Obviously, our focus all year is on the Carolina Hurricanes. However, it's never too early to focus on what is going on around you. Sure, it's only October, about to be November, and the regular season doesn't end until April, but what happens now can affect what happens months from now. Just look at what has happened in the division already this season.
We saw one blockbuster trade in the division before the season began, and there has been one more since we started playing. To finish our coverage for the month, I want to go team by team within the Metropolitan Division to see how things look right now. I'll also give my judgment of who each team's MVP is, except for the Canes, because I've already covered that this weekend.
A season-opening losing streak has the Flyers playing from behind
The Flyers know something about fighting through adversity to make the playoffs. This feels like it's on a different level. They put themselves in this spot by losing a franchise-record nine consecutive games to begin the season (0-6-3), including a pair of losses to the Canes at home. Their first win kicked off a three-game winning streak, but they finished the month with three straight losses.
Now, they're sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with ten points (3-8-4). The bad far outweighs the good in Philadelphia. Their goaltending duo has struggled. Their offense is the only one in the league averaging fewer than two goals per game. There is still plenty of time for them to turn the ship around, but not if they keep playing like this.
Early MVP: Trevor Zegras has finally started producing, but Matvei Michkov is the only Flyer putting the puck in the back of the net regularly. He's responsible for just about one-third of the Flyers' goals this season (9 of 29). Michkov has been especially dangerous on the power play, sitting tied for third in the league with five.
For a team stuck in limbo, the Blue Jackets remain aimless
Trading Kirill Marchenko before the season began has done a number on the Blue Jackets' offense through the first month. They have the second-fewest goals per game in the conference, ahead of only the Flyers. Zach Werenski hasn't found the back of the net yet, though he has ten assists, so he's finding ways to contribute while playing massive minutes.
Their current position isn't necessarily bad, especially since they've only played 12 games, tied for the fewest in the league. The Blue Jackets are one good run away from getting back into the fold. They might need to get all of their games to overtime. Columbus has won four of their five games in extra time and are yet to lose. It's not a sustainable strategy, but whatever gets them two points.
Early MVP: Of the eight teams in the division, this might be the only surprise MVP. Kent Johnson has been outstanding to begin the year. He's atop the team in goals (7) and points (12), and I'm not sure anyone expected that to be the case with Werenski on the roster. He's a restricted free agent at the end of the season, and he's making a case to get paid.
Last year's magic doesn't seem to be there for the Penguins
The doubters who said that last year was an anomaly for the Penguins are probably smiling right now. While no one is ever truly out of the race in the Eastern Conference this early in the season, the Penguins sit right behind most of the field. Sidney Crosby hasn't been very Crosby-like thus far, with just ten points in 14 games, but I wouldn't dare let him get hot.
One early issue has been their inability to win games away from Pittsburgh. They beat the Flyers 7-0 in Philadelphia to open the season. Since then, they've lost seven straight contests on the road. Worst yet? They've allowed at least five goals in six of those seven losses. Wiping that blowout win away, they've been outscored 33-20 during their road losing streak.
Early MVP: I took Evgeni Malkin under serious consideration, though I landed on Erik Karlsson. The Penguins' star defender continues to find ways to be productive, leading the Penguins with 16 points after closing October with a three-point performance. He's still playing heavy minutes at 36 years old. Karlsson keeps getting it done, and it could make him valuable if the Penguins think of trading him.
Deflating early-season injury news hasn't deterred the Rangers
If you thought the Rangers' season was over when Igor Shesterkin was ruled out for the season, I wouldn't blame you. The former Vezina Trophy winner is as sure a goalie as you'll get, and he showed that in his starts before his injury. Dylan Garand was forced into a very tough spot, and he's doing what he can to keep the Rangers in the fight.
