As the NHL season hits the three-week mark, the only team without a win is the Arizona Coyotes.

These desert dogs have whimpered their way to a record of 0-8-1, and are currently in the midst of a lengthy Eastern Conference road trip that won't provide many opportunities to pick up their first victory.

Related - By the numbers: Winless Coyotes an all-around disaster

Here's a look at the Coyotes' upcoming opportunities to finally get it done.

Oct. 26 at Rangers

The Rangers have not been world-beaters in the early going. After these clubs teamed up for a big offseason trade, maybe Derek Stepan will have added incentive to beat the Rangers while the injured Antti Raanta cheers from the sidelines. Also working in Arizona's favor: Ondrej Pavelec is scheduled to start. This could very well be where the losing ends.

Oct. 28 at Devils

Both the Devils and Coyotes entered the season with high hopes of making good on long rebuilds, but only the former has been a pleasant early-season surprise. New Jersey shows no signs of slowing down, and Nico Hischier and Will Butcher are giving Clayton Keller a run for his money in the Calder Trophy race to boot.

Oct. 30 at Flyers

A revamped top line built of Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, and Sean Couturier is performing at a high level for the Flyers. There are some holes on defense and in net that the Coyotes could take advantage of, but Philadelphia is looking to get back in the postseason and knows the dangers of dropping points against a lesser team.

Oct. 31 at Red Wings

So will the Coyotes win in October? Maybe on Halloween. The Red Wings looked like a safe bet to be one of the weaker teams in the Eastern Conference this season, but unfortunately for the Coyotes, they've been better than anticipated. There may be no treats in Detroit, especially with Arizona on the second night of a back-to-back.

Nov. 2 vs. Sabres

The safest bet for Arizona's first win, then, might be their next game at Gila River Arena. The Sabres look very beatable once again, and there's nothing like a little home cooking to get the good times rolling.

If they can't defeat Buffalo, though, getting that first W won't get any easier afterward.

Time to have your say:

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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The Montreal Canadiens are not doing themselves any favors by relegating Alex Galchenyuk to the fourth line.

Marc Bergevin's club has stumbled to a record of 1-6-1, scoring an NHL-low 12 goals. At Claude Julien's disposal is an offensively-talented 23-year-old with a 30-goal season to his credit, but the head coach refuses to deploy Galchenyuk in a role befitting his skill set.

Back in the preseason, the general manager made it clear Galchenyuk, who was drafted third overall in 2012, would be playing wing "until further notice," and on Monday, the head coach dropped the forward to the fourth line, saying "I don't think Alex has given us enough to continue to be on our top line for the time being," per John Lu of TSN.

This all makes little sense for at least three reasons:

Galchenyuk not in position to succeed

To be clear, Galchenyuk is no exception to the team's early struggles. He's scored one goal in eight games on only 14 shots, and all of these numbers are obviously well below his career numbers.

Despite the poor start, Galchenyuk is averaging 0.26 goals and 0.33 assists per game, which works out to 21 goals and 27 assists for every 82 games played.

Galchenyuk is simply less likely to find his form in limited, fourth-line ice time. Being buried on the left side behind Paul Byron, Max Pacioretty, and Charles Hudon is not where Galchenyuk belongs, as it's at center where's he's succeeded most in recent history.

Galchenyuk is being sent out as part of the second power-play unit, a decidedly more appropriate assignment. But the opportunity to play top-six forward minutes is one that should also be afforded at even strength.

Trade value dropping

Let's assume for a moment the Canadiens resolve to trade Galchenyuk. They don't believe he can play center or even contribute at a level they expected out of him.

Why then lower his trade value by making it even harder to produce? In order to maximize a potential return, it'd be prudent to show potential suitors that Galchenyuk might be able to fill a need on their end, even if he's not seen as a fit in Montreal.

It's simple economics. If you're selling, create some demand.

Nothing to lose in light of brutal start

So whether it be to get the offense going or boost Galchenyuk's perceived attractiveness in trade talks, it behooves the Canadiens to play him with the team's other offensive talents.

There is literally nowhere else to go but up for both team and player, and now is not the time to treat Galchenyuk with kid gloves. Even if his defensive game is seen as needing work despite posting positive possession numbers at even strength over the past 295 games, trust that all the changes on the blue line and the failsafe of Carey Price can cover those deficiencies with a view to getting much-needed scoring.

Challenge the player to succeed rather than single him out for the team's overall failures, and, best case scenario, watch as the results follow or the phone starts ringing with increased regularity.

If none of the above comes to fruition, at least you put player and team in the best position to succeed.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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Saturday is always an adventure around the NHL, and this 12-game slate was no exception.

Three teams in particular stepped up in a big way, letting the rest of the league know it's time to take them seriously.

