The Washington Capitals catching the Carolina Hurricanes might be the least chaotic outcome in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division next season.
With NHL training camp and preseason action beginning in a month, Yardbarker is previewing storylines involving each division this week.
Chaos reigns supreme outside of Carolina and Washington
The NHL’s Metropolitan Division runs through Carolina and Washington.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Canes at -900 to make the playoffs, the best odds in the NHL. Even when the Hurricanes ran into their annual playoff wall, they never labored into the playoffs. The Capitals are picked to finish a distant second in the Metropolitan Division (-310 to make the playoffs).
Still, the defending Stanley Cup champion has declined in points in each of the last four seasons. Florida (twice), Vegas and Colorado all saw an average decline in total points by an average of 12.25 points over an 82-game season. As a result, there are questions about who wins the division.
Barring something catastrophic, there’s little question about who will finish in the top two spots. Even if Carolina holds off the Capitals, Washington made massive offseason acquisitions in what appears to be a “Last Dance” for future Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin.
