With hockey season nearing its beginning, let's take a look at key stories surrounding the Blue Jackets' divisional opponents, going from the bottom to the top of last year's standings.
Buyer vs. Cellar
Only one team in the Metropolitan Division managed less than 87 points in a tightly competed 2016-2017 season. Scoring an Eastern Conference worst 183 goals, the New Jersey Devils finished 17 points behind the rest of the divisional field with a meager 70 point total from their 28-40-14 record.
The Devils are hoping to change that with three key offensive offseason additions.
First, the Devils won the draft lottery and used it to pick up center and Swiss phenom Nico Hischier. In just 57 games, the 18-year-old compiled 86 points for the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL).
Next, they added a 10-year National Hockey League veteran at the same position in Brian Boyle. Boyle, as you may know, was sadly diagnosed with a form of leukemia this week and will be undergoing treatment.
Finally, the Devils added some versatility to their roster by acquiring Marcus Johansson from the Washington Capitals, who tallied 58 points last year and can play any of the three forward positions.
"I think realistically, adding Hischier, Boyle AND Johansson is an exciting time for the Devils. I think for our fans, that's what we talked about, getting younger and faster, so it was a big day for us."
- Devils GM Ray Shero
The Devils will open their season Oct. 7th against the New York Rangers.
Rasking for a Top-Line Center
Moving into the category of teams over .500 in the Metropolitan, the Carolina Hurricanes finished last year with 87 points, eight short of reaching the Stanley Cup playoffs. One position that, with improvement, could get them over the hump? Center.
While the Hurricanes had three different centers who scored 45 points a year ago, none appeared to cement himself as a top-tier NHLer. According to a piece in the Raleigh News & Observer, Swede Victor Rask could be the man to change that.
The only thing that appeared to stop Rask from exploding onto the scene in the 2016-2017 season was shoulder surgery before the season began.
His play started strong at the season's start, slumped in the middle, and regrouped at the end. Rask still managed to be one of the aforementioned three 45-point centers for the Hurricanes, and now fully healthy, Rask looks to be a key part of Carolina's playoff hopes.
Flying In Some Stability
The goaltending position has long been a problem for the Philadelphia Flyers. It's been three seasons since their top goaltender crested the .920 save percentage mark.
Last year was a struggle, as No. 1 buy Steve Mason (who signed with the Winnipeg Jets as a free agent), allowed an average of 2.66 goals per game with a save percentage of .908. It just wasn't good enough.
So the Flyers went out and signed Brian Elliott, a 32-year-old who has led the NHL in the save percentage category twice. Last year he may have only been at .910 (note: being with the Calgary Flames didn't help), but got better as the year went on. The Flames completely overhauled their goaltending tandem and Elliott was on the outside looking in, allowed to test the free agent market.
Elliott, a former NHL All-Star, will look to split time in the net with incumbent veteran Michal Neuvirth, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Islanders Reunite Epic Junior Scoring Duo
At the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships, a pair of electric 17-year-olds combined for an astounding 28 points in just six games to carry the Canadian national team's offense all the way to a gold medal.
That duo? John Tavares and Jordan Eberle.
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Tavares has been an Islander since he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2009 and is the focal point of the team, with four consecutive seasons of 66 points or more heading into this year.
"OBVIOUSLY, JOHN IS A GENERATIONAL PLAYER. I'VE HAD PREVIOUS CHEMISTRY WITH JOHN. HE'S A VERY INTELLIGENT PLAYER AND THE WAY THAT HE PLAYS SUITS MY GAME. IF THAT'S WHERE I END UP, OUR GAMES SUIT EACH OTHER WELL."– Islanders forward Jordan Eberle
However, with his contract set to expire, the Islanders need to show that their future can include postseason success. Last year they missed the playoffs by a single point, with a 24-12-4 finish to the year after Doug Weight took over the team as interim coach. Weight was named full-time head coach after the season.
The Islanders' big offseason move was trading Ryan Strome to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a right wing and consistent 20-goal scorer by the name of Jordan Eberle. The Canadian World Junior tandem from years before was back together.
Eberle is filled with anticipation at the prospect of rejoining his former teammate.
It's now or never for the Islanders. Another playoff miss will likely mean Tavares' departure and the start of another rebuild.
Rangers Bank on Restructured Defense
The New York Rangers enjoyed moderate success last season. Finishing fourth in the Metropolitan Division and reaching the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is a solid year, even if the previous six seasons had a higher finish in terms of divisional position.
But their defense, outside team captain Ryan McDonagh and (for the 18 games the Rangers had him) 27-year-old Brendan Smith, is a primary reason they couldn't go farther. The New York Post's Larry Brooks writes on the performance (or lack thereof) from the second defensive pairing.
IT DOESN’T SEEM POSSIBLE FOR BOTH STAAL AND HOLDEN — WHO FORMED LAST YEAR’S SECOND PAIR — TO RETAIN THEIR BLUESHIRTS. THE TANDEM CRASHED BOTH COLLECTIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON AFTER STAAL RETURNED FROM HIS THIRD RECORDED NHL CONCUSSION FOLLOWING A NINE-GAME ABSENCE LEADING INTO THE ALL-STAR BREAK.– Larry Brooks, NY Post
To help alleviate these concerns, the Rangers signed veteran defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk in free agency to pair with McDonagh on the top pair. Then, they acquired Anthony DeAngelo from Arizona in the Derek Stepan trade, further adding depth on their blueline.The first two pairs should perform well with the assumed progression of Brady Skjei, who showed tremendous flashes in his first full season and simply needs to work on his consistency.
Behind that solid top four will be a battle for ice time between a group that includes Marc Staal, Nick Holden, and DeAngelo; as well as free agent pick-ups Alexei Bereglazov and Neal Pionk.
Wanted: Third-Line Center
With Nick Bonino (Bonino Bonino) now a Nashville Predator, the Pittsburgh Penguins are scouring for a new man to center their third line.
While the search continues, people continue to speculate who in the Penguins' organization could be the man in the middle of the third line should nothing go through, though the preferred option is definitely acquiring someone new.
“The coach is working on that now, looking at what those options are," Rutherford said. Rutherford declined to expand on those options, but one could be moving Jake Guentzel from winger to center, where he played one game for the Penguins last season...The primary plan, though, is still to bring in a new player.
In any case, the Penguins are well-equipped for another late postseason run. Most of their main pieces are returning from last season and they've added depth in veteran defenseman Matt Hunwick and rugged forward Ryan Reaves.
Can the Capitals Finally Escape the Second Round?
Last year's Metropolitan Division champions and Presidents' Trophy winners operated in the style of church mice this offseason, in spite of losing two high-quality defensemen. Still, this is a 118-point team that returns much of its core. Sportsnet insider Mike Johnston phrases it quite well.
Still, the Capitals have not made the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 21st century.
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Divisional titles and regular season accolades no longer carry any weight for the Capitals. Alex Ovechkin is reaching the end of his prime, and he would prefer to cement his legacy with at least an appearance in the Eastern Conference Final as opposed to being known as the guy who could never beat the Penguins. The frustration is definitely present among the fans of the Washington Capitals as well.
Still, the tools are there for this team to make a deeper run.
If it doesn't happen, it could make for some very interesting story lines come next offseason.
