NHL Power Rankings: Checking in on the new guy

Not every team reeled in a big catch via free agency or trade this off-season — just look at the defending champs, who remain atop our rankings in the early-goings of the season — but as we learn every year, even the smallest adjustments can have an impact.

After a few months of speculation, we’re seeing familiar faces in new places hit their stride. Some struck chemistry right out of the gates.

Some have taken a little time to warm up. Others have had to be patient as injuries have gotten in the way.

With that in mind, we’re focusing this week’s Power Rankings on the new guy. (You’ll notice, we’re not including rookies in our roundup.) From blockbuster trade targets and significant summer hauls to depth signings and under-the-radar additions, we’re checking in on how newcomers are faring thus far.

1. Carolina Hurricanes (8-2-1) Tuesday’s win over Vancouver saw Juuso Välimäki make his Hurricanes debut, and the rearguard got off to a good start with an assist.

A nod, also, to Nicolas Deslauriers, who despite joining Carolina last spring, still feels like the new guy. (Considering the champs’ quiet off-season, he remains one of the newest additions.) Deslauriers scored his first two goals as a Hurricane Tuesday night.

2. Vegas Golden Knights (8-3-0) Depth pickup Victor Olofsson took no time at all to find his footing in Vegas, tallying four goals and an assist in his first four games, but an injury suffered against Seattle Oct.

6 brought that early-season hot streak to a sudden stop as he was placed on IR.

3. Edmonton Oilers (7-1-1) After a tough first outing as an Oiler, summer trade target Devon Levi has quickly settled into Edmonton’s No. 1 role, his save percentage dipping below .900 just once since his lacklustre debut.

With veteran netminder and fellow newcomer Frederik Andersen still sidelined with injury, there remain some questions in the crease moving forward, but Levi’s 5-1 record — with his latest win coming in overtime against the Wild in a tough Tuesday-night test — suggests he could be the answer.

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4. Utah Mammoth (7-3-0) Veteran forwards Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck landed in Utah via different circumstances — Lee as a free agent, and Trocheck as a long-desired trade target who finally okayed a deal to the Central squad — but they have impacted Utah’s lineup in similarly positive and immediate ways both in terms of support scoring and leadership.

5. Boston Bruins (7-2-1) Flipped from Utah to Boston for a first-round pick in June, JJ Peterka’s production so far — three goals and six points through 10 games, including a goal in each of his first two matchups — has him looking right at home with the surging Bruins.

6. Tampa Bay Lightning (7-2-0) Nine games into his Tampa Bay tenure, it’s still jarring to see John Carlson in Lightning threads — but clearly, the chemistry is there.

The veteran already has three goals and five points and leads all Lightning defencemen in ice time.

7. Minnesota Wild (6-2-2) Just as he endeared himself in Calgary as a Flames fan-favourite and honorary Albertan, Blake Coleman — who makes his return to Calgary Thursday night wearing Wild threads after being traded this summer — has done much to endear himself to Wild faithful early on in Minnesota.

He scored in his debut and has brought a little sandpaper to the lineup.

8. Ottawa Senators (7-3-0) Even more impressive than Ottawa’s heated revenge-game win against former captain Brady Tkachuk Wednesday night was the fact they did it without his replacement in the lineup.

William Eklund’s Ottawa tenure hit an early setback when, two nights after tallying his first points as a Senator with a goal and an assist in Ottawa’s third game of the season, the 24-year-old suffered an ankle injury that has prevented him from building on the breakout.

9. Dallas Stars (5-3-1) After spending the past three seasons in Colorado, Joel Kiviranta is back in Dallas.

The new-again guy has one goal through five appearances so far in a depth role.

10. Colorado Avalanche (5-4-1) Six points in his first four games in Colorado had Jaden Schwartz looking hot out of the gates, but — much like the team around him, with back-to-back losses — he’s since cooled off.

Maybe some top-line time can bring a jolt.

11. New York Rangers (7-3-1) Pavel Dorofeyev was quick to make an impact in New York with a goal and an assist in his second game as a Ranger, but after a two-week goal drought between his first and second of the season (he tallied the Rangers’ lone marker in a lopsided loss to the Devils last week) it appears he needs a little more time to really hit his stride.

12. Washington Capitals (5-4-0) With so many big additions to the lineup this summer, why choose just one?

Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, and Boone Jenner are all thriving early on with the Capitals, sitting top-five in team scoring. (Tuch’s five goals through nine games leads the pack.)

13. Florida Panthers (5-3-2) The boos rained down in Ottawa upon his return, but there’s no question Brady Tkachuk is already a beloved fan favourite in Florida.

He’s clearly happy in his new home, and scoring in bunches — back-to-back hat tricks last week, followed by a third straight multi-point night. His goal against the Senators in Wednesday’s loss gives him a team-leading seven on the young season so far.

14. Winnipeg Jets (4-3-2) With Connor Hellebuyck’s saga still unresolved, the signing of Stuart Skinner is looking better and better — as are his save percentage (.910) and goals against average (2.65) in the early goings of the season, despite the team around him falling back down to Earth a little.

