1 Word For Every NHL Team After the 1st Month of the 2025-26 Season
We're one month into the NHL season, and if you're having a tough time separating the early great teams from the early good teams, you're not alone.
The beginning of this season has featured more close and overtime games than usual, resulting in some bonkers standings situations. In the Atlantic Division, the Sabres are the only team with a worse than .500 record. The Metropolitan Division is as jam-packed as ever, with three teams in an 18-point tie. The red-hot Ducks sit at a comfortable No. 1 in the Pacific Division. The Avalanche is basically our beacon of normalcy at the top of the Central, as we generally expected.
Not sure what to make of the rest of them at this point? Here's one word for every NHL team after the first month of the 2025-26 season.
Anaheim Ducks: Legit
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The Ducks made their playoff hopes clear in the offseason with a few drastic moves, including moving on from Trevor Zegras, hiring head coach Joel Quenneville, and acquiring Rangers veterans Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba.
It's no surprise they've improved, but how about first in the Pacific with an 11-3-1 record, a seven-game win streak in session, and a plus-17 goal differential?
The Ducks are beating elite opponents, scoring a ton, and best of all, they haven't relied on the loser point like the rest of the Pacific Division seems to be.
The youth movement is crushing it, Kreider and Trouba have been a huge help, and Lukas Dostal has continued his promising start in net.
Boston Bruins: Confusing
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Is it a compliment to the Bruins or an indictment of the Atlantic Division that Boston is sitting in second with a 10-7-0 record?
Regardless, this Bruins team has been wildly confusing to start the season, with a six-game losing streak here, a six-game winning streak there, a terrible period here, a stellar period there.
This recent spurt of winning has given the team a clean slate; This next month will show us the true identity of these Bruins.
Buffalo Sabres: Frauds
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We hope you didn't let those early home games fool you into thinking this year would be different for the Sabres, who didn't do much in the offseason to make this year any different.
One month in, and they're dead last in the Atlantic with a 5-6-4 record. In fact, they're literally the only team in the division with a record below .500. We don't know what that says about the other teams quite yet, but we know it means the Sabres are on fraud alert.
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Calgary Flames: McKennariffic
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We've been waiting a few years for the Flames' rebuild to really take shape, but hey: If you're gonna take your sweet time in purgatory, you might as well wait long enough for Gavin McKenna's draft year.
The Flames own the worst record (4-11-2) in the NHL through the first month of play, and there's really no better time to stink out loud.
Carolina Hurricanes: Ouchie
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The Hurricanes have been dealing with injury after injury across the blue line, with Jaccob Slavin, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Jalen Chatfield the latest defensemen afflicted with the injury bug.
Good thing highly anticipated rookie Alexander Nikishin has panned out well -- he's eating some serious minutes on the first pairing as the team has climbed back atop the Metro.
Chicago Blackhawks: Fun
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Look, we're not saying the Blackhawks are going to battle for a playoff spot this season, but they're off to their best start in the Connor Bedard era, and it's fun as heck to watch.
Bedard was put in a tough spot to start his career as the No. 1 center on an NHL team that looked more like an AHL team with the overflowing cap space to prove it. He looked discouraged at times throughout his sophomore season, so it's great to see him leading the charge as the Blackhawks step into a more hopeful moment. Bedard netted his first career hat trick in October, and he's currently tied for No. 2 in scoring leaguewide with 25 points in 16 games.
Colorado Avalanche: *Expletive*
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The start of this NHL season has been bizarre, with an abundance of close games and overtime. It appears that our essential question for the rest of the journey is simple, but surprisingly difficult: Which of these teams is actually good?
The league-leading Avalanche is one of the few we don't have a single hesitation about. This team is as dominant as ever, the center depth is terrifying, Martin Necas is already extended, and every position looks stacked.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Shrug
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Yeah, this season's step back is about what we expected from the Blue Jackets. They're sitting at the bottom of the Metro at 7-7-1, and it's time to focus on the future.
Another bright spot? Emerging goaltender Jet Greaves. According to MoneyPuck.com, Greaves ranks No. 9 among active goalies with 6.3 goals saved above expected in seven starts.
