October points count. October conclusions need more time. The opening month can reveal a contender, disguise a weakness or make a good team look ordinary before its season has properly settled. Our early read favours teams whose winning records are backed by a healthy scoring margin, while leaving room for the standings to change as the schedule gets harder.
This is a snapshot entering October 29, 2026, before that day’s games. The judgments below are Hockeyin60 analysis, not playoff projections. Goal difference is a useful first check, but it includes special teams and empty-net goals; it cannot tell us on its own who controls play at five-on-five.
The opening month at a glance
| Team | Record | Points | Goal difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | 10–2–2 | 22 | +19 |
| Boston Bruins | 9–3–1 | 19 | +21 |
| Minnesota Wild | 9–3–2 | 20 | +13 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 9–2–2 | 20 | +13 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 7–5–1 | 15 | +12 |
| Seattle Kraken | 8–4–1 | 17 | +4 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 7–3–2 | 16 | +2 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 3–10–1 | 7 | −22 |
Records are wins, losses and overtime losses. Source: boxscore standings dated October 29. Teams have played different numbers of games, so points alone do not make a fair comparison.
Carolina and Boston offer the clearest early evidence
Carolina and Boston combine strong records with substantial positive goal differences. That makes their starts more persuasive than a string of narrow victories would be. Minnesota and Edmonton also have scoring cushions behind their points totals. On this first screen, all four deserve attention.
The next question is how they are building those margins. A team that creates chances across several lines has more ways to survive a quiet night from its leading scorer. A team that repeatedly depends on spectacular saves has less room for ordinary goaltending. Those are the details to check before calling any October pace sustainable.
For Carolina and Boston, November should test whether the underlying habits travel: recovering pucks, limiting dangerous chances and spending meaningful time in the attacking zone. A big goal difference is encouraging evidence. It is still worth checking how much comes from a few blowouts, favourable opponents or unusually efficient finishing.
Edmonton has momentum and a familiar question
Edmonton beat Calgary 4–0 on October 28, with Tristan Jarry making 24 saves. That result reinforces the strong start, but one shutout cannot settle a season-long assessment of the defence or goaltending. [2]
The useful November test is what happens when the offence has a quieter night. Can Edmonton stay patient in a low-scoring game, protect the middle of the ice and get contributions beyond its most dangerous attackers? Winning those games would strengthen the case that its early success has several foundations.
A star-driven attack can be a lasting advantage. The question is how often the rest of the team forces that attack to rescue a game. Fans should watch the chances conceded after turnovers and whether the team can protect a lead without spending the final minutes under continuous pressure.
Colorado is worth watching beyond the points column
Colorado’s scoring margin is stronger than its modest points position might suggest. That makes the Avalanche a useful reminder to look beyond the order of the table. It does not guarantee a climb: a handful of emphatic wins can flatter the overall margin.
The next step is to examine the losses. Were they close games that could reasonably have gone either way, or repeated failures to defend a particular situation? A team can improve its record without changing much if the performances are already sound. It needs a different response when the same breakdown keeps deciding games.
Seattle and Montreal still have something to prove
Seattle and Montreal have banked valuable points with smaller scoring cushions. That is a reason to investigate how they are winning, not a reason to dismiss the points already earned.
Close games are part of every successful season. The warning comes when late finishes and overtime become the main route to victory. Watch whether these teams can create separation in regulation, sustain pressure when trailing and win without needing their goaltender to erase repeated mistakes.
The same caution applies to a team riding a very hot power play. Special teams are a legitimate strength, but the number of opportunities changes from game to game. Reliable five-on-five play provides another route to points when the whistles stay quiet.
Vancouver needs evidence of improvement
Vancouver’s record and scoring deficit point in the same direction. An optimistic assessment needs more than the argument that it is early. The first signs of recovery should be visible in how games are played before they become obvious in the standings.
Look for fewer unchallenged chances around the net, cleaner exits from the defensive zone and longer stretches of useful possession. A win can lift the mood; several games with fewer recurring mistakes would offer a better reason to expect progress. A poor October makes later consistency more valuable because the points already lost cannot be recovered retroactively.
What November should tell us
Start with regulation results. Then check scoring at five-on-five, the quality of chances allowed and whether production extends through the lineup. Compare home and road performances, account for injuries and note back-to-back games before judging a short losing streak.
Shooting percentage and save percentage also deserve attention. An exceptional stretch may reflect skill, luck or both. The practical question is whether a team could keep winning if its finishing or goaltending became merely good. Answering that requires more detailed data than this standings snapshot provides.
Our October verdict is deliberately provisional: Carolina and Boston have especially convincing combinations of points and scoring margin; Minnesota and Edmonton also pass that opening check. Colorado merits a closer look, while Seattle and Montreal need more evidence behind their promising records. Vancouver needs sustained improvement in the way it plays. November will help show which of those first impressions deserve to last.