Who Have Been Some of the Most Surprising Players in the NHL So Far?
The first month of an NHL season is a very small sample size. With that, a player’s stats can be exaggerated with a few great games. So, some players have been able to exceed expectations by a large margin. In this article, we will take a look at three forwards, one defenseman, and two goaltenders in the NHL who have been some of the most surprising players to begin the season.
All statistics in this article are as of February 13, 2021.
Joe Pavelski, F, Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are coming off of a heartbreaking loss in the Stanley Cup Finals, and want redemption this season. Due to an outbreak of COVID-19, the Stars didn’t kick off their season until January 22nd, nine days after the season began. But that didn’t stop the Stars from quickly rising up the standings. Their leading scorer, however, might surprise you. With a mix of veterans and young talent, no other than 36-year-old Joe Pavelski leads in goals, assists, and points. Pavelski has nine goals and 17 points in 12 games. It is the hottest start of Pavelski’s career. His 1.42 points rank tied for seventh in the entire NHL, and his seven power-play goal ranks first.
Tyler Toffoli, F, Montreal Canadiens
During the offseason, Tyler Toffoli signed a four-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Coming off arguably his best season with the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks, he’s catching fire with his new team. So far, Toffoli’s first fourteen games with the Canadiens have been some of his best. He’s had a few highlight-reel plays already and continues to put the puck in the net. His ten goals and five assists through 15 games put him in a tie for second in the goal-scoring race.
James van Riemsdyk, F, Philadelphia Flyers
James van Riemsdyk may be the most surprising player so far. He has quickly risen towards the top of the league in scoring. Since Flyers coach Alain Vigneault created a line of James van Riemsdyk, Scott Laughton, and Joel Farabee, they’ve been one of the most productive in the NHL. Personally, van Riemsdyk has an impressive seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 13 games. That puts him tied for fifth in points in the entire NHL, concreting an amazing start.
Jeff Petry, D, Montreal Canadiens
Jeff Petry has so far been the lead horse on Montreal’s blue line. Just like all their other offseason moves, Petry’s extension with the Canadiens is looking like a smart decision. In Petry’s 15 games, his 15 points (six goals and nine assists) tie him for second in the league with former Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman. Petry is a large two-way defenseman and has never scored at a rate near this. He’s been great defensively as well, though. He has 26 hits and 18 blocked shots and only taken one minor penalty.
Philipp Grubauer, G, Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are hot to begin the season, and one of the main reasons is their goaltending. Last year, Avalanche goalies Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz split the starts about evenly. With Francouz injured this year, Grubauer has played more than expected. In the first 11 games for the team, Grubauer has played nine. He has a save percentage of .934% and a goals-against-average of 1.67, ranking in the top five in both stats for goaltenders that have played four or more games this season.
Semyon Varlamov, G, New York Islanders
Despite early Islander’s struggles, Semyon Varlamov has shined and kept the team competitive. Varlamov started over Thomas Greiss last year, but there were a handful of stretches where we saw more of Greiss. However, he is yet to lose the starting role, not even when highly sought after goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin joined the team. So far, Varlamov has played ten of the Islanders’ 13 games, recording a .930% save percentage and a 1.98 goals-against-average. His three shutouts are tied for the league lead with John Gibson.
Die-Hard Islanders fan and writer from Plainview, Long Island, NY. I have a passion and knowledge for this team and I enjoy sharing that with others
