Honestly, the Pens have surprised me. No layover whatsoever from the short summer. The loses they had were both stinkers though.

Otherwise, I can’t help but root for the Kings to continue to do well as they return to relevance. Same with the Coyotes, despite all the mess surrounding them.

Posted by penguinsfan on 10/29/09 at 08:22 AM ET

The Blue Jackets surprised me with their Jeckyll and Hyde act.  The kids tasted success in the hitch system and then let it all go to hell by playing un-Hitch hockey.

Posted by VandyBuck on 10/29/09 at 08:36 AM ET

Colorado has been the biggest surprise to me.
Phoenix is a big surprise too, with the potential to be a real good story.
Los Angeles is a surprise, but to a lesser degree along with Kopitar’s start.
Also, I thought Carolina would get off to a better start then they have.

I think L.A. is for real, but I don’t think Kopitar will keep up his pace for the whole season. Colorado on the other hand hasn’t made me a believer just yet. They’re riding great goaltending right now which I don’t think will last all season.

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 10/29/09 at 08:38 AM ET

Colorado really surprises me.  Andersen has been nothing short of fantastic.  The Avs are giving up too many shots per game though.

Also the Pens are off to a really good start, I would have thought with the loss of Scuderi that they would be having some defensive problems but they don’t seem to be.

The slow start of the Hurricanes is puzzling.

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 10/29/09 at 09:39 AM ET

A month ago it looked as if Colorado’s season would be another dismal rebuilding experience. I thought that Anderson could make a difference, but not to this extent. Whether they’ll be able to continue the current form is somewhat questionable. However, they’re above expectation right now and have shown that goaltending isn’t the only basis for current success. A positive story along with Phoenix, which is getting good results in a chaotic situation with better coach/system. It’s also interesting to see the teams of the Pacific Division that high in the standings compared to the alleged powerhouses in Central.

The negative surprises for my part have been Anaheim and Carolina. Anaheim made some seemingly sensible restructuring of the roster. I think they can rebound from this disappointing start. Carolina seems to have lost all momentum from their surprising playoff run. Cam Ward has respectable numbers, but not enough to swing the margins in their favour. The “new” Toronto Maple Leafs are struggling with degrees of horrendous. If you expected a Burke miracle, you must have taken a head shot from Komisarek at some point in your life.

Finally, I’m very satisfied with the Pittsburgh Penguins start to the season. Well above my humble expectations, and it couldn’t happen to a better organisation.

Posted by Moq from Denmark on 10/29/09 at 09:45 AM ET

the Detroit Red Wings . . . have surprised me with their slow starts.

I’m not surprised - - terrified would be the better term.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 10/29/09 at 09:45 AM ET

O.k. I thought about this some more and the Ducks slow start has surprised me as well.  Did Pronger really mean that much to the team? 

the Detroit Red Wings . . . have surprised me with their slow starts.
I’m not surprised - - terrified would be the better term.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut

Uh, yeah, what Jeff said.

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 10/29/09 at 09:51 AM ET

the Detroit Red Wings . . . have surprised me with their slow starts.

I’m not surprised - - terrified would be the better term.

I think the next two games will go a long ways toward determining whether the Wings start is terrifying or just a surprise.

Win convincingly and the first nine games will seem like an aberration ...as in a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome.

Lose badly and this start will be an abomination…as in atrocity, disgrace, horror, obscenity, outrage, evil, crime, monstrosity, anathema.

Win one convincingly and lose the other badly and someone might as well just shoot me in the head now.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/29/09 at 10:15 AM ET

Detroit’s slow start doesn’t surprise me - I have my reasons. 

Toronto I expected to be not very good, but I never expected they would be this horrible - Jonas Gustavson (sp) being hurt has been big for them.  Colorado is performing better than expected, but that has a lot to do with goaltending as well.

Carolina and Anaheim surprise me, too.  I didn’t expect the Ducks to fall off nearly this badly.  Clearly Pronger was a very important piece of their team, but they have seemed to disintegrate like damp toilet paper this season.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 10/29/09 at 11:28 AM ET

alleged powerhouses in Central.

Very similar to the alleged dynasty in Pittsburgh.

Posted by calquake on 10/29/09 at 01:10 PM ET

I’m surprised how competitive the Pacific division is this year.  And the fact that Anaheim is near the bottom in points.

Other surprises are Buffalo and Edmonton.

Not surprises… Toronto and Florida.

Posted by Matt Fry from Winnipeg on 10/29/09 at 01:26 PM ET