NHL Panic Meter: Which Teams’ Slow Starts Are the Most Concerning?

Alex Chauvancy analyzes early-season struggles across seven NHL teams, arguing that the winless Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings face the most alarming situations. The Flyers sit at 0-5-3 with an NHL-worst 34.3 expected goals percentage under Rick Tocchet, earning a 9/10 on the concern meter, while the aging Kings opened 0-3-2 under Peter Laviolette.

In contrast, the author sees less reason to panic for teams hindered primarily by goaltending or finishing, assigning low concern scores to the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and New Jersey Devils. Moderate concern is reserved for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars due to early defensive and five-on-five possession issues.