The Metro division has been getting a lot of attention lately as the season gets closer. With
Pittsburgh making a big splash in acquiring Erik Karlsson, the Rangers getting Wheeler and Carolina getting Bunting and Orlov, the Metro are looking tougher to play against. Here are the projected standings for the 23-24 NHL season.
8. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are clearly in the rebuild stage. During the season, it was hard to tell which direction the Flyers wanted to go in. With new management, Daniel Briere is now steering the ship and has clearly made the call to start selling and transition Philly into the rebuild stage. Moving Hayes, arguably their best player last season, getting a 6th round and retaining 50% of his salary.
With Couturier likely coming back next season, this will bring some brightness for the Flyers fans. If John Tortorella is still the head coach and players stop playing for him, it’s going to be a tough watch this season. Expect Philly to finish last in the division.
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
Blue Jackets fans have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming years. Starting with STEALING Adam Fantilli at the 2023 draft by selecting him 3rd overall. He’s got a lot of upsides to his game and projected to be a top end centre. He will be playing alongside Gaudreau, Laine, Johnson, and Werenski. The pieces are slowly coming together, but not quite there. Expect them to finish near the bottom of the division.
6. Washington Capitals
Washington has a very strong top 6 but the question is, can they stay healthy? Acquiring Pacioretty in free agency has boosted their lineup and hopefully he is ready for the start of the regular season. Everyone’s eyes will be focused on Alex Ovechkin as he continues to chase Gretzky’s goal record. If Ovi can have a big year, he should be able to catch Gretzky in the 24-25 season. He is currently 73 goals away. Depending on health, the Capitals could squeeze into playoffs but with how competitive the Metro teams are, it’s unlikely. Expect them to miss playoffs.
5. New York Islanders
The Islanders surprised some people when they took the Hurricanes to six games in the 22-23 playoffs. The big reason behind their success is Ilya Sorokin. He was nominated for the Vezina last season and has been a crucial part of the Islanders line up. 31 wins, a 2.34GAA, and a .924 SV% on a mediocre team is impressive. They will also need Barzal and Horvat take a big step and lead this Islanders team. Barzal hasn’t had a big year since his rookie year where he put up 85 points and Horvat has been quiet ever since joining the Islanders. The Islanders struggle with the offensive side of their game as they rank 21st in goals per game last season. Expect them to be just outside the playoff window.
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins are headlining all hockey news in the off season as they went out and acquired the 100 point defenceman Erik Karlsson. Newly GM Kyle Dubas is out there making a name for himself early in the Penguins organization. They also brought in Ryan Graves, a young defenceman that can help with the 200 foot game. The loss of Brian Dumoulin will hurt their line up on both sides of the ice. With Crosby not slowing down and management keeping their core players, expect the Penguins to squeeze into a wild card spot.
3. New York Rangers
The Rangers were one of the favourites to win it all last season as they went out and acquired Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. The playoff run fell short as they were eliminated in the first round in seven games by the New Jersey Devils. The Rangers needed to relook at the lineup because having too much firepower didn’t work. With Kane and Tarasenko gone, they have brought in former Jets captain Blake Wheeler who can help bring some grit to the line-up. A reliable #2 goalie in Jonathan Quick, who can give Shesterkin a break when needed. Rangers management are praying to see if former #1 overall pick Alexis Lafrenière can take the next step especially offensively. If there is no progression in his game, there may be a move during the trade deadline or the 2024 offseason. With a strong core, especially on the back end, the Rangers should find a top 3 spot in the Metro.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
A strong team that fell short of visit to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 2006, the Hurricanes will be a dangerous team coming into the 23-24 season. Despite being swept by a surprising Florida Panthers team, they went deep into the playoffs without star players Andrei Svechnikov, Teuvo Teravainen, and Jaccob Slavin. With a healthy Carolina Hurricanes team, and the additions of Michael Bunting and Dmitry Orlov, expect them to finish near the top of the division.
1. New Jersey Devils
The Devils caught most people by surprise when they finished near the top last season. A young core of players who keep getting better and better each year. The past couple years, Jack Hughes has taken a big step in his progression and starting to look like a number one overall pick. Being able to resign Meier and bring in another star winger in Tyler Toffoli, the Devils have a very strong top 6. Even looking at their back end, Jack’s brother Luke made his debut late into the season and has already made an impact. The only worry would be goaltending but saw a small piece of greatest with Akira Schmid when he carried the team through a few games in the playoffs. Looking at an overall view, the Devils will compete for number 1 in the Metro division.