No. 4 – Jaroslav Halak
One of the league’s better backups, Halak has had a stellar start to the season. In five games, he is 4-0-1 and has allowed two goals or less in four of his five starts.
He is tied for second in the NHL in goals-against average (GAA) with the Marc-Andre Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights at 1.38 and is fifth in save percentage (SV%) at .938. He recorded his first shutout of the season in last Friday’s win over the Rangers.
He has allowed seven goals on 112 shots and is proving to be one of Sweeney’s better free-agent signings three years ago.
No. 3. – Charlie McAvoy
When Krug and Chara left, the leader of the defense was expected to be McAvoy and the 23-year-old has proved he’s up to the challenge, both offensively and defensively.
Paired with Jeremy Lauzon, McAvoy’s offense game is taking another step forward early in the season. He has one goal, a game-tying goal against the Washington Capitals that forced overtime, 10 assists, and 26 shots on the net. He is averaging 24 minutes and 19 seconds a night on the ice and has cracked the 25-minute mark multiple times.
Last season, he finished 10th on voting for the Norris Trophy. He is making a case this season to crack the top five, maybe even higher if his play continues to evolve this season.