One month into the 2023-24 National Hockey League and there are three teams that have separated themselves for two entirely different reasons.
At the top of the standings are the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights and last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners the Boston Bruins, with neither team having lost in regulation.
The Golden Knights lead the league with 19 points, two up on the Bruins but with one game in hand. Their only loss of the season was on Oct. 27 in a 4-3 overtime defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Bruins’ lone loss was 4-3 in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 26.
The Bruins have done it with defence and goaltending, allowing just 1.56 goals against per game, while the Golden Knights are third at 2.20.
Both teams are closer to the middle of the pack when it comes to the power play, with Vegas sitting 12th (22.9 per cent) and the Bruins 17th (16.7 per cent). However, they both make up for it on the penalty kill. The Bruins lead the NHL at 97.3 per cent on the PK, while Vegas comes in at No. 5 with an 89.7 per cent rate.
The goaltenders on both teams have been strong in the early going. In save percentage, the Bruins’ tandem of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark are third (.957) and fifth (.939) respectively, while Vegas’ Logan Thompson and Adin Hill are eighth (.931) and 12th (.923).
Offensively, the Bruins are being paced by star winger David Pastrnak, who has eight goals and 14 points in nine games, with new captain Brad Marchand at five goals and nine points. William Karlsson leads Vegas with 11 points in 10 games, closely followed by Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore with 10 points each.
At the other end of the spectrum are the San Jose Sharks, who have yet to win a game this season in nine attempts. The Sharks sport a league-worst -26 goal differential, scoring nine goals (league worst) and allowing 34 (third worst). Their highest scorer is Tomas Hertl with one goal and five points.
The goaltending duo of Mackenzie Blackwood and Kaapo Kahkonen have been solid behind a rebuilding squad, with both goalies sporting a .907 save percentage. The Sharks are 32nd in shots for at 24.6 per game and worst in shots against, allowing an average of 38.3 per game.
On special teams, the Sharks are 17th on the penalty kill at 76.5 per cent while their power play is at 12.5 per cent.
The only point San Jose has picked up this season was a 2-1 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 14. The Sharks have allowed three or more goals in eight of nine games played and six goals against twice. In their last four games, they’ve scored just two goals.
The Sharks finished 29th overall in the standings last season and just one month into this campaign, the focus for them is on the NHL draft lottery rather than the playoff picture.