The Top of the Metropolitan Division is Tight and All Four Teams Have Legitimate Claims to the Division Crown

With the top four in the Metropolitan separating themselves from the rest of the pack, it's starting to feel like an epic battle to reach the top is incoming.

Oct 29, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck as New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) defends in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Oct 29, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck as New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) defends in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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Carolina Hurricanes

For a team who lost several key players during the offseason, there were concerns about how the Hurricanes would keep up with the rest of the division. In typical Carolina fashion, they've silenced their critics. Guided by an eight-game win streak, the Hurricanes have gotten contributions from their entire lineup to begin the season, especially their newest signees. Jack Roslovic paces the team with nine goals, Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker have stepped in to form a strong second pair, and Eric Robinson has been an under-the-radar addition.

The real story for the Hurricanes has been Martin Necas. Riding a ten-game point streak, Necas is tied for third in the league with 24 points, as of Wednesday. He has overshadowed the starts of other All-Stars Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, who are playing at a point-per-game pace, too. Necas has turned into a game-changer after an offseason that featured rampant speculation that he would be traded. I bet the Hurricanes are glad they kept him around.

Why They Could Win the Metro- Regular season success hasn't been the issue under Rod Brind'Amour. Since he took the helm in 2018, the Canes have reached the postseason every year, including three straight division titles from 2021 to 2023. Right now, they're one of the hottest teams in the league and while it would be ignorant to expect them to continue at their current pace, there doesn't appear to be a limit for this group. The real test will come if they make the postseason and try to get over the hump.