Tough life in the Metropolitan division

[hockeykicker]

it looks really weird with the devils only playing 42 games

 

[Rich Nixon]

Yea the pens have done a 180 over the past two weeks. I've gone from thinking they might not have it this year to expecting to finish 2nd in the metro and gearing up for another run. The cup hangover was real and brutal this year.

Agreed. I think they were just in an early-season trance, I imagine it ain't hard to slack a bit in November after all that winning in June. Was never really under the impression that they were going to miss the playoffs or something.

 

[aemoreira1981]

I'm not even going to try to handicap the Metro yet. This could be something that causes the NHL to re-examine the wild-card picture after the season to have 4 wild cards and only 1 and 2 in each division to be guaranteed a spot. A good team in the Metro will miss the playoffs.

 

[Tender Rip]

Its a bit of a weird year because the Pens were sleepwalking for half a season and Columbus for one reason or other have not been able to build on what they did last year (injuries being part of it of course). Other than that as everyone knew, the previous bottom dwellers in the division got significantly better and thus we see a lot of parity.

We don't see much greatness though, and while points wise the difference isn't very big between the Central and Metro, scoring differentials underline that there has been a pretty big difference in quality this season.

Lucky for the Pens that there is this much parity in the Metro and this much suckage in the Atlantic in a year where we have been the worst team in the league ES until very recently (the worst... bizarre). Could have had a real hole to dig out from.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Central has a lot of solid teams, but none that are truly great. I'd be surprised if a central team won the cup.

Nashville and St.Louis look like they could beat any metro team on top of every central team having a winning record against the mighty metropolitian

 

[1865]

Nashville and St.Louis look like they could beat any metro team on top of every central team having a winning record against the mighty metropolitian

The Flyers have beaten the Blues twice this season and we're 1-1 vs the Hawks

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

It's almost like counting out the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions who have unfair top-end talent half way through the season when they were never really out of it was foolish. As for me, I already know what's coming... Pens / Caps, 2nd round, ending with me crying quietly in the corner.

 

[Bladerunner]

Nashville and St.Louis look like they could beat any metro team on top of every central team having a winning record against the mighty metropolitian

I'd be careful w/the unwarranted sarcasm.
Tell us, after the vainglorious 7 team Central, which is the best division?

 

[maacoshark]

It's almost like counting out the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions who have unfair top-end talent half way through the season when they were never really out of it was foolish. As for me, I already know what's coming... Pens / Caps, 2nd round, ending with me crying quietly in the corner.

No fn way. We are not losing to the Pens. Anyone but the Pens.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I'm not even going to try to handicap the Metro yet. This could be something that causes the NHL to re-examine the wild-card picture after the season to have 4 wild cards and only 1 and 2 in each division to be guaranteed a spot. A good team in the Metro will miss the playoffs.

So not so much the wild card format itself, but maybe re-examine the schedule so that more Metro teams can play more bad Atlantic teams? Because right now there are 3 Atlantic teams ahead of all but 2 Metro teams in points%. At least one Metro team is out of the top 8 right now no matter how you slice it. One good Metro team would miss the playoffs in the current format, your proposed format, or the previous format.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Saying the Atlantic is a joke is false when ppl ignore 3 of the top 4 are from them, that is my point. Proper way is to say it is the bottom 5 of the Atlantic are bad. Or is it the metro is just mediocre, other then the Caps. The Rangers and Pens are 6 pts behind Boston and the Bruins have 2 and 4 games in hand and the ROW tie breaker should fall to them if they win those games in hand.They already have it over everyone except the Caps and are tied with the Pens in the ROW.

Perhaps those teams catch the Leafs. Bruins are looking at taking over the Caps or Jets if everything goes well and be top 5 in the league, they are 6th right now. Columbus are 2 behind the Bruins and played 5 more games, maybe that was the joke. Devils are closer in perspective. Caps are the only team in the Metro that may make noise. It is far fetched but the Bruins are 10 behind Tampa with 3 games in hand and they play each other 2 more times. With Hedman out 4 to 6 weeks it should be interesting. The Metro should have 5 teams in that is a given, unless something crazy happens.

