New York Islanders Weekly Metropolitan Division Updates August 12, 2018

We know what’s going on with the New York Islanders to date, but what about the rest of the Metropolitan Division. What’s new with the other seven teams?

As we shift our focus towards the start of the New York Islanders 2018-19 season, we wanted to introduce a new feature. A weekly roundup of the other teams in the Metropolitan Division.

Every Sunday throughout the 2018-19 NHL season, we’ll update you on what’s going on around the Metropolitan Division. Any injuries you need to know about, any trades or signings, the two teams head to head record as well as how many games they have left to play.

We know what’s going on with the New York Islanders throughout the season, but what about the other seven teams the Islanders will be competing with for a playoff spot? Hopefully.

Washington Capitals

H2H vs Isles (17-18): 3-1-0

Aside from daily updates on where the Stanley Cup is now, there isn’t too much to report about the Washington Capitals. The last piece of big news out of Washington was the contract extension given to Tom Wilson.

Sure he’s a heart-and-soul guy in the Washington Capitals locker room, but the reason Wilson got a six-year $31 million deal was his 15 points in 20 playoff games. That’s fantastic production in the post-season, but $5.166 million for 35 points in the regular season is way too much.

Pittsburgh Penguins

H2H vs Isles (17-18): 1-1-2

Jake Guentzel is going into the last year of his entry level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s scored 33 and 48 points across his two NHL seasons, and added another 42 points across 37 playoff games.

How big of a raise will he get? If Tom Wilson got paid handsomly for a single good post-season, how will two affect Guentzel’s payday? If Brock Nelson is getting $4.25 for three years of ~40 point production and seven playoff points, Guentzel has to be in the $5 million range, no?

Philadelphia Flyers

H2H vs Isles (17-18): 1-3-0

The head-to-head would suggest that the Islanders dominated the Flyers last season. But only one game ended with a spread greater than one, and that was the single loss the Isles had. It was a 6-4 L at the start of January. The Flyers had no issues scoring as much as the Isles did.

In the offseason the Flyers forwards got even stronger with the addition of James van Riemsdyk. If they can get NHL average goalie play from Elliott or Neuvirth, look out. The series could easily swing the other way in 2018-19.

New York Rangers

H2H vs Isles (17-18): 0-4-0

Over the last three years the New York Islanders have lost to their crosstown rivals once. That’s eleven wins out of a possible twelve for the Islanders. With both teams in some form of a rebuild that 92 percent win ratio against the Rangers might not last.

New Jersey Devils

H2H vs Isles (17-18): 3-1-0

After riding Taylor Hall‘s coattails to the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs the New Jersey Devils did….nothing. They’ve added no-one to their roster this season. It took an MVP run from Hall to get them to the post-season, I doubt that happens again.

The plan for the Devils has to be: “We’ll be even better in 2018-19”. To be fair, they got the Isles number with three wins out of a possible four. Their young players looked good last season, and maybe one more year of growth is all they need.

Columbus Blue Jackets

H2H vs Isles (17-18): 3-1-0

Will Panarin stay or go? It seems he told the team he didn’t want to talk contract during the season, effectively giving GM Jarmo Kekkalainen very little time to re-sign his star player.

Getting a deal done would be a huge boost for the franchise. They already have one of the best goalies in the league and one of the best one-two on the blueline in the NHL with Seth Jones and Zack Werenski.

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Carolina Hurricanes

H2H vs Isles (17-18): 2-2-0

The Hurricanes were already an OK team last year, and then they went out and added the second overall pick in the 2018 draft, Dougie Hamilton, Calvin de Haan, and goalie Petr Mrazek. Carolina looks like it could make some noise in the Metro.

That is, assuming Petr Mrazek and Scott Darling can be an effective goaltending tandem. Cause if both continue their form from 2017-18 the Hurricanes will be looking at another top tier draft pick.