This year in the NHL, there is no group with more unhinged chaos other than the Metropolitan division. With major changes being made to all teams, the fight for a playoff spot has never been more up in the air. As the regular season is coming to an end, here are some of the biggest surprises that have happened so far this year.
Ovechkin vs Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals was once viewed as unbreakable across the NHL community. Currently, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has climbed his way up to second place on the NHL career goal list and the top spot is possibly up for grabs. Ovechkin has 848 career goals as of April 1, just under fifty goals within the record. The question everyone is asking is will Ovechkin stay long enough to possibly beat the so-called unbeatable record? Even if the Capitals continue their season in qualifying for playoffs, there is just not enough time this season for that record to be broken. It would likely be within the next two years it is definitely possible as he averages thirty goals a season. The only problem is, Ovechkin is coming close to the end of his NHL career as he is 38 years old, the same age as when Gretzky retired.
Devils Disappointments
The 2022-2023 season for the New Jersey Devils was the best in team history (52-22-8). This year however is the exact opposite. As of April 4 the Devils are (36-36-4). Travis Green became the associate head coach when Lindy Ruff was fired in early March. In addition to the unstable coaching staff, almost every player on the roster was injured at some point including defenseman Dougie Hamilton who has been on LTIR for the entire season after a pectoral muscle tear. As if the Devils needed any more problems that could affect their play and then their record, it was publicly released that two players from the team are allegedly involved in a lawsuit from an allegation that resurfaced from the time when Michael McLeod and Cal Foote were on the 2018 World Junior Canada team. The last issue for the year (hopefully) involves the unstable goaltenders. Desperate for some changes in the crease, the Devils traded Vitek Vanecek to the San Jose Sharks and acquired Kaapo Kahkonen and Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens at the trade deadline. With few games remaining in the regular season, they are in a crunch for time eager to secure their spot in playoffs as they are (very) slowly catching up to the other teams in the wildcard spots.
Flyers Fly Up the Standings
Last year, the Philadelphia Flyers were second to last in the Metropolitan division as they concluded their season with a record of 31-38-13. As of April 5, the Flyers have climbed their way up to third overall in the division and are currently 30-20-7. The team has been a work in progress for a couple years now as the last time they qualified for playoffs was 2020 where they lost to the Islanders in the second round. A decent record and being higher up in the standings does not mean the team still is not having issues, though. It simply means every other team could be having bigger issues. Flyers head coach John Tortorella has had a lot to say this season about the doubts on his team and their spot in the division. “I know we didn’t think we were going to be here. But, we’re here. That’s the point I’m trying to make,” Tortorella said in an interview following the team’s practice. Whether or not the Flyers go far or even secure a spot in playoffs, Tortorella spoke about the efforts from the team and how they showed not only themselves, but the fans’ changes are being made. “Whether we succeed or not, at least we can look in the mirror at the end of the day and say we tried.”
No Quit In New York
After the huge upset in the first round of playoffs last year to the NJ Devils, expectations for the New York Rangers were up in the air for this year. As last year was a rebuilding year, they surprised many when they were the first team to qualify for the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. “It was hard to see the Rangers have such a great season last year and then be eliminated in the first round. As an avid fan, I’m much happier this year with how diverse the roster is in terms of age, experience, and skill,” Muskan Patwa said. The changes made last year in firing Gerard Gallant and now this year acquiring Matt Rempe has the social media spotlight entirely on the Rangers’ newly reconstructed team. Soon after Rempe’s debut at the Stadium Series against the Islanders, he has spent more time in the penalty box than on the ice during his first few weeks of his career. This new fire has been seen in each of the players this year when it was needed most. Last year, fans were mocking the team’s motto, “No Quit In New York,” now, fans chant it when leaving the stadium as their team is suddenly successful again.
Line Brawl
This singular regular season moment alone is enough to demonstrate the level of craziness happening in the division. Any time the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils meet, it is sixty minutes of pure hatred between the two teams. Last year, the Devils beat the Blueshirts in game seven of round one in the playoffs. This year, the Devils are the ones struggling as the Rangers made their comeback not only qualifying for playoffs before any other team but beating their rivals every time they played one another this season. On April 3, these two teams met for the final time and it was pure chaos. Two seconds after puck drop, every single player on the ice shook their gloves off and went at it. It was understood there would be a fight between Rempe and Kurtis MacDermid since in the last matchup, the two attempted to fight several times prior to Rempe being ejected. What wasn’t predicted was eight players being ejected immediately after the first period started. Of course, Rempe was one of those ejected. He currently totals 5:03 on the ice against the Devils and 47 penalty minutes in all three times he faced the Devils in his NHL career, he has been ejected. As they conclude their predicted fights and scheduled meetups for the regular season, the chances of the Devils qualifying for playoffs are unlikely- nevermind a rematch of last year’s round one series between these two teams. If it somehow is to happen, the madness in the Metro will quickly turn into a rematch from last year’s series between the two teams from across the Hudson.
This year is unlike any other chaos the league has seen in this division. Every game there is a great highlight, fight, or one team jumping in front of the other for the wildcard spot. With about five games remaining for each team and all of them being within arm’s reach of a playoff spot, the madness is here as each team makes its final push.