The Pittsburgh Penguins are moving up the power rankings of the Metropolitan Division.
Approaching the 30-game mark of the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are starting to finally make their mark on the the division standings. Currently in a tie for second place in the Metropolitan Division, the Penguins rebounded wonderfully from their earlier struggles. With the regular season closing in on the halfway point, the power rankings in the division look much different than they did at the start. Let's take look at the Metropolitan Division power rankings for December.
1. New Jersey Devils (21-5-1)
The biggest surprise in the division this season is the New Jersey Devils. The 27-win team last season has already surpassed the 20 win mark this season, and are tied with the Boston Bruins for the best record in the league.
Leading the way for the Devils is superstar Jack Hughes. The 21-year-old has 33 points in 27 games and is poised to set career high marks in all offensive categories.
Between the pipes is goaltender Vitek Vanacek, the former Washington Capitals back up. In 16 games, he has 12 wins and a .916 save percentage.
The question with this team is whether they can continue their high level of play for the rest of the season.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins (16-8-4)
The Penguins are once again surprising the league. With the oldest core of stars in the league, many counted the Pens out of the division and playoff race this season. A seven game losing streak and a stroke to their best defenseman hasn't been enough to defeat this team.
Penguins' captain, Sidney Crosby, is playing at an MVP-caliber pace and level. On track for a 100+ point season, Crosby is leading the league in even strength points and is top 10 in the league in total scoring.
Starting goaltender Tristan Jarry has turned the corner for the Penguins as well, making this team a dangerous one. Staying healthy and preserving the legs on their veteran centers will be key for this team to make a run. For the time being, the Penguins are the second best team in the division.
3. Carolina Hurricanes (15-6-6)
Tied with the Penguins for second place in the division are the Hurricanes, a team desperate to break through to the next level. The 2021-22 division champions have been hit with the injury bug, playing without starting goaltender Frederik Andersen and forwards Max Pacioretty and Teuvo Teravainen for extended periods of time. Despite this, they have a game in hand on the Penguins and are keeping pace with the top of the division.
Offensively, this team is keeping their momentum from last season going. Sebastian Aho is a two-way force and point per game player again this year, posting 27 points in 26 games so far. A recent lower-body injury may keep him out for a few games.
In his absence, the offensive void is filled by Martin Necas who is enjoying a break-out season. His 28 points lead the team. Fellow youngster Andrei Svechnikov is picking up the slack as well with 15 goals in 27 games.
4. New York Islanders (17-12-0)
The New York Islanders are a team that never seems to go away. 37 wins a season ago, the Islanders seem poised for another playoff appearance this year. The Islanders, when healthy, dress an underrated defense corps that is amongst the best in the division.
The team is doing typical Islanders things on defense, but they are also pushing the pace on offense. Mat Barzal has 30 points in 29 games and is ascending to another level of player. With this combination and star goaltender Ilya Sorokin in net, the Islanders are once again an underdog in the division that is likely to surprise.
5. New York Rangers (14-10-5)
The New York Rangers spent big money this summer when they signed center Vincent Trocheck to a seven year, $40 million contract. The addition was supposed to solidify the middle of the ice between their group of skilled wingers. The team has played up-and-down hockey through 29 games, and find themselves currently on the playoff bubble.
The Rangers biggest issue is they are top heavy and too reliant on their elite goaltender, Igor Shesterkin. While veterans Artemi Panarin, Mike Zibanejad, and Adam Fox produce at a high level, the Rangers continue waiting on their former top draft picks, Alex Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko, to take the next step. If they can, this team has the pieces to make another deep run in the playoffs.
6. Washington Capitals (13-12-4)
The Washington Capitals are in a precarious position, as they sit outside of the playoffs and are in danger of missing the postseason for the first time since 2014. Captain Alex Ovechkin is shooting up the history books again, becoming the leader in goals scored on the road this season. His 16 goals have his career number at 796, a mere six goals away from surpassing Gordie Howe for second all-time in goals scored. It remains unclear if the Capitals can overcome their injuries to make a playoff run, but watching Ovechkin break more records is worth the watch.
7. Philadelphia Flyers (9-13-6)
It seems the hiring of John Tortarella hasn't paid immediate dividends for the Philadelphia Flyers. This team is struggling in all three zones of the ice, and despite decent play in net, the Flyers are bound for the bottom of the division.
8. Columbus Blue Jackets (9-15-2)
The Columbus Blue Jackets are bad. The only saving grace is you can watch Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine (before they move him).
The Eastern Conference has 11 teams in the playoff hunt, and securing one of the top three spots in the division to clinch a playoff spot will be key. The Metro Division will be a battle for the remaining 50+ games, but the Penguins have an excellent chance to keep climbing the power rankings and division standings.
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