The NHL's first month has brought all kinds of excitement, with scoring up across the league and the standings starting to take shape.
Today, more than ever, fans have opportunities to watch teams all over the NHL, rather than just focusing on their home club. Access to more hockey, however, brings tough decisions. Whom should you watch on a nightly basis? Which teams will bring the most entertainment value for your buck?
There are different ways to grade excitement level, whether it's by a team excelling offensively or playing wide-open, pond-hockey-style games, or by simply having a feel-good story. Thus far there are a few teams that stand out above the rest for entertainment value. Let's have a look:
Tampa Bay Lightning
Reason to watch: Superstar offensive talent
Key stat: NHL-leading 54 goals
If you like offense -- and honestly, who doesn't? -- Tampa Bay is the team for you. The Lightning have scored more than one goal per period this season (3.9 goals per game) and have several of the league's most dangerous offensive talents.
Steven Stamkos has answered any questions about how he would come back from a season-ending injury in 2016-17 by scoring an incredible 24 points in Tampa Bay's first 14 games. Surprisingly, the former 60-goal scorer has played the role of setup man with 18 assists. Winger Nikita Kucherov has been the one putting the puck in the net, scoring 13 goals in 14 games. Kucherov has become the league's premier goal scorer, notching 53 goals in his last 88 regular-season games and another 11 in 17 playoff games in 2015-16.
Stamkos and Kucherov aren't the only players producing for Tampa Bay. Four others have double-digit points, including exciting young rookie defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, who has four goals and seven assists.
Edmonton Oilers
Reason to watch: Connor McDavid has the puck all the time.
Key stat: 90.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes with McDavid on the ice
If you're tuning in to an Oilers game to see what all the McDavid hype is about, it won't take you long to find out. Last year's Hart Trophy winner has gotten off to a strong start with 13 points in 11 games, and the Oilers' numbers point to even more to come. McDavid is leading the NHL in on-ice shot attempts per 60 minutes at even strength by a mile. The next best non-Edmonton player (with at least five games played) is Carolina defenseman Noah Hanifin, whose team is taking 80.3 attempts per 60 minutes with him on ice.
Unsurprisingly, the Oilers are scoring 3.9 goals per 60 minutes at even strength when McDavid is playing. The league's best skater has the ability to rush the puck up ice and make plays at blinding speeds, giving him scoring opportunities that wouldn't exist for anyone else. With McDavid on the ice, Edmonton is getting 20 high-danger shots per 60. That's six more than the league's leading rate for any other team.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Reason to watch: Defense optional
Key stat: Combined 69.1 even-strength shots on goal per game
If your favorite team is playing against the Penguins, it might be a good night to tune in. Although up-tempo hockey has been a staple of the Penguins' back-to-back Stanley Cup runs, they are taking it to another level this season -- likely to the frustration of head coach Mike Sullivan. Pittsburgh is allowing 34 shots per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey (seventh most), and allowing 3.5 goals against (second most). It's been a tough start for No. 1 defenseman Kris Letang, who missed the playoffs with an injury last season, as he's been on the ice for 21 goals against in 258 minutes (4.8 goals per 60 minutes) this season.
The good news for the Penguins is that they are getting plenty of opportunities but haven't had much puck luck in the opening stanza. Sullivan's club is outshooting its opponents, racking up the fourth-most shots on goal per 60 of any team in the NHL. As you might expect, that production is driven by star power. With Sidney Crosby on the ice, the Pens are producing 40.4 shots on goal per 60.
The combination of Pittsburgh's offensive talent and their sputtering defense is making for some wild and entertaining hockey.
Los Angeles Kings
Reason to watch: Great goaltending
Key stat: Jonathan Quick's .939 save percentage
Offense is back in style in L.A., as the Kings are 8th in goals scored, but their penchant for a strong defensive game hasn't changed, as they are allowing the fewest goals against per game. That starts with goaltender Jonathan Quick, who has been on fire to begin the season.
Few netminders are more exciting when they're at their best than the Connecticut native. Quick has looked like the same goalie who led the Kings to a Stanley Cup while posting an absurd .946 save percentage during the playoffs. After several campaigns of only slightly above-average play, we might be seeing the best version of Quick again. That's exciting both for Kings fans and distinguished goaltending connoisseurs.
Vegas Golden Knights
Reason to watch: Underdog story
Key stat: 8-4-0 in first 12 games
Historically speaking, expansion franchises have been very, very bad in their first season. In 1974-75, the Washington Capitals won just eight games. The best expansion franchise of the modern era (1993-94 Panthers) had a winning percentage under .500. So Vegas' blazing-hot start has been a pleasant surprise. For one reason or another, every player on the Golden Knights was left exposed for the expansion draft, whether it was because of their contract or not being highly valued by their previous team.
Watching the mishmashed group of underappreciated players win games has offered a unique type of drama that doesn't come along often. Whether Vegas can actually continue to win is a question mark. They've had a horrible run of goalie injuries and are 25th in Corsi for percentage.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Reason to watch: Playing style and offensive talent
Key stat: Second in the NHL in goals scored
Since head coach Mike Babcock took over the Maple Leafs, they have been an aggressive offensive team, rushing the puck up ice and taking risks with defensemen jumping into the play. At least on the offensive side, their aggressiveness has paid off.
Of course, a major part of their scoring production is the highly skilled roster. The words "sophomore slump" mean nothing to Auston Matthews. Last season's Calder Trophy winner has 10 goals in 14 games and has tacked on another eight assists. Matthews has an incredible combination of size, speed, effort and power that is proving to be unstoppable.
Watching him alone is worth the price. But the Leafs have skill up and down the lineup. Defenseman Morgan Rielly is producing like the Leafs have long hoped he would, scoring 11 points, while veteran Patrick Marleau has added another layer to Toronto's attack with five goals. There's more to come for the Leafs, who haven't yet seen skilled winger Mitch Marner (one goal) kick into high gear.
Dallas Stars
Reason to watch: Red-hot power play
Key stat: 30.8 percent power-play percentage leads the NHL
It appears the Stars are back after a rough 2016-17 season that saw them finish second to last in the Central. They currently sit in second place in the division, partly because of their explosive power play. Few teams can put as much talent on the ice at once as the Stars, whose first power-play unit includes Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov, Devin Shore and John Klingberg. That's three of the top offensive talents in the game and a defenseman who produced 58 points two seasons ago. Seguin already has four power-play goals and Benn has three.
The Stars' power play can move the puck at a lightning-quick pace and score from all angles. With power play opportunities up from 6.0 to 7.3 per game league-wide this season, viewers might see more opportunities for Dallas to put on an awesome display of skill with a man advantage.