On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, will be published every Friday throughout the season. This week, we look at those producing at a high level, but flying under the radar.

The forgotten superstar

O'Leary: Claude Giroux is no stranger to going unnoticed.

Over the past five seasons combined, the Flyers' captain ranks fifth league-wide in overall points, trailing a who's who of NHL superstars.

This season - so far at least - it's much of the same, as the 28-year-old sits tied for second in scoring with 13 points in 12 games.

Giroux has topped 70 points four times in his career, yet hardly garners much of the notoriety or superstardom that comes with being one of the league's top offensive threats.

His underappreciation is a common trend, even on the international scale. After finally cracking a best-on-best Team Canada roster at the World Cup, Giroux was scratched for all but one game.

If Giroux keeps up his current pace - his career mark of 0.9 points per game suggests that's quite possible - maybe, just maybe, he'll finally be recognized for what he's capable of.

The Hurricane

Wilkins: It's easy to fly under the radar in Raleigh, and former Calder Trophy winner Jeff Skinner has done exactly that.

Earlier this year, Skinner scored a pair of goals and nearly added a third versus the New York Rangers. He then added two more points against the Philadelphia Flyers.

All in all, Skinner has 11 points in eight games. That leads the Hurricanes, as does his five goals. In fact, Skinner sits tied for fourth in NHL scoring, three points behind Artem Anisimov.

It's a nice rebound for Skinner, who'd become somewhat of a forgotten man in recent years. After winning rookie honors in 2010-11 - during which he notched 31 goals and 32 assists in 82 games as an 18-year-old - Skinner's production has never been the same.

That's changed this year, as he's recorded 1.38 points per game. It's more than double last year's per game total, and he's already more than a third of the way to reaching the lowly 31 points he finished with in 2014-15.

Jeff Skinner is back.

The Capitals' latest attraction

Gold-Smith: The Washington Capitals' big sleeper entering the season was Andre Burakovsky, but it's Marcus Johansson who's played a more important early role in the nation's capital.

Johansson started modestly with four points in six games, but he turned it on after that, exploding for five goals and two assists over the next three contests.

The Swedish winger has never recorded more than 20 goals or 47 points in a season, but those totals should be within reach if he keeps playing alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov, and continues getting time on the Capitals' top power-play unit.

Boston's next big thing

McLaren: Brad Marchand has stolen headlines in Boston, but the Bruins have benefited greatly from David Pastrnak's breakout performance thus far.

The 20-year-old Czech forward has scored six goals and added three assists through eight games, and ranks 13th among all players (with at least five appearances) in points per game (1.13).

Pastrnak - nicknamed "Pasta" - recently missed two games due to suspension, but still sits only one goal back of the NHL lead. He's on pace to far exceed the career-high 15 goals he recorded in 51 games last season, and is becoming an integral part of the Bruins' success.

Not bad for a player drafted 25th overall in 2014.

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The result wasn't what Connor McDavid wanted, and he remains scoreless after his first game in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre, but he relished the experience, regardless.

"I grew up watching games in this building, so it was cool to play here," McDavid said after the Edmonton Oilers fell 3-2 to the Maple Leafs in overtime.

No. 97 played a lot, 22:46, and was often double-shifted, but he and his teammates couldn't crack Frederik Andersen, who had his best game in blue and white.

McDavid was beaten by Nazem Kadri in the extra frame, and thought Kadri got away with a hold before he beat Cam Talbot for the winner.

Related: Watch: Kadri fights off McDavid to score OT winner for Maple Leafs

"I have an opinion on it," McDavid said of the play, according to The Canadian Press' Jonas Siegel. "I don't really want to share it too much. The ref saw what he saw. Kadri made a good play."

Kadri was all over McDavid all night.

"He's a good player," McDavid added, according to TSN's Tony Ambrogio. "He played me hard. Good for him."

Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock thought all of McDavid's ice time caught up to him, especially after playing over eight minutes in the first period.

