5 biggest surprises of the 2021-22 NHL season so far

We're not yet at the halfway point of the 2021-22 NHL campaign, but this break presents a good time to reflect. Below, we dive into the five biggest surprises of the season thus far.

Ducks flying ahead of schedule Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Show us someone who seriously thought the Anaheim Ducks would make the playoffs, and we'll show you a liar.

While there's still plenty of hockey left to play, the Ducks are sitting pretty. They're third in the Pacific Division and seventh in the Western Conference with a .625 points percentage. They have a sizable lead over teams currently outside the postseason spots, such as the Dallas Stars (.552), Winnipeg Jets (.550), and Los Angeles Kings (.550).

In August, Anaheim's odds of making the playoffs were +1500 - tied with the Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, and Ottawa Senators as the biggest long shots.

While the Ducks have attempted to rebuild on the fly over the past few years, they haven't finished above sixth in the Pacific since 2017-18. Fans had every reason for pessimism considering captain Ryan Getzlaf is 36 and coming off his worst year and the team's next wave of young talent is still, well, really young.

However, Getzlaf has enjoyed a bounce-back campaign, as has goaltender John Gibson, who's coming off two poor seasons. Youngsters Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, Sonny Milano, Isac Lundestrom, and Jamie Drysdale have made great strides. A solid veteran supporting cast of Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Kevin Shattenkirk, Adam Henrique, and Rickard Rakell was already in place. A lot had to go right to get to this point. So far, so good.

Maurice resigns out of nowhere Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty

This one came out of left field. Paul Maurice, who was in his ninth season as head coach of the Jets, suddenly announced his resignation Friday.

"This is a good team, I'm a good coach. ... But sometimes you can only push so far," Maurice said. "Sometimes a team needs a new voice. They haven't quit on me but need a different voice. It's the right time for it, and I know that."

He might be correct. The Jets made some much-needed additions to their blue line this offseason, bringing in Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt. That seemed to shore up the club's last remaining key weakness, yet Winnipeg currently sits outside the playoff picture.

Maurice, 54, gives incredibly thoughtful, candid, and witty answers in his press conferences, making him one of the league's most likable coaches. We applaud him for leaving on his own terms after a stellar run in which he brought the Jets to the playoffs five times, including a trip to the conference finals in 2018. If Maurice wants another NHL head coaching job, he'll surely get one.

Canadiens come crashing down Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty

On the heels of their miracle run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves dead last in the Eastern Conference. No NHL team has finished last in its conference the season after reaching the final since the 2002-03 Carolina Hurricanes, who were the league's worst team.

The Habs crashing down to earth shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, they weren't good in the regular season last year, either - they just happened to get hot at the right time. They lost their No. 1 center Phillip Danault (signed with the Kings), No. 1 defenseman Shea Weber (potentially career-ending injury), and No. 1 goalie Carey Price (player assistance program). Few teams could handle three absences of that magnitude.

However, it's still surprising just how bad this team is. Nobody expected the Canadiens to be worse than the Sabres, who appear to be actively trying to tank. The Habs are even worse than the Senators, who remain bottom-feeders.

Heck, even the Coyotes - who are icing arguably the worst roster of the salary-cap era - are just two games back of Montreal. Nobody saw that coming.

Kadri cashing in Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty

It's never too late for a career year, right? Just ask 31-year-old Nazem Kadri. The Colorado Avalanche center is in his 13th NHL season yet playing the best hockey of his life.

Kadri has taken the league by storm, ranking fourth with 38 points in 24 games and third in points per game at 1.58. His career-high point total is 61 in 2016-17. His career-high points per game was 0.92 during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign.

While Kadri may level off a bit, his 11 goals aren't a fluke. He's only shooting 14.7% - the fourth-highest mark of his career and a mere 3.3% higher than his average.

Kadri's 27 assists appear slightly less sustainable, as his 16.01 on-ice shooting percentage is his best ever. The helpers shouldn't disappear altogether, though. He has a career-high 4.19 on-ice expected goals per 60 minutes, averages a career-high 18:27 per game, and he's surrounded by an excellent, offensive-minded supporting cast with the Avs.

The London, Ontario, native is in the final season of a bargain six-year contract that pays him $4.5 million annually. Given how coveted centers are and how infrequently they hit the open market, Kadri is bound to cash in this summer.

Boudreau returns triumphantly Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

Bruce Boudreau was working as an analyst for NHL Network when the season began. Now, he's becoming a favorite for the Jack Adams Award.

The Vancouver Canucks were reeling before he arrived. Head coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning both got fired. Fans booed and threw jerseys onto the ice. It looked like another year spent wasting the dynamic core of Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, and Elias Pettersson. It was ugly.

However, the Canucks are a perfect 6-0-0 under Boudreau weeks after the season looked like a lost cause. Now, the team's within striking distance of a playoff spot.

During his stops with the Washington Capitals, Ducks, and Minnesota Wild, Boudreau always seemed to get the most out of his star players, so it shouldn't come as a surprise he's doing the same in Vancouver. The team adopted an up-tempo, aggressive style of play, which suits its personnel far better than what Green was preaching.

While the blue line is still a major cause for concern, if Boudreau can somehow will the Canucks to the postseason, he'll be a lock for his second Jack Adams.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)

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