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Small-sample stars of the NHL: Who can keep it up?

Can Viktor Arvidsson maintain his hot start? Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

Whether you are an NHL general manager or just trying to manage your fantasy hockey roster, one of the best skills you can have is the ability to determine whether a player's success is small-sample luck or a trend that will carry throughout an entire season.

Through the first month of the season, we have seen some spectacular starts to 2018-19 by superstar scorers like Connor McDavid, Evgeni Malkin and Patrick Kane. Because of their histories, it doesn't take much effort to figure out that these Hart Trophy-caliber players will keep on trucking through the winter and spring. But there are a number of players whose blazing hot starts are much more questionable based on their past performances.

Let's have a look at five small-sample stars with bright seasons ahead, and five others who are likely to slow down soon: