Each NHL season is filled with surprises. The question is, can something that comes out of the blue last the entire year?
Of course it can.
Did anybody on the planet suspect the Phoenix Coyotes or Colorado Avalanche would make the playoffs last season? Not a chance. When both teams got off to good starts, most people assumed they would drop back to earth by mid-November. And yet both teams continued to soar… right into the post-season.
Did anybody really think Henrik Sedin was capable of both leading the NHL in scoring and winning the Hart Trophy as most valuable player? Certainly not in a league that has Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. Truthfully, most consider his brother Daniel to be the slightly more talented of the twins. Yet when Daniel went down with an injury, Henrik played lights out en route to winning the Art Ross and the Hart.
So we wonder:
Are the Toronto Maple Leafs for real?
Well, if the Coyotes and Avalanche can do it, I see no reason why the Leafs can't make the playoffs. I suspected going into the season they would be more competitive than the club that finished 29th in the NHL last year, but their quick start comes as a surprise. For the Leafs to carry on rolling in the right direction their goaltending must continue to be the backbone of the team; their penalty-killing (30th last year, ninth so far this season) must continue to bail the team out; they need Phil Kessel to continue to challenge for the Rocket Richard Trophy and they absolutely need their defencemen to continue chipping in on offence.
Are the Ottawa Senators really this bad?
No. There is no question this is not the start GM Bryan Murray dreamed about all summer. The Senators were supposed to be, if nothing else, a solid defensive team. Thus far they have surrendered nine more goals than they have scored. The points they are surrendering in October could come back to bite them late in the year if they are in a scramble to make the playoffs. It's not all his fault, but veteran Alex Kovalev must engage. He has mostly floated through six games to date.
Are the New Jersey Devils really this bad?
Hmm, this is a tough one. It seems unlikely that a team with Ilya Kovalchuk, Martin Brodeur and Zach Parise could be so horrible unless you consider Kovalchuk doesn't get the team concept; Brodeur is slowing down and Parise is simply off to a bad start and will kick it into gear soon.
Should the Edmonton Oilers send Taylor Hall back to junior hockey?
Are you kidding? Not a chance. Hall has accomplished everything he possibly could at that level and it would be a complete waste of time to send him back. This kid is a special player and even though he only has one assist in four games, he'll find his way. Simon Gagne of the Lightning has no points and is minus-7; Norris Trophy hopeful Drew Doughty has one assist in four games while Nik Antorpov of the Thrashers has one assist and is minus-3. Should they go back to junior, too?
Could Marian Hossa win a scoring title?
There's no question Hossa is off to a great start so that he is one of the most talented players in the NHL. Hossa finished fifth in NHL scoring in 2003-04 playing with the Senators and sixth in 2006-07 with the Atlanta Thrashers, so it isn't inconceivable that he could win the Art Ross Trophy. That said, as long as Crosby and Ovechkin remain healthy, they have to be considered the odds on favorites to lead the league in scoring.
Will the lunacy we have witnessed so far - four players suspended, four more fined and the Rick Rypien fan-grabbing incident - continue?
Of course it will. Players don't seem to have any regard for one another's safety and although the NHL has vowed to crack down on hits from behind and head shots, the players don't seem to be listening. The NHL should take a long and hard look at the Ontario Hockey League's no-nonsense rule about head shots. Deliver one on purpose or by accident and you pay the price. As for Rypien, he should get 15 games minimum.
