With just two games on the NHL schedule, a lot happened in a short amount of time.
The Wild were led by unlikely characters, the Flames used one of their weaknesses to scrape out a win, and a dangerous Shark is making waves in the awards debate.
Here are three things we learned in the NHL Friday.
Wild’s surprise offensive leaders
It’s not so much the goals for (ranked 13th overall) that surprises about the Minnesota Wild this early in the season, it’s who sits atop the team in points.
Eric Staal and Ryan Suter.
Questions surrounded Staal in the offseason after he sputtered with the New York Rangers and flamed out in Carolina. The elder Staal scored just six points in 25 regular season and playoff games with the Rangers while he managed just 33 in 63 with the Hurricanes in 2015-16.
He got a fresh start with the Wild as a free agent but would his output change on a team that historically has had trouble scoring?
Suter, who notched an assist Friday, has been a bright spot in his own right, establishing a points-per-game rate higher than ever over his 11-year career. With 16 points now in 23 games, his 0.70 P/PG is his career-best, with the closest comparable coming in the lockout-shortened 2013 season when he had 32 points in 48 games.
Suter’s never scored more than eight goals in a season and he’s already up to four — though his current 8.0 per cent shooting percentage, well above his career average, could eventually bring him down to Earth.
Zach Parise, whom you might think is the perennial points leader for the Wild, has struggled while suffering from a lower-body injury. His 0.60 P/PG rate this year is his lowest since his rookie season of 2005-06, outside of his injury-riddled 2010-11 when he played just 13 games.
Parise, after Friday’s action, has nine points in 16 games while Staal is up to 16 in 23.
Flames’ power play ignited
Calgary’s power play is the worst in the NHL — off from the league lead by 15.2 per cent — and so scoring even one goal with the man advantage is cause for excitement.
The Wild took three minors in the first period Friday and Mikael Backlund potted the Flames’ second power play goal on home ice this year.
Calgary also has the third-worst penalty kill in the league, operating at 77.3 per cent ahead of Friday’s game.
And though the Flames squandered a power play opportunity in overtime, they squeaked out a shootout win, 3-2.
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Burns’ Norris season
It’s pretty simple. Brent Burns leads all defencemen in points this season, making him an early candidate for the Norris Trophy.
But going back to late February, Burns leads all defencemen in a bunch of stuff.
That’s all defencemen.
Burns opened the scoring Friday against the Montreal Canadiens with a power play goal.
And had quite the first period, especially.
Joe Thornton assisted on two goals in that opening frame, putting him ahead of some elite company.
Burns may not even be the best defenceman on his team (we’re looking at you, Marc-Edouard Vlasic) but his ability to dominate games on the scoresheet will have awards voters staying up later to watch more Sharks games.
As someone once said, “Let the Wookiee win.”
