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VANCOUVER – Sure, it’s early. But it’s also seven wins in 10 tries for the Vancouver Canucks. And it’s impossible to argue with .700 hockey at any point in a National Hockey League season. Consider, too, the fact the Canucks ushered in a new coaching staff with new systems and a handful of new faces throughout the line-up and the team’s quick bolt from the starting gate has come as a pleasant surprise.

While there are still areas to work on – letting a 2-0 third period get away before winning in overtime on Thursday against Montreal is proof of that – the Canucks have already salted away 14 of a possible 20 points in the standings that could prove valuable at season’s end.

And they’ve done it with inspired play from their best players, spread scoring from the foot soldiers, a vibrant power play, a return to form from their top defensive pair and terrific goaltending. It’s tough to imagine those factors will be present in every 10 game stretch over the course of the marathon regular season, but the first 10 games have certainly provided a foundation for the Canucks to build on.

“It’s still early -- we could have been five and five and you would have asked about a bad start and I would have said it’s still early,” captain Henrik Sedin said moments after setting up brother Daniel for the overtime winner against the Canadiens. “But I like the way we play. I like the way we battle for each other. There’s an overall feeling in this room that guys really want to play for each other and that’s a really good feeling. It’s not going to be pretty every night, but it’s fun to watch right now.”

Henrik and Daniel Sedin are leading the way with 12 points apiece through the first 10 games and new linemate Radim Vrbata has added 11 of his own. The top line carried the Canucks through the first week of the season, but since then, the club has received timely contributions from the likes of Nick Bonino, Jannik Hansen, Linden Vey and for the second straight game Brad Richardson.

Willie Desjardin’s coaching staff has implemented a power play that has converted on nine of 38 chances (23.7%) and produced at least one goal in seven of the team’s first 10 games. Last year, the Canucks didn’t score their ninth power play goal of the season until the third week of November.

In their own zone, Vancouver has seen a vast improvement in the play of Alex Edler. While still prone to the odd miscue, Edler’s mistakes aren’t winding up in the team’s net. In fact, he and partner Chris Tanev haven’t been on the ice for any of the last 10 goals the Canucks have surrendered, and on the season, Edler – who struggled so mightily a year ago – has been on the ice for just eight of the 29 goals the team has allowed so far this season. 

Edler and the rest of the Canucks have been bailed out on several occasions already by Ryan Miller who has been sensational in the early going. A forgettable night in Dallas is his only loss, and with the victory over Montreal, Miller joined the Habs' Carey Price as the first goalies in the league to seven victories.

Miller's solid positioning within the crease has particularly been noticeable in the early going, as he's made his seven wins look fairly easy with an economy of motion that’s allowed him to stay calm. After registering his 300th NHL win on Tuesday against Carolina, Miller pushed his early season home ice record to 4-0 thanks to Thursday night's victory against the Canadiens.

“We’ve won some games at home now and we’ve had a few hard battles,” Miller said. “If you went back and said you’d be in this position after ten games, I’d say that’s a good place to be. But this league is really, really tough as you install in travel and teams start to break your systems down, you have to keep improving, keep building you game as the season goes. There are a lot of things that go into it. A good start helps, but you have to keep improving every week and keep climbing and come together as a group. That’s how I’d like to see things go.”

Miller and his teammates are well aware things will only get tougher from here. There is no resting on their laurels for the Canucks, who know there are no prizes handed out for solid starts or strong October's. 

Over the next month, the club will get its first look of the new season versus Nashville, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles and Chicago – the types of teams Vancouver will see in the playoffs if they can parlay the quick start into a post-season berth. 

It’s only 10 games, but given the many questions swirling prior to their season, with seven wins, the Canucks have come through the first 10 games of their schedule as one of the early surprises in the NHL.