The Most Important Lesson Learned About Each NHL Team Early in 2014-15

It's easy to overreact to the first week of the NHL season. It's important to treat the start of a season like the start of a relationship, and not read too much into everything the other person does, as no one really knows what the future holds in either regard.

Should I be worried that my team's best player is a minus-5 through two games? Is there something wrong with my goaltender if his save percentage is hovering around .870? What does it mean that she is now having packages forwarded to my apartment?

Maybe it means nothing; maybe it means something deeper.

That's what this slideshow is designed to do—decipher what are the deep, meaningful occurrences of the season's first five days and what should be ignored, like maybe she's going to be at the office all week and needs someone to sign for a package so just relax, you commitment-phobe.

So kick back, relax, and try not to get too worked up over these early-season happenings for each team that could be a sign of a continued practice.

(All statistics via NHL.com or NaturalStatTrick.com)

Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Kesler Will Take the Weight off the Top Line

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Through two games, Ryan Kesler has a goal and three assists for the Anaheim Ducks, which is clearly a sensational start to the season for a player on a new team.

But what's nice to see is how Kesler is receiving a lot of ice time with Anaheim.

Through two games, Kesler is averaging 19:57 per game, which leads all forwards in ice time. He played 20:25 in Saturday's 3-2 win against the Red Wings, which was more than both Ryan Getzalf and Corey Perry.

That may not seem like a big deal in early October, but Getzlaf (21:17) and Perry (19:28) carried the load in a major way last season, as the dispatched Nick Bonino (16:13) was the next-closest forward in ice time. Having Kesler to lighten the load over the 82-game marathon may result in a fresher, more dangerous Getzlaf when the playoffs roll around.

Arizona Coyotes: Mediocrity May Be Attainable

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The Coyotes had a stirring 4-3 overtime victory against the defending-champion Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, but that probably won't be a regular happening this season.

The Kings won the possession game in that contest, but only by a slim 52-48 margin. The Coyotes' 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets in their opener looked bad, but they actually won the Corsi battle in every period and were submarined by a ghastly showing from goaltender Mike Smith.

A playoff berth certainly isn't in the offing in Phoenix, or Glendale or the state of Arizona, but a solid possession game like they had in their first two contests should help the Coyotes float around .500.

Boston Bruins: Carl Soderberg May Be an Emerging Star

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Carl Soderberg has zero goals, two assists, three shots and you picked a photo of him flubbing an easy goal to show this guy is a potential breakout star?

Come on, it's early in the season. Hear me out.

The 28-year-old has seen is role heightened with David Krejci out with injury and despite his paltry numbers has looked really good. He's been a dominant possession guy all season and in the Bruins' 4-0 loss to the Capitals on Saturday, the Bruins had a 26-2 (17-2 at evens) edge in Corsi while Soderberg was on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick. 

It's that type of efficiency that will translate into big things for Soderberg, who will be a UFA at the end of the season.

Buffalo Sabres: Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel Are Pretty Much Inevitabilities

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The Buffalo Sabres are terrible. They will finish 30th in the standings again this year. They are so, so bad.

Through two games, the Sabres have been massacred by the Blue Jackets and Blackhawks in possession metrics; the Sabres have been out-Corsi'd 120-75 in those contests.

And there's just no reason to believe it will turn around at any point. And while the Sabres had Ryan Miller playing out of his skull for the first four months last season, they have sacrificial lambs Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth left to put out of the fire.

By finishing last in the standings, the Sabres are guaranteed a top-two pick, which means Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel will be theirs. There are a lot worse fates than having to start 2015-16 with one of those talents on the roster.

Calgary Flames: Bob Hartley Doesn't Know What He's Doing

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Look, no one is expecting the Flames to contend for a playoff spot. But coach Bob Hartley seems content to screw things up to the point where the Flames finish in the bottom-five of the standings when that doesn't have to be the case.

