Five things from the first five nights.

Five nights into the 2016 season.

Here's what's going on:
1) Rangers are playing April hockey already. Upstart rookie scoring (Oscar Lindberg, 4g). Superstar not scoring - Rick Nash in true playoff fashion is generating shots but just not getting them over the line. Scrappy defense but not smothering. Shots getting through but not a lot of second chances. Can they keep this intensity up? Who gets injured first? How many injuries will there be? Regardless - Alain Vigneault (head coach) has them playing primed. The previous two season the Rangers started rather slow, I think giving up more goals in the first month than the next three :)

2) Montreal. This group anchored by Subban and Markov in a system that Jaques Lemaire would love. Defense wins championships BUT you have to score too. That was the problem last season - and I can't see it being resolved as yet. But they are putting the puck in the net so far. And despite all the praise for Carey Price (goalie) he is getting a lot of help from that system with Subban/Markov. Mike Condon, the backup goalie looked pretty good behind this team. too.

3) I was expecting a bit more from the Pens and the LA Kings. Neither has seemed cohesive yet - what I would call NOT tight. These teams changed a lot despite keeping their very skilled and solid cores. For LA losing a guy like Justin Williams might be bigger than expected. Also, these guys still haven't replaced the skill and heady play of Slava Voynov - still out on a domestic violence thing (I don't the status of it). For the Pens, a lot of changes may have them not-clicking for a while but there is too much talent on that team for it not to start scoring.

4) Phoenix Coyotes. They may be part of the reason the for the previous point - they have beaten both LA and Pittsburgh. I am a believer in Dave Tippett (the coyotes coach). He seems to have a good hockey mind and has put together a few versions of this team that were much tougher to beat than their roster looked. Plus, I love Ekmann-Larsson. Zybnek Michalek plays very well for Tippett too.

5) Minnesota and Nashville. These two are playing tougher than last season. I like everything about these two teams - but are either of them able to make that step, that next 5%. Toughness. Special d-men. Forwards that can finish. Solid coaching. They have the pieces but it takes something more - like Seabrook scoring in OT or Justin Williams burying it off a slight scoring chance. Do either of these teams have that? To be seen and I am watching.

So much going on but those are my five things for the first five nights.