American Thanksgiving has now passed so what is every team thankful for? This NHL season has been great so far and some teams are having outstanding seasons. There is lost for teams to be thankful for and some teams may not be so thankful but I was able to find something for every team.
Anaheim is thankful for good goaltending
Anaheim is looking like they may be taking a step forward…. in goaltending. The team has not been the most consistent offensively or defensively yet this season, but their goaltenders have been. John Gibson has returned to the level everyone thought he could play at. In five games, he has four wins, and has a .925 save percentage. Gibson has not been their starter though, it has been Lukas Dostal. In fourteen games, he has a 2.72 GAA and a .922 save percentage. He is most likely the future starting goaltender of the Ducks, but he may end up being the starting goalie of the present too. Right now the Ducks can’t go wrong with either goalie.
Boston is thankful for playing to expectations
The Boston Bruins need to change some things on their roster. Last year was more of a fluke than reality. Players were playing higher up in the lineup than they realistically should have and now you have the downfall of that. The Bruins are by no means a bad team, but they were not the 47-20-15 team from last season. Lindholm is a second line center though and Zadarov is a number four defenseman at best. The down tick in their record was predictable but it is a good thing so they can actually actively address the problems.
Buffalo is thankful for being in the hunt
Buffalo Sabres, NHL Playoffs. Two things you do not normally see together, but the Buffalo Sabres are currently sat one point out of a playoff spot. They are very thankful for being in the hunt considering their start to the season was not the greatest. It seems that they are starting to figure things out now. Tage Thompson is now back and will be a huge boost for that team while JJ Peterka has had a really nice start to the season. Buffalo the last couple seasons has kind of been a behind the pack type team so being within a point is a great step forward for them. They will be a team to watch this season and hopefully they can break into the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.
Calgary is thankful for Dustin Wolf playing well
Dustin Wolf so far this season he has been playing so well that people are starting to talk about him as a Calder threat. While his team is doing just as well, he has been a huge part of the team’s success. A record of 8-3-1 with a GAA of 2.47 and a SV% of .921 puts him at the top of rookie goaltenders, there not a lot this year, but also near the top of all goaltenders. He is even out performing former goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Calgary is just thankful that it looks like they already have their next franchise goaltender and he is here right now.
Carolina is thankful for solving the scoring problem
The Carolina Hurricanes biggest flaw over the years has been the lack of scoring throughout their lineup. That is no longer an issue for this team. They currently rank 3rd in the league with 88 goals through 22 games. The total is impressive but it is where they are getting the scoring from is what they are most thankful for. Lead by Martin Necas, the top six has been contriubting consistently and the bottom six has been able to add on to that offense. They have four forward lines that are all hitting their stride and it does not matter what line is on the ice, they will be a threat to score.
Chicago is thankful for the team not being as good as people thought
Connor Bedard has struggled to start this season, Taylor Hall has just shown up recently and Tyler Bertuzzi is still nowhere to be found. Coming into the season, people had high hopes for this team. Now you know that Bedard is going to ramp up eventually, but the rest of the team for the most part are seasoned veterans that just have not been playing well. To be honest though, Chicago may be thankful for that. Chicago does not have any running mates for Bedards future. The Blackhawks need more top 5 picks in the system and thankfully for them, thats the way the season seems to be trending.
Colorado is thankful for getting back healthy
Colorado has been decimated by injuries this season. Already this season they have been without Ross Colton and Jonathan Drouin for an extended time. On top of that they were already missing Gabe Landeskog (injury) and Valeri Nichushkin (players assistance program). Then to cap it all off Cale Makar was banged up and Miles Wood has been dealing with something as well. What the Avalanche are thankful for is health. Players are slowly coming back to the lineup and others are on the horizon.
Columbus is thankful for the fight the team has shown
The Columbus Blue Jackets had every reason to have a down year, but they have not so far this season. The play of Sean Monahan and the fight every game from this team has kept them in the hunt so far. Monahan is on pace to set career highs while the rest of the team seems to just be playing a more complete game. They are giving their fans some hope that they can be a good team down the line. While the David Jiricek issue needs to be resolved, this team has found a renewed energy and the feelings around this team are just different, in a good way.
Dallas is thankful for being back in North America
The Dallas Stars are happy to be back in North America or maybe they aren’t but they are glad they do not have another trip across the ocean planned. The Stars were 7-2 before heading to Finland. Then they lost both games to Florida and headed back home. Since then the Stars are 6-4. While a regression from their great start was expected, it is about who they lost during this run. The Stars have just not had the same identity they had last year. They are still a top contender in the league but they will be happy to be back in North America so they can get back to Texas Hockey.
Detroit is thankful for Cam Talbot
Cam Talbot has been so good for the Red Wings. He had to beat out Ville Husso and Alex Lyon for the job and surprisingly it was easy for him to steal that job. Husso and Lyon have struggled so far, Husso was in the minors, so Talbot stepped up. He has a .923 save percentage and six wins this season. While the Red Wings have struggled a lot this season, Talbot has been the only thing keeping them out of basement in the league.
