The New Jersey Devils are rolling. They have grabbed control of the Metropolitan Division with an incredible start to the season, including a 12 game win streak that they’ll look to extend tonight. My last look at the Devils was on September 21, during the preseason, where we saw reason to proclaim the Devils as the best dark horse contender of the 22/23 season. Let’s take a closer look at how the Devils have taken the NHL by storm.
Analysis
Metropolitan Division Snapshot: November 20, 2022
Today we’re checking in on the Metropolitan Division. Our last snapshot was in late October, just a couple of weeks into the season. Some teams have separated themselves from the pack since then and we have a more significant sample size of games played this season.
Team Synopsis: Los Angeles Kings – November 14, 2022
The Los Angeles Kings got off to a wild start to the season, participating in a number of high scoring affairs early on. They’ve settled into a groove more recently and head into Monday’s divisional matchup with the Calgary Flames on a four game win streak and have points in seven of their last eight games.
Pacific Division Snapshot: November 13, 2022
Our last Pacific Division Snapshot was taken in late October with just a couple of weeks of regular season action in the books. A few weeks later, we’re starting to get a much better picture of how teams are performing this season.
Team Synopsis: Buffalo Sabres – November 7, 2022
The vibes in upstate New York are impeccable. The Buffalo Sabres are off to a strong start and are playing an entertaining brand of hockey. It’s a big change since my last check-in on the Sabres in late August. They had a relatively quiet offseason and looked set to occupy a spot at the bottom of the Atlantic Division once again this season. Let’s take a look at how the vibes have done a 180 over the first month of the season.
Atlantic Division Snapshot: November 6, 2022
The vibes in Buffalo are off the charts. The vibes in Toronto are decidedly not. A lot has happened in the Atlantic Division since our last snapshot in mid-October, only about a week into the new season. Let’s dig in.
Team Synopsis: Dallas Stars – October 31, 2022
The Dallas Stars are off to a strong start to the 2022-2023 season. They’re tied with the Jets atop the Central Division standings as October draws to a close. I last checked in on the Stars in early September, ahead of training camp. At the time, the Stars looked stuck in mediocrity and were likely set to do battle for a wild card spot this season. With a few regular season games in the books, it’s time for an update.
Central Division Snapshot: October 30, 2022
While we’re getting a better idea of long term trends, there’s still room for early puck luck to mask long term indicators. So, which teams’ early results are for real and which teams are masquerading as something they aren’t?
Metropolitan Division Snapshot: October 24, 2022
Let’s take a look through the updated Metropolitan Division projected standings along with a look at early season trends for each team, with actual data for games played through October 22.
Pacific Division Snapshot: October 23, 2022
In our last Pacific Division Snapshot, we looked at how the landscape was shaping up during training camp. With two weeks of regular season games in the books, we’re starting to see if teams are performing how we expected. Sample sizes are still small though and while some early performances are sustainable, it’s far from a universal truth.