From the Press Box: First Week Returns

FROM THE PRESS BOX

Some observations from the first week of the new season.

Extremes are expected in the first week of the season. Some teams will run the table while others make their fans nervous or upset by going 0-fer. We take a look at those teams to see which is surprising or likely to continue.

The New York islanders stormed out of the gate with a three-win week to rank as the biggest surprise of all. As you might expect, John Tavares led the charge with seven points (two goals) and his expected linemate, Kyle Okposo, has chipped in with five points (one goal). The early surprise component on that top line is Brock Nelson, who has seven points (team leading four goals). He is coming off a rookie campaign where he tallied a modest 14 goals and 26 points. The intriguing thing about this former first round pick (30th overall) in the 2010 Draft is that he has good size (6'3", 205) and a good track record as a potential high scorer. He produced 47 points in 42 games in his final year at the University of North Dakota and followed that up with a 52-point campaign at Bridgeport (AHL), before joining the Isles as a rookie last year.

Just before the season opened, we reported about two key trade acquisitions the Isles made to bolster their blueline. Johnny Boychuk has been a great fit on the power play, with his booming shot accounting for two goals (along with four assists and five power play points). Nick Leddy has added a goal and a +4 rating, while averaging over 18 minutes of playing time per game.

The New Jersey Devils continued to fill out their roster with experienced veterans, adding Mike Cammalleri, Ryan Clowe and Martin Havlat to a cast that already included Jaromir Jagr, Patrick Elias and Michael Ryder. You can account for their 3-0 start by giving these guys credit for the fact that veterans know how to get themselves ready for the grind of an NHL season. Each of these players has contributed at least two points towards the 13 goals scored in these games.

The Devils defense has been led as expected by Marek Zidlicky (three points) and Andy Greene (two points). Rookie Damon Severson has emerged here, as the former second round pick from the 2012 Draft, made the roster and has played at least 18 minutes per game, contributing two points and an impressive +5 rating so far.

Of these two squads, I have a little more faith in the Devils ability to sustain this early success and compete for a playoff spot. The Islanders just don't appear to have the offensive depth to compete on a nightly level. That is, unless you believe the likes of Grabovski and Kulemin come up big. I have been to that rodeo, so you see why I am still pessimistic for the Long Island club.

Out west, the San Jose Sharks have also jumped out to a 3-0 mark and many players are citing their opening night shutout win over their cross-state rivals as a very significant event already. You know they had to be haunted by the memory of the opening round of last year's playoffs, where they blew a 3-0 series lead to their cross-state rivals, the eventual Cup champs from Los Angeles. That fortuitous bit of scheduling had to serve as quite the motivational opportunity for the Sharks.

Not only did they follow up their opening win with a second shutout, 3-0 over the Jets, but they also survived a wild, 6-5 shootout win in Washington. This is still a deep roster and it's still well led by veterans, Joe Thornton (three assists, +3) and Patrick Marleau (two goals, four pts), who have quickly brushed aside any hurt feelings over the shift in team leadership. Fantasy owners who were adept at recognizing the position assignment of Brent Burns (he may be used as a defenseman or a forward in pools that offer multiple position recognition) may be in for an unexpected bonus. He's a solid scoring option (four assists already). Tommy Wingels already has three goals and one helper, looking like a long-term fixture among the top scoring units employed by San Jose.

The Vancouver Canucks have two wins under their belt after a pair of wins against their division rivals from Alberta. The Canucks are a team that entered this campaign with a seed of doubt after a sub-par campaign last season. The questions began with concern over the possibility that their signature stars, the Sedins, were headed on the down side of their careers (at 34 years of age). They have responded with four points apiece and a positive collaboration with winger Radim Vrbata (two goals and one assist).

Another key to watch is the Canucks secondary scoring (four goals from 2nd and 3rd lines in those same two games is a good early indicator. Linden Vey, (1 g, 1 a) has been a good early surprise contributor in a third line center role. Ryan Miller will need to be better than he has shown (2.88 g.a.a, .889 sv. pct.) and is a key player to watch here.

Both of these teams are full value for their starts and have served notice that, at the very least, are still meriting serious consideration as playoff hopefuls, who should not be taken lightly.

Serious fans of the iconic Canadian-based franchises have seen extremes in team fortunes already.

First, the Montreal Canadiens rolled to three impressive and hard-fought road wins to open the season. They unveiled a roster that featured a better mix of size and skill, as opposed to the perception of a smallish collection of forwards that they have featured in recent years. It looks as though highly regarded Alexander Galchenyuk (three points, +4) is ready to break through as the offensive force who merited a third overall draft selection in 2012. Similarly, veteran playmaking winger, P.A. Parenteau (three assists, a shoot out GWG, +3) has also shone brightly.

Giddy Habs fans who celebrated these three early season wins were brought crashing down to earth as their heroes were crushed 7-1 by a Tampa Lightning team which had to have this game circled on their calendar, coming off the series sweep at the hands of Montreal last spring. Both of these teams are surely destined for the post-season and better still, another playoff clash.

Then, finally, the Maple Leafs' early fortunes serve as the best indicator of the ups and downs of a long season. After two defeats (against the Canadiens and Penguins) the Leafs were being written off and booed lustily by home fans. There were so many headlines calling for coach Randy Carlyle's head and criticizing sniper Phil Kessel's conditioning. Two games later, both impressive wins, have changed those tunes. Now the positives include a scoring surge by Kessel (five points), the emergence of a quality third line in Leo Komarov, Mike Santorelli and the maligned David Clarkson, to back up two solid scoring units. As well, James Reimer, all but written off as a goalie for the Leafs during the offseason, has been a key part of both wins (2.24 g.a.a., .920 sv. pct.). That's a good sign while Jonathan Bernier (4.51 g.a.a., .882 sv. pct.) takes some time to get over his season-opening stumble.

This is going to be a season of ups and downs in Toronto, just like it will be for most other teams. How they maximize the former and minimize the latter will determine ultimate success. It is way too early to draw ultimate conclusions about any team so far, but these are early indicators to watch for as this season rolls along.