It’s going to be a long, grueling season. That’s simply the nature of the NHL, but it hasn’t stopped some wild conclusions being drawn after the first week of the season. From declaring some teams are trash, to handing out the Hart Trophy far too soon — it’s time to dig through and dispel some of the biggest myths from the season so far.
Myth 1: The Panthers are cooked
There’s no question it’s been a slow start to the season for the Stanley Cup champs. Currently 3-3 on the season with stunning losses to the Flyers and Red Wings, it’s led to some bold conclusions. The biggest of which is that teams have somehow “figured out” how to match Florida’s physicality on the forecheck. It’s an absolutely ridiculous assertion, because the Panthers do this every year.
The entire ethos of this team is to do the bare minimum to make the playoffs. That’s what they do by design. They essentially throw the team on cruise control and coast for as long as possible, saving energy, aggression, and doing their best to stay healthy. Then when Florida hits the postseason that’s when they turn up the tempo and burn everyone, shifting into another gear and catching people off guard.
I’d be lying if I said the Panthers haven’t been sluggish, but it’s ludicrous to count them out.
Myth 2: Martin Nečas is a Top 5 player in the NHL
What Nečas is doing with the Avalanche to start the year is damn impressive, but the effusive praise he’s gotten has transcended well beyond the pale. That’s naturally going to happen when you score nine points in five games, but this is a player prone to having these prolific scoring periods, then he disappears for a while. It just so happens one of these runs opened up the season.
Case in point: Last year with the Hurricanes there was a period from Oct. 31 to Nov. 11 where Nečas was unstoppable. He registered 13 points in six games, and looked like he was asserting himself as a top player in the league. A month later he went 10 games while only getting three assists.
This is who he is as a player. The DNA won’t change simply because he’s on the Avs now.
Myth 3: The Hurricanes are frauds
The only unbeaten team left in the NHL, the 4-0 Hurricanes are getting a lot of hate, and claims that they’re “fakes,” which correspond to every mention about their streak to start the season. While it’s too early to say the Canes are the best team in the NHL, it’s ridiculous to say they’re somehow getting “lucky.”
Right now Carolina is second in total goals scored, just one behind the Golden Knights who have played an extra game. They are also 2nd in the NHL in goals allowed. Their total differential of +11 is unmatched across the first part of this season, and they’re having players break out all over their roster at once.
It appears that Seth Jarvis is ascending, which was a key for the Canes this season. He’s scored five goals in four games, leading the Hurricanes and shooting at a preposterous 31.3% this season. On the defensive end we’ve seen the two big moves also pay off, as rookie Alexander Nikishin is already looking like a star in the NHL, the same way he was elite in the KHL — while the big trade for K’Andre Miller is paying off with Miller’s Corsi and Fenwick both being through the roof since arriving in Raleigh.
While it’s certainly fair to wonder if the Hurricanes will once again falter in the postseason, it’s ludicrous to call them “frauds.”
Myth 4: The Bruins are overrated
Talk about a team swinging way above its weight class this season. Most assumed that Boston would be struggling as one of the worst teams in the East, but right now they look every part of a playoff team. Their 3-2 record might not seem spectacular in isolation, but the devil is in the details.
The Bruins two losses this season have come by one goal, and were to the Lightning and Golden Knights respectively. These are two lock playoff teams, with the Knights in particular being a Stanley Cup favorite out of the west. In games where Boston wasn’t supposed to have a shot they’re still succeeding, and that makes them worth watching.
The young players are all gelling on the roster, and there’s still a legitimate 100 point veteran in David Pastrňák. There is absolutely a chance the Bruins can be a playoff team this year and stun everyone.
Myth 5: The Leafs are one piece away
Toronto has really weathered the loss of Mitch Marner just fine on the offensive end, with Matthew Knies stepping up and filling the void. They still look like a playoff team, which we expected them to be — but the assertion that Toronto can fix all their problems at the deadline is ridiculous.
Defensively is where this team is really having issues. With 16 goals allowed in five games they rank among the worst teams in the NHL, while also allowing four high danger goals this season. There’s just not the edge needed to solve all their problems in one transaction.
That should be the expectation here for Toronto this season. They’re going to need to build this out intelligently, get tougher on the blue line through free agency, and resist the urge to make a massive splash at forward — as they’re want to do.
