Lessons Learned From Fifth Week of NHL Season

The NHL season is five weeks old, and the lessons learned continue piling up.

Nov 9, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) shoots and scores in the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It's hard to believe it, but the 2024-2025 NHL season is officially one-fifth completed. With every team playing 15 games and five weeks of the regular season done, there are some trends and storylines emerging. This latest group of games made a few things perfectly clear as the NHL heads towards their holiday frenzy.

1. MVP = MacKinnon Valuable Player

The defending league MVP is playing like a man possessed, as Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon is pacing the league in scoring through the first part of the season. He has seven goals and 22 assists through 15 games, carrying the offensive burden for a Colorado team ravaged by injuries. The Avalanche are still trying to find their way as a group, but they don't have to worry about whether their top player will continue this dominating effort.

2. Water Finds Its Level

There were several teams who came out of the gate flying to start the season, namely the Calgary Flames, Utah Hockey Club, and Ottawa Senators.

Now, those three teams all find themselves with records hovering around .500. It's a bit of a return to normalcy after their above expectation starts. Now, each team is fighting to remain in the mix within their respective divisions, but there is less belief that these three teams will be surprise Stanley Cup contenders in 2025.

3. Goaltending Dominance

The Winnipeg Jets are off to the best start in the history of the NHL, and it's largely due to the super heroic efforts of starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Last year's Vezina Trophy winner, Hellebuyck is off to an even better start in 2024.

Through 12 games played, he has 11 wins and three shutouts. His goals against average is a staggering 1.83 and his save percentage is a dazzling .935%. It's unlikely these numbers sustain all season, but Hellebuyck is showing again and again why he is the top net minder in the NHL today.

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