Another Saturday, another wildly busy night across the NHL.

With 12 games spread across the schedule, there's plenty to unpack, so let's get started and take a look at five takeaways from Saturday's action.

Leafs ace huge test without Matthews

The Toronto Maple Leafs played their third consecutive game without their best player, taking a 4-1 decision over the Boston Bruins.

The victory was Toronto's fourth in a row overall, concluding a massive bounceback week after a disastrous road trip through California and St. Louis. With six points in the bank without Matthews, and an additional four days off until their next game, it appears the Maple Leafs have averted disaster in grand fashion.

Karlsson in a class of his own

(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)

Perhaps it was because he was playing in his home country, or maybe it's just because he's superhuman, but Erik Karlsson continues to dazzle early in his 2017-18 season.

Karlsson recorded two assists in Saturday's win over Colorado in Sweden, and now paces all blue-liners with 16 assists - and now sits second in points for a defenseman - despite missing the first five games of the season.

DeBrincat shows he's worthy of a bigger role

The Chicago Blackhawks snapped two-game skid Saturday with an overtime victory in Carolina, thanks in large part to rookie Alex DeBrincat, who scored two goals and set up the game-winner.

DeBrincat now has 10 points in his first 17 NHL games, though is averaging more ice time than only four Blackhawks forwards. For a team that's been struggling to produce goals, maybe it's time to give the kid a chance.

Turris shines in Predators debut

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If his debut was any indicator, it appears Kyle Turris will fit in just fine with the Nashville Predators.

In a Stanley Cup rematch against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Preds' new addition scored his first goal in his new digs and later added a primary assist. It was clear head coach Peter Laviolette trusts him as well, as Turris ranked second among all Nashville forwards with 21:38 time played.

Lindgren has yet another huge night

If it weren't for Charlie Lindgren, the loss of Carey Price would be a lot tougher to handle for Montreal Canadiens fans.

That's not to say there's a goalie controversy brewing once Price returns, but the rookie netminder has filled in more than admirably in his absence. Saturday's 34-save effort brought Lindgren to 3-1 in four starts with a save precentage of .964 and a 1.24 GAA.

Lindgren stole two points on a night where the Canadiens were outplayed by the basement-dwelling Sabres, so if it weren't for him, things could be a lot worse in Montreal.

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Pitted against the only player in the world who's held in higher regard, Connor McDavid stole the show on Tuesday, but Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins took the two points.

McDavid did all he could to ensure his Edmonton Oilers captured at least one point, netting a perfect shot over the glove of Matt Murray late in the third period to force overtime, seemingly sending a message to his teammates that it's time to climb out of this early-season hole.

Alas, it wasn't enough. Pittsburgh's firepower was the deciding factor, as Evgeni Malkin connected with Phil Kessel to seal the deal in the extra frame, giving Crosby's squad a third consecutive victory over McDavid & Co., despite the 20-year-old being statistically superior each time in the head-to-head matchup.

The outcome of Tuesday night's premier showdown displayed how important it is to surround high-end talent, particularly a generational talent, with a capable supporting cast.

After years of icing lineups with a noticeable drop-off in talent between their top guys and role players, Pittsburgh decided to give Crosby help by acquiring the likes of Kessel, Patric Hornqvist, Justin Schultz, and Carl Hagelin via trade, each of whom turned out to be integral pieces to back-to-back titles. Of course, drafting Malkin second overall in 2004 played a huge role in laying the foundation of the Penguins' decade-plus of success, but championship rosters are deep, and the Oilers need to amend their issues if they want to cash in on this window while it's open widest.

That time is now, in the final year of McDavid's entry-level deal before his record-setting $12.5 million annual cap hit kicks in. Edmonton's campaign has started disastrously, which nobody could have predicted, especially considering the excitement following No. 97's hat-trick in the first game of the season.

But that feels like eons ago for the Oilers, who now sit at 2-5-1 and are averaging a measly 1.88 goals per game - which, not surprisingly, ranks last in the league.

McDavid has obviously done his part, notching nine points in eight games. Leon Draisaitl has only been available for four contests, so he gets a pass, but the rest of the Oilers' lineup reads as a long list of unproductive forwards.

Patrick Maroon, who rides shotgun to McDavid's brilliance, is the only other Edmonton forward with more than three points. Newcomer Ryan Strome, brought in to replace Jordan Eberle on the wing, has one goal and one assist, while the former Oiler has a respectable six helpers in nine games with the Islanders.

Then there's Taylor Hall, the other first round draft pick Edmonton dealt away, who has nine points in eight games while playing top minutes in New Jersey. Some of that production sure would have been helpful early in this season.

Hindsight is obviously 20/20, and there's nothing general manager Peter Chiarelli can do to get those players back, but he can use his club's arduous start as a wake-up call to make sure the current season doesn't go to waste.