The rematch between the two clubs is later this month, Nov. 29, in Edmonton.

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On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, will be published every Friday throughout the season. This week, we take a look at a few teams and players that are bound to regress after starting the season red-hot.

Trouble Looming in Vancouver

Hagerman: The Vancouver Canucks shouldn't get too acquainted with their current playoff spot because they likely won't remain in it for long.

The team got off to a questionable start to say the least, jumping out to a formidable 4-0-0 record, despite never holding a lead in regulation through the first three games. However, the team has begun to show their true colors as of late.

The Canucks have lost three straight, including a 3-0 shutout loss to the Ottawa Senators. And while they still sit second in the Pacific Division with nine points, a quick look at a few stats proves just how lucky the team has been.

Painful days are coming for the Canucks who are more likely to finish with a lottery position than a playoff spot.

The New Guy

McLaren: The Montreal Canadiens could not have asked for a better start to the season from Shea Weber.

Through eight games, he recorded three goals and six assists for nine points (tied for third in the NHL) with a league-high plus-12 rating, while averaging almost 26 minutes a night. The team as a whole, meanwhile, has yet to lose in regulation, posting a record of 7-0-1.

At some point, however, Weber's production is bound to level off.

At present, Weber is on pace for 35 goals and 105 points, which is clearly out of the realm of possibility considering the offensively gifted Erik Karlsson has never topped 82 points.

For his career, Weber is averaging 18 goals and 48 points per every 82 games, with a shooting percentage of 8.2.

Expect numbers closer to that range when all is said and done.

Wheelin' in Motor City

O'Leary: After beginning the season with two losses, the Detroit Red Wings have reeled off six consecutive wins, but all that glitters may not be gold in Mo Town.

In all but two of Detroit's eight games, they've been out-shot, and are toward the bottom of the league in several key possession stats. The Red Wings are 26th in the NHL in shots allowed per game (33.1), and are bottom-10 in even-strength Corsi-against (59.06), to go with a bottom-three rank in Corsi-for (47.76) per 60 minutes (corsica hockey).

Both Petr Mrazek and Jimmy Howard have been fantastic early on in goal, frequently bailing out a struggling defensive corps. Thomas Vanek's eight points have provided most of the offense, but Henrik Zetterberg has yet to score, and Dylan Larkin has only three points. A defensive overhaul and more offense balance are imperative if the Red Wings want to carry their postseason streak to 26 years.

Time to Panik?

Gold-Smith: Richard Panik has definitely fit in well on the Chicago Blackhawks' top line, benefiting as any player would from playing alongside Jonathan Toews, but there are several reasons to believe his early production is unsustainable.

He's in a four-way tie atop the NHL goal-scoring race with six goals in seven games, but they've come on only 11 shots. Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine have the same number of goals in 30 and 23 shots on goal, respectively. There's simply no way Panik keeps scoring at a 54.5 percent clip.

The other factor is precedent. The 25-year-old has already equaled his six-goal, eight-point output from a season ago, but he's never put up more than 11 goals and 17 points in any of his four previous NHL campaigns. Panik is bound to post career highs and respectable numbers if he sticks on the top unit all season, but regression is inevitable.

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Vine is dead.

Well, not yet, but it will be soon. Twitter, which owns the short-form video app, announced Thursday that Vine will be discontinued in the coming months.

For the sports world, it's the end of an era. Here are some of the best hockey Vines over the past three years. Never forget.

Bernier's loogie

Without a doubt, Jonathan Bernier's finest Toronto Maple Leafs moment.

On second thought ...

Whatever, Gary.

Hip check

It's beautiful, even more so in slow motion.

Never saw it coming

The referee drills Drake Caggiula and still calls the goal. What a pro.

Hate when that happens

Painful to watch every time.

"Good one, Randy!"

Randy Carlyle is not funny.

Giroux's genius

Henrik Lundqvist is still looking for Claude Giroux.

