EDGE stats: 3 early surprises of 2025-26 season

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we look at three of the most surprising players over the first 10 days of the 2025-26 season.

1. Buium’s power-play impact

Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders is making waves as an EDGE stats standout over the first two weeks of the season, but another rookie defenseman, Zeev Buium of the Minnesota Wild, is also looking like an early Calder Trophy contender and has completely revamped their power play in his first full NHL season.

Buium is tied for fifth in the NHL in power-play points (five; one goal, four assists) over his first six games, trailing only elite forwards Kirill Kaprizov (seven) and Matt Boldy (six) on the team. Buium is also tied for fourth among defensemen in power-play shots on goal (six), trailing only Cale Makar (nine), Zach Werenski and Adam Fox (seven each).

Per NHL EDGE stats, Buium is seventh among defensemen in max skating speed (22.72 miles per hour) and also ranks in the 91st percentile at his position in offensive zone time percentage (46.7) this season. The Wild have the best power-play conversion percentage in the NHL (38.5) this season and are tied for ninth in shots on goal per game (35.0), and the University of Denver product has been largely responsible with his play on the first unit with Kaprizov, Boldy, center Joel Eriksson Ek and wing Vladimir Tarasenko.

2. Wedgewood’s dominance

With goalie Mackenzie Blackwood injured to start the season, Scott Wedgewood has filled in admirably for the Colorado Avalanche, playing in each of their first six games and going 4-0-1 with a .939 save percentage. Wedgewood is making a case for at least a 50-50 timeshare role for the Avalanche once Blackwood returns, building upon his strong performance last season; after being acquired from the Nashville Predators, Wedgewood was 13-4-1 with a .917 save percentage and two shutouts in 19 games with the Avalanche and ranked among the leaders in high-danger save percentage (.852; 96th percentile).

Per NHL EDGE stats, Wedgewood ranks fifth in the NHL in both high-danger saves (35) and long-range saves (33); his save percentage from high-danger (.897) and midrange (.941) locations are both well above the NHL average. Wedgewood has had at least a .900 save percentage in five of his six starts this season, tied with Igor Shesterkin for the NHL lead in that category. Wedgewood also ranks fifth in the NHL in even-strength save percentage (.940) among goalies who have played at least four games.

3. Pinto’s goal-scoring

Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto leads the NHL in goals (seven) this season, and he is tied for the League lead in high-danger goals (four; with Chris Kreider of Anaheim Ducks, Auston Matthews of Toronto Maple Leafs, Justin Brazeau of Pittsburgh Penguins). All eight of Pinto’s points (seven goals, one assist) through six games have come at even strength.

Even before the injury to Brady Tkachuk (thumb surgery; out 6-8 weeks), Pinto has been shouldering a heavy workload, ranking among the forward leaders in total skating distance (17.74 miles; 92nd percentile). Pinto has also shown versatility in his shots by location, ranking tied for fifth in the NHL in midrange shots on goal (11).