The first month of the 2025-26 NHL season has offered its share of surprises, from unexpected playoff contenders to teams failing to meet their lofty preseason expectations .

The same goes for NHL players, some of whom have started the season at a torrid pace and others who have been statistical disasters.

Here's a look at 10 shockingly good performances to start the season ... and five shockingly bad ones that hopefully won't continue on too much longer.

Shockingly good

Leo Carlsson

C, Anaheim Ducks

2025-26 stats: 16 GP | 11 G | 15 A

This season has been two years in the making for Carlsson.

After the Ducks selected him second overall in 2023 , Anaheim applied load management to his rookie season, when Carlsson played 55 games. His sophomore campaign saw him start to fulfi

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