Jaromir Jagr Can Still Play and 25 Things We Have Learned Early This NHL Season

The Edmonton Oilers lead their division. The Toronto Maple Leafs lead their division. The Dallas Stars lead their division. 

It's pretty safe to say that those three events have been unexpected occurrences this year. 

We are just a little over a month into the NHL season, but we have already seen some interesting and surprising things already. 

Let's take a look at 25 things we have learned so far this season. 

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers were the worst team in the league two years in a row, so even with the top two draft picks in the past two drafts on their team, the expectations weren't high coming into this season.

Yet, there the Oilers stand at the top of the Northwest Division. 

Who knows if things will stay that way through the rest of the season, but it's definitely an accomplishment for now. 

Nikolai Khabibulin

A large part of the Edmonton Oilers' success this season can be attributed to the excellent play of Nikolai Khabibulin.

Khabibulin is 7-0-2 this season with a league-leading GAA of 0.98 and save percentage of .964. 

Coming into this season, the 38-year-old Khabibulin wasn't even sure he would have a starting job, and look where he is now. 

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Another contributing factor to the Oilers' success has been rookie sensation and No. 1 draft pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

In just 14 games in the NHL, the 18-year-old has already tallied 12 points, including six goals and his first hat trick.

If the Calder Trophy were awarded today, it's pretty safe to say that Nugent-Hopkins would be a shoe-in. 

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't made the playoffs since before the NHL lockout. 

So, outside of Toronto fans, most people didn't really expect there to be much of a change this season, and certainly not early on.

Yet, the Leafs have taught us all a lesson and are showing that they have what it takes to turn things around.

They are currently leading the Northeast, when most people expected the Buffalo Sabres or Boston Bruins to dominate. 

Phil Kessel

A huge contributing factor to the Toronto Maple Leafs success thus far has been the hot start of Phil Kessel. 

It seems that Kessel may have finally found his groove and is playing like the player everyone expected him to be.

He currently leads the league in points (22) and goals (11). 

Dallas Stars

After having to let Brad Richards go due to financial constraints, most people didn't expect much from the Dallas Stars either.

Well, you know what they say when you assume.

The Stars currently lead the Pacific, which most people probably expected to be led by the San Jose Sharks. 

Anaheim Ducks

Speaking of surprises in the Pacific Division, the Anaheim Ducks' slow start has been a big surprise. 

The Ducks are currently last in the Pacific, behind even the Phoenix Coyotes.

Another surprise about the Ducks this season has been the play of Jonas Hiller. Many expected the Ducks to perform better with him finally back, but so far, he's had a GAA of 2.95 and save percentage of .900.

Teemu Selanne

One of the positives from the Anaheim Ducks this season though has been Teemu Selanne. Even at 41 years old, he still plays better than most players half his age.

Selanne has 14 points in 15 games thus far.

It might be a cliche, but the Finnish Flash doesn't get older; he just gets better.  

Steve Mason

Speaking of goaltending issues, the Columbus Blue Jackets definitely have experienced the worst of that this season.

Steve Mason is really not getting the job done for the Jackets, but he's still better than their current alternatives.

Mason has the worst goaltending stats, with a GAA of 3.70 and save percentage of .869.

Ilya Bryzgalov

For a stretch of time, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov was really struggling, and that's contributed to his poor stats.

After a particularly rough game, Bryzgalov was very critical of himself, even saying that he had "no confidence" in himself at one point.

It's refreshing to hear someone take full responsibility, but that's not something a team wants to hear out of their $51 million goaltender. 

Jaromir Jagr

One player who hasn't disappointed for the Philadelphia Flyers, though, is Jaromir Jagr.

It was uncertain how Jagr would perform, returning to the NHL for the first time since spending the past three years in Russia's KHL.

However, the 39-year-old Jagr still has it, with 15 points in 15 games thus far. 

Vancouver Canucks Goaltending

Roberto Luongo's inconsistencies have been well-documented, as have his struggles in the month of October.

This season has been no different, as evidenced by Luongo's GAA and save percentage of 3.06 and .894, respectively.

Luckily for the Canucks, they have another option in Cory Schneider. 

