5 stat-based team storylines through 5 weeks
With all 30 NHL teams quickly approaching the season's quarter mark, the sample size is finally large enough to begin evaluating some of the most glaring trends, predictable or not.
Here are five stat-based team storylines from the first five weeks of 2015-16:
The Montreal Canadiens have a league-leading 59 goals, plus-30 differential
The Canadiens were ranked 18th in the NHL with 221 goals last season, which was tied for last with the Pittsburgh Penguins among teams that made the playoffs. Carey Price's unbelievable Vezina and Hart Trophy campaign had Montreal tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for first in the league in goals against, leaving many of the opinion they wouldn't have even made the postseason without the star goalie. Those thoughts are far from present this season.
With a league-leading 59 goals in 16 games, the Canadiens are on pace to score 302 times this season. By last year's standards, that would have put them in first place by 50 tallies. The Habs have nine players with at least 11 points. To put that into context, there are four teams that don't even have a single player with 11 points.
Montreal is sitting third with 29 goals against, albeit having played more games than the teams in front of them. With a league-leading plus-30-goal differential, and a sample size that continues to grow, Montreal's 13-2-1 record is no longer a mirage. Equipped with scoring in front of Price, and a seemingly reliable backup in Mike Condon, the Canadiens are a legitimate Presidents' Trophy contender.
The Carolina Hurricanes are second in the NHL with a 55.2 Corsi For rating
The Hurricanes are off to another tough start with a disappointing 6-9-0 record. Cam Ward and Eddie Lack are struggling, as they've given up the NHL's sixth most goals. Out front, stars Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, and Jeff Skinner have only combined for a frustrating 10 goals in 15 games, a primary reason for the team's low scoring totals. But for the first time in years, there's reason for optimism.
With the NHL's third youngest team, Carolina finally appears to be making strides in the right direction. The Hurricanes are driving puck possession, sitting second in the NHL with a surprising 55.2 even strength Corsi For rating through 15 games. They're only giving up a second-best 25.5 shots against per game, while sitting seventh with an average of 31 shots for. Evidently, Carolina is playing the right way. These numbers are encouraging as the team gears up to start building around a young core of Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Justin Faulk.
The New York Islanders' fourth line has 194 hits through 16 games
The Islanders are primed to lead the league in hits for the second consecutive year thanks to the most physical line in the NHL. Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Martin, and Casey Cizikas have combined for a whopping 194 hits through 16 games, which accounts for 33 percent of the team's total. In fact, the trio alone only trails the Minnesota Wild (247) by 53 hits - on pace for 994 over an 82-game stretch.
Martin sits atop the league with 82 hits, Clutterbuck is a close second with 68, and Cizikas is 17th with 44. With a team-worst average of 11.6 minutes of ice time, the three forwards are making it their priority to hammer the opposition, solidifying the Islanders as one of the most physically draining teams to play against.
St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen is 7-3-0 with a 1.53 GAA and .950 save percentage
The Blues have lost four consecutive playoffs series, with inconsistent goaltending standing out as a key contributor to their failure, allowing 72 goals in 27 games over the past four years. Jaroslav Halak, Brian Elliot, and Ryan Miller all struggled when given the opportunity to man the crease in the postseason, contributing to an early exit year after year.
After gaining valuable experience in the playoffs for the first time last season, Allen has emerged as one of the NHL's best goalies early on. He's second in the league with a ridiculous 1.53 GAA and .950 save percentage in 10 starts, and also sits atop the NHL with three shutouts.
The Blues are hopeful their 2008 34th overall pick will be the man to turn their playoff struggles around, and he appears to be well on his way. Allen followed up a career-high 45-save shutout against the Western Conference rival Nashville Predators by blanking the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. He might very well be exactly what St. Louis needs to finally go on a run in April and beyond.
The New York Rangers have a 10.6 even-strength on-ice shooting percentage
Henrik Lundqvist has been nothing short of exceptional, enjoying the best start of his career with a 8-2-2 record, 1.65 GAA, and .949 save percentage. The Rangers have only given 25 goals, tops in the NHL, and they're sixth in goals scored despite only two tallies from Rick Nash. But even though they sit second overall with 24 points thanks to an impressive 11-2-2 start, the Rangers might not be quite as good as their early record indicates.
The Rangers have a league-leading even-strength on-ice shooting percentage of 10.6, which would be the second best total since 2007-08, which is ultimately unsustainable over an entire regular season. They're also among the bottom of the league in puck possession, ranked 24th with a 47.6 Corsi For rating. The Rangers' numbers appear to be the product of unbelievable goaltending, while the team is scoring at what seems to be an unlikely rate given their numbers. Barring an MVP-calibre season out of Lundqvist, the Rangers are likely due for regression.