{"id":22307,"date":"2026-10-07T10:24:06","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T10:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=22307"},"modified":"2026-10-07T10:24:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T10:24:10","slug":"nhl-week-1-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/nhl-week-1-recap","title":{"rendered":"NHL Week 1 Recap: Best Teams and Standouts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This <strong>NHL week 1 recap<\/strong> covers the first stretch of the 2026-27 season, from Opening Night on Sept. 29 through Oct. 5, plus the early Oct. 6 follow-up that finally got <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/gavin-mckenna-240559\">Gavin McKenna<\/a> on the scoresheet. Not every box score needs a deep dive. The clearer picture is who looked sharp early, who surprised, and which players set the tone before the schedule really settles in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#key-takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#best-performing-teams\">Best Performing Teams<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#surprise-starts\">Surprise Starts<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#standout-players\">Standout Players<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#top-rookies-mc-kenna-and-stenberg\">Top Rookies: McKenna and Stenberg<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#early-warning-signs\">Early Warning Signs<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#the-games-everyone-talked-about\">The Games Everyone Talked About<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-to-watch-next\">What to Watch Next<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#fa-qs\">FAQs<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"key-takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Week 1 ran from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5 and already produced blowouts, overtime chaos, and a few early identity checks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/colorado-avalanche-6451\">Colorado<\/a> looked like the clearest early hammer in the West after 8-4 and 6-1 wins.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/seattle-kraken-68765\">Seattle<\/a> owned <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/calgary-flames-6412\">Calgary<\/a> twice by identical 6-1 scores.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/utah-mammoth-6423\">Utah<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/ottawa-senators-6421\">Ottawa<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/minnesota-wild-6416\">Minnesota<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/new-york-rangers-6393\">Rangers<\/a> all flashed strong early form.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/evan-bouchard-103038\">Evan Bouchard<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/paul-cotter-104834\">Paul Cotter<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/connor-mcdavid-103030\">Connor McDavid<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/nick-schmaltz-103613\">Nick Schmaltz<\/a> were among the loudest individual names.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Top draft picks made noise too: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/ivar-stenberg-240588\">Ivar Stenberg<\/a> earned his first NHL point for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/san-jose-sharks-6396\">San Jose<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/gavin-mckenna-240559\">Gavin McKenna<\/a> followed with a two-point night for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/toronto-maple-leafs-6424\">Toronto<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/chicago-blackhawks-6417\">Chicago<\/a>, Calgary, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/philadelphia-flyers-6420\">Philadelphia<\/a> took the hardest early hits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"best-performing-teams\">Best Performing Teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"colorado-avalanche\">Colorado Avalanche<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298465344.jpg\" alt=\"Colorado Avalanche players celebrate during NHL Week 1 win\" class=\"wp-image-22318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298465344.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298465344-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298465344-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Andrew Maclean\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/colorado-avalanche-6451\">Colorado<\/a> opened with an 8-4 win over the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/los-angeles-kings-6395\">Los Angeles Kings<\/a>, then crushed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/st-louis-blues-6425\">St. Louis Blues<\/a> 6-1. That is 14 goals in two games and almost no early stress. The Avalanche looked fast, connected through the neutral zone, and finished chances before opponents could settle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Takeaway:<\/strong> Colorado\u2019s Week 1 was the cleanest \u201ccontender look\u201d in the league.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pittsburgh-penguins\">Pittsburgh Penguins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298214219.jpg\" alt=\"Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate during 7-0 NHL Week 1 win over Philadelphia Flyers\n\n\" class=\"wp-image-22319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298214219.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298214219-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298214219-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Joe Sargent\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/pittsburgh-penguins-6410\">Pittsburgh<\/a> announced itself with a 7-0 win in Philadelphia, then survived a wild 6-5 overtime win over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/montreal-canadiens-15209\">Montreal<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/sidney-crosby-103243\">Sidney Crosby<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/evgeni-malkin-103236\">Evgeni Malkin<\/a> still drive the attack, and the supporting cast piled on against the Flyers. A later loss to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/winnipeg-jets-6426\">Winnipeg<\/a> kept the week from being perfect, but the opening statement was loud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Pittsburgh scored seven unanswered goals in its season opener.