Do the Rangers Need Patrick Kane to Win a Cup? Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk1NjQ5MjI0NTE4NDEyMjI1/usatsi_19710359.jpg] The NHL is in the midst of its weeklong all-star break, and here at THN.com, we’re continuing to analyze each team and project where we see them going through the league’s March 3 trade deadline and the rest of the year. We started the breakdowns Monday with the bottom four teams in the Pacific Division [https://thehockeynews.com/news/keeping-up-with-the-nhls-pacific-division-part-1]. Tuesday, we turned to the top four Pacific teams [https://thehockeynews.com/news/keeping-up-with-the-nhls-pacific-division-part-2]. On Wednesday and Thursday, we analyzed the bottom four [https://thehockeynews.com/news/keeping-up-with-the-nhls-central-division-bottom-four] and top four [https://thehockeynews.com/news/keeping-up-with-the-nhls-central-division-top-four] teams in the Central Division. We focused on the bottom four Metropolitan Division teams [https://thehockeynews.com/news/keeping-up-with-the-nhls-metropolitan-division-bottom-four] on Friday. Now, it's time to finish the division with the top four. CAROLINA HURRICANES Standings Position: 1st Record: 34-9-8 Projection: Challenging the Boston Bruins for the best record in the Eastern Conference and the NHL; adding veteran help by the trade deadline Why: Like virtually every NHL team, the Hurricanes have had a couple of rough patches this season – in their case, a five-game losing streak beginning in mid-November and a four-game skid at the start of January. Otherwise, they’ve been as consistently excellent as the first-place Bruins and entered the all-star break as winners of seven games in a row and nine of their past 10 (9-0-1). Their offense has been next-level – they’ve scored four or more goals in seven of their past nine wins – and they’re getting stellar goaltending from the tandem of Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta. There are few flaws in their game at present, but that doesn’t mean GM Don Waddell won’t be active at the trade deadline. No, instead, we fully expect the Hurricanes will use their projected $3.1 million in salary cap space [https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/hurricanes], according to CapFriendly, to bring in some experience to prepare for a lengthy playoff run. Carolina is living up to the lofty potential many of us saw in them in the pre-season, and so long as their netminding doesn’t fall apart, they have as good a chance as any to be the team that eliminates the awesome Bruins from the post-season. NEW JERSEY DEVILS Standings Position: 2nd Record: 32-13-4 Projection: Fighting with Carolina for the No. 1 seed in the Metro; making a major trade before the deadline; winning a round in the playoffs Why: The Devils are arguably the biggest positive surprise in the Eastern Conference this season, but after their early-season massive successes, they returned to earth in early December by dropping six straight games and seven of nine. Still, entering the all-star break, they’d won eight of 10 (8-1-1), and they’re just two wins and eight standings points behind Carolina, with two games in hand on the Hurricanes. Not only are they comfortably ahead of the other six teams in the Metro, but they’re also the league’s best road team (19-3-2). GM Tom Fitzgerald has more than $2 million in cap space [https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/devils] per CapFriendly to add experienced help by the trade deadline. The Devils have cap flexibility beyond this season, which is why they’re linked to Sharks winger Timo Meier on the trade front. But we could also see them adding someone such as Blues sniper Vladimir Tarasenko or, perhaps, St. Louis forward Ryan O’Reilly. It would take some creative cap work, and New Jersey’s first-round draft pick would almost assuredly be in play, but New Jersey has not done what they’ve done thus far this year simply to finish third in the Metro and lose out in the first round of the playoffs. Fitzgerald should be motivated for win-now moves, and he’s got the assets to make them a reality. NEW YORK RANGERS Standings Position: 3rd Record: 27-14-8 Projection: In the mix for a lower playoff seed in the East; one of the major players in the trade market; first-round playoff fodder Why: The Rangers have been one of the more baffling teams to watch this season. Just when you think they’ve turned the corner competitively and they’re ready to ascend to the top of the Metro, they have their offense dry up and lean too heavily on star goalie Igor Shesterkin. Blueshirts GM Chris Drury will have more than $6.7 million in cap space [https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/rangers] by the trade deadline, and there’s a reason why he’s rumored to be a huge mover-and-shaker in the next month – his team needs the help up front, and they could use some depth on defense as well. Chicago star winger Patrick Kane makes a lot of sense for the Rangers, as does Canucks winger Brock Boeser and Tarasenko. It might be only a rental for the rest of the season, but a fresh face could provide the spark the Rangers need to take pressure off Shesterkin and put him in a better place mentally and physically once the playoffs begin. Otherwise, they could be one-and-done in the first round, and after making the Eastern final last year, that would be a major step backward. WASHINGTON CAPITALS Standings Position: 4th Record: 27-20-6 Projection: Remaining mediocre; making a depth pickup or two by the trade deadline; possibly missing the playoffs completely and being a first-round playoff loser even if they do earn a post-season spot Why: The Capitals were seen as being life-or-death to make the playoffs this year, and for the most part, they’ve looked exactly like a playoff-fringe team as of the all-star break. They have two significant win streaks – a pair of five-game win streaks from early December through the end of that month – but otherwise, they’ve had exactly one two-game win streak and nothing better for the rest of the season. Since Dec. 28th, they’ve gone 7-7-2. This is not the output of a genuine Stanley Cup contender, and in the competitive Metro, it isn’t enough to make them a favorite for a playoff berth. Washington GM Brian MacLellan is projected to have $5 million [https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/capitals] in cap space by the deadline, according to CapFriendly. He’s likely to use it, particularly if he can add a defenseman to give them quality minutes on the back end. But the Caps’ years of contention are starting to have some serious wear and tear on the roster as a whole, and it may be too much to ask of this group to outlast the Penguins, Sabres, Panthers, Islanders and Rangers for one of the East’s lower playoff seeds.