Robbery

Jeff Lerg is a legend in Toledo, home of the ECHL's Walleye, and rightfully so. Remember: He made this save in overtime.

GOAT

The greatest goal in the history of the shootout:

Stick save ...

And a beauty, as they say.

McKinnon's mitts

Never forget the World Cup of Hockey.

Multiple moves

This one is remarkable. You can't say the German league did nothing for you.

Feelings

The kids, they're going to be all right.

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Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.

Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, October 27:

Triple Threat

• C Tyler Seguin (70K), LW Jamie Benn (54K) & RW Patrick Eaves (25K), Stars (at Jets): These three come together on the team's top power play unit. While the Stars have struggled with the man advantage so far, converting only four times on 25 chances, the goal-scoring upside is still huge. Eaves offers inexpensive opportunity to hit the scoresheet by virtue of playing with Benn.

• C Aleksander Barkov (52K), RW Jaromir Jagr (40K) & D Aaron Ekblad, Panthers (at Maple Leafs): The bargain line stack of the day features the visiting Panthers in Toronto. Neither Barkov nor Jagr have looked as dynamic as a year ago, though Barkov has five points in six games. Only the Calgary Flames have allowed more goals than Toronto.

• C Claude Giroux (62K), RW Wayne Simmons (60K) & D Shayne Gostisbehere (48K), Flyers (vs. Coyotes): Philadelphia's top line may sway toward contrarian because of the capital invested, but the traveling Coyotes relying on backup netminder Louis Domingue are not in a good position. Arizona is a NHL-worst minus-9 in goal differential.

Goalie Breakdown

• TARGET/BARGAIN - Devan Dubnyk (75K), Wild (at Sabres): Despite starting on the road, Dubnyk's low salary and overall excellent play to start the season (2.01 GAA, .929 SV%) are enough to warrant confidence against a Sabres team that has managed to score only 14 goals though five games.

• FADE - Marc-Andre Fleury (110K), Penguins (vs. Islanders): The Islanders suffered a hard-luck home loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, unable to convert on their opportunities. Expect a different showing Thursday night. Fleury is the most expensive goalie on the slate against a team featuring some solid firepower.

• CONTRARIAN - Steve Mason (100K), Flyers (vs. Coyotes): Somehow, Mason is the next most expensive option. The Flyers have not exactly shone in net, but Mason did relieve Michal Neuvirth on Tuesday, stopping all eight shots he faced to pick up the win against Buffalo. Favored to win, even if he isn't sharp, Mason should do enough against the Coyotes.

Bargain Plays

• LW Jaden Schwartz (25K), Blues (vs. Red Wings): Schwartz has been doomed with injuries on a seemingly rotating basis and has only managed a solo assist through three games. This will not last. He's paired on a line with star scorer Vladimir Tarasenko and sees a bulk of the team's power play minutes. This savings allows spending big elsewhere.

• RW Cal Clutterbuck (26K) Islanders (at Penguins): Producing above his head with four points in seven games, Clutterbuck could easily come up empty. He's fourth among Islanders forwards in ice time, and he doesn't skate on the power play. He's a 5v5 machine and opportunity increases his chances at converting against a shaky Fleury.

• D Mattias Ekholm (25K), Predators (at Kings): Ekholm tallied 35 points in 82 games in 2015-16. While he isn't going to light the lamp with regularity, Ekholm is P.K. Subban's primary partner, offering greater scoring exposure, while also seeing plenty of time anchoring the power play.

Top Fades

• C Auston Matthews (88K), Maple Leafs (vs. Panthers): There will be growing pains for Matthews, and despite the home game, his price tag is too high against G Roberto Luongo. He has been held without a point only once, but there are too many options with better matchups on Thursday night to sink this much budget into the rookie.

• LW Tanner Pearson (55K), Kings (vs. Predators): Pearson's scoring comes with suspicion. He has scored on 36.4 percent of the shots he's taken, which is well above league average. With four goals, he is set to shatter his previous season-high of 15 set last season. He shot only 10.9 percent last season. Expect a correction.

