The great thing about hockey is that it is played on the ice and not on paper. You never know what is going to happen before the season starts, and every year there are players that end up playing far better than they were supposed to. This year, those surprising players include everyone from a 23 year old Russian just trying to find his place in the NHL to the 43 year old legend still proving that he can play at a top line level.
Blake Wheeler: Right Winger, Winnipeg Jets
He has to be on the top of everybody’s most surprising players list. At age 29, he has yet to prove that he is a PPG kind of a player. He has been a very useful player for Winnipeg though, scoring 60 points in each season with Winnipeg except for the Lockout shortened one. He was definitely expected to have another solid, 60-point season on the Jets top line.
However, he has surpassed those expectations so far this season. At the pace he is going right now, he would have a 100 point season and score 40 goals. His 11 points so far put him in a tie for fifth in the NHL. He also has as many goals as Tyler Seguin in as many games. He is eighth in PPG with 1.38 and also already has four points on the power play. In short, he has been one of the most productive players in the league so far this year, and is defying his expectations.
Jaromir Jagr: Right Winger, Florida Panthers
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised anymore when it comes to Jagr. The 43 year old has done everything there is to do in the NHL, and is a sure fire hall of famer. When Jagr returned to the NHL, most thought that he had lost a step and could no longer play on a top line. He proved them all wrong by providing the Flyers with quite possibly Claude Giroux’s best linemate, as Giroux managed to get 93 points with Jagr. He has shown us time and time again that he cannot be compared to the mere mortals that he plays against.
Still though, nobody could have predicted that the Jagr would lead the Panthers to 3.3 GPG. His leadership is a big reason for the Panthers turnaround, but he also leads the team in goals and points. His 10 points is currently tied for 11th in the league. His six goals put him in a tie for fourth in the NHL. Just to put his start into perspective, if he was to continue at this pace, he would score 62 goals this year. The last time he did that was the 95-96 season, which was 20 years ago.
Michael Cammalleri: Left Winger, New Jersey Devils
To say Cammalleri has been struggling with injuries over the past few years would be an understatement. Cammalleri has not played 70 games in a season since the 08-09 season where he was dynamite, scoring 39 goals and 82 points. Since then, he has hit the 50 point plateau only once in 09-10. His constant injuries derail any chance of Cammalleri returning to his prior dominance.
This year though has gone quite smoothly for Cammalleri so far. He has 11 points in only eight games. To put that in perspective, he already has over a fourth of the amount of points he had last season. What may be the most impressive about Cammalleri’s start is that he is doing it all without much help. The Devils are only scoring 2.4 GPG and Cammalleri has been forced into playing 20 minutes a night. Hopefully, the extra workload doesn't catch up with the often injured Cammalleri.
Evgeny Kuznetsov: Center, Washington Capitals
The 23 year old from Russia came into this season without a lot of hype. The draft stars Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid were supposed to be the young players that would make a big splash and Kuznetsov had only 11 goals the season before in his only full NHL season. Nicklas Backstrom was supposed to get the top line role, while Kuznetsov would get experience on the second or third line.
Due to injuries to Backstrom, Kuznetsov got time on the top line. He took the chance and ran with it, leading the team in points with 11. He is fifth in the league in that department, and is also tied for eighth in assists. His 1.57 PPG are only behind David Krejci and oddly enough Nicklas Backstrom. With Backstrom back now, it is unclear if he can continue this surprising start.
Martin Jones: Goalie, San Jose Sharks
Martin Jones is the second former back up to Jonathan Quick to be thrust into a starting goaltender position, the first being Jonathan Bernier. Despite all of the pressures put on the young San Jose goaltender, he has managed to get off to an impressive start. His five wins are already more than he had last year, despite the fact he has only played in seven games. His 1.69 GAA and .940 SV% are also career highs for the 25 year old.
Perhaps what is the most impressive thing about his performance is that this is the first time in his career that he is the starter. During his time with Los Angeles, he only played around 15 times a year. That gave him time to relax and prepare for when he might be called on again, and he also did have the pressure of having to be counted on for 50 to 60 games a season. That is all different now, starting for a team that has playoff aspirations in San Jose. So far, he has shown he can manage the increased workload and pressure.