In the first weekly Metropolitan Division snapshot of the season, the New Jersey Devils started and finished last week in first while both Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals are pointless. All this and more about all 8 teams in the week that was and the week that will be.
As the first full week of the 2024-25 NHL regular season has concluded, the regular weekly feature on this site begins: the weekly Metropolitan Division snapshot. This is a weekly post providing an overview of what each team in the division did in this past week, what they will do in the week coming up, and where they are in the standings.
This is important to track throughout the 82-game season as the playoffs are at stake. The top three teams in the division are in the postseason. There are two spots remaining for the next two best teams in the Eastern Conference. This means games within the division are important beyond just wanting to get ahead in a rivalry. This also means tracking what others do in the division is also important. No matter what anyone tells you, a win in October is still worth the same amount of points as a win in March. What you do before March may impact what March even means for a team. A weekly look at the division will help.
As with past snapshots, I will attempt to provide summaries for each team in order of the standings as of this morning or after Saturday’s games. Whoever is in first place gets the headline photo. This will immediately tell you who is in front. It does not need to be a flattering photo either. For this season, the snapshot will focus solely on the standings until the league breaks in February. Then I will add in playoff and 2025 NHL Draft lottery odds, the latter currently known as the James Hagens Sweepstakes. I will also add in Atlantic Division teams within a reasonable distance of the wildcard spots too. One more thing: the number of weeks won is based on the number of weeks that a team earned more half of the potential points in a week. Going 1-1-0 will not win a week, but 1-0-1 does. Every point matters because it is all about the points in the standings. With that, here are the Metropolitan Division standings as of this morning:
NHL.com
Tiebreakers also play a role. Per the NHL, points percentage is the first tiebreaker. Then it is regulation wins (RW) followed by regulation and overtime wins (ROW) followed by total wins (Ws). After all of that, then you get into goal differential.
The following is a quick overview of the weekly schedule coming up. Which is entirely off for the division today and nearly off on Wednesday and Friday. Games within the division are highlighted and in bold as they could cause swings in points that directly impact the division standings. There are three in this week coming up:
Schedules via NHL.com
Now with that out of the way, here is the week that was and week that will be for all eight teams.
New Jersey Devils
What Happened in the Last Two Weeks: The New Jersey Devils started their season well before everyone else thanks to the Global Series in Prague, Czechia. The Devils took on the Buffalo Sabres in a back-to-back set at the O2 Arena. The Devils took care of business with a pair of wins with one-goal allowed (4-1, 3-1) and plenty of reasons to feel good. Goals from Stefan Noesen, Johnathan Kovacevic, Nico Hischier, Paul Cotter, Seamus Casey, and Timo Meier to get their seasons started. Notice that most of those names are new to the Devils, which is a nice bonus. They also won that week so that is reflected in this snapshot.
The Devils returned to Newark to host Toronto in their home opener last Thursday. While the Maple Leafs played and lost the night before, the Devils got a rude wake-up call. The Maple Leafs were sharper than New Jersey throughout the game. They lit up Jacob Markstrom for three goals in the first period and just denied the Devils from getting much on Dennis Hildeby, who was making his NHL debut. The best the Devils could do was to keep the score within two goals – thanks to Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier – but it was a disappointing 4-2 loss all the same. New Jersey’s week ended in Washington D.C. In their first game within the division, the Devils would pull out a big ‘W’ from the team representing one on their chest. John Carlson did open the scoring with a PPG. It seemed as if the Devils were continuing their Toronto performance – until Seamus Casey tied it up and Paul Cotter added a go-ahead goal before the end of the first period. Dylan Strome tied it up for the Caps early in the second – only for two more Devils goals. Tomas Tatar restored the lead and Paul Cotter made it a brace to put the Devils up 4-2. Tom Wilson managed to make it a one-goal game early in the third and there was all kinds of pressure. But the Devils held on, Dawson Mercer ended the tension with a ENG after New Jersey survived late swarms by the Caps, and the Devils win 5-3. 1-1-0 in this week plus 2-0-0 in the prior week equals a first place spot in the first snapshot of the season. It feels good, man.
