Most Surprising NHL Teams at the Quarter Mark
The 2023-24 NHL season has reached its quarter mark with all teams having played at least 20 games so far. With Thanksgiving having passed, the postseason race is already beginning to take shape, which should worry supporters of clubs that haven't had the best of seasons. However, if you back a team that is winning, you can be quite certain that they are headed in the correct direction. The season has seen several teams have success that were not expected to be contending quite yet, while others have failed to live up to expectations. Let’s take a look at the most surprising NHL teams so far this season.
New York Rangers
Coming off a disappointing 2022-23 postseason exit in the first round to the New Jersey Devils, the Rangers came into this season looking to make a statement that they remain one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference after two straight 100 + point regular seasons. The 2023-24 Rangers have proven their worth as a Stanley Cup contender yet again as they have gotten off to a hot start to begin this season. The Rangers are at the top of the league standings having a record of 18-4-1 for a total of 37 points through 23 games played. New York’s explosive power play, excellent goaltending, and good defense have all come together to make a winning formula. Despite the youthful Rangers tandem of Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko haven’t made much progress yet, Artemi Panarin is off to a scorching start and has generated some early Hart-Trophy talk. The Rangers will be an exciting team to watch for the rest of the season and will be a force to reckon with once the postseason starts in the spring.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers have been one of the league's most disappointing stories having entered the month of December. Edmonton was seen by many experts as a widespread favorite to hoist the Stanley Cup, but the squad has failed to bring together any positive momentum this season. Currently, the Oilers sit as the third-worst team in the Western Conference with a record of 9-12-1 for a total of 19 points through 22 games played. The squad has ranked among the league's worst in both goals scored (16th) and goals against (21st) through the quarter mark. The Oilers have had to deal with impactful injuries such as captain Connor McDavid having to miss a couple of weeks earlier this season due to an upper-body injury. With McDavid seeming to have found his groove recently, the Oilers have been more competitive lately having won their last four games. The mediocrity in the Western Conference provides them with a path to the postseason. However, judging by the amount of work thus far, this group will have to prove that they can keep their current positive momentum going for the next five months.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have been one of this season’s most positive surprises right now as they have been one of the league’s top-performing clubs through the first two months of the season. Since their last playoff appearance in 2020, the Canucks have been mediocre at best and looked to be on the verge of heading into a rebuilding phase. However, the club seems to have found a spark this season that has led to their remarkable turnaround from the past two seasons. You can point out weaknesses in the Canucks’ performance, but you have to give credit to a team that, at the beginning of the season, appeared to be a borderline playoff contender and is currently leading the NHL in goal differential (+32). The team’s shooting and goalie Thatcher Demko will likely cool off a little, but Vancouver’s best skaters have been exceptional, with defenseman Quinn Hughes and center J.T. Miller leading the way.
Detroit Red Wings
Although the Red Wings haven’t played a significant role in the Atlantic Division for almost ten seasons, they have thus far left their mark. In addition to their unexpectedly successful record of 13-7-3 for a total of 29 points through 23 games played, the Red Wings decided to sign veteran free agent Patrick Kane last week to a one-year prove-it deal, which has provided an intriguing in-season boost to Detroit’s lineup. Although the Red Wings’ goaltender situation raises doubts, Detroit has benefited from early strong shooting, ranking fourth in goals scored (86), and winger Alex DeBrincat’s addition to the team has increased their explosiveness, who has a team-high 13 goals to start the season. The Red Wings will be looking to make their first playoff appearance since 2016, so it will be intriguing to see if Detroit will be able to keep up their excellent play the rest of the season.
Buffalo Sabres
After barely missing out on the playoff last season, the Sabres had high expectations going into 2023-24, but they have essentially failed to live up to those expectations. The squad has had poor possession rates overall and below-average offensive production ranking 22nd in goals scored (71) and 26th in goals allowed (85). Buffalo has a 10-13-2 record with 22 points, which isn’t awesome, but it’s also not terrible. They could still make the playoffs with a little more work. However, simply said, the Sabres haven’t demonstrated that they have that kind of push in them at this point.
