Merely a month ago, the Metropolitan Division odds looked very different. Yet, unlike the Atlantic Division’s leader, the New York Rangers had a rough January, which has opened the door for another team. That would be none other than the Carolina Hurricanes, who finished atop the Metro the past two seasons.
New York’s slump has kept a few other teams within striking distance too. What was the least competitive division race when 2023 ended is suddenly a dead heat. Check out the Metropolitan Division odds before the final stretch of the season gets underway.
Metropolitan Division Odds Entering the Second Half
| Carolina Hurricanes (-105) | New York Rangers (+120) |
| Pittsburgh Penguins (+1800) | New Jersey Devils (+2500) |
| Philadelphia Flyers (+5000) | New York Islanders (+8000) |
| Washington Capitals (+13000) | Columbus Blue Jackets (+50000) |
| *Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook | |
Favorite: Carolina Hurricanes (28-15-5; 61 Points; Odds to Win Division: -105)
An 8-2-1 January, capped by a three-game winning streak before the All-Star break, has Carolina favored to win the Metropolitan Division again. After a slow start (by their standards), the Hurricanes are two points behind the Rangers for the lead. They have one game in hand, so it could very quickly become a tie at the top.
Carolina has dominant special teams, ranking as a top-five power play and penalty kill this season. They’ve stabilized defensively, climbing to 12th in goals against average. The Hurricanes are 10th in goals per game. With 34 games remaining, Carolina controls their Metropolitan Division fate.
Contender: New York Rangers (30-16-3; 63 Points; Odds to Win Division: +120)
Most teams would be thrilled to have a division lead this late into the season. However, the Blueshirts limped through January (5-7-2), squandering the seven-point lead (with two games in hand) that they had entering the month. Fittingly, New York’s January began with a 6-1 loss to the Hurricanes, who chased them down.
The Rangers also thrive on special teams, using the NHL’s third-best power play to score the 12th-most goals per game. New York is ninth in penalty killing and allows the ninth-fewest goals per contest. Supported by one of the league’s best goaltending duos and superstar Artemi Panarin, this team has a mission in the second half to reclaim the Metropolitan Division crown. Fortunately, they also have control of where they finish in the division standings, even if the current Metropolitan Division odds don’t reflect that.
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Follow Andre on Twitter at @TowerTalkSports. You can also reach out to Andre Ifill via email at andre.ifill.jr@gmail.com. For Andre’s hockey talk, listen to this podcast every weekday. Andre also discusses the NFL, NBA, and MLB here. You can read and follow Andre’s betting picks at Winners and Whiners or read more of his stuff here on Total Apex Sports. He has spent years writing, talking, and picking sports professionally at the highest level.
