Who is more fun to watch right now, the Utah Mammoth, Chicago Blackhawks or the San Jose Sharks?
That question was posed and discussed on this week's episode of the "NHL @TheRink" podcast with co-hosts Dan Rosen and Shawn P. Roarke.
The Mammoth's excitement coupled with them winning seven straight games before losing 6-3 to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday led to them being the consensus answer, especially with the emergence of forward Logan Cooley, who signed an eight-year, $80 million contract Wednesday.
But the co-hosts agreed there is a lot to like about what they're seeing in Chicago, particularly with the growth of Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar and the emerging chemistry between them.
And if you like offense, you won't be disappointed watching the Sharks, Rosen said.
On the flip side, the co-hosts wondered aloud if the Toronto Maple Leafs might be entering the danger zone 10 games into the 2025-26 season. Should the Maple Leafs (5-4-1) be one of the teams facing questions about their Stanley Cup Playoffs viability in the early going?
With the Toronto Blue Jays tied 2-2 in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the hosts raised that now might be the best time for the Maple Leafs to go through a figuring-themselves-out phase because most of the eyes in the city are fixated on baseball.
Even if the World Series goes seven games, it will be over Sunday and then the Maple Leafs will be back as the center of attention in Toronto. If the inconsistencies continue, it's certainly possible that questions about their playoff viability will come to the forefront.
For now, Rosen said he can't go there 10 games into the season. Roarke said he thinks similarly, but the fact that 10 games in they're pointing to the possibility of them being in the danger zone is a story that will get legs soon enough.