What’s Coming Up This Week: The Devils will be quite busy as they are the only team to play four games over the next seven days. On Monday afternoon (sigh), they will host Utah. A team looking to shed its bad past as the league is treating them as a new franchise. A team that is 3-0 and just walked out of Manhattan and Belmont with OT wins. They cannot be treated too softly. The Devils also cannot empty the tank against Utah as they will go to Raleigh on Tuesday night. They will face one of the favorites to win the Metropolitan Division this season, the Carolina Hurricanes. After that, the Devils will head further North to Canada. They will visit Ottawa on Thursday night; another team looking to make this season different than their recent past ones. Lastly, the Devils end their week with another game against the Capitals. This one will be in New Jersey so at least it will be at home. Any rust the team may have from Prague and last week should be gone by that point. Hopefully with more points on the board.
New York Rangers
What Happened Last Week: The New York Rangers started their season on national television and in Pittsburgh. They proceeded to just beat down the Penguins for sixty-minutes. They out-shot them 40-31. None of those 31 shots got past Igor Shesterkin. The first period saw Sam Carrick score first and then Alexis Lafreniere and Chris Kreider put up a quick double to close out the period. Filip Chytil added to the rout in the second period. A shorty by Kreider and a late Vincent Trochek goal in the third just added to the blowout. A 6-0 win for the Rangers over a divisional opponent; an ideal first game of the season. The Rangers hosted Utah in their home opener on Saturday night. They had another high-scoring affair. Barret Hayton opened the scoring for Utah only for Artemi Panarin to respond later in the first period. It well blew up in the second period. Utah and New York combined for seven goals! Jack McBain scored, Panarin converted a PPG, Clayton Keller and Kevin Stenlund hit a quick pair of goals, and K’Andre Miller made it a one-goal game all before halfway through the second period! There was also a heap of penalties with misconducts given to McBain and Adam Edstrom. Dylan Guenther converted a power play to put the Utahs up two. But Braden Schneider scored late in the period to make it a one-shot game and Will Cuylle deflected in an Adam Fox attempt to make it 5-5 in the third. The score surprisingly stayed there. Overtime was needed. This was tense until Clayton Keller decided to end it. He got the puck behind the net, came out, and just went bar-down to the far post past future $12+ Million goalie Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers lost 6-5, but did get the point. Enough to put them in second place, ahead of most of the division for this first snapshot.
What’s Coming Up This Week: The Rangers will get familiar with Detroit in this coming week. They will host the Red Wings on Monday night and then travel to play them on Thursday night. A non-consecutive home-and-home; that is favorable for the Rangers. What may not be as favorable is a trip to Toronto on Saturday night. Not that the schedule hurts them. It is just that the Maple Leafs are really good. It will be a good measuring stick for the American Blueshirts.
Columbus Blue Jackets
What Happened Last Week: The Columbus Blue Jackets began their season on the road. Just two games, but away from Ohio all the same. On Thursday night, they visited Minnesota. While much was made about Dean Evason’s return to the XCel Energy Center, the game was a standout for Matt Boldy. He scored late in the first period and assisted on Minnesota’s other two goals. Kent Johnson scored early in the second period to make it close for the middle frame and Zach Werenski provided a late power play goal with less than three minutes in regulation. It was too little, too late as the Blue Jackets lost 3-2. On Saturday, the Blue Jackets went to Denver to play the Avalanche. They took it to the Avs right away. It took six minutes for Columbus to get a shot on net. Then a half-minute later, Zach Werenski finished a 3-on-2 rush to beat Daniil Tarasov to make it 1-0. The next shot came a bit over a minute later – and it was also a goal. Kent Johnson finished the play himself for an early 2-0 lead. Colorado would get some saves – and a response. Nathan MacKinnon scored a PPG with eight seconds left in the first period. The scoring ramped up in the second period. Adam Fantilli scored to put the Jackets up two and to send Alexandar Georgiev to the bench. The two goal lead lasted less than two minutes thanks to Miles Wood and a PPG from Casey Mittelstadt. However, the Jackets took back control less than a minute after Mittelstadt’s goal with a strike by Kirill Marchenko. Yegor Chinakhov made it a two-goal game once again with a goal before the halfway mark. Remarkably, the score held for the rest of the second period. And most of the third. Ross Colton created some late drama with a goal with 80 seconds left to make it a one-shot game. But Sean Monahan ended the game with an empty netter, MacKinnon got tossed for being angry about it, and Columbus left Colorado with a 6-4 win. Well done!
What’s Coming Up This Week: The Blue Jackets will return home and play their next four games in front of their home crowd. Three of those games will take place in this week. On Tuesday, they will take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. On Thursday, they will host Buffalo. On Saturday, they will have a rematch with Minnesota. Given Columbus’ desire to avoid a repeat of last season, taking results in two of these three games would be ideal. Especially over Buffalo, if only to show that they can get ahead of them to start.
