St. Louis delivered the loudest result of the early NHL slate, and the NHL playoff odds reacted exactly the way a 4-0 road win should. The St. Louis Blues moved to 1-0, while the Dallas Stars slipped to 0-1 and took an early hit to a projection that already had them sitting in the middle of the conference picture.
Thursday’s biggest swing: Blues over Stars
St. Louis (1-0, ) didn’t just beat Dallas; it shut them out 4-0, which is the kind of result that can matter in a season this young. Dallas (0-1, ) still carries a stronger playoff forecast than St. Louis, but the gap is narrow enough that every early head-to-head outcome can change how the simulation treats the bubble.
That was the night’s cleanest win. It was also the least forgiving one for the loser, because a four-goal margin leaves no wiggle room in the standings or the model.
Boston survives Winnipeg, Anaheim stuns Vegas
Boston Bruins kept its perfect start intact with a 4-3 win over Winnipeg, improving to 2-0 while the Winnipeg Jets fell to 0-1. Boston sits at to make the playoffs and 100 projected points; Winnipeg is at and 95 projected points, so the Bruins are already building cushion while the Jets are trying to avoid an early slide.
The other one-goal result carried more upside for the underdog. The Anaheim Ducks beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3, pushing Anaheim to 1-0 and playoff odds while Vegas dropped to 1-1 but still sits at with 99 projected points. For Anaheim, that kind of win over a high-end competitor is the fastest way to pull a low-probability team into relevance.
Shutouts on both coasts, pressure on both losers
The New York Rangers handled Detroit 2-0, moving to 2-1 and playoff odds. The Detroit Red Wings dropped to 0-1 and , and the shutout matters because Detroit is already fighting from well behind the pack.
Washington followed with a 5-2 win over Carolina. The Washington Capitals improved to 1-0 and , while the Carolina Hurricanes fell to 0-2 despite still carrying a strong playoff probability and 99 projected points.
Monday’s other results: Utah, Edmonton, Seattle, and Calgary
Utah opened with authority, routing Chicago 6-0. The Utah Mammoth are 1-0 with a playoff shot and 97 projected points; the Chicago Blackhawks are 0-2 and all the way down at with 77 projected points.
The Edmonton Oilers outlasted Vancouver 9-7 in the night’s wildest score line, a win that pushed Edmonton to 1-1 and . The Vancouver Canucks also sit at 1-1, but their playoff odds show how much thinner their margin is after giving up nine goals.
Seattle’s 6-1 win over Calgary was the other lopsided result from Oct. 1. The Seattle Kraken are 1-0 and now at , while the Calgary Flames are 0-1 and down to .
What’s next
The games that matter most now are the ones that can confirm or erase these first impressions. Boston, Vegas, Carolina, Dallas, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Detroit all have early records that could swing fast if the next few matchups turn into more one-goal nights or another shutout.
For Anaheim, Seattle, and Utah, the task is simpler: turn one strong result into a run before the projections settle. For Chicago and Calgary, the next game is already about damage control.