NHL hype meter: How much stock should we put into these hot starts?

The NHL season is nearing the end of its second week, which means various states of misery and joy have permeated through 32 fan bases.

On Friday, we checked in on four struggling teams. Now let's evaluate some of the hot starts. How much stock should we put into what these clubs have accomplished in the early going? What level of hype do they actually deserve?

We've rated each situation on a starstruck emoji scale, with one (🤩) being the lowest reading on the hype confidence meter and five (🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩) being the highest.

Boston Bruins

Based strictly on final scores, the start of the Bruins' season has been a resounding success. They've won three times and lost twice by a single goal.

This is a team in transition, with Marco Sturm taking over behind the bench and the roster largely unsettled beyond stars David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman. Boston's begun games well, competed hard for pucks, and blocked a ton of shots. Six players co-lead the team with two goals.

What more could you ask for?

Some better measuring sticks. The Bruins' wins have come against Washington (a good but not great team), Chicago (bottom-feeder), and Buffalo (bottom-feeder). Their losses: Stanley Cup contenders Tampa Bay and Vegas. We'll learn a lot about Boston's potential over the next five games, with Colorado, Utah, Florida, Anaheim, and Colorado again on the menu.

The center group of Elias Lindholm, Casey Mittelstadt, Fraser Minten, and Sean Kuraly has thus far been competent, if not good. But there's simply not even talent down the middle to sustain a winning record over a full season.

Hype confidence meter: 🤩

Colorado Avalanche

Colorado was my preseason pick for 2026 Cup winner, so I'm processing their 4-0-1 record and league-high nine points through rose-colored glasses.

The Avalanche are relatively healthy to kick off a season for the first time in a long time, which is scary news for rivals. The current injury list of starting goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, second-pair defenseman Sam Girard, and bottom-six winger Logan O'Connor is nothing compared to last October.

Even at 90% health, the Avs are ridiculously talented, deep, and experienced.

The top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen has outscored the opposition 6-0 in just 59 five-on-five minutes. Necas continues to pile up points. The toolsy winger's three goals and nine points have upped his totals in an Avalanche uniform to 15 goals and 42 points in 42 games.

The most encouraging sign of all is the play of backup Scott Wedgewood. The 33-year-old journeyman isn't simply surviving as the temporary No. 1 guy; he's thriving, posting a .939 save percentage and 4.9 goals saved above expected (per Evolving-Hockey) over a league-high 305 minutes in the crease.

Wedgewood's run of excellence won't last forever, and the Avs aren't going to cruise through the regular season. Yet, there's a lot of substance to their start.

Hype confidence meter: 🤩🤩🤩🤩 (and a half)

Montreal Canadiens

If this was an exercise evaluating long-term potential, Montreal would be an easy five out of five on the hype confidence meter. Saying the Canadiens will become perennial Cup contenders within a few years now qualifies as a boring, cold take. They're on a rocketing trajectory.

However, this exercise is focused on 2025-26, and I'm not convinced the current squad is as dominant as its 4-1-0 record suggests. For starters, the Canadiens haven't exactly faced a murderers' row of opponents in Toronto (loss), Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, and Nashville. Also, while comeback and overtime wins are entertaining and great for morale - especially in the case of a very young group like the Habs - barely scraping by is unsustainable.

OK, that's the skeptical angle on the hot start. The optimistic angle? Rookie Ivan Demidov is solidifying himself as a legitimate superstar with every passing game, offseason acquisitions Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc have made a seamless transition, and team defense has taken a giant step forward.

Montreal is a playoff team. It's too early to predict any postseason fireworks.

Hype confidence meter: 🤩🤩🤩

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights were considered an inner-circle Cup contender heading into the season and have yet to lose in regulation through five games (3-0-2).

The dynamic duo of Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev has combined for 11 of the team's 20 goals. The power play is humming along. The rush attack is frightening. Newcomer Mitch Marner hasn't enjoyed a breakout game in Golden Knights threads, but he also hasn't looked out of sorts.

All that positivity and still it feels as if Vegas is merely scratching the surface. They have so many secondary weapons up front - from Mark Stone and Tomas Hertl to William Karlsson and Ivan Barbashev. All of them are capable of cushioning the blow when guys like Eichel and Marner have an off night.

The defense and goaltending units are strong as well, though they could use reinforcements. The blue line needs another top-four guy with Alex Pietrangelo officially out for the season. And it remains to be seen what kind of impact, if any, controversial signee Carter Hart will have on stopping pucks.

The Bruce Cassidy-coached team looked lethal on paper. It's lethal on the ice.

Hype confidence meter: 🤩🤩🤩🤩

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter/X (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email ([email protected]).