There is no denying that the Western Conference is absolutely loaded at the top and while the Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues, have ranked among the most impressive teams so far this NHL season the team at the top of that list is actually from the East.
Here is a quick look at the three most impressive teams in the NHL so far this year.
Tampa Bay Lightning (11-3-2)
Sitting atop the East after posting an 8-1-1 record over their past 10 games, the Lightning have only three regulation losses through their first 16 games. Ben Bishop has stood tall as one of the league’s most underrated goaltenders, while Steven Stamkos leads an offense that ranks second in the NHL with an average of 3.7 goals per game this season.
Tampa Bay has assembled an excellent blend of veterans and young stars as Stamkos, Ryan Callahan, and Valtteri Fillpula have played at a high level while youngsters Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov, and Ondrej Palat have all played prominent roles in the team’s success. Tampa Bay isn’t weak in any one area and they have clearly been the most impressive team in the NHL so far this season.
Anaheim Ducks (10-3-3)
The Ducks have managed to put together one of the best records in the West despite losing their top two goalies for a week as well as their leading scorer Corey Perry. Anaheim has posted the second-best goals allowed per game with an average of just 1.9 against and when they have been healthy both Frederik Andersen and John Gibson have played at an elite level.
The addition of center Ryan Kesler has solidified the team’s second line while rookie defenceman Sami Vatenen has emerged as one of the top offensive rearguards in the NHL. Perry and defenceman Francois Beauchemin have both missed time with illnesses and once they return the Ducks will continue to rank among the league’s most complete teams.
St. Louis Blues (10-4-1)
St. Louis is right there with Anaheim among the best teams in the NHL and the only team with a better goals against average this season. Brian Elliott has been very consistent all year while backup Jake Allen might actually be the better option. A young trio of stars has emerged to lead the way up front for the Blues as a line that features Jori Lehtera, Jaden Schwartz, and Vladimir Tarasenko has combined for 21 goals through 15 games.
That has taken some pressure off of the Blues veterans as David Backes and Alex Steen have both missed time because of injuries. It’s also worth noting that St. Louis has one of the league’s best defensive cores as they have thrived under head coach Ken Hitchcock. Scoring one or two goals against them is difficult enough, and with the offense performing at such a high level, the Blues are clearly one of the league’s best teams.