15. Montreal Canadiens (4-3-2) Chris Kreider’s reunion with former teammate-turned-head coach Martin St. Louis is a great story, and it’s bound to get better once the veteran really hits his stride alongside his young teammates.

A goal and three helpers through nine games is a solid start.

16. Toronto Maple Leafs (5-4-2) Practically half the team can be considered “the new guy,” so let’s focus our attention on the newest guy.

Arriving on the eve the season, Kirill Marchenko has needed little runway to thrive in Toronto. His point-per-game pace through 11 matchups so far has him third in team scoring.

He’s been held off the scoresheet just twice.

17. Seattle Kraken (6-3-1) After finishing last season with a dozen goals as a Panther, Mackie Samoskevich is well on his way to a career high — he’s already got four markers through nine games with the Kraken.

Strong early returns on that three-year, $11.55-million extension he signed after Seattle traded for the 23-year-old prior to the draft.

18. Anaheim Ducks (4-5-0) The Ducks have plenty of young star power, but with all that money dedicated to the top of the lineup, and more to come, Anaheim will need depth guys like A.J.

Greer to step up, too, in both offence and obstruction. So far, he’s come as advertised: a goal, two helpers, and a handful of trips to the penalty box.

19. New York Islanders (5-3-1) Matias Maccelli ranks third on the team in scoring thus far.

If the Islanders are to compete in an intriguing Metropolitan Division, they’ll need their new winger to find some consistency.

20. Buffalo Sabres (4-4-2) Acquired from Anaheim in a draft-day deal, Olen Zellweger has quickly gotten up to speed with his new team in a top-four role.

The Sabres have themselves some elite young rearguards, and Zellweger’s growth should be fun to watch.

21. New Jersey Devils (5-4-0) After surpassing 50 points in a season for the first time in his young career last year in Nashville, Luke Evangelista could take another step forward with the Devils.

Through six games, he’s got three goals and five points in a top-six role.

22. San Joe Sharks (5-4-1) Trading for Darnell Nurse and signing Jacob Trouba this off-season sent a message to the league that the Sharks are ready to win now — and they’re not to be pushed around.

While Nurse ended up on the wrong side of a Juraj Slafkovsky highlight-reel goal Tuesday night, he and Trouba have helped set the tone on the back end of a team looking ready to jump into the fray.

23. St. Louis Blues (4-4-1) The Blues’ draft-night trade for Mason McTavish is looking pretty good so far.

The 23-year-old former Duck leads his new squad in goals (five) and points (nine) through nine games.

24. Nashville Predators (3-2-3) Mavrik Bourque was the headliner of Nashville’s summer trades, but after the young centreman suffered an upper-body injury in just his fourth game with the Predators, he’ll need a little more time before he hits his stride.

25. Pittsburgh Penguins (3-6-1) Nick Robertson’s fresh start in Pittsburgh proved fruitful for both the player and his new team — the 25-year-old winger scored twice in his Penguins debut and four times within his first seven games — and yet, despite sitting second in team goal-scoring, he’s fallen down the lineup.

Just like in Toronto, his deployment in Pittsburgh going forward will be something to monitor.

26. Detroit Red Wings (3-3-3) With so much up in the air in Detroit, newcomer Viktor Arvidsson’s play has been a steady presence.

He’s second in both goals (four) and points (six) behind Alex DeBrincat.

27. Philadelphia Flyers (3-6-3) It’s been a rough start to the season for Joseph Woll — and for the entire Flyers organization.

Splitting starts with Dan Vladar, Woll has just one win in six appearances so far but better numbers (2.64 GAA, .917 save percentage) than his tandem partner. That the victory came against Colorado as part of the Flyers’ three-game win streak should be a confidence boost for both player and team.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets (3-5-0) After scoring twice in his Blue Jackets debut, Matthew Knies has cooled off.

He’s been held off the scoresheet six straight games, including Tuesday’s Maple Leafs reunion, as Columbus, too, has struggled to hit its stride.

29. Chicago Blackhawks (3-6-0) Already Chicago’s ice-time leader (and it’s not particularly close), Bowen Byram’s usage is living up to his billing.

An upper-body injury held him out for the Blackhawks’ last two games, and his absence was felt in a 4-0 loss to Dallas.

30. Calgary Flames (2-6-0) It’s a season of moral victories ahead in Calgary — one of which will be the play of Simon Nemec, if the 22-year-old can prove himself to be a cornerstone rearguard to build around.

Like the team, this could take a little time to really gel.

31. Los Angeles Kings (1-4-2) His presence is missed in Minnesota, but we have yet to really see what Mats Zuccarello has in store for his L.A.

stint. An injury sidelined him a few games, but he returned ahead of the Kings’ first win of the season Tuesday night and now that he’s back we should get a sense of where he slots in best — and whether he can help the Kings find their footing.

32. Vancouver Canucks (2-8-1) It’s probably going to be a long season in Vancouver, which is why performances like Paul Cotter’s season-opening six points in four games are so important to savour.

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