It started in preseason, when Hartley took time out of practice to teach players how to fight. That sounds like something out of The Onion, but really, there were reporters at the Flames practice who saw the likes of Trevor Gillies offering tips on how to to fight.

And now that the season has started, Hartley in his infinite wisdom, has Matt Stajan, perhaps the Flames' best center, playing fourth-line minutes. Stajan, who had 14 goals last season, is 12th among Flames forwards in ice time per game this season.

At best, the Flames are an 85-point team. But the way Hartley is running things, they may be a 70-point team in the making.

Carolina Hurricanes: To Quote David Puddy, 'It's Gonna Be Rough'

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Admittedly, this is a tough team to gauge since they've played both of their games against the Islanders, but the writing is on the wall in Carolina.

Injuries to Jordan Staal (leg) and Jeff Skinner (concussion) have put an already sub-par team into a bad position, and the Islanders exploited it in their season-opening home-and-home series. The Islanders won both games in regulation by a combined 9-6 and scored four power-play goals in the process. 

The Isles held about a 55-45 edge in even-strength shot attempts in the two games as well.

The Hurricanes can get better when Skinner and Staal return, but it will be far too late by the time both are back at full strength.

Chicago Blackhawks: Brad Richards Might Not Be the No. 2 Center

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The Blackhawks have played two games, won them both, and yawn yawn yawn.

But Brad Richards, signed to be the team's No. 2 center, in theory, hasn't been much of a factor.

Richards has been slightly above par in even-strength shot attempts, but it's been Andrew Shaw logging more minutes on the second line. Richards has zero points in two games (again, just two games) while Shaw has a goal and an assist, both in a win against the AHL-caliber Sabres. Shaw has played 17:48 per game while Richards is at 14:31.

A lot can change in the next 80 games, but it shouldn't surprise anyone if Richards is slowly phased out as the season progresses.

Colorado Avalanche: Get Ready to Face a Lot of Shots

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The Avalanche were a horror show defensively last season, but goaltender Semyon Varlamov played so well that he finished fifth in Hart voting.

He may need to finish first in Hart voting this season if the Avalanche are to get back to the playoffs.

Through two games, the Avs have allowed 82 shots, all of which have come at the hands of the Minnesota Wild. The Avs have looked lost and after the loss of Paul Stastny to free agency and the addition of Daniel Briere in place of PA Parenteau, there's no reason to think this will change all that much.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Maybe Things Will Be OK After All

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From a personal standpoint, I thought the Blue Jackets would have a hard time making the playoffs because they'd struggle early because of injuries (Nathan Horton, Ryan Murray, Boone Jenner) and a rusty Ryan Johansen.

We may have finally found something I'm wrong about.

The Blue Jackets are 2-0 with wins against the Sabres (it still counts) and Rangers, and they haven't needed any breaks to get those wins. They've won the possession battle in each game and haven't been outplayed in either contest.

If the Blue Jackets hold the fort in October, they could be playing in May.

Dallas Stars: Jason Spezza May Not Be the Force We Thought He'd Be

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This isn't to say Jason Spezza won't be effective, but he may not be the second-line minutes machine he could be.

Last season, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn were the horses of the Stars, and adding Spezza was supposed to alleviate that somewhat. Yet through two games, Spezza is seventh among Stars forwards in even-strength ice time at 12:19 per game.

In his final season with the Ottawa Senators, Spezza averaged 14:22 per game.

Believe it or not, that can change over the next 80 games, but it's interesting to see coach Lindy Ruff use Cody Eakin and Ryan Garbutt more at even strength than Spezza thus far.

Detroit Red Wings: Brendan Smith Could Have a Bigger Role

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Brendan Smith was a first-round pick in 2007 and played 71 games for the Red Wings last season, his first full one in an 82-game season. He had five goals and 19 assists while averaging 18 minutes per game last season.

