As the new year begins and the trade deadline stands a month and a half away, now is the time for teams to make a move in the playoff race.
This week was heavy-set in news from across the Metropolitan Division. Good news locally, too, as the Blue Jackets snapped a five-game road losing skid with a 2-1 win in Dallas. Their road trip continues tonight in Denver.
Here are the main storylines from hockey's wildest division:
Kreider Out Indefinitely
New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider will miss an indefinite amount of time after being diagnosed with a blood clot following the Rangers' game on Dec. 27. He was pulled early from the 1-0 win over the Washington Capitals.
According to the Rangers, Kreider's symptoms upon leaving the game were consistent with those associated with a blood clot.– ESPN
Kreider has 22 points through 37 games this season with the Rangers.
No Longer a Darling
You can always bank on two things being wildly inconsistent in the Metropolitan this season. The Philadelphia Flyers (we'll get to them later), and Scott Darling's play in net for the Carolina Hurricanes.
When the game is afoot for Darling he's been a stud, stopping 95% or more of the pucks flung his way on six different occasions this season. But his overall save percentage stands at a meager .896, which isn't going to get it done.
Now his back-up, Cam Ward, has overtaken him for the featured role in the Hurricanes' net.
Since being named the man, Ward has earned his keep, going 4-0-1 with a save percentage of .922.
Tanger an Option
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Penguins appear open to the possibility of trading star defenseman Kris Letang.
Letang's contract, which has four years remaining on it, includes a modified no-trade clause that will limit his number of potential destinations to those he approves of. This is a huge name now on the trade market, and several teams will surely be calling Penguins GM Jim Rutherford.
Reasons for considering a trade include opening up cap space and Letang's injury history, although it appears it would take a high price to remove him from the squad midseason.
Deal with the Devil
The New Jersey Devils acquired goaltender Eddie Lack from the Calgary Flames this week in exchange for defenseman and former Blue Jacket Dalton Prout.
Prout has played 242 career NHL games with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Devils. He has appeared in four games with the Devils this season, accumulating 13 penalty minutes. Lack was 1-2-0 with a 5.29 goals-against average in four games for the Flames this season. He's 55-53-18 with a 2.60 GAA in 140 NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes and Flames. – Associated Press
Consistent Inconsistency
Go winless for 10 in a row, win the next six. Drop a game to a sub-.500 team, follow it up with a win over arguable the NHL's best. Such has been life for the Philadelphia Flyers this season, who may be last in the Metropolitan, but remain just four points out of a playoff spot.
The Flyers are easily the most enigmatic team in the city and in the NHL.– Joseph Santoliquito, PhillyVoice
A quick glance at the stat sheet would tell you something that could help the Flyers is some added depth on the wing, as only two players at either left or right wing have scored north of 20 points this season, and only three have double digits in that column.
Ovie Hits a Milestone
Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals scored his 100th game-winning goal against the Hurricanes Tuesday, a franchise record.
The goal was his league-leading 26th of the season.
Aho Makes His NHL Debut
New York Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho saw NHL action for the first time in his young hockey career against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. He fired two shots in nearly 16 minutes on the ice.
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