Where do the Pittsburgh Penguins stand in the hierarchy of the Metropolitan Division?
As the calendar flips to November and the NHL season is just over three weeks underway, we can begin to draw conclusions about the early performances of its 32 teams. Some teams needed the first couple of weeks to shake off the rust of the offseason, while others jumped out to a hot start out of the gate.
Here are the Metropolitan Division power rankings for November.
8. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previous Rank: 7)
The Columbus Blue Jackets had low expectations for this season despite reigning in the top prize of this summer's free agent class in Johnny Gaudreau. Gaudreau has been as advertised for the Jackets, scoring eight points (5G - 3A) in the team's opening ten games.
The Blue Jackets are getting production from younger players Kent Johnson and Yegor Chinakov, who each have six points on the season. Unfortunately, the Blue Jackets haven't been able to keep the puck out of their net, as they have allowed the second-most goals (44) of any team in the NHL.
7. Philadelphia Flyers (Previous Rank: 8)
The Philadelphia Flyers were one of the most surprising teams opening week this season, starting 4-1-0 in the first year under head coach John Tortorella. Their early success can only be attributed to their goaltender Carter Hart.
Hart is 5-0-2 on the season with a .943 save percentage and 10.0 goals saved above expected. He has received little help from the team in front of him as the Flyers lead the league in scoring chances allowed with 402, which is 20 more than the next-highest team. Eventually, the poor defensive play will catch up to them, and they'll return to the bottom of the standings.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previous Rank: 4)
The Pittsburgh Penguins started the season as well as possible, scoring six goals in each of their first two games and three times in their first four. Things got dicey once they headed out west for their first road trip of the season.
Since then, the Penguins have lost six-straight games (0-5-1) and are averaging 2.33 goals per game while allowing 5.00 goals per game on average. The losing streak has exposed weaknesses on their roster on defense and in the bottom six, and their goaltenders have failed to play to their expectations over the past few weeks.
5. New York Islanders (Previous Rank: 5)
The New York Islanders got off to a slow start under first-year head coach Lane Lambert, losing four of their first six games. Since then, the Isles have collected four straight victories, including two massive wins over divisional opponents in the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes.
Matt Barzal has yet to light the lamp but has collected ten assists through ten games, and Ilya Sorokin remains one of the steadiest netminders in the NHL, with a .935 save percentage and only allowing 2.04 goals per game.
4. Washington Capitals (Previous Rank: 3)
The Washington Capitals are once again dealing with injuries to some of their most important players. They entered the season without Nicklas Backstrom or Tom Wilson but have added TJ Oshie, Connor Brown, and John Carlson to the list of injured players.
Still, the Capitals have remained competitive despite a slow start from captain Alex Ovechkin. Take away a four-point game against Vancouver, and the Capitals captain has five points (3G - 2A) in the ten other games this season. Darcy Kuemper has been a nice addition for them, starting his Capitals tenure with a 4-3-1 record but a .922 save percentage and has only allowed 2.39 goals per game.
3. New Jersey Devils (Previous Rank: 6)
The New Jersey Devils are the Cinderella story of October. Devil's fans were calling for Lindy Ruff's job after two losses to start the season, but they have won six of their last seven games and sit tied atop the Metropolitan Division standings.
Jesper Bratt has led the offensive charge with 16 points (4G - 12A) in 10 games, and Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes follow with ten points each. While the early success of a team like the Flyers is unsustainable, the Devils are much less susceptible to turning back into a pumpkin.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the Devils lead the NHL in expected goals percentage (xGF%), scoring chances for percentage (SCF%), and high-danger chances for percentage (HDCF%) at 5v5. If their goaltending can catch up with their level of play, the Devils may be a team to watch out for this season.
2. New York Rangers (Previous Rank: 1)
The Rangers have had a volatile start to the season. They impressed the world on opening night by handing the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-1 loss at the Garden but lost four straight games shortly after, three of them to non-playoff teams last season.
The Rangers righted the ship, winning their past three games, and pulled themselves back into a tie for 1st in the Metro Division. Igor Shesterkin hasn't missed a beat coming off his Vezina Trophy season in 2021, and Artemi Panarin looks primed to compete for the Art Ross Trophy this season.
Unlike last season, their success has stemmed from steady play at 5v5 instead of relying on their special teams to do the heavy lifting.
1. Carolina Hurricanes (Previous Rank: 2)
We already spoke about the Devil's dominance in underlying numbers at 5v5. The Hurricanes have also enjoyed success in those areas, currently sitting third in the NHL in xGF%, SCF%, and HDCF%. Brent Burns has meshed quickly in his first year in Raleigh, leading all Hurricanes defensemen with seven points (2G - 5A) in nine games.
The Canes are still waiting on the debut of their main offseason addition Max Pacioretty, whom they expect to miss the first half of the season with an Achilles injury.
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