What is the Toughest Division in the NHL?
- Feb 2, 2017
- 3 min read
For the past there has been an ongoing argument on which is the toughest division in the NHL. Now with the all-star game coming to a close over the weekend, with the Metropolitan winning the whole thing. I will be telling you, in my opinion, which the toughest division is. Let’s start with the weakest division, the Pacific Division being the weakest. Now the reason they are the weakest is that they have been labeled as the weakest for years and that some of these teams are rarely able to reach 60 points by the all-star break. This year 3 teams reached the 60 point mark (the San Jose Sharks, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Anaheim Ducks). Now the Kings may have won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, but that’s it. They have had early playoff exits the last 2 years. This is the Edmonton Oilers best year since the 2005-2006 season, which was their last Conference Championship. This is the San Jose Sharks second season at the top of their division (last year was their first). The Sharks were able to reach the Cup last year, but lost to the Penguins in 6 games.
The second weakest team is the Atlantic Division. This division has teams that have not seen the cup final since 1993. This division also has some of the brightest stars playing this game now, but these kids are not great enough to carry their team all the way to the cup, and it probably won’t happen anytime soon. The best team right now is the Montreal Canadiens who is standing at 65 points, but this team always chokes in the playoffs, and not to mention that the Canadians have built their team around Carrey Price. The second best team in the Atlantic Division is the Ottawa Senators who are standing at 58 points. The Senators have not seen the Stanley Cup finals since 2006-2007, which the lost to the Anaheim Ducks in 5 games.
The second best division in the NHL is the Central Division. The reason that they are ranked here is that this division has been considered this good for a while now having powerhouse teams like the Minnesota Wild, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Nashville Predators and the St. Louis Blues. Just look at the Blackhawks who have won the Stanley Cup 3 times since 2010. Lets also look at the best team in this division, the Wild who have 74 points. This team has not seen the Cup final since the 2002-03 season, but have never won a Stanley Cup. The Nashville Predators have always been a threat but never making it to the Cup Final.
Now, the toughest division in the NHL is the Metropolitan Division. This division has been a very tough division for a while now consisting of the New York Rangers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Washington Capitals and the rise of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Let’s start with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins have reached the cup final 3 times since 2008 winning it twice, with a Stanley Cup last year. This team has players like Sidney Crosby, (Conn Smythe winner last year), Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel. Right now the Penguins are 3rd in the Metro with 67 points. Now onto the New York Rangers. The Rangers have always been a threat for years with players like Henrik Lundqvist, Derek Stepan, newly acquired Mika Zibanejad and their captain Ryan McDonagh. The Rangers saw the Cup final last in 2014 when they lost to the Los Angeles Kings in 5 games. The Rangers last won the cup in 1994 under Mark Messier. Now onto the Washington Capitals. The Capitals have always been a threat in the regular season, but never in the playoffs. The Capitals have been led by their captain Alex Ovechkin who would always score 50 goals in his past 3 years. The Capitals right now are in 1st in the Metro sitting at 74 points. Now onto the newest threat, not only to the Metropolitan Division, but to the entire NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets. This team came out of the gate winning 16 games in a row to have one of the best streaks in the entire sports world (they were one win away from tying the best at 17 games.)
So that is, in my opinion, the best and toughest divisions ranked in the NHL from the Pacific being the worst and the Metropolitan being the best.
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