DETROIT – Anaheim Ducks coach Dallas Eakins goes strong to the net when he describes his goalie John Gibson’s best attribute.

“John Gibson has a massive amount of leadership skills in him and he’s the best goalie in the game,” Eakins said.

What is indisputable is Gibson is at the top of the NHL goalie statistics in the first week of the NHL season and he’s the primary reason why the team is off to a 3-0 start. He has stopped 98 of 101 shots for a .970 save percentage.

“I can’t imagine anything better for a team,” Eakins said. “That kid is so dialed in and the leadership is oozing out of him.”

During the last timeout, as the Red Wings were preparing for a six-on-five attack with a pulled goalie, Gibson was the person doing the talking by the Ducks bench.

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“He was reminding the guys, and we didn’t have to say a word,” Eakins said. “That’s when you know guys are dialed in and the leadership is pouring out of them.”

It’s too early to draw any lasting conclusions about the Ducks, but their strong start has been one of the big surprises in the first week of the NHL season. It’s not all Gibson. The Ducks, who missed the playoffs last season, are playing with more pace than they have in previous years.

“It’s the way we are playing that we excited about,” Ducks forward Nick Ritchie said. “There are some new faces, obviously a new coach and kind of a new philosophy and we have embraced it.”

Here are some other surprises of the early going, both good and bad:

Good: Buffalo Sabres (2-0-1). Nobody in Buffalo is becoming overly excited because everyone remembers the Sabres' nosedive last season after they uncorked a 10-game winning streak. However, there is reason for cautious optimism this season. Younger players are coming together. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, 19, has five points in three games and is plus-4.

Bad: San Jose Sharks (0-4-0). They are supposed to be a contending team and they were outscored 17-5 in their first four games. The signing of Patrick Marleau should provide a small offensive spark, but he’s not the answer. They need to play to their capability.

Good: Edmonton Oilers winger James Neal. Considered a reclamation project, Neal has six goals this season, including four Tuesday night. He had seven all of last season. New general manager Ken Holland is already proving his value in Edmonton.

Bad: Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, Columbus Blue Jackets. He came out of the Swiss League with the reputation of one of the world’s best goalies outside the NHL. He promptly gave up seven goals in his first NHL start. It’s still possible he could end up playing as much as Joonas Korpisalo.

Good: Carolina Hurricanes (4-0-0). Everyone understands the Hurricanes are improved, but it was easy think they were riding a wave last postseason when they reached the Eastern Conference final. But their opening surge suggests the ‘Canes are a legitimate contender.

Bad: Tampa Bay Lightning (1-1-1). No reason to be concerned about this talent-laden team, but they have looked very ordinary coming out the blocks. Their defensive play isn’t where it should be.

Good: Center Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers. Four goals and four assists in his first two games. How excited do you think he is having Artemi Panarin on his wing? The Rangers might be able to compete for a playoff spot if they can add another scoring center.

Bad: Center Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins. Malkin is out indefinitely with an undisclosed lower-body injury. He has the worst luck with injuries. He has missed 98 games over the past six seasons.