Schneider has been better, posting a GAA of 2.51 and save percentage of .917. 

Even though Luongo is really the starter, we continue to see that Schneider deserves to be either the starter or a starter elsewhere. 

Pekka Rinne

Another goaltender that has proven himself to be among the best in the league is Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators.

Rinne has been so stellar the past couple of seasons that he was the first of the pending free agents on the Predators to be re-signed.

Does this mean that the Predators considered him to be the most important to re-sign, or was he just easier to lock down than Shea Weber? 

Pittsburgh Penguins Don't Need Sidney Crosby

Ever since Sidney Crosby has been out with a concussion, a leading storyline has been: Can the Pittsburgh Penguins win without him?

I think they proved that yes, they can. Last season, they still made the playoffs without their two best players.

If that wasn't enough, this season, the Penguins currently lead the Atlantic Division, all without Crosby.

It's always nice to have him there, but they can still win without him. 

Jeremy Roenick Wants to Stop Talking About Sidney Crosby

Speaking of Sidney Crosby, stop speaking about Sidney Crosby.

Seriously.

Jeremy Roenick is tired of hearing about him. 

Marc Staal

With all the focus on he-who-Jeremy-Roenick-wants-to-not-be-named, there has not been a lot of focus on another player currently out indefinitely with post-concussion symptoms: Marc Staal. 

Staal has been out with a concussion, occurring after a collision with his brother, Eric, in a game last season.

Like Crosby, Staal has been experiencing setbacks in his recovery every time he amps up his training regimen.

What we've learned, though, is that if this is happening while Crosby is also suffering from the same, you're not going to merit a mention. 

Sorry, Marc. 

Visiors Should Be Worn...

It seems like every season we learn that there is an increasing need for visors to be worn, but the reason that players still resist is because they find that it decreases their visibility during the game.

Already this season, we've seen a couple of gruesome injuries that would have been prevented with a visor, including Chris Pronger and, most recently, Daniel Paille of the Boston Bruins. 

For the players that don't currently wear visors, it gives them yet another example of potential danger if they continue to not wear them. 

...But Even After Further Evidence of That, Players Will Still Resist

Yet even after seeing these gruesome injuries, some still stubbornly refuse to don a visor. 

It's understandable in some ways, after all, if they really feel that the visor reduces their visibility and that negatively impacts their game. 

However, some might just feel that visors aren't perceived well. 

Chris Pronger is an example of someone who doesn't care for the visor, even after the injury, as evidenced by his non-answer to that question. 

Alex Ovechkin Is Capable of Being Benched

It seemed impossible, but Alex Ovechkin was benched by the Washington Capitals at the end of their game against the Anaheim Ducks.

The move worked out, as the team ended up tying the game and then winning in OT, but it certainly didn't make Ovechkin very happy. 

Matt Cooke Is Capable of Going a Month Without Being Suspended

Matt Cooke, probably the most hated player in the NHL, claimed he was a changed man. Most people took that with a grain of salt.

Yet, Cooke has yet to be suspended this year, so maybe he is. 

Ken Hitchcock

Ken Hitchcock finally found another coaching job, this time with the St. Louis Blues.

The team won in his debut as their new head coach, but it remains to be seen if that winning can continue. 

Georges Laraque

Georges Laraque has made waves recently due to revelations about the possible performance-enhancing and other drug problems in the NHL.

This may not be news to anyone, but it has definitely triggered a debate. 

Sean Avery

We just can't get rid of Sean Avery. We thought he was gone when he was sent down to the AHL's Hartford Whale.

However, the New York Rangers fans missed Avery, and now he's back.

Most thought that Avery was a dispensable player, but we found out otherwise. 

Winnipeg Jets

Something we did get rid of: the Atlanta Thrashers.

The team's name, location and ownership may have changed, but the team itself is still the same and still losing. They just have a bigger audience now. 

Phoenix Coyotes

A team that still doesn't have an audience is the Phoenix Coyotes. 

This is not really something we learned, because we already knew it, but it has been further confirmed thus far. 

It seems like the Coyotes are inching closer to a relocation if things don't improve.