• D Brent Burns (97K), Sharks (vs. Blue Jackets): The most offensively-viable defenseman this side of Erik Karlsson is absurdly expensive. He needs a multi-point effort to truly be worth rostering, and though the Blue Jackets seem like the obvious streaming opponent, G Sergei Bobrovsky has a .929 save percentage through five starts.

Contrarian Options

• C Steven Stamkos (78K), Lightning (at Canadiens): Canadiens G Carey Price got the night off on Wednesday and will be back between the pipes on Thursday. That should be enough to ease the Stamkos hype machine. Take him in tournaments as it's one of the few times he'll be largely faded.

• LW Max Pacioretty (54K), Canadiens (vs. Lightning): With everyone from Paul Byron to Phillip Danault getting goals for the Canadiens, Pacioretty has somewhat underperformed having scored only once through seven games. His five assists are second on the team, but that's hardly enough. He's a perennial 30-goal scorer currently lost in his team's shuffle. A multi-point showing is coming.

• RW Nikolaj Ehlers (44K), Jets (vs. Stars): Ehlers, and every line but the Jets' top trio, has stumbled out of the gate. The risk that Ehlers will come up empty once again creates reasonable doubt, but he's typically paired with Mathieu Perreault and Drew Stafford, who are superior to their paltry totals thus far. They need to take more shots to generate more scoring chances.

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On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, will be published every Friday throughout the season. We're kicking things off with a look at those teams and players that have surprised or disappointed us since hockey returned on Oct. 12.

Failing Freddie

Vaswani: You could make a "Groundhog Day"-style movie about the Toronto Maple Leafs' goaltending troubles. The latest to star in the leading role:Frederik Andersen.

It's early, yeah, but an .876 save percentage through three games is not what Lou Lamoriello and Co. had in mind when they traded for the Dane and signed him to a long-term, big-money extension. Among active Maple Leafs, Andersen is tied with Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Rielly as the club's highest-paid player at $5 million annually.

While Toronto is the furthest thing from a defensive juggernaut and still rebuilding, what's most troublesome about Andersen's play is the fact he hasn't come up with a save - any save - when his team needs it most. Toronto blew 1-0, 3-2, and 4-3 leads against Ottawa on opening night, wasting Auston Matthews' superhuman maiden effort. On Wednesday, Toronto was up 4-0 on Winnipeg with half the game over. The Leafs outshot the Jets 13-12 in the third period and 4-1 in overtime, but were outscored 4-0. Not good enough. (There's your title, by the way, for that movie about Toronto's woes in the crease.)

The easiest way for Andersen to un-endear himself to Maple Leafs fans was by blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period. It's too soon, Freddie. It will always be too bloody soon.

Guy Boucher Hockey

Cuthbert: So, about that structure.

Guy Boucher was hired to implement a scheme to control the randomness by which the Ottawa Senators score, and are scored against, yet the team that recklessly exchanged shots throughout all of last season is as unpredictable as ever.

There have been 32 goals scored in four games involving the Sens, an average of 2.5 more than the average throughout 2015-16. The leader in shots against last season is still conceding more than 30 per game, but has averaged five pucks on net more than the opposition so far. The result: Ottawa has six points through three games, including two secured in either overtime or the shootout.

The opposition, and certainly Boucher, will make adjustments that will be reflected on their shot charts. But at least for now the Senators are playing some thrilling hockey, and aiding that spike in overall scoring.

So the question begs: Why isn't anyone in the seats?

Low-Flying Ducks

O'Leary: Sticking with the "Groundhog Day" theme, the Anaheim Ducks are facing a familiar nightmare scenario.

After going 1-7-2 last October, the Ducks have started the new Randy Carlyle era with a whimper, going 1-3-1 through their opening five games.

