With the Olympic break behind us and a shiny Gold Medal in America's trophy case, it's time for the NHL to dive back into the action. As we gear up for the sprint to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Columbus Blue Jackets have their eyes set on Thursday's matchup against the Boston Bruins. But before that, Wednesday night will feature eight games that could shake up the standings, especially with the Devils, Capitals, and Flyers hitting the ice.
Here's a snapshot of where things stand in the Metropolitan Division:
Metropolitan Division Standings
Carolina Hurricanes: 36-15-6, 78 Points (8-0-2 in Last 10, Won 3 Straight) 2.
Pittsburgh Penguins: 29-15-12, 70 Points (7-1-2 in Last 10, Won 1) 3.
New York Islanders: 32-21-5, 69 Points (6-4-0 in Last 10, Won 2) 4.
Columbus Blue Jackets: 29-20-7, 65 Points (9-1-0 in Last 10, Won 7) 5.
Washington Capitals: 29-23-7, 65 Points (5-4-1 in Last 10, Won 1) 6.
Philadelphia Flyers: 25-20-11, 61 Points (3-4-3 in Last 10, OTL 1) 7.
New Jersey Devils: 28-27-2, 58 Points (4-6-0 in Last 10, Lost 3 Straight) 8.
New York Rangers: 22-29-6, 50 Points (2-8-0 in Last 10, Lost 4)
Wild Card Standings
Atlantic
- Tampa Bay Lightning: 78 Points
- Montreal Canadiens: 70 Points
- Detroit Red Wings: 72 Points
Metro
- Carolina Hurricanes: 78 Points
- Pittsburgh Penguins: 70 Points
- New York Islanders: 69 Points
Wild Card 1.
Buffalo Sabres: 70 Points 2.
Boston Bruins: 69 Points 3.
Columbus Blue Jackets: 65 Points 4.
Washington Capitals: 65 Points 5.
Ottawa Senators: 63 Points 6.
Toronto Maple Leafs: 63 Points 7.
Philadelphia Flyers: 61 Points 8.
Florida Panthers: 61 Points
The Blue Jackets are prepping for a busy stretch, with 17 games crammed into March. Thankfully, nine of these contests will unfold on home ice, offering a slight edge.
As the trade deadline looms, all eyes are on Don Waddell. With just five games to go before decisions must be made, the question remains: Will he buy or hold steady?
Signs suggest he's not selling, which is music to fans' ears. However, improving the roster might require some unexpected moves.
The action resumes for Columbus against the Boston Bruins on February 26th at 7 p.m. It's time to buckle up for a thrilling ride to the playoffs.