 to open the season and, as expected, starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck has played a gigantic role in that early success.
The 31-year-old has already stopped 81-out-of-83 shots in the first three games, allowing only two goals and helping the team win a couple of one-goal games.
He is trying to win his third Vezina Trophy and is off to a tremendous start in that quest.
The Jets won a convincing 6-0 decision to open the season in Edmonton, and then leaned on Hellebuyck to win a couple of 2-1 overtime games after that. It is a recipe they have followed for several seasons.
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