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"new-york-rangers\">New York Rangers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298980432.jpg\" alt=\"New York Rangers celebrate rebound win during NHL Week 1\" class=\"wp-image-22320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298980432.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298980432-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298980432-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Bruce Bennett\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/new-york-rangers-6393\">Rangers<\/a> started with a 3-0 loss in Boston, then flipped the script. They beat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/tampa-bay-lightning-6422\">Tampa Bay<\/a> 5-1, shut out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/detroit-red-wings-6450\">Detroit<\/a> 2-0, and handled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/utah-mammoth-6423\">Utah<\/a> 4-2. That rebound matters more than the Opening Night result. Structure returned quickly, and the East already has to take New York seriously again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Takeaway:<\/strong> New York\u2019s Week 1 story was recovery, not collapse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"minnesota-wild\">Minnesota Wild<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298378526.jpg\" alt=\"Minnesota Wild players celebrate during NHL Week 1 win\" class=\"wp-image-22321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298378526.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298378526-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298378526-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Joe Hrycych\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/minnesota-wild-6416\">Minnesota<\/a> quietly did strong work: a 3-1 win in Nashville, then a 4-1 home win over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/boston-bruins-6413\">Boston<\/a>. No fireworks required. The Wild looked organized, scored enough, and took points from a Bruins team that had started well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Minnesota beat Boston by three goals after the Bruins opened 2-0-0.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"surprise-starts\">Surprise Starts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"seattle-kraken\">Seattle Kraken<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298986804.jpg\" alt=\"Seattle Kraken celebrate 6-1 win over Calgary Flames in NHL Week 1\" class=\"wp-image-22323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298986804.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298986804-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298986804-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Steph Chambers\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Nobody expected Seattle to treat Calgary like a practice squad twice. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/seattle-kraken-68765\">Kraken<\/a> won 6-1 in Calgary, then 6-1 again at home. Even with a loss in Edmonton mixed in, that Pacific start was one of the week\u2019s biggest surprises. Seattle\u2019s forecheck and finish looked sharp against a Flames group that could not generate pushback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Takeaway:<\/strong> Two 6-1 wins over the same rival made Seattle Week 1\u2019s loudest surprise.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"utah-mammoth\">Utah Mammoth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298610995.jpg\" alt=\"Utah Mammoth celebrate 6-0 home opener win over Chicago Blackhawks\" class=\"wp-image-22324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298610995.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298610995-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298610995-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Sarah Stier\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/utah-mammoth-6423\">Utah<\/a> opened with a 6-0 home win over Chicago, then beat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/columbus-blue-jackets-6427\">Columbus<\/a> 4-1 on the road. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/nick-schmaltz-103613\">Nick Schmaltz<\/a> was already on the early scoring board. A later loss in New York stopped the perfect run, but the Mammoth still looked like a Central team ready to score in bunches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Utah blanked Chicago 6-0 in its home opener.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ottawa-senators\">Ottawa Senators<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298792476.jpg\" alt=\"Ottawa players celebrate during NHL Week 1 win\" class=\"wp-image-22325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298792476.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298792476-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298792476-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Maddie Meyer\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/ottawa-senators-6421\">Ottawa<\/a> went into tough buildings and left with wins: 3-2 in Toronto and 4-1 in Boston. That is a strong early read for a team many expected to take time finding its footing. Road composure and secondary scoring both showed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Takeaway:<\/strong> Ottawa\u2019s road wins over Toronto and Boston were among Week 1\u2019s best \u201cquiet\u201d results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"san-jose-sharks\">San Jose Sharks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297924045.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297924045.