On Tuesday we took a look at the top teams for the month of October. There were some surprises on the list that we may not have seen before the start of the NHL season. The same can be said (to some degree) about the top players in the season opening month.
There are certainly some players who performed as well as we expected them to and plenty who fell flat on their face. Slow starts are nothing unusual in any sport, but these guys have been on fire since the puck dropped.
Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
No surprise here. Well, only that Crosby hasn’t put a real gap between himself and everyone else in the NHL.
Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
Coming off an MVP season, Ovechkin continued his tear with 10 goals in his first 12 games.
Steven Stamkos, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
The bigger surprise has been that Tampa is winning, but they can thank their perennial super-sniper and his penchant for twine tickling.
Alexander Steen, LW, St. Louis Blues
Kind of a breakout for the relatively understated Steen. His 12 tallies are the tops in the NHL at the moment. This is sort of an anomaly given the style of play in St. Louis, but fantasy owners are happy to reap the benefits of his early success.
Phil Kessel, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Phil “The Thrill” is scoring in bunches for the surging Leafs. He also got into a fight, which most Toronto fans won’t like. “Watch the mitts Phil! The mitts!”
Henrik Sedin, C, Vancouver Canucks
A productive start is a big surprise for everyone who isn’t a Canucks fan. The aging captain just got a new four-year deal to reward his torrid start in Vancouver.
Daniel Sedin, LW, Vancouver Canucks
Like his twin Henrik, Daniel has been scorching the score sheets from the start and received a matching contract for his efforts.
Chris Kunitz, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins
Out to prove that his production is not a fluke, Kunitz has been the most productive wing player in the Steel City by far. Kind of scary that the Pens have been winning a lot without James Neal.
P.K Subban, D, Montreal Canadiens
The reigning Norris Trophy winner has been on fire for the Canadiens and for fantasy owners alike. Points and penalty minutes have been Subban’s m/o so far this year, but it has been a great combination so far.
Erik Karlsson, D, Ottawa Senators
With a full recovery from his Achilles injury, Karlsson is back to his old tricks again. Scoring at a pace with the league leaders might not be getting Ottawa the wins they need, but he is a must-own for every fantasy league.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D, San Jose Sharks
Listed among the league leaders in every statistical category, Valsic almost looks out of place. With Dan Boyle out with injury, he has emerged as the top blue liner on the Sharks.
Alex Pietrangelo, D, St. Louis Blues
Pietrangelo finally looks like he is living up to the hype as an elite defenseman. He had a similar start last season before fading towards the end of the season.
Antti Niemi, G, San Jose Sharks
By far the best goalie in the league thus far, Niemi looks like he might be finally getting the recognition he deserves. Remember when he won the Stanley Cup in Chicago? San Jose does.
Ben Bishop, G, Tampa Bay Lightning
It’s probably safe to say that Bishop is the main reason for the early success in Tampa. His record (9-2-0) and stats (2.15 GAA and .925 save %) are indisputable but still a relatively small sampling. Hopefully for the Lightning, Bishop can keep it going.
Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
Fleury gets a terrible rap because of recent playoff struggles, but we forget that his regular season numbers have always been sensational. The Pens are hoping it is a sign of things to come, but there is no substitute for the intensity of playoff hockey.