NHL Lessons Learned: Young Guns Off and Running

It’s a small sample size, but there’s already plenty of lessons to be learned and studied as this year’s NHL campaign kicks off.

Oct 11, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) skates against the Washington Capitals during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Is there anything better than the return of the NHL season? The 2025-2026 season is underway, and as the entire league targets the Florida Panthers as the back-to-back champions, they are also trying to establish the right habits and play style that can give them the best chance of toppling them in the postseason months from now. It’s a small sample size, but there’s already plenty of lessons to be learned and studied as this year’s campaign kicks off.

Young Guns Off and Running

What a debut weekend it was for multiple rookies in the NHL. The 2025 NHL Draft first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer recorded his first goal and assist in the NHL over the team’s first two games. Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Ben Kindel rocketed home his first NHL tally. Minnesota Wild defender Zeev Buium picked up his first pair of NHL points. New York Rangers rookie Noah Laba has a pair of points through four games. Anaheim Ducks winger Beckett Sennecke has two goals and three points in his first two games. It's an exciting crop of rookies and they are already making an impact on their NHL teams.

Oct 11, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) warms up before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Panthers are the Panthers

Is anyone really surprised that the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions are still the best team in the NHL? Even without their captain Aleksander Barkov and superstar winger Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers are off to a dominating start to their second title defense. The team has decisively won each of their first three games, outscoring their opponents 11-5 in the process. Don’t expect this team to take a step backwards any time soon, even as they continue without two marquee players.

A huge piece of this is their star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner has been the bedrock of two consecutive Stanley Cup wins, and he’s holding down the fort in Barkov and Tkachuk’s absences. He’s allowed two goals or less in his first three starts as the Cats start off 3-0.

Living Young, and Wild, and Free

The top two forwards of the Minnesota Wild are playing incredible hockey to start the campaign. Kirill Kaprizov, fresh off his new contract that made him the highest-paid player in the league, and fellow winger Matthew Boldy have put up an absurd offensive performance in the first two games.

Both players have netted two goals and four assists for six points in just a pair of games. The duo has a combined 12 points to begin the season, and the duo is tied for the second-most points currently in the NHL.

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