Strangely, Anaheim hasn't played a home game yet, and arguably its best defender is awaiting a contract, circumstances that surely aren't helping the cause.

Yet the Ducks' start under Carlyle has clearly left something to be desired, as the outdated structure he implemented in Toronto is beginning to seep into Anaheim's style of play, evidenced by being outshot in three losses thus far.

Fizzling Flames

Hagerman: The Calgary Flames seem to have successfully addressed their needs this offseason, but a 1-3-1 record suggests the club is seeing little value for doing so.

The club acquired Brian Elliott from the Blues in the hopes he would duplicate his stellar 2015-16 season, but so far things have gotten off on the wrong foot. In his first two games with his new club, Elliott gave up 10 goals while posting a save percentage of just .818. Leaving him now with a 4.72 goals-against average and a .839 as of Friday.

The team's offense hasn't been horrid, but still has question marks. The Flames' power play is firing at just 4.5 percent efficiency through five games, the worst mark in the NHL, and star Johnny Gaudreau has just one goal through five games.

The team's poor play may have even trickled over to the practice rink.

Lucky Canucks

Gold-Smith: The Vancouver Canucks' historic start has certainly been surprising. They've reeled off a four-game win streak to begin the season, including two victories in overtime and one in a shootout, leading to a slew of 82-0-0 jokes and half-sincere playoff predictions.

The Canucks' streak is shocking in part because they didn't lead for a single second in their first three games. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the season, and it's a dangerous trend for a squad that will likely be playing from behind more often than not in 2016-17.

Then again, it's such a small sample size that judgments either way are premature. Let's see where they are at the end of November.

Whenever You're Ready, Nashville

Wilkins: Many expected the Nashville Predators to be among the West’s best this year, and while that’s still very much a possibility, the team has gotten off to a slow start, posting a 1-2-0 record through three games.

While the big-ticket offseason addition of P.K. Subban has delivered as promised - scoring in his Music City debut and grabbing a pair of points thus far - many of his new teammates have underwhelmed.

The Preds have been rebranded as a high-octane offensive team, but a number of their scoring threats have struggled early. Of particular note is Filip Forsberg, who scored 33 goals last year, but has failed to find the back of the net this season.

With just two points, Nashville currently sits last in the Central. The good news is that there is still plenty of time for coach Peter Laviolette and the Predators to turn this around.

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On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, will be published every Friday throughout the season. We're kicking things off with a look at those teams and players that have surprised or disappointed us since hockey returned on Oct. 12.

Failing Freddie

Vaswani: You could make a "Groundhog Day"-style movie about the Toronto Maple Leafs' goaltending troubles. The latest to star in the leading role: Frederik Andersen.

It's early, yeah, but an .876 save percentage through three games is not what Lou Lamoriello and Co. had in mind when they traded for the Dane and signed him to a long-term, big-money extension. Among active Maple Leafs, Andersen is tied with Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Rielly as the club's highest-paid player at $5 million annually.

While Toronto is the furthest thing from a defensive juggernaut and still rebuilding, what's most troublesome about Andersen's play is the fact he hasn't come up with a save - any save - when his team needs it most. Toronto blew 1-0, 3-2, and 4-3 leads against Ottawa on opening night, wasting Auston Matthews' superhuman maiden effort. On Wednesday, Toronto was up 4-0 on Winnipeg with half the game over. The Leafs outshot the Jets 13-12 in the third period and 4-1 in overtime, but were outscored 4-0. Not good enough. (There's your title, by the way, for that movie about Toronto's woes in the crease.)

The easiest way for Andersen to un-endear himself to Maple Leafs fans was by blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period. It's too soon, Freddie. It will always be too bloody soon.

Guy Boucher Hockey

Cuthbert: So, about that structure.

Guy Boucher was hired to implement a scheme to control the randomness by which the Ottawa Senators score, and are scored against, yet the team that recklessly exchanged shots throughout all of last season is as unpredictable as ever.