Philadelphia Flyers
What Happened Last Week: The Philadelphia Flyers opened their season with their Western Canada/Washington road trip. Worse, they played back-to-back to open it up. On Friday night, they were in Vancouver. They pulled out the result. Nils Hoglander opened the scoring in the game but Tyson Foerster tied it up on a PPG late in the first period. Teddy Blueger put the Canucks up one in the second period but Cam York answered that early in the third period. The efforts were there but nothing was given by Samuel Ersson or Kevin Lankinen. A shootout was needed. A five-round shootout ended by Morgan Frost; giving Philly the 3-2 win. Then on Saturday night, they were in Calgary. They chased the game from early on and never really caught up. Jonathan Huberdeau opened the scoring with the first of his four points. MacKenzie Weegar doubled the lead with a PPG in the first period. Philly made it close in the second period. Travis Konecny scored a shorthanded goal. While Nazem Kadri added a PPG later on, Joel Farabee made it a one-goal game once more late in the first period. But the game got away from the Flyers late in the third period. Mikael Backlund and Huberdeau each scored within the final ten minutes. While Koncency scored a PPG late, it was effectively a consolation goal. One made further by a Kadri empty netter to secure a 6-3 loss for Philadelphia. Going to Western Canada is never easy. Moreso when it is the start of the season. Splitting the first two games is nothing to feel bad about here.
What’s Coming Up This Week: The Flyers will wrap up their trip in this coming week. I suppose there is merit to getting it out of the way first. They will visit Edmonton on Tuesday night. Their trip will end in Seattle on Thursday night. Neither will be easy games. The Flyers will finally have their home opener on Saturday night as they host Vancouver. Yes, Philly will be done with Vancouver right away. Which may be a good thing depending that they have a win over them already.
Pittsburgh Penguins
What Happened Last Week: The Pittsburgh Penguins opened up their season against the New York Rangers on national television on Wednesday night. The Penguins were hammered. Wrecked. Picked apart. They got rolled in the first period by Sam Carrick and a late pair of goals, one each from Alexis Lafreniere and Chris Kreider. The pain continued with further scores from Filip Chytil, Kreider shorthanded, and Vincent Trocheck. I did not write a Penguin’s name because they did not score. They ate a 6-0 loss. The Penguins would rebound quickly, though. They went to Detroit on Thursday night and Joel Blomqvist made his NHL debut in the net. Alex DeBrincat scored on him early. But the Penguins got going in response. Anthony Beauvillier tied it up later in that first period and he added a second goal early in the second period. Drew O’Connor and Marcus Pettersson scored within minutes later to put the Pens up 4-1. Vladimir Tarasenko cut into that lead in the second half the second period, but the Pens would maintain the 4-2 lead. Erik Karlsson would add to it with a PPG to make it 5-2. While DeBrincat cut the lead once more with a PPG later, Kevin Hayes put in a sixth goal to put the game more out of reach. And so the Pens won their first game, 6-3, over Detroit. Their week was not quite done yet. They had to go to Toronto on Saturday night. There, the Penguins went up first. Kris Letang converted a power play half-way through the first period. Toronto responded with the next three goals. William Nylander scored within the first minute of the second period; Matthew Knies scored shortly thereafter; and Mitch Marner made it 3-1 early in the third period. Pittsburgh did cut the deficit to one thanks to Rickard Rakell making the most of an Evgeni Malkin play that started with him stealing the puck. But it would not be enough. The Penguins could not tie it up and Nylander iced the game with an empty net goal. The Pens lost 4-2 to end their week at 1-2-0.
What’s Coming Up This Week: The Penguins will start their week in Canada and then return home. They will visit Montreal on Monday night. Then the Penguins will return to TNT on TV and home to play Buffalo. That should go better than the Rangers game on October 9. The Penguins will get a tougher test at home shortly after that. They will host Carolina on Friday night. Hopefully the Pens fans see some successes at home in this week coming up. If only because the Penguins are away in the following week.
