by Aleena Khan

The 2022-2023 hockey season has been a crazy ride for many local hockey fans. The New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils have have all had their ups and downs this season and are all battling for playoff spots. Currently, the NJ Devils are in 2nd p[lace in the Metropolitan division with the Rangers following close behind in 3rd place. Meanwhile, the Islanders, who have struggled as of late, are in 6th place and fighting for the final playoff spot. 

When the season first started, the Devils were not expected to be a playoff team – this is not the case. The NJ Devils started their season off well and have kept it up. Although their team is so young, they persevered and, at one point, reeled off 13 consecutive victories. This streak came to an end after losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to Thanksgiving. The Devils have cooled off a bit since then but still firmly remain in playoff position.

The New York Rangers had a rocky start to the ‘22-’23 hockey season but quickly made a comeback. The Rangers won 7 in a row before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on December 20 . The Rangers led in the the game but the Penguins stormed back to end the Rangers’ winning streak. Although the Rangers have been inconsistent at times, they are still on track to make the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The New York Islanders have not fared as well as the two other local teams. They currently sit in 6th place in the division and are 3rd in the Wild Card standings The New York Islanders can stilly make the playoffs but it will be tough.

The 2022-2023 hockey season has been quite a ride for many local fans.The standings are constantly changing and we never know which teams are Stanley Cup ready. Which team do you think will be a Stanley Cup Playoff contender? Will any of the local teams make a run for the Cup? We’ll find out in the spring…