Through two games, the 25-year-old is playing 20:27 a night and leads the team by more than two minutes with 18:55 of even-strength ice time per game. Here's what coach Mike Babcock said about Smith to the Detroit Free Press before the season:

"

Smitty is ultracompetitive, great skater, real good support on the rush. Where he gets himself in trouble is a big blunder once in a while. Well, the big blunder, when it goes in your net, is hard for you. I'm hoping the growth, for him, allows him to be confident enough just to keep making plays and playing. If he does that, he's a real good player.

"

It looks like if Smith can erase the crippling blunder from his arsenal, he could be a bigger part of the plan in 2014-15.

Edmonton Oilers: Taylor Hall Will Have the Best Season of His Career

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Taylor Hall was outstanding in 2013-14, as he had 27 goals and 80 points in 75 games, the best numbers of his young career.

The 22-year-old has only a goal in his first two games, but the early returns on his possession numbers are very positive.

In the Oilers' opener, they dominated at five-on-five against the Flames, and Hall had a 20-7 edge in on-ice Corsi. In their next game, the Canucks were the team that ran the show at five-on-five, but Hall still managed only a slightly negative Corsi-relative number in that contest.

If he becomes a force at five-on-five, there's no reason he can't exceed last season's 80 points.

Florida Panthers: Erik Gudbranson Might Not Have a Top-Four Role

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Erik Gudbranson was the third pick in the 2010 draft and had big things expected of him. Just like 2014 top pick and teammate Aaron Ekblad, he made the immediate leap to the NHL.

But based on early-season usage, Gudbranson will have to earn playing time from new coach Gerard Gallant.

Gudbranson played 17:58 per game last season, fourth-most among Panthers defensemen back this year. But that number is down to 15:42 this season and just 10:22 of even-strength time, fifth-most among blueliners. 

Things could change, but Gudbranson is far behind Brian Campbell, Dmitry Kulikov, Willie Mitchell and Ekblad. 

Los Angeles Kings: They've Got Another 100-Point Season in the Offing

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Three games, two losses, and they still look like a 100-point team to you?

Of course, they're really good and it's only three games.

In both losses, the Kings won the possession battle at even strength. They lost 4-0 to the Sharks, but had a 55-46 edge in Corsi and in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Coyotes, the Kings had a 52-48 advantage.

The Kings are so talented from top to bottom that as long that type of possession prolificness exists, they will be just fine. 

Minnesota Wild: They Will Win the Stanley Cup with the Greatest of Ease*

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*- as long as they play the Colorado Avalanche every game the rest of the season.

So really, there is no read to be had on the Wild, who are 2-0 and have outscored the Avs 8-0 and outshot them 82-46 in two games. The Avs have the potential to be the league's worst possession team in 2014-15, so it should be expected that games like these happen but it's hard to read anything from it.

Let's call this one incomplete and check back in a few months. The Wild should be a playoff team, but their start can't be anything but an anomaly.

Montreal Canadiens: Tomas Plekanec Could Have a Really Big Season

Tomas Plekanec has always been a fine, respectable offensive player. Not too flashy, certainly not a plug. But with four goals through three games, this could be the best offensive season of his career.

This isn't to say he will score 82 goals in 82 games, but now that he's finding himself on a scoring line with Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher, goals and points could be coming more frequently. This anecdote from Arpon Basu of NHL.com speaks to what it was like for Plekanec to score twice in the opener after years of being used as checking center.

The 31-year-old's best season was 25 goals and 70 points in 2009-10, while his second-worst output came last season when he had 20 goals and 43 points in 81 games.

Lines and roles can change throughout a season, but if Plekanec continues to find himself in the middle of two talented wingers, he could be a 70-point player again.

Nashville Predators: Pekka Rinne Is Going to Make a Difference

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Last season, the Predators had 88 points and missed the playoffs as Pekka Rinne missed more than half the season due to complications from hip surgery.

Now healthy, Rinne is already showing what he means to the Predators.

Rinne is 2-0 with a 1.50/.921 split with wins against the Senators and Stars. If the Preds can get to within three points of a playoff spot last season without one of the game's best goaltenders, they have a great shot at getting over the hump with a healthy Rinne this season.