Dallas Stars: Fine
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The Stars have struggled with consistency to start the season, and puck possession has been a persistent problem. It's a departure from their typically stingy ways, but they're looking more like themselves lately with a 6-1-3 record in their last 10 games.
They'll be fine.
Detroit Red Wings: Intriguing
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The Atlantic is a mess, but the Red Wings at least had a decent start among the mess, and now they've got a 9-7-0 record despite their current three-game skid. A strong start was crucial for this team as it looks to get back into the playoffs.
So far, there's been a lot to like beyond the record: the emergence of seventh-round pick Emmitt Finnie, young core players Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond stepping up, and Dylan Larkin continuing to hold down the fort as first-line center.
Will it all be enough to avoid Detroit's annual crash out?
Edmonton Oilers: Yikes
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There's the Oilers' typical early-season troubles, then there's this year's 6-6-4 start. The team looks banged up and exhausted after two consecutive trips to the Cup Final. Even strength scoring has been a struggle, depth scoring has been non-existent, and if all the early one-goal losses weren't bad enough, how about a 9-1 loss to the Avalanche to shake it up?
Will the return of Zach Hyman be enough to move this team in the right direction? Monday's comeback overtime win over Columbus might be just what the team needed.
Florida Panthers: Annoying
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Anyone else got Florida Panthers fatigue? We applaud their accomplishments as they look to pull off the three-peat and further establish their dynasty, but their banged-up roster has struggled early this season.
It's annoying because you know once they get healthier, everything will be fine, and we will have wasted our time thinking about them.
Los Angeles Kings: Predictable
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The Kings are a middling 7-5-4 to start off the season, good for a standings spot smack dab in the middle of the extremely mid Pacific Division, just like we drew it up. What other mediocre shenanigans will this team get into this season?
Minnesota Wild: Disappointing
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There was considerable hype around the Wild to start this season, with Kirill Kaprizov signing his record-breaking contract and an encouraging first-round exit to build on.
The hype has died down now that Minnesota sits at sixth in the Central with a 7-7-3 record, and we're all waiting on some consistency from this team. As a whole, the youth movement hasn't quite taken the jump needed to improve upon last year's results, and the veterans aren't exactly stepping up to pick up the slack.
Montreal Canadiens: Emergent
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Sure, Montreal hasn't had the toughest schedule to start the season, but the No. 1 team in the Atlantic has done a fantastic job taking care of business one month in. The team that squeaked into last season's playoffs and put up a fight against the Capitals still has that chip-on-the-shoulder vibe, but in a more refined way.
Plus, rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes has stepped up early on with 6.4 goals saved above expected according to Moneypuck.com.
Nashville Predators: Depressing
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You know it's bad when you flip on the TV and suddenly, 2019 Cup winner and league-wide legend Ryan O'Reilly is on the verge of tears.
"I can't make a six-foot pass to save my life," he told reporters last week. "...I've had one good year in my career."
Maybe O'Reilly's game has seen better days, but he's hardly the problem when it comes to the Predators. Nashville took several big swings a few years ago, and the moves just didn't pan out. The good news? The team is finally trending towards a rebuild that always seemed inevitable. Can we just admit it and, I don't know, give O'Reilly a hug?
New Jersey Devils: Solid
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The Devils showed up to the 2025-26 season with something to prove after limping to a first-round exit last season with a slew of injuries. They've got one OT loss at home and boast an 11-4-1 record overall to lead the Metropolitan Division.
These are the Devils everyone thought they could be if they could just stay healthy, but they have to remain relatively unscathed for the rest of the season.
New York Islanders: Bright
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Rarely does a defenseman hop on an NHL first pairing just months after being drafted, and even rarer does he succeed. 2025 No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer is something special. The rookie has jumped right into an NHL role, sometimes playing more than 25 minutes per night, and he's consistently one of the best Islanders on the ice.
He's got five goals and 12 points in 16 games to start off his career, and despite the Islanders' overall struggles, it's hard to feel anything other than optimistic when he's on the ice.
