Winner: Marc-Andre Fleury
After what was a near disaster season last year for Marc-Andre Fleury with trade rumors and never ending drama, the Stanley Cup winning goaltender is off to a flying start in 2021. Fleury is 3-0 in his starts with a superb .955 save percentage and a 1.00 goal against average. The only issue now being if Robin Lehner begins to struggle, could their be more goalie drama in Vegas? Only time will tell.
Loser: Vancouver Canucks
After an off-season that brought a lot of criticism, the Vancouver Canucks find themselves in an even tougher situation after the first two weeks of the season. Simply put, the Canucks just haven't looked very good to start the season and they are struggling defensively, having allowed the most goals against in the league thus far. Surely with the talent the team has Vancouver will turn the corner at some point, lets just hope it doesn't take too long or else the team will be on the outside looking in on a playoff spot in the tightly contested North Division.
Winner: Mitch Marner
What a start to the season for the 23 year old Mitchell Marner. Marner and his large cap hit have always been a lightning rod for criticism in Toronto, but this season the 1st round pick is earning every penny. Marner has 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in the teams for 9 games, leading his team to the top spot in the entire league. For the Maple Leafs to finally get over the hump in the playoffs, they need players like Marner and Nylander to continue their hot form.
Loser: The Capitals Russian Players
It was a rough day in the Capitals organization last Wednesday when the league announced a $100k fine and that Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov would miss at least the next four games after violating the leagues COVID-19 procedures. As dumb as the rules that were violated might be, the Russian group still broke the rules and must face the consequences. The good news for the Caps is the team is actually off to one of the hottest start in franchise history. Since Ovechkin and his teammates left the ice, the team is 3-0-1 and remain one of the 4 unbeaten teams in regulation this year.
Winner: Montreal Canadiens
What a start for the Montreal Canadiens! I'm not sure anyone saw this team being one of the last unbeaten teams remaining in the league and certainly nobody saw them sitting atop the North Division. Will they be here all season? Probably not, but lets let them enjoy the spotlight for at least a little bit.
Biggest Loser of the Week: Evgeni Malkin
To say Evgeni Malkin is off to a slow start this season would be an understatement. The former Hart Trophy winning centremen has only scored 3 points(1 goal, 2 assists) in the teams first 8 games. More alarmingly, Malkin has looked a step slower this season and is not playing like a top 6 forward. Malkin's shots and shooting percentage are way below his career average, and he is giving the puck away nearly double his career average. The Penguins will need Malkin to turn it around quickly in this shortened NHL season that makes every game critical for the teams playoff chances.
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