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297924045-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297924045-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/san-jose-sharks-6396\">Sharks<\/a> stole points the hard way, beating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/florida-panthers-6415\">Florida<\/a> and Los Angeles in overtime before Dallas shut them out 5-0. Early resilience was real. Consistency is the next test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> San Jose took two overtime wins before its first regulation loss of the week.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"standout-players\">Standout Players<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"evan-bouchard-and-paul-cotter\">Evan Bouchard and Paul Cotter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Opening Night in Edmonton belonged to both of them for different reasons. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/evan-bouchard-103038\">Evan Bouchard<\/a> scored a hat trick for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/edmonton-oilers-6391\">Oilers<\/a> and still lost. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/paul-cotter-104834\">Paul Cotter<\/a> scored shorthanded, then won it in overtime for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/vancouver-canucks-6394\">Vancouver<\/a>. Cotter kept producing later in the week too. That Canucks-Oilers series made both names impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Takeaway:<\/strong> Bouchard\u2019s hat trick and Cotter\u2019s OT winner set the tone for a wild Pacific week.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"connor-mc-david\">Connor McDavid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/connor-mcdavid-103030\">Connor McDavid<\/a> did what he usually does when games turn into track meets: create, finish, and drag Edmonton back into chaos. After the Opening Night OT loss, the Oilers answered with a 9-7 win in Vancouver. McDavid\u2019s fingerprints were all over the early points race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Edmonton and Vancouver combined for 27 goals across their first two meetings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"jack-eichel-and-trevor-connelly\">Jack Eichel and Trevor Connelly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/vegas-golden-knights-48722\">Vegas<\/a> opened with a 5-2 win over Chicago. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/jack-eichel-103976\">Jack Eichel<\/a> put up a three-point night, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/trevor-connelly-250032\">Trevor Connelly<\/a> scored in his NHL debut. Vegas dropped a home game to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/anaheim-ducks-6418\">Anaheim<\/a>, then bounced back with a 3-2 win in Vancouver. The star-plus-youth mix is already visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Takeaway:<\/strong> Eichel drove the opener, and Connelly\u2019s debut goal gave Vegas an early highlight clip.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"william-nylander-and-auston-matthews\">William Nylander and Auston Matthews<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/toronto-maple-leafs-6424\">Toronto<\/a> had a mixed week, but its top finishers still showed. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/william-nylander-103634\">William Nylander<\/a> scored both goals in the Opening Night loss to Montreal. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/auston-matthews-103622\">Auston Matthews<\/a> stayed central to the offense as the Leafs hunted consistency. Toronto can score. The rest of the roster still needs to catch up night to night, though <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/gavin-mckenna-240559\">Gavin McKenna<\/a>\u2019s breakthrough on Oct. 6 gave the Leafs a different kind of early spark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Nylander scored Toronto\u2019s only two goals in the 3-2 loss to Montreal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"top-rookies-mc-kenna-and-stenberg\">Top Rookies: McKenna and Stenberg<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gavin-mc-kenna\">Gavin McKenna<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298378435.jpg\" alt=\"Gavin McKenna celebrates first NHL goal for Toronto Maple Leafs\" class=\"wp-image-22327\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298378435.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298378435-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2298378435-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Thomas Skrlj\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/gavin-mckenna-240559\">Gavin McKenna<\/a>, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Draft, opened quietly. He went without a point through his first three NHL games while still seeing regular minutes in Toronto. Then came Oct. 6 against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/nashville-predators-6455\">Nashville<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>McKenna finished with two points in a 5-4 overtime win at Scotiabank Arena: his first NHL assist, then his first NHL goal. The primary assist came on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/john-tavares-103643\">John Tavares<\/a>\u2019s goal. Later in the second period, he buried his first career marker off a feed from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/auston-matthews-103622\">Auston Matthews<\/a>, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/jack-roslovic-103728\">Jack Roslovic<\/a> also getting credit. Matthews later won it in overtime and finished with four points. For a Leafs group still sorting out consistency, the No. 1 pick finally putting points on the board was the night\u2019s bigger storyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Takeaway:<\/strong> McKenna\u2019s first NHL goal and assist arrived together in a two-point night against Nashville.