Kings are back

With a 6-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Los Angeles Kings remain the lone team without a single loss in regulation.

After missing the playoffs last season, the Kings have gone 6-0-1 under new head coach John Stevens.

As a bonus, Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar appear committed to wiping away their poor personal performances from a year ago, as evidenced by their stat lines through seven games.

Not to be outdone, Jonathan Quick is riding a .938 save percentage after being sidelined by injury for most of last season.

Stop doubting the Senators

The Toronto Maple Leafs entered the latest installment of the Battle of Ontario as a burgeoning powerhouse, having averaged almost five goals per game to date.

It was the pesky Ottawa Senators who came out on top Saturday, however, limiting Toronto to a season-low three goals while pouring it on with six of their own.

Those who take deeper dives into advanced stats tend to cast doubt on Ottawa, especially considering the Senators ranked 31st in Corsi For in five-on-five play (43.39) heading into the game, according to Corsica. This, to be sure, is not generally seen as a recipe for success.

To the Sens' credit, though, they keep winning, and they have their all-world defenseman back in the fold to boot.

Lightning a force to be reckoned with

Much like the Kings, the Tampa Bay Lightning were hoping to bounce back after missing the 2017 postseason, and they're proving to be up to the challenge.

Tampa hosted the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and came out on top 7-1. It helps that Antti Niemi is well below average in net, but Tampa Bay was the better team from start to finish.

(Courtesy: HockeyStats.ca)

All eyes have been on Nikita Kucherov's blistering streak, but don't let that overshadow the magic of Steven Stamkos.

This could finally be the year for this bunch, health permitting.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have added a center.

The club acquired Riley Sheahan and a fifth-round pick in 2018 from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for forward Scott Wilson and a 2018 third-round selection, the Penguins announced Saturday.

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Fire away, fellas.

The Montreal Canadiens set a new franchise record for shots in a single period with 30 during the second stanza Friday in Anaheim, eclipsing their previous mark of 27.

Conversely, Ducks goaltender John Gibson set a new franchise record with 28 saves in the middle frame.

The Canadiens were outshot 21-7 and outscored 3-0 in the first period - clearly a message was sent at intermission.

The Canadiens are the NHL's lowest-scoring team, and there's no better way to open the floodgates than to get the puck on net.

It was all for naught, however, as the Canadiens failed to tie the game and gave up three goals in less than two minutes early in the third period.

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Sidney Crosby remains on a different level.

The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar center displayed a crazy amount of wherewithal in order to score a game-tying goal late in the third period against the New York Rangers, and from behind the goal line no less.

Let's take a quick look.

With Matt Murray on the bench in order to get an extra attacker on the ice, the Penguins - down by a goal - looked to create a scoring chance.

Crosby (87) stationed himself to the left of Henrik Lundqvist (30), and Evgeni Malkin (71) positioned himself near the boards to assess his options.

Malkin attempted to work the puck to a cutting Patric Hornqvist (72), but it went off the defender's stick and up into the air.

Hornqvist batted it down with his glove, swung and missed on a shot attempt, and watched as the puck headed towards Crosby.

Crosby knew he was unable to play the puck off the unintentional hand pass, and therefore waited for Kevin Shattenkirk (22) to touch it.

He immediately regained possession and threw a shot toward the front of the net.

Fortuitously, it bounced off Lundqvist and into the back of the net.

Now, to be clear, it wasn't Crosby's intention to bank the puck in for a goal.

The brilliance of this play was his realization that Hornqvist was guilty of a hand pass and the patience displayed in waiting for Shattenkirk to touch the puck before he did, lest the play be whistled dead - leading to a faceoff outside the offensive zone at a crucial juncture.

The goal, which can be seen here, was scored at 19:04 of the third period, and allowed Pittsburgh to push the game to overtime, where Malkin scored the game-winner.

It was also Crosby's fourth through seven games this season.

(Images courtesy: NHL.com)

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Let's be clear. It's still very early in the season. Several teams have played a maximum of six games, and one (Carolina) has played only three.

Within all the games played to date, 19 players have registered at least eight points, with the scoring leader board headed by a trio of Washington Capitals - Evgeny Kuznetsov (11), Nicklas Backstrom (11), and Alex Ovechkin (10).

Among the other 16 players in that range, there are some rather surprising names. Here are five that stand out:

Mike Green

In the final year of his contract with the Detroit Red Wings, Green is proving he still has value on the blue line.

Through five games, he's recorded eight assists, four of which have come on the power play, and three serving as the primary helpers.

The 32-year-old is averaging almost 23 minutes of ice time per game and sits tied among all defensemen in points. He's also serving as a catalyst for a Red Wings team that wasn't expected to be all that competitive.