Edmonton doesn't need to rush into any decisions, however. In all likelihood, things will start to turn around soon based on the amount of offense they're creating without finishing chances. But as evidenced Tuesday night against the reigning champs, even the best players need support to win.

The Oilers currently have over $8 million in cap space until the end of the season, and Chiarelli would be wise to take advantage of it and find some support while he still can.

(Photos Courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Vegas Golden Knights, for better or for worse, have captured the attention of the hockey world early in their maiden voyage, jumping out to a 6-1 record - the most successful start to a franchise's inaugural campaign in the 100-year history of the NHL.

Whether you're a skeptic or a fan, the product in Vegas is about to be tested mightily, as replacement starting goaltender Malcolm Subban joined Marc-Andre Fleury on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

The optics of the situation are quite simple: An NHL team lost two goalies to injury, so they must be screwed. But when looking at how reliant Vegas has been on strong goaltending through its first eight games, it appears unusually obvious that the Golden Knights' unforeseen early success is about to come to a screeching halt.

The options

First off, let's look at who Vegas will roll with in goal while Fleury and Subban are on the shelf.

After Subban was pulled from Saturday's contest, he was replaced by Oscar Dansk, who stopped 10 of 11 shots to lock down an overtime win over St. Louis in his NHL debut.

Dansk, 23, was a second-round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2012, and had a save percentage of .903 in 24 games with Rogle BK of the Swedish league last year. He'll be the starter from here.

Who will back him up? That's a good question. General manager George McPhee said the team will call a player up from AHL Chicago at the completion of the Wolves' game Sunday. The two goalies currently on that roster are Max Lagace (no NHL experience) and C.J. Motte (barely any AHL experience). Yikes.

The numbers

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The numbers propping up the Golden Knights' hot start don't appear to be very sustainable. Vegas owns the seventh-highest PDO (shooting percentage plus save percentage) in the NHL at 103.13. That number typically moves closer to 100 as the season wears on, and should take a hit sooner than later considering Fleury and Subban combined for a sky-high .936 save clip early on.

At five-on-five, Vegas also owns the league's second-worst Corsi differential at minus-47 and the worst expected goals-for percentage at 42.14, according to Corsica. Relying on this team to continue scoring so efficiently doesn't seem like a very safe bet.

That's without even mentioning that three of the Golden Knights' wins have come in overtime, and they've only outshot their opponents in two of eight contests.

The (long) road ahead

No matter which way you slice it, six wins in eight games is six wins in eight games. However, Vegas benefited from a favorable early schedule that featured two games versus the lowly Coyotes, and one game each against the Red Wings and Sabres.

Up next, though, Vegas plays two games at home before an eight-of-nine stretch on the road that includes stops in Boston, Ottawa, and Toronto. It's not going to be easy.

The Golden Knights have certainly done better than many expected early on, and they want it to be recognized:

But given the unfavorable underlying numbers and two long-term injuries at the most integral position on the ice, it appears the clock may have struck midnight on the franchise's historic debut.

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Love 'em or hate 'em, the Toronto Maple Leafs have used the early portion of the new NHL campaign to propel themselves to the top of the league standings, doing so in the way many anticipated - scoring a ton of goals.

Thirty-four goals, to be specific, in just seven games - six of which being wins - is an astronomical number in a small sample size, but it makes one wonder, could the Leafs' offense be even more dangerous than we anticipated?

After pouring in 250 goals last season, the fifth-highest sum in the league, Toronto added Patrick Marleau in the summer to further bolster an offensive unit that was already a nightmare to defend. Despite the addition of a Hall of Fame resume to the lineup, the caveat to the Leafs' championship aspirations this season was team defense, and while things can certainly be tightened up on the back end, Toronto's torrid start has made it look like it might not matter.

The personnel

Following Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto now has five players averaging at least one point per game to begin the season. Auston Matthews leads the way with 10, Nazem Kadri has eight, while William Nylander, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Rielly have put forth seven apiece.

Now, nobody is realistically expecting Rielly, or really any of the other skaters outside Matthews to maintain such a high pace until April, but the early indication is that this team will receive contributions from the entire roster - a lineup filled out with the likes of Mitch Marner, Tyler Bozak, and the aforementioned Marleau, who've each had fine starts, yet are being overlooked by the sheer firepower at the top.

Why it's such an asset

(Photo Courtesy: Action Images)

In the latter half of a back-to-back, the Leafs came out flat versus the Red Wings, frequently playing in their own end and struggling to generate or maintain any consistent pressure in the offensive zone.

Yet they still scored four goals in the opening 20 minutes.

Detroit out-attempted Toronto 45-29 at 5-on-5, and 56-38 in all situations (hockeystats.ca) but because of the Leafs' offensive talent, they came away with two points and a convincing score line, despite an effort nowhere near their best.