Why is it that Boston fan always has to come into the Metro threads and start thumping their chests?

As has been stated many times, there are some serious advantages to having 5 bad teams in your division when it comes to standings points. Not only do the top 3 teams have zero competition for their playoff berths, they also get to fatten up their overall records as well.

We will see how it all shakes out in the end....but if Boston fan is going to toot about Games in Hand, then New Jersey fan can do the same. That said, be careful what you wish for. GIH at this point simply means more B2B’s in coming, which never helps a team.

Far as the Metro standings? Wash and Pitt will probably be 1/2 (not necessarily in that order either). Then really any of the 6 teams can make it. Isles seems to be in the worst spot simply due to their Blueline injuries. Flyers are being ignored here by a lot of posters, and that is probably unfair.

By balance, the Jackets and Rangers have the least amount of glaring holes of the 6, so I’d wager they make it. Then it’s a race between Philly, NJD, NYI, and the Canes. Who knows?

 

[ColbyChaos]

I'd be careful w/the unwarranted sarcasm.
Tell us, after the vainglorious 7 team Central, which is the best division?

You could take out the worst metro team all you want, doesnt take away the fact that 6th and 7th in the central would be in the wild card for the east as of now

 

[spintheblackcircle]

The Metro is good and close, 11 pts from 1st to last in the division, but a negative 9 goal difference

The Central is 9 points from 1st to last and a positive ONE HUNDRED AND TWO goal difference.

That division is clearly the best.

 

[njdevil26]

If the Devils win their games in hand, they are right back in the hunt for first place. If they win their games in and AND beat the Caps tomorrow (they won't) then they will be in first place. It's a crazy division. We had a six game losing streak and seem to have survived it as far as positioning goes. Crazy that the Devils are one point ahead of third place Columbus with THREE games in hand.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

If the Devils win their games in hand, they are right back in the hunt for first place. If they win their games in and AND beat the Caps tomorrow (they won't) then they will be in first place. It's a crazy division. We had a six game losing streak and seem to have survived it as far as positioning goes. Crazy that the Devils are one point ahead of third place Columbus with THREE games in hand.

I think the Devils win tomorrow. The Caps are notoriously awful after long breaks.

 

[njdevil26]

I think the Devils win tomorrow. The Caps are notoriously awful after long breaks.

We shall see because the Devils are notoriously bad against the Caps haha. As long as you guys promise to keep 5 skaters on the ice, we should be okay haha.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

We shall see because the Devils are notoriously bad against the Caps haha. As long as you guys promise to keep 5 skaters on the ice, we should be okay haha.

We'll see! It'll be a battle of a movable object vs a stoppable a force tomorrow night.

 

[Peggy]

sounds like the central division...

 

[Peggy]

The Flyers have beaten the Blues twice this season and we're 1-1 vs the Hawks

doesn't mean a lot in regular season
different teams end up showing up in the playoffs

 

[rent free]

It seems like Washington New Jersey and. Columbus have the top 3 seeds locked up. The two wild cards are wild however.

 

[Individual 1]

It seems like Washington New Jersey and. Columbus have the top 3 seeds locked up. The two wild cards are wild however.

Columbus has 2 more points than Pittsburgh and the Rangers who have a game in hand. The Islanders are only 3 points back of Columbus.

Columbus plays Dallas, and Vegas the next 2 games they could very easily lose both.

 

[Sam Spade]

Nashville and St.Louis look like they could beat any metro team on top of every central team having a winning record against the mighty metropolitian

 

[Sam Spade]

It seems like Washington New Jersey and. Columbus have the top 3 seeds locked up. The two wild cards are wild however.

I think the Jackets look like garbage lately and if someone falls out, I could see it being them.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

It seems like Washington New Jersey and. Columbus have the top 3 seeds locked up. The two wild cards are wild however.

Nothing is locked up in the metro.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Flyers would be the first team in NHL history to win 10 in a row and miss the playoffs - then the following year lose 10 in a row but make the playoffs.

Such a weird team lol