One of the tired aspects the NHL preseason is that storylines get recycled ad nauseam. The beauty of opening week is that we get new things to talk about. And that was indeed the case this season. It's no surprise that Connor McDavid was outstanding in the first week, but several other opening-week performances did surprise -- or underwhelm -- us:
Highs
1. Richard Panik, Chicago Blackhawks: Panik makes $875,000 and got picked up off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. But perhaps the 25-year-old has finally figured it out?