There have been 32 goals scored in four games involving the Sens, an average of 2.5 more than the average throughout 2015-16. The leader in shots against last season is still conceding more than 30 per game, but has averaged five pucks on net more than the opposition so far. The result: Ottawa has six points through three games, including two secured in either overtime or the shootout.

The opposition, and certainly Boucher, will make adjustments that will be reflected on their shot charts. But at least for now the Senators are playing some thrilling hockey, and aiding that spike in overall scoring.

So the question begs: Why isn't anyone in the seats?

Low-Flying Ducks

O'Leary: Sticking with the "Groundhog Day" theme, the Anaheim Ducks are facing a familiar nightmare scenario.

After going 1-7-2 last October, the Ducks have started the new Randy Carlyle era with a whimper, going 1-3-1 through their opening five games.

Strangely, Anaheim hasn't played a home game yet, and arguably its best defender is awaiting a contract, circumstances that surely aren't helping the cause.

Yet the Ducks' start under Carlyle has clearly left something to be desired, as the outdated structure he implemented in Toronto is beginning to seep into Anaheim's style of play, evidenced by being outshot in three losses thus far.

Fizzling Flames

Hagerman: The Calgary Flames seem to have successfully addressed their needs this offseason, but a 1-3-1 record suggests the club is seeing little value for doing so.

The club acquired Brian Elliott from the Blues in the hopes he would duplicate his stellar 2015-16 season, but so far things have gotten off on the wrong foot. In his first two games with his new club, Elliott gave up 10 goals while posting a save percentage of just .818. Leaving him now with a 4.72 goals-against average and a .839 as of Friday.

The team's offense hasn't been horrid, but still has question marks. The Flames' power play is firing at just 4.5 percent efficiency through five games, the worst mark in the NHL, and star Johnny Gaudreau has just one goal through five games.

The team's poor play may have even trickled over to the practice rink.

Lucky Canucks

Gold-Smith: The Vancouver Canucks' start has certainly been surprising. They've reeled off a four-game win streak to begin the season, including two victories in overtime and one in a shootout, leading to a slew of 82-0-0 jokes and half-sincere playoff predictions.

The Canucks' streak is especially shocking because the Canucks didn't lead for a single second in their first three games. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the season, and it's a dangerous trend for a squad that will likely be playing from behind more often than not in 2016-17.

Then again, it's such a small sample size that judgments either way are premature. Let's see where they are at the end of November.

Whenever You're Ready, Nashville

Wilkins: Many expected the Nashville Predators to be among the West’s best this year, and while that’s still very much a possibility, the team has gotten off to a slow start, posting a 1-2-0 record through three games.

While the big-ticket offseason addition of P.K. Subban has delivered as promised - scoring in his Music City debut and grabbing a pair of points thus far - many of his new teammates have underwhelmed.

The Preds have been rebranded as a high-octane offensive team, but a number of their scoring threats have struggled early. Of particular note is Filip Forsberg, who scored 33 goals last year, but has failed to find the back of the net this season.

With just two points, Nashville currently sits last in the Central. The good news is that there is still plenty of time for coach Peter Laviolette and the Predators to turn this around.

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It would appear Erik Karlsson has established a standard for costumes that NHLers will wear at Halloween parties over the next few weeks.

There was not a single shortcut taken in the planning and audacious execution of Karlsson's getup, which is making the rounds on Instagram.

(Image courtesy @melindacurrey)

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Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."

Calgary Flames

Plus: Chad Johnson's .968 save percentage. Sure, he's only played one game, but it's the only one in which the Calgary Flames earned a point.

Minus: Brian Elliott's .818 save percentage and 5.07 goals-against average. The good news is that those numbers are so awful, they can only improve.

The Take: The Flames' 14 goals against lead the league - no bueno. Elliott's going to get better and Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan will get going, but October isn't easy, and is a pivotal month. Up next for Calgary: Buffalo, Carolina, St. Louis, Chicago, St. Louis, Ottawa, and Washington. November's first seven games - the first four on the road - are all against 2016 playoff teams: Chicago, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Dallas, the Rangers, and Minnesota. The Flames risk blowing up their season with a slow start.

