There's little doubt about which team opens the season at No. 1 in the TSN.ca NHL Power Rankings. The Montreal Canadiens, boasting a 9-0 record, are the clear leaders of the pack.
They were expected to be a good team coming into the season, but this start is above and beyond.
Other teams performing better than anticipated early in the year: the high-scoring Washington Capitals, jump from 13 to two, and the Florida Panthers go from 26 to 15.
Heading the wrong way, the Anaheim Ducks haven't been able to score, and plummet from four to 29, while the Pittsburgh Penguins have had their own offensive issues and drop from two to 20 in the season's first update.
As for the rest of the Canadian teams, the Winnipeg Jets are taking flight, up from 15 to seven, the Ottawa Senators are at 19, Vancouver Canucks at 20 and Edmonton Oilers at 23.
The Toronto Maple Leafs sit 28th, just as they did in the preseason.