The Good, Bad, and The Ugly After A Month of the NHL Season
Summary
One month into the NHL season has revealed several standout performers. Rookie defenseman Zeev Buium is excelling for the Wild, transforming their power play. Colorado’s hot start is fueled by goalie Scott Wedgewood’s strong play, while 37-year-old Brad Marchand is defying age with a career-best offensive surge for the Panthers. Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson has also elevated his game, helping lead the Ducks to the top of their division.
Conversely, some players are struggling significantly. Detroit’s Marco Kasper and Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson are underperforming offensively, with the latter’s production not matching his large contract. The most severe downturns belong to Nashville’s Steven Stamkos, whose scoring has nearly vanished, and Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault, who has lost his starting role after a troubling drop in performance.
After just a month of the NHL season, we’ve seen a host of surprising performances, some amazing, while others have been downright terrible. Let’s take a look at some of the good, the bad and the ugly in the NHL
THE GOOD
Zeev Buium, Wild Defenseman
Zeev Buium, in his first full NHL season, has made an instant splash by jumping into a top power-play role and producing far beyond expectations. He’s tied among the league’s defensemen in power‐play points and his advanced stats show he ranks in the 90th percentile for offensive zone time among defensemen. Drafted 12th overall in 2024, the 19-year old has been able to make the leap to the NHL in arguably one of the hardest positions. It doesn’t hurt that he’s playing alongside established names like Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. His impact has helped transform the Wild’s power-play (28.8%) into one of the league’s top four units. With 3 goals and 7 assists, he could be in consideration for Rookie of the Year if he continues his strong play.
Scott Wedgewood, Avalanche Goalie
The Colorado Avalanche have been off to a hot start this season and a big reason has been goaltender Scott Wedgewood. He’s suffered just one loss in 14 appearances with a 2.26 GAA and a .913 save percentage. Mackenzie Blackwood, who has been out with an injury, is returning so it’ll be interesting to see how much the Avs will use Wedgewood moving forward. Another big reason for his success, Colorado has been scoring at a torrid pace, averaging four goals a game. It’s also intriguing to know Wedgewood’s fabulous start coincides in a contract year as the 33-year old becomes a free agent at the end of the season.
Brad Marchand, Panthers Left Winger
Perhaps the most surprising start to the season goes to Brad Marchand. He’s 37-years old and off to the best start of his career recording 11 goals and 18 points in his first 15 games, despite losing star linemates to injury. While most players in their late 30’s decline, Marchand seems to be rejuvenated and is carrying the Panthers offensively. He’s become their go-to guy while others recover, and has done so with a blend of speed, scoring, and veteran poise that few anticipated at this stage.
Leo Carlsson, Ducks Center
The Ducks knew when they selected Leo Carlsson with the second overall pick in 2023 they had drafted a potential star. Last season, his second in the NHL, he broke through with 20 goals and 45 points. But now we’re seeing another level as Carlsson has 11 goals, 15 assists for 26 points through 16 games. He’s led the Ducks to a surprising start as they sit at the top of the Pacific Division. New head coach, Joel Quenneville has helped Carlsson become one of the top centers in the league and ranks in the top then for power play points with 9.
THE BAD
Marco Kasper, Red Wings Center
Coming off a rookie campaign with 19 goals and 18 assists, Kasper entered the 2025-26 season with high expectations. Unfortunately, he’s managed just 3 goals and 0 assists in 16 games, skating to a minus-6 rating. Head coach Todd McLellan hasn’t been happy and has moved Kasper from the second to the third line. Given his draft status and the role he was given this season, this downturn stands out as one of the more significant under-performances early on.
Elias Pettersson, Canucks Center
Elias Pettersson, once among the league’s more elite forwards posting 102 and 89 points in back-to-back seasons, is struggling once again. Last season he finished with only 45 points, career low and is on pace for just 59 points this year, not what you’d expect from a player making $11.6 million after signing a major extension. Defensively, he leads NHL forwards with 38 blocked shots, but for a player making that kind of money, the Canucks need him to take shots on goal, not block them.
THE UGLY
Steven Stamkos, Predators Center
Once regarded as the premier scorer in the NHL, Steven Stamkos has hit rock bottom in his time with Nashville. Through 18 games, the former 60-goal scorer has just 3 goals and 1 assist, that is a pace of just 14 goals for a player who is nearing 600 in his career. The move to the Predators hasn’t worked out and many expect Stamkos to be moved this season with 2 years remaining on the deal he signed with Nashville.
Sam Montembeault, Canadiens Goalie
A year ago, Sam Montembeault was thought to be the next star goalie in Montreal especially after being named to Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster and considered a shoe-in to make the Olympic team for 2026. But so far this season, his performance has been underwhelming as he’s 4-4-1 in nine games and his .861 save percentage has been troubling. Jakub Dobes has taken over as the starter and Montembeault likely won’t be on Team Canada.
Final Thoughts
While we haven’t hit the quarter pole of the season yet, we have seen some incredible starts for some players and a very disappointing month for others. NHL players face enormous expectations from fans, coaches, media, and themselves, especially those drafted high or carrying hefty contracts. For elite players, turning expectations into motivation rather than anxiety is key, allowing them to perform consistently and thrive under the spotlight that comes with being among the best in the world.
