BOLD PREDICTIONS PART 1 - METRO

Mario Russo

Fortune favors the bold as they say and the debut of “Bold Predictions” will do just that! Here we will be outlining some of the hottest takes for each of the eight Metropolitan Division squads, including potential postseason success stories, and expectations down the home stretch.

Carolina storm surges their way to the conference finals

To truly understand how success is earned in today's game, one must realize two things; one, defense wins championships and two, the Carolina Hurricanes have exactly that. Well, not the championship part. Since taking over in 2018, head coach Rod Brind’Amour has transformed this group of misfits to a team that can pick up two points in just about any way imaginable. Consistency in both ends of the rink has been the way the team has been the business plan over the past four seasons with Brind’Amour behind the bench. I wouldn't even be surprised if the number “200” was inscribed on the interior of the Canes jersey with the various individuals they have that are capable of handling such a daunting task of playing a 200-foot game. It should also come as no surprise that the Carolina Hurricanes have finished amongst the top ten defensive teams in the league for four straight years, including a current 2.36 Goals Against Average that sits them ahead of their fellow divisional rivals in the Islanders, Penguins and Rangers. Teams on this exclusive list have gone on to the Eastern Conference Finals in a combined two of five seasons, with the Carolina Hurricanes being the eventual targets to raise that number to three. In defense the Canes trust, and to the Conference Finals they will march.

Pittsburgh will still only have won a single round since doubling up on cups

Let's call it as it is. Since doubling up on Stanley Cups in 2016 & 2017, playoff success has been anything but the same for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens have punched their postseason ticket in three of the last four years, and look to be one of the frontrunners in the metro to secure a playoff spot come the spring. In last year's condensed season, the veteran-led Penguins sat atop the East Division standings, earning a favorable first round matchup against the fourth seeded New York Islanders. What later ensued is the very same thing Penguins fans think about when a puck flies through the glove of goaltender Tristan Jarry on any given night. Through half a dozen playoff games last spring, Jarry posted an .888 SV% to accompany a meager 3.18 GAA. The result of the series ended the way it should, with the Penguins getting bounced from the first round of the playoffs for the second time in their last three seasons. Fast Forward to 2022 and Tristan Jarry has pieced together a 25 win season thus far, ranking in the top seven in all NHL goalie stats. Still, it is not a strong season that defines Jarry and the Pens, but rather a postseason run, and him paving the way. Expect to see neither of these two things come to fruition this spring, with the Pens checking out early, and Jarry being the first out the door.

The New York Rangers will take home a trophy, but not the right one

This season, the New York Rangers are finally putting on the Broadway show that many have expected to see from this group for quite some time. When you mix in one of the league’s most prolific top six forward groups with a potential two-time Norris winner and a guaranteed vezina finalist, your team should definitely be winning a lot more games than they lose. So much has gone right for the blueshirts this season, especially when you factor in the production the Rangers have been getting from goaltender Igor Shesterkin. The 26-year old ranks top three in every goalie stat this season, hovering above a .940 SV% as the calendar turns to March. Needless to say, goaltending has driven this team to the top portion of the league standings, and will continue to drive them throughout the rest of the year. Shesterkin answered all the questions in goal for the Rangers. Chris Kreider has proved to fans that this team is capable of filling the back of the net, and Jacob Trouba has shown that he can lead a relatively young line of defense. The only question left to be answered is how far will this team go come the postseason? Well Rangers fans, your team will be etching their name on a trophy come spring, but unfortunately it won't be the Stanley Cup. The Rangers show all the signs of being a dominant regular season team, which is why they will edge out the Colorado Avalanche for the presidents trophy, but fail to resolve their second-round problems in the playoffs. It’s a tough pill to swallow but the big step in the right direction for the talented group.

Washington will just seek their way into the playoffs

Momentum is something that makes the good teams great and puts the great teams in the history books. Since the end of November however, Washington has put together a 14-11-3 record, with many hockey fans being the first to mix in the overtime losses with the loss column. When looking at the team’s record in that context, the group has been icing a talented lineup that has lately produced .500 hockey. This streaking Washington side capitalized early in the season on the insane goal totals coming from Alexander Ovechkin and the dominant play from Evgeny Kuznetsov. The team has cooled off significantly since then and looks to continue the year trending around the same plateau. With T.J Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom combining for almost half of the games a 36-year old Ovechkin has played this season, you can expect this team’s success to not be making headlines anytime soon. Washington will continue to float around .500 hockey for the next two months and just sneak into the playoffs as a result.

