One of the best qualities of sport is the way it can catch even a dedicated observer by surprise.
Some of the best individual stories out there are examples of individuals working hard, and surpassing expectations. From unknown prospects coming out of nowhere to make teams to old warhorses defying Father Time, the first third of the 2015-16 NHL season has been full of surprisingly good performances from players of whom much less (if anything) was expected.
This slideshow is dedicated to those players. We've made an effort to shine the spotlight on one player on each team who has exceeded expectation and provided his club with some needed quality.