The long-term picture

Head coach Mike Babcock will continue to adjust in hopes his team can cut down on the chances his team is giving up down the road, but if the Leafs can manage six goals on an off night, what's going to stop them when they're firing on all cylinders?

And while Wednesday's performance reared some ugly possession numbers, it was an outlier when looking at the Leafs' analytical output thus far. The Leafs are averaging 34.7 shots per game this season - a mark good for sixth-highest in the NHL, while their power play is operating at 30 percent.

Additionally, their expected goals-for percentage (xGF%), which measures goal expectancy to shots based on shot types and distance, among other factors, was at 59.97 percent entering Wednesday's win, ranking third in the NHL, per Corsica.

We all knew the Leafs would rely on their offense again this season, and considering what they've demonstrated so far, perhaps we underestimated how powerful it can be.

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The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Michael Matheson to an eight-year contract extension worth $39 million, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.

Matheson will play out the final season of his entry-level contract in 2017-18 before the extension kicks in.

The 23-year-old blue liner only has one full season under his belt, but it's quite clear the Panthers are willing to commit long-term to his upside. In 81 games last season, Matheson notched 17 points and ranked third on Florida's roster in ice time, averaging 21:03 per night.

With Matheson signed, the Panthers now have five players 25-years-old or younger under contract until 2022, per Cap Friendly.

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Congratulations, everybody. We made it.

At several different points, wading through the fruitless summer months and meaningless preseason games seemed impossible, but we've reached the light at the end of the tunnel, and hockey is officially back.

As we begin another NHL voyage, here are three things to keep an eye on during opening night. Only 27 weeks until the playoffs!

Matthews vs. Laine (and Leafs vs. Jets)

Wednesday marks another meeting between 2016's top two draft picks, and if their rookie season was any indication, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are destined to provide another classic. The electric Finn bagged a hat trick in their first matchup while Matthews notched three assists in round two, giving each side a win.

The sophomore phenoms will draw most of the attention, but the Maple Leafs and Jets have several supporting candidates capable of stealing the spotlight: William Nylander, Mark Scheifele, Mitch Marner, and Nikolaj Ehlers, just to name a few.

Both meetings between Winnipeg and Toronto last season were high-scoring overtime thrillers, and we should all be hoping for more of the same.

Penguins raise banner

The Penguins' quest for a three-peat begins Wednesday, with the defending champs hosting the St. Louis Blues on banner-raising night.

The target on Pittsburgh's back grew even larger after adding another ring - a rather flashy one - to its collection, and the Blues should offer a tough test right out of the gate.

Even if the game is tightly contested or low scoring, there should be no shortage of entertainment with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Vladimir Tarasenko sharing the same ice surface.

Battle of Alberta Vol. I

Based on personnel alone, the Oilers and Flames have the potential to be the most entertaining rivalry in the NHL. Both sides have hated each other for a long time, but it's been quite a while since Edmonton and Calgary have each entered a season with such high expectations.

Edmonton swept the season series last year, but Calgary has an early chance to erase those memories with a win Wednesday night. The Flames added Mike Smith and Travis Hamonic over the summer to help fix defensive issues the Oilers were able to expose, and it will be interesting to monitor how well their new pieces perform.

Oh, and there's that Connor McDavid guy. He's pretty fun to watch, too.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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Nikoaj Ehlers is beginning the 2017-18 NHL seasons with some long-term security, as the Winnipeg Jets have locked up the 21-year-old winger to a seven-year, $42-million contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.

Ehlers, the ninth overall pick in 2014, will play out 2017-18 on his entry-level contract before the extension kicks in next season.

The 21-year-old had an outstanding sophomore season, suiting up in all 82 games, registering 25 goals - 20 of which came at even strength - and 39 assists. His 64 points were good enough for a tie for third on the Jets.

Winnipeg begins its season Wednesday night versus Toronto.

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The Chicago Blackhawks are allowed to place forward Marian Hossa on long-term injured reserve this season, an NHL source informed Scott Powers of The Athletic.

Hossa was ruled out for the duration of the 2017-18 campaign due to a progressive skin disorder, propelling the league to review the situation with an independent doctor.

The ruling serves as a huge relief for the cap-crunched Blackhawks, who can stash Hossa's $5.275-million cap hit for the length of the season. Chicago also placed defenseman Michal Rozsival on LTIR on Monday.

Hossa, 38, still has four years remaining on the mega-contract he signed with the Blackhawks in 2009. Over his first eight seasons in the Windy City, he's suited up for 534 games, accumulated 415 points, and won three Stanley Cups.

The Blackhawks begin their 2017-18 season Thursday night versus Pittsburgh.

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The dawn of the 2017-18 NHL season is upon us, and now is the time to venture our guesses on how things will play out. Today, we take a look at the Atlantic Division, which is poised to be tightly contested.