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ivar-stenberg\">Ivar Stenberg<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297912131.jpg\" alt=\"Ivar Stenberg of San Jose Sharks records first NHL point in Week 1\n\n\" class=\"wp-image-22328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297912131.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297912131-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297912131-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Kavin Mistry\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/ivar-stenberg-240588\">Ivar Stenberg<\/a>, taken second overall by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/san-jose-sharks-6396\">San Jose Sharks<\/a>, had a quieter but still meaningful start. He was in the lineup for San Jose\u2019s early overtime wins over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/florida-panthers-6415\">Florida<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/los-angeles-kings-6395\">Los Angeles Kings<\/a>, skating middle-six minutes with power-play looks next to a young Sharks group built around names like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/macklin-celebrini-183075\">Macklin Celebrini<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His first NHL point came Oct. 3 (into Oct. 4 local) in the 5-4 overtime win over Los Angeles: a power-play assist on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/tyler-toffoli-103880\">Tyler Toffoli<\/a>\u2019s second-period goal. Production was still light outside that helper, and San Jose\u2019s week ended with a 5-0 loss in Dallas, but the first point is on the board and the usage already looks real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Stenberg\u2019s first NHL point was a power-play assist on Toffoli in San Jose\u2019s OT win over Los Angeles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"early-warning-signs\">Early Warning Signs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"calgary-flames\">Calgary Flames<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/calgary-flames-6412\">Calgary<\/a> allowed 12 goals to Seattle across two games and also lost 4-1 in Vancouver. That is a brutal Pacific start. Chance creation looked soft, and the defensive gaps were obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"chicago-blackhawks\">Chicago Blackhawks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/chicago-blackhawks-6417\">Chicago<\/a> opened with losses to Vegas (5-2) and Utah (6-0), then dropped another one-goal game in Buffalo. The Blackhawks were outscored heavily early and spent too much time chasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"philadelphia-flyers\">Philadelphia Flyers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/philadelphia-flyers-6420\">Philadelphia<\/a> absorbed a 7-0 home loss to Pittsburgh and struggled to find traction afterward. Special teams and five-on-five structure both looked shaky in the first week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Takeaway:<\/strong> Calgary, Chicago, and Philadelphia were the clearest early red-flag teams.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-games-everyone-talked-about\">The Games Everyone Talked About<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"739\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297603730.jpg\" alt=\"Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks battle in high-scoring NHL Week 1 series\" class=\"wp-image-22329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297603730.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297603730-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2297603730-768x554.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Jeff Vinnick\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A few results carried more weight than the rest of the slate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Vancouver 6, Edmonton 5 (OT)<\/strong> then <strong>Edmonton 9, Vancouver 7<\/strong><br>The wildest stretch of Week 1. Star power, lead changes, and zero defensive comfort.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pittsburgh 7, Philadelphia 0<\/strong><br>The week\u2019s biggest one-sided statement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Montreal 3, Toronto 2<\/strong><br>Rivalry opener, and Montreal handled the building after falling behind early.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Colorado 8, Los Angeles 4<\/strong><br>Early proof that Colorado\u2019s attack was ready immediately.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boston 3, Rangers 0<\/strong> then New York\u2019s rebound wins<br>One night does not define a team. The Rangers showed that within 72 hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Islanders 6, Devils 0<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/new-york-islanders-6414\">New York Islanders<\/a> delivered one of the week\u2019s cleanest defensive performances against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/new-jersey-devils-6409\">New Jersey<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>St. Louis 4, Dallas 0<\/strong><br>A sharp road shutout before Colorado reminded the Blues how fast the Central can turn.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-to-watch-next\">What to Watch Next<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Can Colorado keep scoring at this pace once opponents start packing the middle?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are Seattle\u2019s wins a real Pacific jump, or mainly a Calgary problem?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can Ottawa turn its strong road start into home traction?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do the Rangers keep the structure that fixed Opening Night so quickly?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can Edmonton and Vancouver find any defensive balance the next time they meet?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How soon do Chicago and Calgary stop the early bleeding?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can McKenna turn one two-point night into a real early scoring run in Toronto?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does Stenberg start generating shots and even-strength points after his first helper?