Metro Division Parity.

[SSJ3 Lunar]

The Atlantic was easier than the Metro. Both Washington and Pittsburgh were better than the best Atlantic team in the past two seasons.

I think we both have different opinions on best and toughest divisions. I was talking more of the point differential of the entire division and how spaced out it is / how hard it is to get into the playoffs with in the divison. Not exactly we have these powerhouses in this division if that makes sense.

 

[kmo429]

Thought this thread could use a bump. The Metro Division is currently the hottest division in hockey. No slight to the Central which is looking incredibly strong this year. Currently the standings are as follows

NJ - 23 games, 14-5-4, 32 points
CBJ - 23 games, 15-7-1, 31 points
NYI - 23 games, 14-7-2, 30 points

WSH - 25 games, 14-10-1, 29 points
NYR - 24 games, 13-9-2, 28 points

PIT - 25 games, 12-10-3, 27 points
CAR - 22 games, 10-8-4, 24 points
PHI - 23 games, 8-9-6, 22 points

Some key statistics:

- 10 points separates 1st from 8th, the smallest such gap in any conference.

- 6 of the top 8 teams in the East by total points, and the top 5 are all in the top 12 of the NHL in total points.

- 4 of the 8 teams (NYI, CBJ, WSH, NYR) currently have a 3 game win streak or better (No other NHL team besides Vegas and NJ has even a 2 game W streak currently.)

- 4 teams are currently top 8 in the league in goals scored

Current Stretches:

Devils are 3-0-1 in their last 4
Jackets are 6-0-0 in their last 6
Isles are 6-1-0 in their last 7
Caps are 4-1-0 in their last 5
Rangers are 10-2-0 in their last 12 (4-0-0 in last 4)
Canes are 6-3-1 in their last 10

Penguins are struggling but they're as dangerous or more than any of the above.

Very exciting (and frustrating) stuff if you are a fan of any of these teams.

 

[DEVILS130]

There's a good chance the 6th place team in the Metro finishes with more points than the 3rd place Atlantic team

 

[Ainec]

league is going to start punishing the devils if pens don't start winning more games

There's a good chance the 6th place team in the Metro finishes with more points than the 3rd place Atlantic team

it's going to happen

 

[SeidoN]

wait its parity time again?

 

[13th Floor]

Thought this thread could use a bump. The Metro Division is currently the hottest division in hockey. No slight to the Central which is looking incredibly strong this year. Currently the standings are as follows

NJ - 23 games, 14-5-4, 32 points
CBJ - 23 games, 15-7-1, 31 points
NYI - 23 games, 14-7-2, 30 points

WSH - 25 games, 14-10-1, 29 points
NYR - 24 games, 13-9-2, 28 points

PIT - 25 games, 12-10-3, 27 points
CAR - 22 games, 10-8-4, 24 points
PHI - 23 games, 8-9-6, 22 points

Some key statistics:

- 10 points separates 1st from 8th, the smallest such gap in any conference.

- 6 of the top 8 teams in the East by total points, and the top 5 are all in the top 12 of the NHL in total points.

- 4 of the 8 teams (NYI, CBJ, WSH, NYR) currently have a 3 game win streak or better (No other NHL team besides Vegas and NJ has even a 2 game W streak currently.)

- 4 teams are currently top 8 in the league in goals scored

Current Stretches:

Devils are 3-0-1 in their last 4
Jackets are 6-0-0 in their last 6
Isles are 6-1-0 in their last 7
Caps are 4-1-0 in their last 5
Rangers are 10-2-0 in their last 12 (4-0-0 in last 4)
Canes are 6-3-1 in their last 10

Penguins are struggling but they're as dangerous or more than any of the above.

Very exciting (and frustrating) stuff if you are a fan of any of these teams.

Ah yes. How many times has this happened so far for fans of Metro teams this season:

Sweet, my team won! Climbing 2 points in the standings!
Let's check the out of town scores...
f***, every other team won.

 

[Bladerunner]

It looks like the Metro will be a dogfight the entire season. Predictions at this point might be well off at the end.
I think it's the best division in the NHL. The Central is in the conversation.
The Atlantic is top heavy w/Bolts and lessor degree Leafs. Still think Bolts, Leafs will finish 1-2 in the Atlantic, but lots of games remain.

