The five teams that will likely compete for a championship in the Metropolitan Division will now have to play a the reigning Norris Trophy winner. Does that change the ultimate mission?
The Pittsburgh Penguins gave way to the Florida Panthers to earn their post-season berth and allowed the first overall draft selection in the same game when they lost 4-0 to the Chicago Blackhawks on April 11th. With fate in their hands, they let the playoff position slip away against one of the worst teams of the 21st century.
Enter Kyle Dubas, who made major waves this off-season becoming the president of hockey operations for Pittsburgh’s 5-time Stanely Cup championship club looking to elongate its current core’s last dance.
On August 6th, the reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson was dealt to the Penguins in a three-team trade.
Karlsson becoming a Penguin doesn’t shake up the most exciting division in hockey, the landscape is still the same. The Blue Jackets could improve and are still rebuilding, as are the Philadelphia Flyers. The Capitals will look like the team that played from January on.
The New York Rangers simply needed more out of their players, not an addition of any new faces. The Devils were throttled in five games by Carolina, a championship favorite who in turn were swept by the Panthers.
For the clamoring and urgency across the world wide web regarding Karlsson’s arrival in the Metropolitan Division; has the observer of the sport forgotten about the unprecedented occurrences that can and will happen to the five teams in contention in the division?
Every team will face injuries. Every team will have winning streaks, losing streaks, and a lot of competition within the Metropolitan Division.
To counter, there is no doubt a 6 on 5 featuring a healthy Guentzel, Malkin, Crosby, Letang, Rust, and Karlsson would be terrifying. Karlsson does add his tremendous offensive talents to the Penguin's rearguard which makes for exciting hockey games between the rival Rangers and Penguins. He could turn the tide and help this aging Penguins core advance to a Stanley Cup Final.
The Florida Panther's playoff run was a beautiful display. When a team gets into the playoffs, they are in. Do the Rangers need to win the division to win the Stanley Cup? The Penguins acquiring Erik Karlsson does not change the mission for New Jersey, Carolina, or the two New York teams.
The Metropolitan Division was already a bloodbath in 2022-2023. It will be a wild ride again in 2023-2024. The addition of Karlsson in Pittsburgh is par for the course.