Who has proven us wrong so far in the 2024-25 NHL season?
While the NHL season is still less than half over, we’ve seen enough to get a decent sense of how it will play out…and where we’ve seriously whiffed on some preseason takes.
With that, Roundtable: Which player or team have you been the most wrong about so far in 2024-25?
MATT LARKIN: I crapped on the Los Angeles Kings every chance I got during the offseason. I hated GM Rob Blake’s moves; he lost Matt Roy from this D-corps, downgraded from Cam Talbot to Darcy Kuemper in goal and generally made an already-mediocre team a lot bigger and slower, adding the likes of Tanner Jeannot up front and Joel Edmundson on defense. I expected L.A. to sink toward the playoff bubble. Instead, they’ve been one of the West’s better teams, even after losing Drew Doughty to injury. I worried in particular that they’d tank defensively and…they have been the best 5-on-5 defensive team in the NHL, tops in preventing shots and expected goals. OK, then. The Kings’ stingy identity is very much intact.
PAUL PIDUTTI: For me, it’s the Washington Capitals… by a mile. I figured their off-season was hockey’s version of lipstick on a pig. Attempting the exorcism of Pierre-Luc Dubois? An aggressive free agent signing of understated Matt Roy? Hoping that Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson found new gears as elder statesmen? Praying for the dynamic, healthy version of Jakob Chychrun? I’ll be honest that I felt their ceiling was last year’s 11th hour playoff spot and that the floor was, well, Pittsburgh’s start to the season. Instead, the Caps are near the top of the NHL both in the standings and in goal differential. Maximum praise goes to new GM Chris Patrick and coach Spencer Carbery, whose respective vision and handling of this group has been flawless early in the season.
STEVEN ELLIS: I didn’t think Anthony Stolarz was going to fix the Toronto Maple Leafs’ crease issues – we’ve seen multiple times that targeting backups just hasn’t worked out. But Stolarz is a legitimate Vezina Trophy candidate in his first year as an NHL starter – insanity. Granted, we’ve seen hot runs like this before – Jack Campbell, anyone? – but Stolarz gave himself quite the argument to make USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster, which would have been an absolutely insane idea to suggest before the season began. It’s even more proof that NHL goaltending makes no sense.
ANTHONY DI MARCO: I have to eat my words on the Ottawa Senators here. With a new coach, new starting goalie and a veteran, top-four addition in Nick Jensen, I really thought this was the year the Sens would break through. Unfortunately, it is Groundhog Day in Ottawa. I will point out that their team defense has improved, which is something I thought would with a new coach and tinkered blueline, but the lack of depth scoring and (once again) subpar goaltending have really surprised me. Either way you cut it, I’ve been proven wrong by Ottawa – and not in a good way.
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