Here's how we reckon things will look at the end of the season:

Tampa Bay Lightning

Even after going completely off the rails midway through the 2016-17 season, the Lightning showed enough unified resolve to claw back into the race and miss the playoffs by a single point.

Nikita Kucherov is terrifying, and so is Victor Hedman. Captain Steven Stamkos will be back, and they acquired one of the top defensive prospects in the game in Mikhail Sergachev to complement the D-corps. The Lightning should be armed and ready to avenge their recent lost campaign, and put together another march toward a Stanley Cup.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Expectations are sky-high for the Maple Leafs entering year two of the Auston Matthews era, and more than a few eyes will be watching to see how it plays out.

Though Toronto faces the pressure of improving upon last season's wild-card berth as naysayers harp on the inevitable "sophomore slump," the Maple Leafs own one of the deepest forward groups in the NHL, a reliable starting goaltender, and a top-flight coach. That's a quality recipe for sustained success in a relatively open division.

Montreal Canadiens

The Habs' ceiling can get as high as Carey Price can push it (which is very, very high), but Montreal needs a little more than that to defend its division title from a season ago.

Playoffs are a realistic expectation for this team, but to ensure that comes to fruition, head coach Claude Julien needs to implement an improved attack plan for his forwards while finding a way to get the most out of a not-so-mobile defensive group.

The most intriguing aspect of this Canadiens season will be Jonathan Drouin's first season in his home province. If he's everything the organization believes he is, Montreal has increased potential to make some noise.

Boston Bruins

The Bruins will end up much closer to the top of the division than this prediction if Bruce Cassidy's first full season is as successful as his 27-game debut stint. After taking over for Julien on Feb. 7, Cassidy commanded the Bruins to an 18-8-1 record, essentially resuscitating the club's playoff hopes.

However, this Bruins roster has some question marks, mainly in goal. Since capturing the Vezina in 2013-14, Tuukka Rask's save percentage has dipped immensely. The 30-year-old registered a .915 clip in each of the past two seasons, and his backup, Anton Khudobin, offers little help - he produced a troublesome .904 save percentage in 16 starts in 2016-17.

Elsewhere, Boston lacks the offensive depth to properly complement its top trio of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak, which could leave the Bruins battling for a wild-card spot rather than a division title.

Ottawa Senators

Right out of the gate, the Senators will be faced with an uphill battle to repeat last season's success, as Erik Karlsson's injury timeline looms large.

Ottawa is also faced with injuries up front to Derick Brassard, Colin White, and Clarke MacArthur, so staying afloat through October will be priority No. 1 for Guy Boucher's group.

Speaking of Boucher, though he led Tampa Bay to the Conference Finals in his only other NHL coaching gig in 2011, his trap system failed after year one. Senators fans are surely hoping history doesn't repeat itself.

Buffalo Sabres

A full season of Jack Eichel essentially guarantees improvement for the up-and-coming Sabres, who did well this offseason.

Buffalo brought in a new head coach and general manager, and addressed its biggest weakness - defense - by acquiring Marco Scandella and Nathan Beaulieu. Playoffs might be a stretch, but the Sabres don't look like pushovers anymore.

Florida Panthers

Four of Florida's top seven scorers from a season ago are no longer with the team, making it hard to imagine the Panthers being seriously competitive.

Even with Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau healthy, the Panthers face numerous questions throughout the organization. Can Bob Boughner succeed in his first NHL head coaching gig? Will KHL star Evgeny Dadanov make enough of an impact? Can Dale Tallon get the team to play the way he wants them to?

Until the Panthers prove us wrong on any of these fronts, it's tough to consider them among the contenders in the Atlantic.

Detroit Red Wings

Detroit is best suited to begin selling its assets and commit to a full-scale rebuild - even if general manager Ken Holland doesn't want to.

The Red Wings' roster doesn't have enough talent to make any noise in the East, and Holland has dug himself into the depths of salary-cap hell by dishing out so many constricting contracts in years past.

On the bright side, Detroit should have a serious chance at winning the rights to draft stud defensive prospect Rasmus Dahlin.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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The Vancouver Canucks have signed 22-year-old center Bo Horvat to a six-year contract extension worth $33 million, according to multiple reports.

As a restricted free agent, Horvat's $5.5-million annual cap hit will kick in immediately, making him the fourth-highest paid player on Vancouver's roster, trailing only the Sedin twins and Loui Eriksson.

Horvat built a strong case to sign a long-term deal coming off his entry-level contract, as he netted a career-high 52 points in 81 games in 2016-17 - good enough to lead the Canucks.

The Canucks identified Horvat as the centerpiece of their future at the 2013 draft, selecting him ninth overall on a pick acquired in exchange for goaltender Cory Schneider. Now, as one of few bright spots in the rebuilding organization, Horvat will be go-to guy as Vancouver navigates the transition back into relevancy.

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