Whether it's the Rangers, Devils and Hurricanes having goalie dilemmas or the Penguins trying to catch up, fans of each Metropolitan Division NHL team aren't free of concerns.

Whether your NHL team is first or last, the worries never really subside.

The massive popularity of sports makes it clear that the highs that come with being a fan are intoxicating enough to overshadow the endless concerns over injuries, tactics and roster construction that linger at a low hum or a deafening roar. 

As the NHL starts to move into its stretch run, here's a look at a significant area of concern for fans of each team in the Metropolitan Division. Whether those teams are playoff-bound or not, there's never a shortage of subjects to stress over.

New York Rangers

The Rangers sit first in the Metro and came out of the all-star break with an impressive win over the powerful Colorado Avalanche, but is a goaltending controversy brewing? Peter Laviolette elected to start Jonathan Quick against the Avs and was rewarded with a 32-save effort from the 38-year-old. 

Quick is now up to 11-4-2 for the year and a .918 save percentage, while All-Star Game participant Igor Shesterkin is 1-2-1 in his last four starts and has slipped to .899 on the season. He typically expects to play big minutes. Can Laviolette keep him happy while giving his team its best chance to win?

Carolina Hurricanes

A popular pre-season pick to win it all, the Hurricanes' crease conundrum remains complex. Antti Raanta is playing well again, and waiver pickup Spencer Martin eked out a road win over the Boston Bruins last week. Pyotr Kochetkov was also recalled from the AHL after the break, and Frederik Andersen has been cleared for some on-ice activities.

But the Canes have the third-lowest 5-on-5 save percentage in the league at .9008, according to naturalstattrick.com.

It's good to have options, but at some point, Hurricanes fans are looking for the club to settle on a proper No. 1 and establish some stability between the pipes. 

Philadelphia Flyers

Coach John Tortorella and GM Danny Briere have made it clear they won't sacrifice the Flyers' rebuilding plan for a crack at short-term success.

With the high prices already paid for centers, lifelong Flyer Scott Laughton is suddenly in the rumor mill. The names of Philadelphia draft picks Travis Konecny and Morgan Frost have also popped up.

After Briere abruptly jettisoned Cutter Gauthier last month, fans in Philly are on high alert to see who will still be wearing the orange and black when the dust settles on March 8.

New York Islanders

Will the new-coach bounce work out? Patrick Roy earned big love from the Islanders faithful on Monday when he came out of Scotiabank Arena with a 3-2 win against John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs, and former Leaf Pierre Engvall scored the late game-winner. 

With his fiery, quotable personality, Roy is now 2-2-1 behind the Islanders' bench. Can he do enough to push the Islanders a little higher up the standings and into a playoff spot, or is he merely creating a temporary distraction from a roster that is too fundamentally flawed to be successful?

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins had no intention of missing the playoffs for a second straight year when they acquired Erik Karlsson. And while moneypuck.com still pegs their post-season odds at better than 50 percent, they’ll need to make up ground on the Flyers and get ahead of the Islanders in order to snag that third seed in the Metro. 

Trade rumors surround impending UFA Jake Guentzel, whose 2017 playoff heroics have not been forgotten. If GM Kyle Dubas pulls the trigger, it won't necessarily quash all playoff possibilities. But it will signal the end of an era for Pens fans.

New Jersey Devils 

This worry cuts to the core: Was last season a mirage?

Of course, the injury bug has bitten the Devils hard this season, and Jack Hughes' imminent return will deliver a spark. But New Jersey looked like a young team built to last with its sparkling underlying numbers and edge-of-your-seat approach to the game. It hasn't worked out that way.

Amid the excitement around Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, the blueline took a step back, too — especially noticeable when Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler are sidelined. Like with Carolina, the goaltending conundrum also remains unsolved. 

Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin’s single-digit goal total is one manifestation of a larger problem. The Capitals rank 30th in scoring, with just 2.38 goals per game.

Playoffs are looking increasingly out of reach, and so far, young players haven't picked up the offensive slack: Washington’s top scorer under 25 is 22-year-old Connor McMichael, with seven goals. 

There are some talents coming, but most are at least a couple of years away. Without any obvious trade-bait rentals to sell off, can Brian MacLellan find a way to quickly help his group get better offensively?

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets’ roster is rich with high-end skill. But as the youngest team in the league, some growing pains are understandable. 

One of the most concerning flaws is the team’s inability to hold a lead. The most memorable example, back in December, was a 5-0 lead over Toronto that evaporated.

The Blue Jackets have scored the first goal in a respectable 26 of their 50 games so far this season — tied for ninth-best in the league. But they went 10-8-8 in those games — a conversion rate of just .385 that's second-last overall.