Columbus Blue Jackets Minding the Metro: Jackets on Top
The Columbus Blue Jackets sit on top of the Metro Division with 33 points.
It’s November 29th and the Columbus Blue Jackets sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division. Due to the schedule they will remain their until at least December 1st with no Metro teams that could pass the CBJ playing today or tomorrow.
With their 16-8-1 record the Jackets sit one point above the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders. Both teams from the New York metro region are surprising the division as their solid play continues past Thanksgiving. Both the Islanders and Devils have a game in hand on the Blue Jackets.
The Jackets are 4-2-0 currently against fellow Metropolitan Division opponents. Starting on Saturday December 2nd, they will play five metro opponents in seven days including two against the Devils and one against the Islanders. These games will go a long way towards cementing a spot in the playoffs and a possible division championship.
Sitting right outside the top three spots are familiar faces. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals both have 29 points and occupy the two Eastern Conference wild card spots. The Jackets will face the Washington Capitals for the first time this year on Saturday.
Behind those two teams sit the New York Rangers with 28 points and the Carolina Hurricanes with 25 points. The Canes have played the second fewest games in the NHL though so they have some time to rack up some points.
The Metro is so good this year that every team in the metro would be in the top three of the Atlantic Division right now. Except for the Philadelphia Flyers who have came crashing down to earth after a good start. The Flyers only have 23 points and are last in the division. If they were in the Atlantic thought they would be in fourth place.