New Jersey Devils: Scoring Goals Won't Be a Problem

J Pat Carter/Associated Press

Calm down a minute, no one is saying the Devils will maintain their current pace after scoring 11 goals in their first two games. But they shouldn't be anywhere close to the team that finished 27th in scoring a season ago.

Free-agent acquisition Michael Cammalleri has three goals in two games, Martin Havlat has a goal and an assist and Adam Henrique has a goal and two assists after what was an underwhelming season for him in 2013-14.

Again, the Devils aren't scoring 5.5 goals per game this season, but their improved offensive capabilities will likely result in a few more wins and fewer shootouts.

New York Islanders: This Will Be a Fun Team to Watch

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After the acquisition of defensemen Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy on the eve of the season, I thought the Islanders were better, but that there would be early-season growing pains with so many new faces having to play together.

So much for that.

Just like with other teams through two games, the Islanders' only competition has been a lowly team in the form of the Hurricanes, but they look like a lot of fun. But it's resulted in six points from Brock Nelson, a goal and four assists from Boychuk and four power-play goals overall.

This is a pace that is unsustainable, but the Islanders should be a treat to watch on most nights.

New York Rangers: They Need to Get Healthy ASAP

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The New York Rangers gutted their depth this summer, the one thing that made them a Stanley Cup contender. Thanks to some early-season injuries, it's been revealed just how thin they are.

The Rangers are 1-2 with their one win coming as a result of a fluky bounce off a stanchion in St. Louis. They were thoroughly outplayed in losses to the Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets, who were playing with just as many injury issues as the Rangers.

With Derek Stepan out for at least October, the front line has been decimated. Rick Nash has four of the eight Rangers' goals and may have to carry the load with Mats Zuccarello dealing with a shoulder ailment. Dan Boyle is out 4-to-6 weeks with a broken hand—and the Rangers are winless in the two games he has missed so far.

Some teams are better equipped to handle injuries, but the Rangers are not one of them.

Ottawa Senators: The Loss of Jason Spezza Won't Be a National Tragedy

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Trading Jason Spezza to the Dallas Stars certainly didn't make the Ottawa Senators a better team, but they've shown they can survive with their centers.

Kyle Turris, David Legwand and Mika Zibanejad are plenty capable of producing enough to make the Senators a playoff contender. Turris has a goal and an assist in two games while Legwand and Zibanejad have yet to touch the scoresheet, but Zibanejad especially has been strong at even strength.

With Erik Karlsson dominating from the back end, the Senators shouldn't be starved for offense over the course of the season.

Philadelphia Flyers: Steve Mason Will Have to Save the Season

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In 2013-14, the Flyers were a bad defensive team. They were 19th in shots allowed, 20th in goals allowed and were in the bottom-five in just about every possession-based statistic.

The loss of top defenseman Kimmo Timonen figured to exacerbate the issue, and in the early going, that seems to be the case.

Through three games, the Flyers have allowed 30 shots per game against the Bruins, Devils and Canadiens and a total of 11 goals.

Mason had a career-best .917 save percentage last season playing behind a team that wasn't all that solid defensively. Now that the group in front of him is even leakier, he will need to be even better.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Coach Mike Johnston's New System Will Do Just Fine

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

New head coach Mike Johnston wants the Penguins to play more of a puck possession game, which means fewer stretch passes and more support for the puck carrier all over the ice.

So far, it's translated into two victories and 11 goals in two games.

Here's what Pascal Dupuis said about Johnston's system following the Penguins' 6-4 win against the Ducks in their opener in the Sporting News.

"You pick your head up and you have room to skate because the guy slashing through (is) creating (and) pushing the defensemen back or you have a guy that's right next to you that you can make a play (with) and skate right next to him."

It sounds simple, but it's the type of change that could have the Penguins leading the league in goals this season.

San Jose Sharks: The Offseason Captaincy Stuff Doesn't Matter

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Two games, two wins, seven goals scored, zero goals allowed.