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Week 1 is a small sample, but the early board is clear enough: Colorado looks dangerous, Seattle and Utah punched above expectations, Ottawa stole tough road games, the top draft picks are on the board, and a few clubs already need answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fa-qs\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"when-was-nhl-week-1-in-2026-27\">When was NHL Week 1 in 2026-27?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>NHL Week 1 ran from Opening Night on Sept. 29, 2026, through Oct. 5, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-team-looked-best-in-nhl-week-1\">Which team looked best in NHL Week 1?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/colorado-avalanche-6451\">Colorado<\/a> looked like the strongest early team after outscoring Los Angeles and St. Louis 14-5 across two wins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-teams-were-the-biggest-surprises\">Which teams were the biggest surprises?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/seattle-kraken-68765\">Seattle<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/utah-mammoth-6423\">Utah<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/ottawa-senators-6421\">Ottawa<\/a> were the clearest surprise packages in Week 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-was-the-highest-scoring-series-of-the-week\">What was the highest-scoring series of the week?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/edmonton-oilers-6391\">Edmonton<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/vancouver-canucks-6394\">Vancouver<\/a> combined for 27 goals in two games: a 6-5 overtime Canucks win and a 9-7 Oilers win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-had-a-hat-trick-in-week-1\">Who had a hat trick in Week 1?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/evan-bouchard-103038\">Evan Bouchard<\/a> scored a hat trick for Edmonton on Opening Night against Vancouver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-team-had-the-toughest-week-1-start\">Which team had the toughest Week 1 start?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/calgary-flames-6412\">Calgary<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/team\/chicago-blackhawks-6417\">Chicago<\/a> both struggled badly, with Calgary twice losing 6-1 to Seattle and Chicago opening with heavy losses to Vegas and Utah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"did-any-rookies-make-noise-in-week-1\">Did any rookies make noise in Week 1?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/trevor-connelly-250032\">Trevor Connelly<\/a> scored in his NHL debut for Vegas on Opening Night. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/ivar-stenberg-240588\">Ivar Stenberg<\/a> earned his first NHL point with a power-play assist for San Jose. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/gavin-mckenna-240559\">Gavin McKenna<\/a> then posted a goal and an assist in Toronto\u2019s 5-4 OT win over Nashville on Oct. 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-did-gavin-mc-kenna-do-early-on\">How did Gavin McKenna do early on?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>McKenna was held without a point in his first three games, then recorded his first NHL assist and first NHL goal in the same night against Nashville on Oct. 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-did-ivar-stenberg-do-in-week-1\">How did Ivar Stenberg do in Week 1?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Stenberg picked up his first NHL point, a power-play assist on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/player\/tyler-toffoli-103880\">Tyler Toffoli<\/a>\u2019s goal, in San Jose\u2019s 5-4 overtime win over Los Angeles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-can-i-follow-more-nhl-scores-and-standings\">Where can I follow more NHL scores and standings?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Track live NHL scores, standings, and fixtures on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/hockey\/league\/nhl-366\">365Scores NHL<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This NHL week 1 recap covers the first stretch of the 2026-27 season, from Opening Night on Sept. 29 through Oct. 5, plus the early Oct. 6 follow-up that finally got Gavin McKenna on the scoresheet. Not every box score needs a deep dive. The clearer picture is who looked sharp early, who surprised, and &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":22317,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"NHL Week 1 Recap: Best Teams and Standouts","rank_math_description":"NHL week 1 recap of the best teams, surprise starts, standout players, and rookies McKenna and Stenberg.","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"NHL week 1 recap,NHL","rank_math_facebook_image":"","rank_math_robots":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[231,232],"tags":[1582,226,5605,489],"content-tags":[],"article_type":[3332],"entity_type":[3334],"inspiration":[3340],"class_list":["post-22307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hockey","category-nhl","tag-hockey","tag-nhl","tag-recap","tag-week-1","article_type-seo","entity_type-competition","inspiration-relevancy-trending"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22307","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22307"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22307\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22338,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22307\/revisions\/22338"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22307"},{"taxonomy":"content-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-tags?post=22307"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=22307"},{"taxonomy":"entity_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity_type?post=22307"},{"taxonomy":"inspiration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/inspiration?post=22307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}