Continuing our theme of looking at the Eastern Conference to see who is making the grade, today, we will be grading the Metropolitan Division teams. Always a competitive division; this season, we have teams who are doing well and not so great. Some have exceeded expectations, while others just may be doomed to an existence of shame.
Is your team making the grade? Check out our midseason grades.
Carolina Hurricanes
Midseason Grade: A+
The Hurricanes are currently sitting atop the Metropolitan. It is a place they are familiar with; however, will this be the year it works out for them? Brent Burns has been a good addition to the team, considering how many assists he has so far in the year. Martin Necas, Sebastian Aho, and Andrei Svechnikov lead the team as the top three goal scorers. Those three also have high assist numbers, right behind Burns. Their power play is 18th overall, and their penalty kill is much better at seventh overall. If they can keep going, the playoffs are certainly in sight.
Despite so-so goaltending from Antti Raanta, good goaltending from Frederik Andersen, and surprising goaltending stats from their third goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov, they have managed to string up enough wins to stay ahead of the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Midseason Grade: F
Before the season began, things were looking decent for Columbus. They added Johnny Gaudreau to the roster, and expectations were high for them to have a better season. Unfortunately, things have not gone their way. Their overall record last season was 37-38-7, with a total of 81 points. As of right now, they are 15-32-3, with 33 points. Essentially last in the league. Fighting with the Chicago Blackhawks for last place is not where they want to be. Perhaps this accidental tank might bring about needed change to not just how the team is coached but how it is put together. They also might want to attempt to find a goalie who can help steal games for them because the three they have been playing are not doing them any favors.
New Jersey Devils
Midseason Grade: A
They started the season blazing along the ice without a care. However, they have slowed down slightly as the middle of the season has been reached. Nevertheless, they are still playing well and are currently second in the Metropolitan division and fourth overall in the league. Vitek Vanecek has performed well in goal for the Devils, and to no one’s surprise Jack Hughes leads the team in goals and points. Not far behind Hughes is Nico Hischier in terms of goals and points. The captain of the Devils appears to have become the player the team needs. Will they still be the Cinderella of the Metropolitan by the end of the season? Only their newfound resiliency and time will tell.
New York Islanders
Midseason Grade: C+
The Islanders are currently fifth in the Metro, slightly over a .500 points percentage at .529, which is about the middle of the road. Every season they have their ups and downs, and right now, the best thing going for them is their goaltending. Not only is Ilya Sorokin a possible Vezina contender, but he has done his job even when he has not had the support of his team. The Islanders need to improve their special teams and find a way to support their goalie more.
While they do not have some of the talent of other teams in the Metropolitan, so they need to make improvements on what they do have. Players like Brock Nelson and Mathew Barzal have racked up quite a few points, leading the team; however, most of those points have come from assists. They need their players to step up and get the puck into the net, which is easier said than done.
New York Rangers
Midseason Grade: B+
Despite Igor Shesterkin not being quite the savior he was last season in net for the Rangers, he is still one of the best goalies in the league. Has it been beneficial to the Rangers? Perhaps. It was easy to see the issues on defense when Shesterkin was not at his best earlier this season. For a while, it looked like last season, including their run in the playoffs, was a fluke. However, recently they have played better, and players like Filip Chytil have stepped up and found their game. Fans are concerned with the play of Alexis Lafreniere, but if you compare him to other players like Chytil, he seems to be developing in a similar manner…slow. Overall the Rangers seem to have found their normal between the high of last season and the low beginning of the current one.
Philadelphia Flyers
Midseason Grade: D
The Flyers got off to a good start. However, they did not stay there. They have been abysmal, and although their play on the ice may be improving, it is only a slight improvement. Work still needs to be done too, but at their current pace, they will not be making the playoffs this season unless the teams ahead of them falter in a significant way. In the midst of their chaos, Travis Konecny has been their most consistent forward, and Carter Hart has tried his best. However, it is hard when a goalie gets no assistance from his teammates. Though the playoff forecast looks bleak for the Flyers, there is no doubt that if they play their cards right, they can grab players at the trade deadline to add to their up-and-coming players. While they are playing too good to be tanking, they are not playing well enough to make this season matter.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Midseason Grade: B
Consistency has been an issue for the Penguins this season. Sidney Crosby has been his usual self, leading the team in goals and points. In addition to Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel have also been great. If they can get the rest of the team to play even a little bit better and throw in a dash of consistency, there is no doubt they would make the playoffs. Right now, they are fifth in the Metropolitan and sixteenth overall in the league with 57 points. They have had an issue with their defense, and Tristan Jarry has tried his best to hold the fort down. Their special teams are slightly above the middle of the road for the power play(15th) and penalty kill(11th).
Washington Capitals
Midseason Grade: B+
The Capitals kicked the season off with a slow start, making some wonder if the team was too old to compete. However, they have improved as the season progressed, and right now, they are sitting fourth in the Metropolitan. Darcy Kuemper has attempted to be the goalie for them, but without getting much help from his teammates defensively, it has not gone well for him. Of course, Alex Ovechkin leads the way with the most goals and points, but he cannot do it alone. He needs a few other teammates to step up and start getting goals or find a way to get him the puck more often. Their penalty kill is currently ninth in the league; however, they need to work on their power play. It is now nineteenth in the league. If they continue playing like they are now, they will potentially miss the playoffs entirely or have to fight until the last game to make it.
Division Discussion
Midseason Grade: C+
Overall, the teams are doing fairly decently. Clearly, the Blue Jackets and the Flyers are bringing the Metro down the most. At the pace the teams are going, it looks like the Hurricanes, Devils, and Rangers have the best opportunity to make it into the playoffs. Teams that should be doing well are not, and then there are teams like the Devils who surprise us. Last year it was the Rangers surprising everyone. Will the Devils be able to sustain their play once the playoffs begin? Will a team like the Capitals or Pittsburgh come back out of nowhere, like they usually somehow do, and steal the thunder? The answers to those questions will be found in the games that have yet to be played. Columbus and Philadelphia will need to re-tool their lineups because there is nothing else for them to do this season.
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