Yeah, all that offseason stuff won't matter in the regular season.

Joe Thornton lost the captaincy and now the Sharks will have four players—Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joe Pavelski wear an 'A' during the season—and it's done nothing to change the fact the Sharks are a deep, loaded, dangerous team.

Maybe the fact they let Dan Boyle leave and didn't really add anyone will hurt come playoff time, but the Sharks are once again a lock for 100-plus points.

St. Louis Blues: Paul Stastny Will Make a Huge Difference

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The 2014 free-agent class' biggest prize, Paul Stastny, is showing why he was worth four years and $28 million to the St. Louis Blues.

Stastny has four points in two games and has more even-strength ice time (13:55 per game) than any Blues forward. His presence has also helped extend the Blues lineup, making them deeper and more difficult to match up against.

The Blues averaged nearly three goals per game for most of last season, but they tailed off at the end of the season. If the team stays healthy, they should be able to maintain that average into the playoffs with Stastny anchoring the offense.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Jon Cooper Will Make the Difficult Decisions

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

The Lightning are 1-0-1 through two games, look really good, are very deep, have won the possession battle in both contests, yada yada yada.

What's good to see if you're a Lightning fan is coach Jon Cooper's willingness to scratch veteran Eric Brewer in those games. The 35-year-old defenseman has a $3.75 million cap hit but has become superfluous after the team added Anton Stralman and Jason Garrison to the back end this summer.

It seems like a smart, logical thing to do, keep the bad player on the bench, but you only have to look to New Jersey and Martin Brodeur and Carolina and Cam Ward to see it's easier said than done at times. Knowing Cooper will simply ice the best team every night should be comforting to those of you in Tampa.

Toronto Maple Leafs: The Possession Game Isn't Getting Much Better

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The Toronto Maple Leafs, one of the worst teams last season in just about every possession metric, are off to a 1-2 start this season.

They have yet to win the even-strength Corsi battle in any game.

That's slightly misleading, as they were just about even with the New York Rangers on Sunday and shifted into shell mode after taking a 6-2 lead in the second period. But in their first two games, the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins had the edge and earned victories because of it.

The recipe for success in Toronto likely won't change, as they will require timely scoring and outstanding goaltending in order to have a shot at the playoffs.

Vancouver Canucks: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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I have no idea. I can't even fake it. I watched a good portion of Vancouver's 5-4 shootout win against Edmonton on Saturday night, and really, I don't know. I can't even fake it.

The Canucks are 2-0, but they beat patsies in the Flames and Oilers. They won the possession battle in both contests, but again, it was against the Flames and the Oilers and the Canucks got two full days of rest before playing the Flames at home.

Ryan Miller's save percentage through two games is .889. I can't say that's what he will be this year the same way I can't say the Sedins will be scoring forces now that they are out of the clutches of John Tortorella after they threw up four points in two games.

I'm taking a pass on this one.

Washington Capitals: Braden Holtby Should Be an Elite Goaltender

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Braden Holtby is 1-0-1 in two starts with a 0.48/.981 split.

Early-season stats are the best sometimes.

The Capitals should be a better five-on-five team under new coach Barry Trotz, although they were hammered Saturday against the Bruins, only emerging with a 4-0 win because of Holtby's 29 saves. But Holtby was already a goaltender with a career .919 save percentage this season, so a rise in that number should be expected.

If he finishes the season with 0.48/.941, test him for every PED on the planet, but if he's in the Vezina mix, that shouldn't be surprising given his talent and new situation.

Winnipeg Jets: Ondrej Pavelec Hasn't Morphed into a Great Goaltender

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In two starts this season, Ondrej Pavelec has allowed five goals and boasts a .907 save percentage.

That's actually a little better than his career .906 save percentage.

Michael Hutchinson didn't fare that well in his first start of the season against the Kings on Sunday night, so this will very likely be Pavelec's show for the early part of the season.

That show hasn't been canceled yet, but that time shouldn't be far off.