New York Rangers: Accomplished
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You did it, New York!
After a franchise-worst 0-6-1 start at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers finally won at home against -- you guessed it -- the Nashville Predators.
Ottawa Senators: Oof
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It's been a rough start for the Senators, who have been without Brady Tkachuk for the majority of the season, and who keep benching Jordan Spence for some reason. The biggest disappointment of all has been Linus Ullmark, who has a league-worst -7.8 goals saved above expected.
Philadelphia Flyers: Lit
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Things aren't perfect for the Flyers, who sit at No. 4 in the airtight Metro, but it's honestly been kinda lit this season.
Rick Tocchet has delivered so far in his much-anticipated coaching debut, and Trevor Zegras has essentially revived his career. Zegras has four goals and 16 points in 15 games. He's showing more heart than we've seen from him in a while, and he's engaged all over the ice. If he keeps it up, that'll be a huge win for the Flyers' front office.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Psych!
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Oh, you thought Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were just gonna waltz around the ice waiting on Gavin McKenna? Psych! No rebuild in sight as the two look young as ever.
In all seriousness, as great as the start to the Penguins' season has been, the injuries are now piling up, and they're 4-3-3 in their last 10. We'll see how sustainable the anti-rebuild tour really is.
San Jose Sharks: Wahoo
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Wait, what's that?! The San Jose Sharks are in the middle of the Pacific pack? Yes, the rumors are true as the Sharks are riding a three-game win streak and own a 7-6-3 overall record.
Macklin Celebrini has taken it to the next level with 10 goals and 24 points in 16 games.
Seattle Kraken: Unsustainable
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The Kraken's red-hot start to the season is slowing down, with a 4-4-2 record in their last 10 and a 7-4-4 record overall. The biggest culprit? Their negative five-goal differential.
St. Louis Blues: Cup-bound
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The Blues look bad, like, really bad. Jordan Binnington is in a funk, and the rest of the roster is gasping for air. Last time they looked this bad, they *checks notes* won the Stanley Cup.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Alive
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The Lightning might be in their twilight with this core, but even their twilight is pretty dang good in the upper half of the Atlantic at 8-5-2. We trust that even if they're not Cup-bound this season, they'll disrupt some things in the East in a fun way.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Lost
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The Leafs have not been able to handle a relatively easy schedule to start the season, with an 8-7-1 record in the weird Atlantic. The power play is brutal, and everyone -- especially Auston Matthews -- is struggling to adjust without Mitch Marner.
Will they figure it out on the trade market before it's too late?
Utah Mammoth: Materializing
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A near-perfect start to the season for the Mammoth has calmed down, but despite their current three-game skid, there's a lot to like about their playoff hopes. If they can emerge from this losing streak with a confident response, and if Nick Schmaltz can keep it up, they might be headed on their first playoff run in Utah.
Vancouver Canucks: Welp
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Imagine you're waking up from a coma with no idea what day, month, or decade you are currently in. You see one headline on the TV: "Canucks grab three of four possible points on the weekend, back at .500." You go back to sleep, somehow even more unaware of what day, month, or decade you are currently in. All you know is it isn't that one month a few seasons ago when we were sure the Canucks were good.
Vegas Golden Knights: Cocky
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How dare the big, bad Golden Knights try to skate by on four loser points! The Ducks have exposed their laziness by emerging with 11 wins at the top of the Pacific, while Vegas sits at 7-3-4.
The Golden Knights are probably the better team on paper, and maybe the standings would reflect that if they elevated the puck a bit more in overtime. Shout out to the Ducks for not letting Vegas coast by in the Pacific.
Washington Capitals: Mid
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The offensively high-powered and sort of lucky Capitals of last season ran out of juice in the second round against the Hurricanes. They're picking up where they left off in that regard, but at least Alex Ovechkin is keeping things interesting -- he became the first NHL player to score 900 goals in early November.
Winnipeg Jets: Quintessential
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Ah, yes. The year is 2025, and Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck, and Josh Morrissey are doing everything for the Jets.
Has the front office considered acquiring a few more players to help these guys do more?
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