Edmonton Oilers

Plus: The Oilers boast the NHL's first star of the week in Connor McDavid, and are tied for the league lead in scoring (14 goals in three games) thanks to No. 97 and Co. Edmonton's best players have been just that: McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jordan Eberle, and Milan Lucic have a combined 18 points already.

Minus: Cam Talbot's .869 save percentage, and Benoit Pouliot's penalty box parade.

The Take: Talbot began last season poorly too, but the difference this time around is that the Oilers have the skill and depth up front to outscore their defensive and goaltending issues. That's not a recipe for long-term success, though, so practicing Monday on what was supposed to be a CBA-mandated day off was the right call. It's too early in the season to not be putting in the work.

Montreal Canadiens

Plus: Points in two games without Carey Price thanks to two solid efforts from Al Montoya, who has a .942 save percentage. In front of Montoya, Shea Weber is averaging 26:46 in ice time and has two assists.

Minus: Alex Radulov is the only Canadiens forward without a point. Terrible free-agent signing, clearly.

The Take: Marc Bergevin deserves credit in shoring up the backup goaltender position. Montoya has had a save percentage of .919 and .920 in two of his last three seasons, and he made over 20 starts in both those campaigns.

Ottawa Senators

Plus: Kyle Turris' two goals in three games. The Senators need him healthy if they want to make the playoffs. As for Erik Karlsson, he's already doing Karlsson-like things. And Ryan Dzingel's three points are a pleasant surprise.

Minus: Dion Phaneuf - he's bad - and the play of Craig Anderson (.887) and Andrew Hammond (.800). Ottawa's allowed the most goals in the East (12) and you know that's driving Guy Boucher insane, even though the season's only three games old.

The Take: Boucher is yet to put his stamp on the team. It's difficult to judge what exactly the Senators are until that happens.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Plus: Six of the Maple Leafs' eight goals through two games have been scored by rookies, and lord knows there's not much else to say about Auston Matthews' phenomenal debut. He's a dream. While Nikita Zaitsev hasn't scored a goal, his contributions on the back end are arguably more important for a team desperately in need of another top-four defenseman.

Minus: Have you seen or heard from Nazem Kadri? And while Frederik Andersen bounced back Saturday, he's off to a rough start. It's so important he has a strong opening month, because he's the guy, for better or worse - probably worse - in Toronto.

The Take: Yeah, Matthews potted four in two periods, but there's an argument to be made that Mitch Marner has been Toronto's most impressive rookie through two games. His offensive talents are so far above average that he may already be among Toronto's top three skilled players. Marner will hit a wall at some point, but he's not going anywhere.

Vancouver Canucks

Plus: The Canucks trailed after 40 minutes in each of their two games, yet sit 2-0. Even more impressive: A combined 47 shots against through six periods and a couple of overtimes.

Minus: The top line's been quiet, and Henrik Sedin and Loui Eriksson have a combined one shot (it's Loui's, if you're wondering). The power play is also 0-for-6.

The Take: Vancouver was awful when playing from behind last season, which made erasing Sunday's 3-0 deficit all the more impressive. The Canucks don't have an identity yet, and their lineup is full of question marks due to youth being served, so let's enjoy the good times while they're here, yeah?

Winnipeg Jets

Plus: The big boys - Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Dustin Byfuglien, and Mathieu Perreault - are doing their jobs early, combining for 12 points. That Patrik Laine's on the board already is big, too. The teenager looks every bit the NHLer.

Minus: Bryan Little is out indefinitely with what appears to be a knee injury. Life isn't fair. And after the Jets waived Ondrej Pavelec, Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson have to do better than allow 11 goals in three games.