Caps taking both games vs Bolts/Leafs on a b2b was their best 2 game run this season

 

[Byrral]

Jackets are 6-0-0 in their last 6

Very exciting (and frustrating) stuff if you are a fan of any of these teams.

6 game winning streak and gain nothing. Gonna be tough all the way to the end. Head to head matchups become that much more important.

 

[kmo429]

6 game winning streak and gain nothing. Gonna be tough all the way to the end. Head to head matchups become that much more important.

On the bright side, I think there has been a surprisingly low amount of intra-division games for Metro teams so far this year. Once those games start piling up, the pack will start to spread out, but I really think all 7-8 teams can stay competitive for most of the season. Flyers need to have some youngsters step up lie many expected before the season, and the Devils need the youngters to continue stepping up, but other than those 2 (the ones I view as the biggest wild cards<) I think the remaining 6 will all finish with 95+ points. Flyers and Devils have that ability as well I just view their teams as the most volatile.

 

[2ndGenIslander]

I expect both Eastern conference WC spots to go to Metro teams

 

[Tripod]

Flyers have 1 win in their last 10 games....yet Hakstol has praised getting the loser points...8 points in those 10 games.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Sweet, my team won! Climbing 2 points in the standings!
Let's check the out of town scores...
****, every other team won.

And Metro-on-Metro games always seem to go to OT.

 

[PunkRockLocke]

There's a good chance the 6th place team in the Metro finishes with more points than the 3rd place Atlantic team

Woah I just realized that is the case right now, if the playoffs started today. The current format is meant to make it incredibly difficult for a team to miss the playoffs while having a top-8 record in their conference, unlike the old system (div winners get a top 3 seed - always hated that)

Will be crazy if this happens

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't know about other Metro teams, but the Caps have only played 5 of their 20 games against their Metro division rivals. When the Metro teams start playing each other more often, those so-called 4 point pivotal games will create some separation inside the division.

Pretty sure the entire division hasn’t played each other much st all.

Devils have only 2 division games played. One against Washington and one against the Rangers.

That changes this month, and even then we don’t play Philly or the Isles for the first time until January. We don’t play Pitt for the first time until February.

That is some wonky schedule making.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Pretty sure the entire division hasn’t played each other much st all.

Devils have only 2 division games played. One against Washington and one against the Rangers.

That changes this month, and even then we don’t play Philly or the Isles for the first time until January. We don’t play Pitt for the first time until February.

That is some wonky schedule making.

That's messed up. It means there will likely be a month in which all the Metro teams mostly play within their division. That's gonna be a lot of fun to watch.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Forgot we don’t play Carolina for the first time until February either. That is just stupid.

 

[Ainec]

real talk
NYI has been the best team

NJD, CBJ

NYR/WSH/PIT/PHI

CAR

 

[Jester9881]

The metro had 3 of the top 4 teams in the league last year and the pens and jackets got ****ed having to play round 1. The metro is the best division this year and last year and the previous few have been close.

How about last years Islanders having the same exact record as the Preds and missing the playoffs....

 

[GTislanders]

Isles are the best team in this division. They are going to the ECF this year at least.

 

[txpd]

The Caps historically don't get rolling til Decemberish and run pretty hard to the all star break. Holtby is a slow starter. Ovechkin usually has a 20 goals in 20 games run after 30 games or so. The last couple of years the Caps didn't start putting mileage on the division til after the first of the year. Not saying that happens this season but you can certainly make a case for it.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Thing is. Is the bottom of the Metro really any good, or are they still floating around because the bottom of the Atlantic is worse right now?

 

[dcv2002]

I’m so glad the Isles are 15-7-2 and 5th in the league and... 4 points out of missing the playoffs. Can we just take two from the Atlantic this year?

 

[boredmale]

In a matter of 5 minutes Islanders went from 3rd, to 1st(won their game) to 2nd(Columbus won a Shoot Out)

 

[SI90]

This division is insane.

 

[MattMartin]

Isles are the best team in this division. They are going to the ECF this year at least.

Easy Francis.