As the 2023-24 NHL season turns the corner heading into January, one of three things usually happens as we separate the contenders, pretenders, and teams on the fence. Either:
- Teams figure out their identity and they plow forward towards a playoff spot;
- General managers scramble to find the missing pieces to make a run, or;
- Teams start to book their flights and hotel rooms for Las Vegas in time for late June’s draft.
Going forward through the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in April, this series of articles will feature the contenders, pretenders, and NHL teams on the fence for the playoffs. (These are based on standings as of January 10.)
Let’s begin January’s edition of NHL contenders, pretenders, and teams on the fence in the Atlantic Division.
Atlantic Division
Embed from Getty ImagesContenders: Boston, Florida, and Toronto.
Pretenders: Montreal, Buffalo, and Ottawa.
Teams on the Fence: Tampa Bay and Detroit.
Following the historic regular season run and subsequent playoff flop, pundits expected a step back from the Boston Bruins this season. While they aren’t quite on the same pace as last season, the Bruins have been in first place in the Atlantic Division for most of this season. They have yet to lose their 10th regulation game. (It’s January 10th.) The Florida Panthers – the team who represented the Eastern Conference last season’s Stanley Cup Final – are two points behind the Bruins. Paul Maurice’s squad is proving last season was not a fluke. The Toronto Maple Leafs are five points back of the Panthers and are winners of their last four games.
As of this writing, the Tampa Bay Lightning occupy the last Wild Card spot. They held it together while Andrei Vasilevskiy was recovering from back surgery. I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to overtake Toronto for third in the Atlantic. Detroit was considered a dark horse to make the playoffs this season and they are in the hunt with 44 points, two behind Tampa Bay. Montreal is at least a season away from being a playoff contender, but are six points back of the final Wild Card spot. Buffalo and Ottawa – as of now – should pack their bags for Las Vegas at this point in the season.
Metropolitan Division
Embed from Getty ImagesContenders: New York Rangers, Carolina, and Philadelphia.
Pretenders: Columbus.
Teams on the Fence: New York Islanders, New Jersey, Washington, and Pittsburgh.
The Metropolitan Division is arguably the toughest division in the NHL and seven of the eight teams in the division are in the hunt for the playoffs. Peter Laviolette has the New York Rangers off to a hot start and haven’t looked back as they occupy the top spot in the division. Hot on their heels and five points back is last season’s division winner, Carolina. Three points back of the Hurricanes are the Philadelphia Flyers. Yes, you read that right: John Tortorella’s Flyers currently sit in third place in the Metro. If you had the Flyers in third place in the Metro at this point of the season’s bingo card, I have the right to call you a liar.
Except for Columbus, the remaining teams in the Metro are having a crab pot fight to grasp the final two Wild Card spots. The Islanders gritted their way into a Wild Card berth last season; they’re in position to possibly do it again this season. New Jersey is battling injuries and bad goaltending – two things they didn’t have to battle last season. Washington and Pittsburgh have plenty of experience; now it’s up to the youth of the team to step up and contribute. Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby can’t carry their respective teams by themselves. Columbus is in a rebuilding year; I don’t see them going to the playoffs, but sports can be weird, so stay tuned.
Central Division
Embed from Getty ImagesContenders: Winnipeg, Colorado, Dallas.
Pretenders: Chicago, Minnesota.
Teams on the Fence: Nashville, Arizona, St. Louis.
Last season, the Winnipeg Jets scratched and clawed their way into the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. What a difference a season makes! As of this writing, the Jets are the top team in the league with 58 points.* Following head coach Rick Bowness going on personal leave in October, the team rallied around assistant coach Scott Arniel. Like Boston, they have yet to lose their tenth game this season. (Again, it’s January 10th.) The Jets have been a wagon since. Colorado and Dallas aren’t far behind the Jets, though. The Avalanche are three points behind Winnipeg and the Stars have 51 points.
Nashville was in the hunt for a Wild Card spot last season; the Predators currently own the first Wild Card spot in the West. Hot on their heels, though, is the Arizona Coyotes. With 42 points, they seem to be putting it together with a young, scrappy squad. (Now if they can only sell out Mullett Arena…) St. Louis is also in the hunt just a point behind Arizona. Meanwhile, it’s a long, dark Winter in Chicago and Minnesota. The Blackhawks are literally the skating dead with a large portion of their roster on IR. The Wild, meanwhile, have wildly fallen far the map, yet are six points off the pace for the final Wild Card spot in the West.
(*As a New York Jets fan, it pained me to write this sentence. At least one team named the Jets is doing well this season.)
Pacific Division
Embed from Getty ImagesContenders: Vancouver, Vegas, Los Angeles.
Pretenders: San Jose, Anaheim, Calgary.
Teams on the Fence: Edmonton, Seattle.
Like the Philadelphia Flyers, no one had the Vancouver Canucks in first place in the Pacific Division at the turn this season. (And if you did, you’re a liar.) What’s been the difference for Rick Tocchett’s team this season compared to last? The Canucks are healthy. The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights aren’t far off the pace from last season. Los Angeles are the Kings of the road, starting the season with a now-league record 11 consecutive road wins. At home, however, they’re not great. One advantage is they do have four games (37 GP) on Vancouver (41 GP), so they can get back in the race for first place with a nice run.
At the beginning of the season, pundits worried about the Edmonton Oilers. After a 3-9-1 start, the Oilers fired Jay Woodcroft. Since promoting Kris Knoblauch to head coach, they are 18-6 and are currently on an eight-game heater. They’re closing in on Los Angeles and Vegas in the Pacific Division standings. Not that far behind is Seattle; the Kraken are on a seven-game heater after a 10-14-9 start. Last year’s surprise Stanley Cup Playoff team is starting to creep up in the standings. Calgary is two points off the pace in the Wild Card race, but there are rumblings of a fire sale coming soon. (Tell me you’re in a rebuild without telling me you’re in a rebuild.) Did someone tell Anaheim and San Jose that they picked the wrong season to tank?
Check back next month for what I hope will be an updated list of NHL Contenders, Pretenders, and Teams on the Fence.
