Los Angeles – The Hockey teams of the Metropolitan Division reflect in many respects the cities in which the teams play. The metro is filled with historical monuments and national treasures. Ok, not from America, but that of Canada and Russia. It is filled with franchises that try to stick to the past or return to their glory days. Old teams trying to rebuild and young teams who try to make their own history. Like many of his cities, the metropolitan is in transition.1. New York Rangers -The New York Rangers season 2024-25 was a disaster. 2025-26 will not be for many reasons. The Rangers shot head coach Peter Laviolette and hired Stanley Cup champion and the American Olympic coach Mike Sullivan twice. Sullivan will motivate this under -performing team. Sullivan has not worked with good goal congregation in years. Now he has one of the best in the game (Igor Shesterkin) and a future Hall of Famer (Jonathan Quick). Sullivan has not coached any defenders who actually defend for half a decade. The Top couple of New Yorks includes newly acquired Vladislav Gavrikov Gavrikov is underestimated. He is a steadfast one on the backend and will help Adam Fox overestimate. The 2nd pair of Carson Soucy of New York and Will Borgen are Defense First Blue Liners. The Rangers Top 2 Centers are the duo of Vincent Trocheck and JT Miller. Trocheck and Miller are children who play and en enforce Sullivan style hockey. Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad will flourish in the new up -tempo style of the blues shirts.
2. New Jersey Devils – The New Jersey Devils are ready to have a huge season. They traveled in the play -offs last season. Jack Hughes is healthy. Hughes’ scoring Flash and the complete game by Nico Hischier give the Devils a deadly 1-2 combination in the middle. Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier his elite scoring wing players. Ondrej Palat and Dawson Mercer give the Devils enough secondary score. Dougie Hamilton is healthy. Hamilton is a big boost for the Blueline. Brett Pesce, Jonas Siegenthal and the rest of the defensive core are stable. Hamilton gives them an attacking dynamic. Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen are one of the better batteries of the goalkeeper in the competition. Markstrom is a top 10 goalkeeper. Allen is a topback up.
3. Carolina Hurricanes – The Carolina Hurricanes will make the play -offs again this season. They may win a round, but then eventually lose from a more talented team. Rod Brind ‘Amour’s teams play hard, but are always a cut below. Number 1 Center Sebastian Aho is a star but not superstar. Most Carolina attackers become 1 sport on the ladder higher than they should be. The Carolina Blueline is anchored by All-World Jacob Slavin. Lavin’s partner Jalen Chatfield is a star in the making. The Canes hope that a change in the landscape can breathe new life into the once promising career of K’andre Miller. Carolina’s goalkeepers Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov never win a big game.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets – The Columbus Blue Jackets had a remarkably successful season last year. The tragic death of Johnny Gaudreau brought the team together and delivered positive effects. Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Dmitri Voronkov and Kent Johnson Leiden
Impressive young core of attackers. Sean Monahan, Boone Jenner and Charlie Coyle will offer leadership in advance. Mathieu Olivier and Miles Wood offer toughness. Norris Trophy finalist Zach Werenski leads an unmamified group of defenders. Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves make a beautiful goal congregation tandem. Head coach Dean Eavson performed a masterful job last season. Let’s see how he does with a team with expectations.
5. Washington Capitals – The Capitals of Washington shocked the hockey world for the last time by winning the Metropolitan Division. Spencer Carbery won the Jack Adams Award as the best coach of the NHL. Alex Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s goals of all time record. The capitals became without steam at the end of last season. The capitals seem to be destined to take a dip this year. Last season OVI played 5 years ago as OVI. Will get older and nothing to chase influences him this season. Tom Wilson did not play as terrible Tommy from 5 years ago. Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael come into their own. They are both large and competent. Can Dylan Strome play great for 2 years in a row? Pierre- Luc Dubois won’t. Jacob Chychrun is the leader of the Blueline. He finally found a home and plays to the level that is always expected of him. John Carlson is aging but still effectively in fewer minutes. The rest of the defense is sufficient. Targetmen Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren were fantastic last season. They can both stand on top of their games for 2 seasons.
6. New York Islanders – The New York Islanders fade. Mathew Barzal has not become the superstar he should be. Bo Horvat has not been Vancouver Horvat. JG Pageau has not been Ottawa Pageau. Otherwise Lee, Jonathan Drouin and Kyle Palmieri do not show their age, but are old. The fishermen exchanged their best defender Noah Dobson. They still have the well -worn experienced pair of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock. Brilliant network Ilya Sororkin will hold Patrick Roy’s team in more competitions than they should be.
7. Pittsburgh Penguins – The Pittsburgh penguins slowly rebuild. Dan Muse is the new head coach that Mike Sullivan replaces. 3 Time Stanley Cup champion and 1st Ballot Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin remain. 2 Time Cup winner Bryan Rust does that too. If Rest and Veteran Winger Rickard Rackell are not traded, the Penguins have a powerful attack. Young Forwards Rutger McGroarty, Ville KoiVunen, Phillip Tomasino and Tommy Novak will compete for playing time with a large number of other young promising prospects Avery Hayes Tristan Broz. The attack has never always been the Penguins problem. Has been defense. Veterans Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang remain, but their best defender is the 20 -year -old Harrison Brunicke. He may not play in Pittsburgh this year. The best goalkeeper of the franchise is the 21 -year -old Sergei Murashov. He may not play in Pittsburgh this season either. The Penguins and their fans will have to endure a different season of Tristen Jarry in Net. The penguins will not finish last in the metro because Sidney Crosby does not let the flyers end for the penguins.
8. Philadelphia Flyers – The Philadelphia Flyers hired former Flyer legend Rick Tocchet as their head coach in the hope of bringing the flyers back to the glory years. Tocchet is an excellent coach, but he needs more to work with. Matvei Michkov and Travis Konecny are excellent attackers. Sean Couturier is no longer a number 1 center. Is Trevor Zegras a center? Nicolas Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway ensure that Philly bullying heads will not be winners. Travis Sandheim is an Olympian on the Blueline. The rest of the D is in the middle. Dan Vladar was taken over in the summer to compete with Samuel Erson for the goal convening task. The flyers need him to win the job
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