Two weeks into the 2023-24 season, three teams remain perfect in the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins.
The Golden Knights haven't lost any momentum since winning their first Stanley Cup in June, improving to 7-0 on the season with a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
While it remains early, Vegas is quickly pulling away as the team looks to retain their title as Pacific Division champions. The Golden Knights have a built a six-point lead over the second-place Vancouver Canucks with one more game played.
Tuesday's win saw the Golden Knights score two goals in the third period for a come-from-behind win over the Flyers
“It got frustrating, but we battled through and were able to get through in the end,” said Shea Theodore, who scored the winner in the final minute. “We know what’s at stake every night. It’s good to get those two points.”
The hot start for the Golden Knights comes after a relatively quiet off-season that focused more on retaining players than acquiring new ones. Left wing Reilly Smith was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in their lone deal of the off-season, while the team re-signed forward Ivan Barbashev, who scored Tuesday, and goaltender Adin Hill, who is 4-0 this season.
Avalanche not content at 6-0
The Avalanche and Bruins are both on revenge tours after being bounced in the first round of the playoffs last spring.
Colorado, who were eliminated by the Seattle Kraken, picked up a 7-4 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday to improve to 6-0. The win also marked a 15th consecutive road victory for the Avalanche dating back to last season, setting a new NHL record. The Buffalo Sabres previously held the mark at 14, which was also set over two seasons from April to November of 2006.
The Avalanche, though, are not getting caught up in their hot start.
"We are fortunate to be 6-0. The guys realize that,” coach Jared Bednar said after Tuesday's win. “We are still trying to improve.
"It was a shooter's night on both sides. A little bit of a strange game, but I did like the way we capitalized late."
The Avalanche brought in veteran centre Ryan Johansen from the Nashville Predators in June and added forward Ross Colton via a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Along with losing a slew of veterans, including defenceman Erik Johnson, in free agency, Colorado also traded forward Alex Newhook.
Johansen, who was acquired in exchange for pending unrestricted free agent Alex Galchenyuk with the Predators retaining half of his $7 million cap hit, is off to a strong start with his new club with four goals and five points in six games, including two goals against the Islanders on Tuesday.
"We kept working hard all night, and we just have to keep working hard, practicing and getting our team game better and better," Johansen said after the win.
"We were not perfect, but our confidence is growing as a group."
The road-loving Avalanche will face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday before closing out their trip against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.
Bruins rolling again after off-season of change
After setting an NHL record with 65 wins and 135 points last season, the Bruins have picked up where they left off despite significant changes in the off-season.
The Bruins lost then-captain Patrice Bergeron and veteran forward David Krejci to retirement, leaving them without their top two centres from last season.
The team also traded wingers Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno to the Chicago Blackhawks and lost trade-deadline additions Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway in free agency.
And yet, the Bruins improved to 6-0 with a 3-0 victory over the Blackhawks on Tuesday, in which Boston outshot Chicago 43-23.
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery believes his team is establishing a new identity this season en route to tying the franchise's record for a best-ever start - having gone 6-0 in 1937-38 as well.
“Loved the results,” Montgomery said after Tuesday's win. “Love our goaltending. Starting to see our team identity build because I think [Saturday's 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings] and this game tonight, you’re starting to see us become a heavy, grinding team, which I think is what we’re going to have to be.”
Helping fill the void of their off-season losses have been veteran winger James van Riemsdyk, who has three goals and five points in six games, and 19-year-old rookie forward Matthew Poitras who scored his third goal of the season against Chicago.
The Bruins will look to improve to 7-0 for the first time in franchise history on home ice Thursday against the 2-4 Anaheim Ducks.