The Take: Goals against was an issue last year because the Jets don't have the firepower up front to make up for their issues in their own zone. That can't be the case again this season - it's as simple as that.

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Every Monday, theScore's NHL editors will shine a light on three teams and three players that made headlines - for good or bad reasons - over the past seven days. Welcome to "The Power 3."

Teams

1. St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues reeled off three straight wins in four days to open the season, and the victories weren't against pushovers.

St. Louis beat three teams that made the postseason last year: Chicago (away), Minnesota, and the Rangers. After allowing only 40 shots over their first two games, the Blues looked tired Saturday against New York, but backup goalie Carter Hutton made one hell of a first impression, stopping 33 of 35 shots in his debut with his new team.

Even more encouraging is the play of Paul Stastny so far. After scoring only 10 goals last season, and failing to hit the 50-point mark for the second straight season with St. Louis, he now has two goals and four assists in three games.

If this is Ken Hitchcock's final season, it appears the Blues are hell-bent on making it count.

2. Edmonton Oilers

If the playoffs began Monday, the Edmonton Oilers would be taking part. And that's something, yeah.

In all seriousness, while the club played a stinker Sunday against Buffalo, the fact remains: Edmonton has the league's highest-octane offense, with 14 goals through three games.

Having that Connor McDavid guy certainly helps, and joining him in the top 10 in league scoring are Leon Draisaitl (five points) and Jordan Eberle (four points). Sure, it's early, but when you're the Oilers, you take any and all positives you can get your hands on.

Cam Talbot hasn't been good yet, but the silver lining is that he can't be much worse than he was Sunday against the Sabres. The Oilers remain one of the more fascinating teams to watch. They even canceled their day off!

3. Pittsburgh Penguins

No Sidney Crosby, no problem. Not yet, at least.

The Pittsburgh Penguins picked up where they left off last season, winning back-to-back games to open their quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. Like the Blues, the Pens beat a couple of very good teams in their archrival Capitals and Ducks.

While all signs point to Crosby's latest concussion not being too serious, any head injury to No. 87 is enough to give anyone involved in hockey - whether professionally or as a fan - pause. And that means questions about the captain's health won't subside until he's back playing in games that matter.

Let's face it: Whether the Penguins are winning or not, Sid is missed.

Players

1. Auston Matthews

Obviously.

Four is the magic number. Four goals in Auston Matthews' first two periods of NHL action, and now, none in his last four.

How the kid responds to adversity will be one of the more interesting storylines to watch, because make no mistake, they're the Toronto Maple Leafs, and adversity is in their blood.

2. Richard Panik

If you had Richard Panik being tied for the league lead in goals through the first five nights of the season, you're lying.

Panik has always teased with his speed and skill, and after stints in Tampa Bay and Toronto, it would be very Chicago for Panik - only 25 - to find a permanent and productive home with the Blackhawks. He's making only $875,000 and is a restricted free agent in July.

3. Marc-Andre Fleury

Whatever, Matt Murray.

Marc-Andre Fleury is back in the Penguins' net to start the season, and he looks like the Stanley Cup-winning goaltender that he is.

The 31-year-old, whose days in Pittsburgh appear numbered due to financial reasons and the coming expansion draft, is the No. 1 until Murray returns from a broken hand, and, well, who knows what happens then.

Fleury's stopped 73 of 77 shots he's faced so far. It's a busy week for Pittsburgh, with four games in six nights, beginning Monday against Colorado, which means it's a busy - and important - week for Fleury.

Honorable Mentions

• The Panthers and Lightning are a combined 4-0, and Florida's allowed only two goals.
• Jonathan Marchessault is loving life on the Panthers' top line - he has two goals and two assists in two games.
• The Calgary Flames have allowed the most goals in the league. The more things change ...
• The Anaheim Ducks are allergic to October.
• Jonathan Quick's absence makes the Los Angeles Kings a very interesting team to watch over the next two months.
• We see you, David Pastrnak. You too, Alexander Wennberg.

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