A year ago, the Metropolitan Division was the toughest in the National Hockey League, and the Columbus Blue Jackets contended until the very end before a third-place finish.
This year, the Blue Jackets will attempt to best that mark, though many of the teams below the squad retooled in an effort to contend. So how’s that going so far?
Without further ado, I present our first Metro Division power rankings of the season. For now, the rankings will take into account what track record coming into the campaign as well as the early results, but of course the standings will soon truly tell the story of each team.
1. Pittsburgh (3-2-1, 7 points): The Penguins are still atop our rankings even though they’re third in the division at the moment – and have played one more game than the Blue Jackets and Devils – because to be the king, you have to beat the king. Sidney Crosby is off an auspicious start with three goals and five helpers in six games. The team’s goal differential of minus-5 would be a worry except for that 10-1 loss at Chicago; without that game, the Pens are plus-4 on the season. Still, the team is allowing 3.0 goals per game even taking that blowout out, and both goalies are on the south side of a .900 save percentage, so it’s worth keeping an eye on a defense allowing more than 34 shots per game.
2. Columbus (4-1-0, 8 points): The Jackets haven’t always gotten there in the prettiest fashion but they’ve gotten there with four wins in five tries. Perhaps the most positive stat so far for Columbus is a 3-0 record against the division including victories over both New York squads as well as Carolina. The top line has proved to be as good at carrying play as advertised, while Sergei Bobrovsky has three stellar starts among his four thus far. The Blue Jackets go to Winnipeg today before starting a four-game homestand that could allow the team to really springboard into a strong start.
3. New Jersey (4-1-0, 8 points): New Jersey has been the surprise of the division so far, exploding for more than four goals per game as part of its strong start. Will Butcher, signed out of Denver after winning the Hobey Baker Award last season, is the first rookie defenseman with eight assists in his first five NHL games. First overall pick Nico Hischier has two assists in five games. Marcus Johansson, signed from Washington over the offseason, has two goals and two assists thus far, while the goaltending duo of Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid has combined for a .926 save percentage. The Devils are 3-0 on the road this season.
4. Washington (3-2-1, 7 points): Rumors of Alex Ovechkin’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. The Capitals’ star, who followed three straight 50-goal seasons with 33 tallies a season ago, had back-to-back hat tricks to begin the season and has nine goals in his first six games. Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov each have 11 assists, while T.J. Oshie has five goals of his own. Depth, such a strong suit for the Caps a season ago, could be an issue though with just five players above two points. In net, Braden Holtby is off to a strong start as well with a .923 save percentage.
5. Carolina (1-1-1, 3 points): OK, I’ll admit I’m not sure where to place the Canes, who have just played just three games through the season’s first week and a half. The goal scoring has been nearly nonexistent with six goals in three games, but the defense has been solid with only eight allowed on new signee Scott Darling between the pipes. It wouldn’t be a shock to see such talented young players as Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen score more as the season goes on, while former Washington forward Justin Williams has two points in three games and should be a strong veteran presence for a team many expect to contend this season.
6. Philadelphia (3-2-0, 5 points): Let’s give credit where credit is due as far as the Flyers’ solid start. Like New Jersey, Philadelphia has 21 goals in its first five games thanks to strong performances from Jakub Voracek (nine assists), Shayne Gostisbehere (eight helpers), Claude Giroux (3-4-7 line), and Wayne Simmonds (five goals). Like New Jersey, the team’s power play is clipping at 27.3 percent, which is probably unsustainable, but there’s clearly some offensive talent there. In net, Brian Elliott is off to a tough start (3.25 GAA/.884 save percentage), but an 8-2 thrashing Saturday of the Capitals could provide the team with some good vibes going into the second full week of the campaign.
7. New York Rangers (1-5-0, 2 points): For a few years, there have been predictions the Rangers might finally see their window slam shut, and this year’s start shows this might be it. The Rangers have scored two goals or less in five of six games thus far – overall New York is 27th in the league in scoring – with Mika Zibanejad the only player scoring thus far with five tallies. Henrik Lundqvist (2.82/.914) has been solid but hasn’t been getting much help from his offense, while Rick Nash has a single point (one goal) in the team’s first six games.
8. New York Islanders (2-3-1, 5 points): The Islanders on paper are off to a better start than the Rangers, but it’s hard to see how this team contends, and it hasn’t had the same success the past few years as their city counterparts so I have less belief the Isles can turn it around. New York hasn’t scored a power-play goal this season, and there's no consistent goal scorer on the team other than John Tavares, and the team faces a looming decision on the forward’s status with the team as he enters the final year of his contract.