The Rangers are stuck in that early logjam behind the Canes. They'll need Garand and a returning Joonas Korpisalo to keep things in check for them. The offense needs to be a little better, too. They're in the middle of the league in goals per game and on the power play. Adam Fox has been a great facilitator (16 assists). The rest of the team needs to start lighting the lamp.
Early MVP: We've seen some great things during his career, but it feels like Alexis Lafreniere is really finding his game. He leads the Rangers in goals (9) and is second to Fox in points (16). Lafreniere tied his career high with 57 points last year. He's well on pace to best that this season, and the Rangers will need that all year to stay in the hunt.
Count out the Islanders at your own peril
The Islanders are back to being a defensive juggernaut. You can usually count on that being the case, too. They're just behind the Canes in goals allowed per game, sitting fifth in the league. They're also fifth on the penalty kill, squashing 86 percent of their opponents' power plays. In their first full season under Peter DeBoer, their identity remains the same.
How successful they are will boil down to whether or not their offense can be just as potent. They're a Top 5 defense, but they're also in the lower portion of the league in scoring. Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov will keep them in most games. Can their offense back them? That will be something to watch over the next month, especially when the Canes visit Long Island.
Early MVP: There are plenty of worthy candidates, especially Sorokin and new captain Bo Horvat. I'm going with Matthew Schaefer. You might've heard of him. He just won the Calder Trophy unanimously, and he has picked up where he left off. He is tied with Horvat in points (14) and is near the top of the league among all defensemen. Schaefer continues to be a massive problem.
The new guys have fit in nicely for the Capitals
Getting to a new team and acclimating immediately is not an easy thing to do. The Capitals were declared the league's offseason winners by many after adding Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou to their roster. Tuch has taken off since the drop of the puck, scoring twice in their opener against the Canes. Kyrou's start was a bit slower, but he has nine points over his last six games.
The same can't be said for some of the Capitals' established stars. Alex Ovechkin, who announced that this will be his last season, has just one goal. Tom Wilson hasn't recorded a point in eight games and has just five. Aliaksei Protas only has five points, too. Logan Thompson hasn't been as sharp. They're finding ways to win, ending the month on a three-game winning streak, so they should be fine.
Early MVP: I've already talked about him, and the answer is Alex Tuch. Since his two-goal opener in Raleigh, Tuch hasn't stopped scoring in bunches. He closed the month with seven goals in six games, including goals in three straight games. Tuch has already reached double digits, tying him for fourth in the league. 40 goals might not be completely unreasonable.
Hellebuyck's arrival makes the Devils a threat for the division crown
The Rangers got tough news about their goalie. The Devils went out and actively improved theirs, bringing in the disgruntled Connor Hellebuyck from the Jets. They gave up quite a bit to get him, but they beat out several teams, including the Hurricanes, to bring in the former MVP. With one trade, the Devils immediately made themselves into legitimate contenders.
Hellebuyck has won both of his starts as a Devil, and the team around him is playing pretty well, too. They won five of their final six games, including two of three against some of the West's best during a road trip during the week. There is still plenty to work on, especially their special teams, which both rank in the bottom third of the NHL.
Early MVP: It isn't much of a surprise that Jack Hughes is playing outstanding hockey. He's third on the team in goals (6) and leads the way with 16 points. Hughes has a clutch gene in him that few in the league have. We saw that on full display during the Olympics in February. If he stays healthy, Hughes will be a 100-point scorer.
The Hurricanes showed that the division still runs through them
I've talked about the Hurricanes' month ad nauseam over the last few days, so you should be well-versed in how great things are going for the Canes right now. Despite some major injuries to the group throughout the month, Carolina is the best team in the league in wins (11) and points (24) at the end of the month. Just about everything is rolling in the right direction for them.
The road won't get any easier for them in November, even with a slightly lighter schedule. They have a trip to Finland to look forward to, as well as a few visits to Madison Square Garden to face the Rangers. If the team can stay healthy and keep up their great start, there's no reason that we shouldn't be saying a lot of the same things in 30 days' time.
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