Edmonton is thankful for Leon Draisatl
Before the season started, Leon Draisatl signed a 8 year extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Now the Oilers may be off to another slow start to the season. Draisatl has started hot. He currently leads the team in points with 30 points in 22 games. Draisatl had been the most consitent player on the team so far and they have him for another eight years after this season. Edmonton is very thankful for that.
Florida is thankful for Reinhart’s scoring not being a fluke
Stanley Cup Champions Florida Panthers resigned Sam Reinhart to a monster 8 year 69 million contract. Last year he set personal bests with 57 goals and 94 points. Every person in the front office believed that it was not a fluke. Thankfully it was not a fluke as he has been hot. Reinhart has 17 goals and 32 points through his first 23 games. The Panthers have been struggling a little lately but that has not slowed him down. Reinhart has been lights out so far and is earning every penny of that contract.
Los Angeles is thankful for the youngsters taking a step
LA has some great youngsters that are taking steps this year. Alex Laferriere has been a revelation this season. He has 17 poitns so far this season and has even found himself on the first powerplay unit. Laferriere has not been the only young player stepping up for the Kings this season. Brandt Clarke has stepped up big. He has been contributing offensively while also being solid in his own zone. With young defenders there is always growing pains so he does make the odd mistake, but he has already been making strides towards being a reliable two way defender. The Kings needed this as they look to get back to being a well rounded team.
Minnesota is thankful for consistency
The Minnesota Wild have been a good team the last couple seasons but last year was not great for them. Last year, they had nothing going for them. Defensively they were not great, goaltending was leaky and they could not score consistently. So the Wild are thankful for the return of consistent play. Both goalies have been playing well, the goal scorers are scoring goals again, and the defense is back to its annoyingly good play. They have just been one of the most consistent teams in the league so far.
Montreal is thankful for Cole Caufield living up to his nickname
Cole Caufield has been one of the only bright spots on another disappointing Canadiens season. Caufield has 13 goals and 18 points through the first 22 games and has been playing amazingly offensively. He is creating chases and flying around the ice. Caufield was always seen as a potential 50 goal guy and it seems like he is starting to head that direction in his fifth season in the NHL.
Nashville is thankful the playoffs do not start tomorrow
Coming into this season, you would have a difficult time finding a person that had the Predators missing the playoffs. That is where we are at though. At the time this article is released, Nashville will have to go on a historic run to get back into the postseason. It is not impossible, google St. Louis Blues 2018-19, but the Predators are just thankful that the playoffs do not start soon as they do have time to get this season turned around. You have to think if it is not better soon, pieces will be moved out.
New Jersey is thankful for the depth at defense
In 2023-24, the New Jersey Devils were dealt a bad hand. Their number one defenseman in Dougie Hamilton went down early in the season last year, and they honestly just did not have the depth to replace him. This year, that is not the case at all. They have Hamilton back but they also added Brenden Dillon, Brett Pesce, and Johnathan Kovacevic. New Jersey is now deep on the backend.
New York I is thankful for Sorokin’s return to form
Good news bad news for the Islanders. Good news, Ilya Sorokin has returned to form. His stats may not reflect that, but if you watch his play, you can clearly see he is getting back to his normal play. The bad news he plays on the New York Islanders. His team just has not been able to put the puck in the net. They have a goalie who is widely regarded as a top 10 goalie, and a backup who honestly could be a starter on any other team. If the Islanders can start scoring they will have the goaltender or goaltenders to start stringing wins together.
New York R is thankful for Panarin stepping up
Artemi Panarin has seemingly been the only player on the Rangers that has been putting up big numbers. Which on any other team that us the norm, but the Rangers have players like Kreider, Zibanejad, and Trochek. It is a bit worrying but, man are the Rangers thankful that they have the Bread Man. He has single handily kept New York in games at points this season. Racking up 26 points through the first 21 games of the year. You have to wonder where the Rangers would be if they did not have this man making magic on the ice.
Ottawa is thankful for team progress
The Ottawa Senators are struggling. They currently sit in 25th in the league but somehow they are only three points out of a playoff spot. The team has progressed, they are playing better defensively and are tearing doing well offensively. The Senators just have not been able to get a save. Ullmark was supposed to be the savior for them but, he has more been the reason they have lost some games. The underlying numbers for the Senators are quite good so they should be hopeful they can keep that up and hope Ullmark can find his Vezina caliber game.
Philadelphia is thankful for Matvei Michkov living up to expectations
John Torterella may not always like his defensive play, but Michkov has been must watch hockey to start this season. Michkov has already some highlight real goals and plays. He has 8 goals and 17 points and has really shown why the Flyers made the right choice by picking this guy. Michkov will only get better as well. He will round into a full 200 foot player but it just takes time. Every player that comes from overseas needs time to adjust to the North American game. Which is just scary to think about how good this player can get. Next Kaprizov maybe? Either way the Flyers have to be thankful that he is living up to expectations.
