With the dawn of a new NHL season upon us, this is a time of hope for hockey teams everywhere. Each team, no matter how good or bad last season was, starts with a blank slate. All 30 members of the league are hungry for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Let’s take a look at the teams in the Metropolitan Division, the division closest to Smithtown.
Carolina Hurricanes: This Raleigh-based team may struggle this season, after finishing 25th in the league last year. Caught in a rebuild stage, they will most likely fly under the radar this season as an underwhelming presence in the Eastern Conference. However, the individual talents of Boston College’s Noah Hanifin, their 5th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, new additions such as the ex-Canuck goalie Eddie Lack and ex-Blackhawks Joakim Nordstrom and Kris Versteeg will be interesting to watch.
Columbus Blue Jackets: A team plagued with injuries last season, the Jackets had an incredible stretch at the end of last season, including a ten-game winning streak. With the naming of Nick Foligno as captain, and the addition of Brandon Saad, young, speedy, and strong ex-Blackhawk, the Jackets are aspiring to be a force to be reckoned with in the Metro.
New Jersey Devils: Lou Lamoriello, one of the keys in the Devils’ success over the past 20 years, has left the team for the Toronto Maple Leafs. With a complete administrative overhaul, the Devils can expect to struggle, even with goaltending talent Cory Schneider. The talents of forwards Travis Zajac, Jordin Tootoo, and Mike Cammalleri will probably not be enough for the Devils to be a playoff contender this season.
New York Islanders: With their inaugural season in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Islanders still have the talented young core they had last year, including Hart Trophy finalist John Tavares, winger Kyle Okposo, and other talented forwards such as Frans Nielsen, Anders Lee, and Brock Nelson. The talents of Jaroslav Halak, although sometimes spotty, can be incredible. They almost reached the second round of playoffs for the first time since 1993 after losing to the Washington Capitals. Time will tell if they will shine from the regular season into the playoffs this year.
New York Rangers: A team that has come so close to winning the past few seasons, the Rangers are stacked with talent, including young, possible breakouts Chris Kreider, Kevin Hayes, and J.T. Miller, long-term centers Derick Brassard and Derek Stepan, creative playmaker Mats Zuccarello, possible Norris candidate defenseman and captain Ryan McDonagh, and—possibly the best player on the team—star goalie Henrik Lundqvist. This team won the President’s Trophy last year, but was one game shy of reaching the Stanley Cup Final two years in a row after falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning. This team is hungry to take that next step, and raise the cup for the first time since 1994.
Philadelphia Flyers: After missing the playoffs, the Flyers hired former University of North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol to try and help the team gain more chemistry and cohesion. The Flyers, like the Hurricanes, are in a rebuild stage, with the talented young Brayden Schenn, impressive goalie Steve Mason, and productive players in their captain, Claude Giroux, as well as Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek.
Pittsburgh Penguins: With the landmark acquisition of Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Penguins are projected to have one of the most productive offenses in the NHL. Paired with either Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby, “Phil the Thrill” and company will likely be nightmares of defense and goalies everywhere. The Penguins also have an incredible defenseman in Kris Letang, who has recovered from a stroke that could have ended his career or his life.
Washington Capitals: After being eliminated by the Rangers in heartbreaking fashion in overtime of a Game 7, the Capitals have their team stacked with power. The dynamic duo of League-assist-leading Nicklas Backstrom and League-top-scorer Alexander Ovechkin is both beautiful and terrifying to watch, depending on who you’re rooting for. The addition of TJ Oshie from the St. Louis Blues will cause a very formidable line of offense for anyone who plays them. The depth addition of Justin Williams from Los Angeles, in addition to the long term signing of Braden Holtby, are some steps the Caps have taken to ensure nothing falls through the cracks in their quest to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.
Whatever your team preference, you are guaranteed 82 regular-season games of excitement, scoring, heartbreak, injuries, first-goals, incredible saves, penalties, fights, ”blind” referees, and chirping. Cherish your team, for maybe someday, you’ll see your team lift that silver cup, and have their names engraved in history.