Will Butcher

The 2017 Hobey Baker award winner as the top player in men's NCAA hockey was the focus of this year's college free-agent class after choosing not to sign with Colorado, who drafted him 123rd overall in 2013.

Butcher decided to sign with the New Jersey Devils, and it's working out just fine for both parties. In five games, the rookie defenseman has matched Green's eight assists, making NHL history in the process.

Yes, five of the assists have come on the power play and only two have been primary in nature, but it's an impressive debut nonetheless.

Bryan Rust

Tied with Sidney Crosby for the Pittsburgh Penguins points lead is none other than Rust.

The winger has been given a spot among the team's top six alongside Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, and his eight points (one goal, seven assists) are outpacing them both.

Rust scored 22 goals in 80 games for the Penguins between the 2016-17 regular season and playoffs, and spent time in the offseason rounding out his game.

"It's always nice to score goals and be the guy finishing, but I think being a setup man is just as important," Rust told Jason Mackey of the Post-Gazette. "That's part of my game that probably wasn't as strong as it could have been. That's something I've tried to work on."

Clearly it's paying off.

Brayden Point

The Tampa Bay Lightning are led up front by Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos, but 21-year-old Point is proving depth scoring matters.

In fact, all he's done since being promoted to the NHL is put up points.

Another hidden gem mined from the later rounds of the NHL Draft by general manager Steve Yzerman and his staff.

Ryan Hartman

Like in Tampa, a young forward is hanging with the superstars in Chicago, namely 23-year-old Hartman.

The winger is playing on the left side of a line with Tanner Kero and Patrick Kane, and has matched the latter with two goals and six assists in eight games.

The Blackhawks have relied heavily on cheap, young talent to complement the core over the past several years, and Hartman - selected with the last pick of the first round in 2013 - is doing just that while in the final season of his entry-level contract.

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The Chicago Blackhawks signed Bryan Bickell to a one-day contract, and the forward concurrently announced his official retirement from the NHL on Wednesday as a member of the team with which he won three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013, and 2015).

Bickell played 384 of his 395 career NHL games with Chicago. The other 11 came as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016-17, but his season was interrupted by a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis last November.

"As any professional athlete will tell you, stepping away from the game is extremely difficult especially given my circumstances," said Bickell. "I’m honored to be retiring a Chicago Blackhawk - a team that has given me and my family so many great memories. I appreciate Rocky Wirtz, John McDonough, and Stan Bowman for allowing me this opportunity."

Bickell scored 65 goals and added 70 assists over his 10-year NHL career. He upped his game and became a fan favorite in the playoffs, however, scoring 20 goals and adding 19 assists in 75 appearances, all with Chicago.

"We are thankful to Bryan for his accomplishments on the ice and we look forward to hearing his voice in raising awareness for multiple sclerosis as he fights the disease," added Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman.

Bickell was able to rejoin the Hurricanes for the final two games of the regular season, and he capped his career by scoring a shootout goal in his final act as a pro hockey player. He was also honored at the 2017 NHL Awards for being able to play following his diagnosis.

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The Calgary Flames signed Jaromir Jagr to a one-year contract, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

The deal is believed to be worth a base salary of $1 million, with $1 million available in bonuses.

Jagr, who will turn 46 in February, appeared in all 82 games for the Florida Panthers last season, recording 16 goals and 46 points.

The hockey legend sits second on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,914, and third in goals with 765 - 36 behind Gordie Howe. He could also achieve another career milestone with the Flames.

Jagr joins the Flames after speaking with the St. Louis Blues, who reached out to the Czech winger following a season-ending injury to Robby Fabbri. Jagr ultimately rejected the Blues' offer, saying he was going in a different direction, which we now know is north to Alberta.

Amazingly, he joins a Flames club that features Matthew Tkachuk, whose father, Keith, was selected 19th overall at the NHL Draft in 1990 - 14 spots after Jagr.

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The Calgary Flames signed Jaromir Jagr to a one-year contract, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

The deal is believed to be worth a base salary of $1 million, with $1 million available in bonuses.

Jagr, who will turn 46 in February, appeared in all 82 games for the Florida Panthers last season, recording 16 goals and 46 points.

The hockey legend sits second on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,914, and third in goals with 765 - 36 behind Gordie Howe. He could also achieve another career milestone with the Flames.

Jagr joins the Flames after speaking with the St. Louis Blues, who reached out to the Czech winger following a season-ending injury to Robby Fabbri. Jagr ultimately rejected the Blues' offer, saying he was going in a different direction, which we now know is north to Alberta.

Amazingly, he joins a Flames club that features Matthew Tkachuk, whose father, Keith, was selected 19th overall at the NHL Draft in 1990 - 14 spots after Jagr.

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