Columbus gives the division a run for their money and just misses out on the fourth seed

It’s strange to think that this side finished dead last in the Central Division last season when you look at the amount of wins the Blue Jackets have racked up in 2022. Many believed a rebuild was necessary in Columbus following the disappointment of 2021, including general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. By the end of this season, the longtime GM may very well be thinking of retooling this side as the team has shattered all expectations this season, with much of the production coming from players having career seasons as a result. Captain Boone Jenner is on pace to surpass his career best in points (49) from the 2015-16 season. Following his return from a lower body injury, the second overall pick in 2016 Patrik Laine has torched the opposition, riding a ten game point streak while averaging two points a game during that stretch. In his return to Columbus this season, Jakub Voracek has registered 33 assists to rank him first on the team in that respective category. Production is prevalent in Columbus, you get the idea. One thing that people aren't getting however is how the Blue Jackets are just one good month of hockey away from a playoff spot. On the backs of these players will the Blue Jackets thrive, with each cannon shot inching them closer to the metro’s final playoff spot. The team will come close, but by game 82 will begin digging out their golf clubs instead of retaping their sticks.

Philadelphia loses Giroux but picks up a top three pick in the draft

It has been a year to forget for the Philadelphia Flyers, and I’m not just talking about 2022. Following the conclusion of the league's condensed season that saw the Flyers finish just above .500, the group began to bolster their team with talent. Instead of addressing the pressing need for a quality goaltender, the Flyers began to bring in big-body defensemen in Rasmus Ristolainen and Ryan Ellis, hoping to tighten a loose back end that led to the team picking an historic amount of pucks out of their net last season. Fast Forward to this season and every acquisition made in the summer has blown up instramountably in the face of GM Chuck Fletcher. The team has been a mess all season, has gone on a streak of over ten consecutive losses, and are rumored to be losing their team leader in Claude Giroux come the trade deadline. The only silver lining for the franchise is that in losing their longtime savior in Giroux, will the team pick up a new one in this year’s draft. With “for sures” coming very few and in between for this group, the significant one that will stick around is the Flyers locking up a top three pick in the draft lottery. Sorry Seattle!

New Jersey forward Jesper Bratt more than doubles his previous career high in points

C’mon, I can't be the only one that was high on this team heading into the year. Signing highly touted defenseman Dougie Hamilton in the offseason surely swayed my thoughts, especially when he’s gonna be in Atlantic City for eight more years. The young core in Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes and Dawson Mercer didn't do my now “terrible take” any favors, as with so much upside- I didn't know where to look. Alas, the New Jersey Devils failed to pile up anything worthwhile in the win column and sit far out from where I had them finishing to start the year. Evidently the team is still 2-3 years away from getting back into the postseason picture, however this season has shown signs of promise through one young player in particular. 23 year-old Jesper Bratt has been the lone bright spot in Newark this season, posting 43 points through 45 games this season. Expect this guy to play a leading role when the Devils are at their best because he certainty shines when the group is at its worst. You can bet your bottom dollar that Jesper Bratt reaches the 80 point mark this season.

New York Islander finish last in the league in filling the net

The Islanders have always been a team that once their postseason ticket is punched, then the damage will ensue. Unfortunately for the Long Island faithful, their group has failed to make any headway in the standings and have been hovering around the bottom feeding teams for long stretches at a time. It is no surprise that through thick and thin, Barry Trotz has kept his side stable on the backend, ranking third this season in goals against. On the flip side of Trotz’s “boring” style of hockey, the team ranks last in the league when it comes to scoring goals, sitting behind the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens to name a few. Filling the net has always been a mountain the Islanders have had to come over year after year, and to their credit they always found a way. What is even more frustrating is that the team has played over half a season, and still have yet to make a dent in the goal column. With Matthew Barzal projected to post a career low in points, you can expect to see this team finish dead last in goals scored this season, and not too far away from that mark in the league standing either.