BREAKING: Jack Hughes is in fact good and not bad because as an 18-year-old he didn't live up to ridiculous expectations

Okay, I'll tone it down a bit as we move through these Ramblings. But seriously, the 2019 first-overall pick looks like a completely different player as a sophomore. He grabbed two goals and an assist on Tuesday night to give him six points in four games. Yes, those six points to vault him into a tie for TOP SPOT in the league. 

What a difference an (extended) offseason worth of training can do. 

We shouldn't be all that surprised. It's happened time and time again in the NHL. An 18-year-old top selection has struggled to adjust to the NHL for whatever reason – size, strength, smaller ice, whatever. Steven Stamkos, Joe Thornton, hell even Owen Nolan struggled way back in 1991.

For Hughes, he was up against a couple of walls. He was clearly undersized and needed added strength to handle the grind of an NHL game let alone a full season. He was also the first – and only, player to step directly out of the USNTDP and into the NHL. 

Now we can see it. The shifty, creative lines. The incredible balance. The pure, god-given play creation skills that allowed him to toy with the competition at the junior level, are all with him in the NHL. Maybe we won't expect him to keep cruising along at two-points-per-game all season (we won't), but I think I may have been a little light on the projection of 33 points in 52 games. 

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Andreas Athanasiou has scored in each of his first three games in LA. The speedy pivot has done it all at even-strength and is making a strong case to see his role elevated with the Kings. At this point, you’d have to imagine he’s nipping at Adrian Kempe‘s spot on the top power-play unit – even with Kempe scoring a PPG on Tuesday evening.

Keep a close eye.

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Sergei Bobrovsky returned to the Panthers’ lineup for his first start of the season and grabbed the W. He stopped 30/34 shots in the OT victory over the looooowly Blackhawks. It’s a fine step in the bounce-back bid by the former two-time Vezina winner.

Now we need to see more to begin to believe again.

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Let's check in on some early candidates for 'surprise producers'.

Rasmus Andersson

We were unsure of who would earn the plum position to QB the Flames top PP this season. Mark Giordano has long been the incumbent, but his sun has been fading in recent seasons. Noah Hanifin is hanging around. Juuso Valimaki is back after losing a year of development to a knee injury. But it's the 24-year-old Andersson who has locked it down early on.

Through three contests, the former second-round selection has grabbed a goal and two assists – one on the PP, seven shots, and six blocks. All while seeing 5:15 on the PP and nearly 22-minutes overall. Those are pretty tasty multicategory numbers.

Even in points-only leagues, Andersson is producing enough to warrant a spot. His top power-play deployment should keep him viable. But he's also a threat at even-strength. He and Giordano are skating top-pairing minutes and will continue to be given ice with the Flames offensive forwards at 5v5.

I've long been a fan of Andersson. I don't see elite production coming, but he's a player who certainly has a 0.5 point-per-game output in him. Add the peripherals and he's an intriguing piece. 

Matt Grzelcyk

There was widespread belief was that with Torey Krug departing for STL, that Charlie McAvoy would be gifted the top PP spot. However, there were people who kept saying all 'summer' that that was far from a certainty. But not everyone listened.

Lo and behold, the 27-year-old Grzelcyk has taken control of that spot out of the gate. He's averaging 3:44 of power-play time per game, which is a 72.3 percent share of the opportunities. The Bruins have failed to produce an even-strength goal through three games thus far, and so the power-play has become even more important. Grzelcyk has just one PPA on the season, but you'd have to imagine that the team will begin clicking more regularly and his opportunities will result in production.

If not, though, watch out for McAvoy to start sniffing around that gig. 

Joel Farabee

Top-line Joel is looking pretty darn good thus far. At the time of writing, the 20-year-old has four points in four games with half of them coming from the second power-play unit. The former USNTDP standout is looking extremely comfortable in an offensive role and has the goods to be a long term asset. 

The Flyers arguably have the slickest second unit in the league – at least among clubs who aren't splitting their top two units up, ala Vegas or Toronto. 

Here's what I had to say about Farabee ahead of the 2018 draft where I ranked him as a top-10 prospect, "Slight and slippery, he feasts on oppositions with his vision and his finishing ability. A great skater who works tirelessly in all three zones."

I really like this kid. 

Josh Morrissey

This was supposed to be a layup. Neal Pionk saw all the top PP deployment in Winnipeg last season and did extremely well – producing 25 points on the man-advantage. That mark was tied for third among defenders with Quinn Hughes. 

And yet, here we are a couple of games into the season and it's Josh Morrissey seeing the top unit action. The Jets have just three power-play marker on the season so far, and Morrissey has yet to factor into them. But he did grab two helpers on Tuesday evening – on a late one to tie the game and then again on the OT winner. 

We'll see if Morrissey can hold on to that spot, but at this point, he's clearly the better fantasy option than Pionk. 

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Okay, now that we've chatted about the good news news, let's talk about a few players who have failed to launch so far this season and why you shouldn't be freaking out. 

As a precursor, remember this, folks. 

Elias Pettersson

The Canucks superstar has not been his usual self so far in 2021. He grabbed a primary assist on Brock Boeser's opening night goal, hit a crossbar that same tilt, but has been basically invisible ever since.

The Vancouver power-play looks dreadful and Petey’s double-clutching hasn't helped matters. Now, do you think it's time to panic? Did the Swedish wonder simply forget how to create offense? Of course not.

Patience is required, but if I'm a betting man (which I most definitely am) I'd venture the wait before he pops will be a short one.

Kevin Fiala

It's been a whole three games and the Wild star has gone pointless. Call in the cooks, this kid is cooked! Right? Wrong. Sure, it's been a less-than-stellar start for the 24-year-old, but there are signs of life.

The former Nashville selection has racked up 18 shots on goal over that span and has looked threatening throughout. He's not long for the cold-streak page. 

Morgan Rielly

The Buds top defender has just a single point (an even-strength goal) in four contests. This despite him averaging 3:36 on the power-play and a whopping 25:03 of ice time overall. He also has 12 shots on goal during that span.

Now, do I love that the Leafs are splitting up their power-play units? No, no I do not. I hate it. I believe it’s a mostly dumb strategy in real life and gut-wrenching for fantasy purposes. But it still doesn’t change the fact that the 25-year-old has proven capable of being a very good to elite producing defender and he’s just now scratching his prime-aged seasons.

He’s cold to start, but give it time and he’ll find his way to the hot list.

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@Hockey_Robinson