Pittsburgh is thankful for failure
This may sound weird, but I think that the horrible season that the Penguins are having is actually the best thing that could happen. Pittsburgh was not good enough last year so running it back with a fairly similar roster did not quite make sense. So being 28th in the league is the best thing that could have happened because it should spark at least a retool or shakeup while also being in running for the first overall pick this year.
San Jose is thankful for the effort
Sharks hockey is exciting again. The team is still in the basement of the league and it was expected, but I have found myself turning on more Sharks games lately. Whether you want to see Celebrini, Smith, or Eklund, they are a fun team to watch. What makes them different from last year is the fact that there is a tonne of effort from this team. Last year, they looked like a bunch of guys cashing paychecks, this year they look like a team that wants to win games. They want to improve and they are exciting and fun to watch.
Seattle is thankful for their free agents panning out
Seattles free agent signings from this past summer have panned out. If you look at their point total they are not anything special, but they are playing like they have in the past. They are the players that they signed which often is not the case in free agents. Seattle is in need of some star power as the pieces they added are just the complimentary players you need to make a great team. Not having star power is not Chandler Stephenson or Brandon Montours fault though. They have come in and performed as expected which is great for a team that needs that consistent play.
St. Louis is thankful for the offer sheet kids working out
In possibly the boldest move in the NHL in a long time, St. Louis has not only hit with one offer sheet but two can these guys can play. Dylan Holloway has 12 points so far this season and has really shown why the Blues wanted him. He has been able to provide the support the Blues needed. Phillip Broberg has been a delightful addition to the backend of the Blues. Unfortunately he was injured early on, but he had already had 9 points in 12 games. Once he is back, he should continue his journey turning into a top 4 defenseman.
Tampa Bay is thankful for the return of trading Sergachev
JJ Moser, Conor Geekie, 2nd Round Pick, 7th Round Pick. That is what the Lightning got for Mikhail Sergachev. Not only has Moser fit in perfectly on the backend, but they were able to add a depth piece in Geekie. They are looking like they came out very good from this trade. Moser has been paired with Victor Hedman the most and has complimented him perfectly. While Geekie hs fit onto the third line and thrived. He is a menace on the puck and is such a big frame that helps protect the puck. Tampa Bay should be very thankful for what they got from this trade.
Toronto is thankful for consistent goaltending
The Toronto Maple Leafs finally have consistent goaltending. Anthony Stolarz has been the clear number one with seven wins so far this year with a .921 save percentage and 2.33 GAA. The thing that makes it even better is that Joseph Woll has been lights out as well. Five wins, 2.00 GAA and .922 save percentage. Toronto has been able to rely on the men between the pipes for the first time in a long time. Neither goalie has been a number in this league yet so we will see how they are come the new year, but the Leafs are thankful for what they have.
Utah is thankful for the support from the fans
The Utah Hockey Club came into the league with a bang. They won their first three games and the hockey world was loving them. They did level out to where everyone thought they would be but, the fans in Utah were now in love. Utah has been having such amazing fans at their home games. The rink they play in is so unique with the massive walls, even though they have seats that do not have full views. Hockey is alive and well in the state of Utah and if the fans get playoff hockey in the future, you can guaratee that it will be electric. Utah players must be so thankful for the support that is behind this team.
Vancouver is thankful for the return of Demko
Thatcher Demko is on the horizon and that is just perfect timing. Artur Silovs has been struggling to find his game from last season so with Demko returning soon, he would be able to go down to the AHL and find his game. Lankinen has been lights out for the Canucks but he is a backup not a starter. Demko is coming back at the best time to fill that starter role as when he is on, he is a Vezina caliber goaltender.
Vegas is thankful for Eichel outperforming expectations
Jack Eichel has been such an amazing story. His time in Buffalo was good but not great. At the end he just seemed to want to leave and he was playing restricted. In Vegas, I feel we are seeing the real Jack Eichel for the first time. This season he has been just lights out. He currently has 34 points but only 8 goals! Eichel has always been a player that can rip it like the best in the league so you always want to see him put the puck in the net but he is producing like a never before. He is a good player but this year he is looking like he has found another gear.
Washington is thankful for Ovechkin scoring again
While Ovechkin may be injured, the Capitals have to be thankful that last year really did seem like a down year and not the new norm. Before he was injured, he was looking like a new player. He still had the skill set that Ovechkin has always had, but he seemed lighter on his feet, heavier in his physciallity, and just smarter in where he needs to go to score goals. He seems to have just had a nice reset over the summer. A very much needed reset if he is wanting to catch Gretzky and if the Capitals are to contend for another cup while he is on the team.
Winnipeg is thankful for the points they have banked
The WInnipeg Jets came out of the gates flying. They were beating records, they rarely lost, and Hellebuyck seemed unstoppable. Now, they have come back to earth a little and have been struggling to find that style of play again that made them so successful during October. They are still tops in the league and are definitely still winning more than they are losing, but are very thankful that they banked those points early so they can figure this out.