New York Islanders
What Happened Last Week: One of the frustrations from last season’s campaign was the New York Islanders’ tendency to blow leads in the third period and turn wins into overtime or shootout losses. This frustration returned in their home opener to Utah last Thursday. A pair of PPGs in the first period kept it even and Barrett Hayton put Utah up in the second period. The third period saw the Isles re-take the lead only to lose it late. Bo Horvat tied it up early in the third and Jean-Gabriel Pageau put the Isles up 3-2 with a shorthanded goal. On that same power play, though, Dylan Guenther converted it to make it 3-3. Maxim Tsyplakov scored his first NHL goal with 2:07 left in the game. This lead lasted 13 seconds. Josh Doan rushed the net and beat Seymon Varlamov to make it 4-4. Brutal. And in overtime, Guenther finished an odd-man rush to hand the Isles a 5-4 OTL. Would the Isles rebound in Dallas on Saturday night? Not quite. The effort may have been there but the goals came from the Stars. Tyler Seguin put the Isles down one early and Jamie Benn put them two around halfway through regulation. The Isles could not solve Jake Oettinger. Seguin sealed up the shutout loss for the Isles with an empty netter, 3-0. Not the start the Isles faithful expected.
What’s Coming Up This Week: That game in Dallas began a three-game road trip that will end in this week. On Monday night, the Isles will be in Denver to play the Avalanche. They will then end their trip in St. Louis on Thursday night. At least the Isles will get time to travel and prepare for both games. The Islanders will return to Belmont on Saturday night to host Montreal. Hopefully for a better evening for the locals. Ideally without blowing a third period lead to hand the opposition points too.
Washington Capitals
What Happened Last Week: The Washington Capitals were the last to start their season within the Metropolitan Division. They were well-rested in hosting the New Jersey Devils. They opened up their season for the 50th time in franchise history. They even scored first. John Carlson scored the first PPG of the season for the Caps and the first PPG allowed by the Devils. But Seamus Casey torched Charlie Lindgren on a toe drag to tie it up. Then Paul Cotter tapped in a fine feed from Stefan Noesen at the crease. The Caps were down 2-1 entering intermission. They would make it 2-2 real fast thanks to Dylan Strome. Only for the Devils to hit back once again. Tomas Tatar and Cotter again scored to make it 4-2 going into the third period. The Capitals would make it a one-shot game early in the third thanks to Tom Wilson and a bunch of Devils below the goal line. That would be the extent of a Capital comeback. Jacob Markstrom and the Devils repelled all attempts. Dawson Mercer sealed up the game late with an empty net goal. Welcome to your 50th season, Capitals. Have a 5-3 loss. Alas.
What’s Coming Up This Week: The Capitals will get to stay in the area for the week coming up. They will host Las Vegas on Tuesday night and Dallas on Thursday night. Neither will be easy games but they could provide opportunities for the Capitals to tell the larger hockey world that they are not going to go away quietly. On Saturday, the Capitals will make the relatively short trip up to New Jersey to play the Devils again. I am sure they will want some revenge. And points.
Carolina Hurricanes
What Happened Last Week: The Carolina Hurricanes started their week with some bad news. They were set to play in Tampa Bay on Saturday night, but that game has been postponed due to actual hurricanes actually wrecking the state of Florida.. Details on rescheduling it have yet to be determined. This resulted in the Canes playing just one game; a home game against the Lightning. It did not go well. Jordan Staal opened the scoring in the game. Brayden Point tied it up with an early second period power play goal. Then Kucherov, who assisted Point’s equalizer, pulled the game away. Kucherov converted a power play in the third period to put the Canes down one. They pulled the goalie late – which led to Kucherov’s ENG. Carolina pulled the goalie once more and Kucherov did it again. His natural hat trick boosted the scoreline to a 4-1 loss for Carolina. Since the Capitals lost by two, the Canes end up at the bottom for this season’s first snapshot.
What’s Coming Up This Week: The Hurricanes will have three games coming up. They will have three days to prepare for the New Jersey Devils coming to the now-named Lenovo Center in Raleigh. The Canes will have a second inter-division game on Friday when they visit Pittsburgh. Both are opportunities to get themselves up at the expense of others. The trip to Pittsburgh is the first in a six-game road trip that will take them as far as Western Canada. That will be next week, though. The Canes will go to St. Louis on Saturday night before going further. Yes, their week will end with a back-to-back on the road. Not simple but I am sure they will not end up with zero points again.
That was the first Weekly Metropolitan Division Snapshot of the 2024-25 season. Now I want to know what you think. What will the division look like after this week coming up? Who is impressing you early on? Who do you think is in early trouble? Will the Devils repeat their first place finish by next week’s snapshot? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about the eight teams in the week that was and the week ahead in the comments. Thank you for reading.