The Metropolitan Division used to be the crown jewel of the NHL, but that has changed in recent years. It is perhaps the weakest of the competition now, and although some teams have improved this outside of season, there are more questions than answers among the eight teams that are on their way the 2025-26 season.
Philadelphia Flyers
- Additions: Christian Dvorak, Trevor Zegras, Noah Juulsen, Dennis Gilbert and Vladar
- DEFEREMENTS: Ryan Poehling
- Lost net of 0.2 victories
The Philadelphia Flyers ended a season ago in the metropolitan classification in the metropolitan classification and will probably be up to the lower feeders of the division. They have made a few additions this season, but none that will move the needle considerably. Christian Dvorak gives them a little extra central depth, such as Could Trevor Zegras When he returns and looks more like the player, he was in the NHL in his first few seasons.
Related: how the metropolitan division of the NHL became the worst
The last two seasons have been a problem for the flyers, because Sam Ersson and Ivan Fedotov last season were among the worst networks in the NHL. Dan Vladar saved what was expected of him with the Calgary Flames last season, so he should be an upgrade, although it is a low bar to erase. Yet the flyers are probably another year or two removed from insisting at a top four place in the metro. They are probably on their way to another seventh or eighth place finishing while they continue their rebuilding.
Pittsburgh Penguins
- Additions: Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau, Matt Dumb, Parker Witters, Arturs Silvs, Connor Dewar, Connor Clifton
- Departments: Matt Grzelcyk, Alex Nedeljkovic. Vladislav Kolyachonok, Conor Timmins
- Net of 1.2 victories lost
It will be a difficult year if you are a fan of one of the NHL teams from Pennsylvania. However, that seems to be because of the design, because it does not seem that the Pittsburgh Penguins have the intentions to be competitive next season while looking ahead to the 2026 NHL Draft and Gavin McKenna, who plays hockey, just further down the street in Penn State.
Of course, Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas was busy this summer, but the improvements he has made are marginal and it depends on whether Anthony Mantha can find his game after missing last season With a torn ACL. In general, the penguins look like one of the worst teams in the NHL on their way to the new season, and it can get worse if they exchange one or both of Rickard Rakell and Bryan before the regular season starts. They are probably heading for a battle for the eighth with the flyers.
New York Islanders
- Additions: Jonathan Drouin, Emil Heineman, Maxim Shabanov, David Rittich
- DEFEREMENTS: Noah Dobson
- Net of 0.7 victories added
The New York Islanders are in an era of transition with Mathieu Darche who takes over as GM. They had an excellent NHL concept, in which they selected Matthew Schaefer (first general), Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson in the first round, but they probably have no significant impact for a few more years. Otherwise, most of their NHL supplements were modest this season.
Jonathan Drouin should add a little more to a top six that could use it, while Emil Heineman is a solid bottom-six forward. Noah Dobson losing Will stab in the short term, but this also does not seem like a team that is ultra -competitive in the short term. You can never say never before the late season when you have a goalkeeper such as Ilya Sorokin, but they are more or less the same 82-point team they were during the 2024-25 campaign. They are not at the levels of the flyers or penguins, but they also don’t seem good enough to be a serious threat to a play -off place.
New York Rangers
- Additions: Taylor Raddysh, Vladislav Gavrikov, Justin Dowling, Scott Morrow
- DEFEREMENTS: K’andre Miller, Chris Kreider
- Netto of 0.6 wins added
I explained it more than a few times this season, but the New York Rangers perhaps had the most disappointing season 2024-25 of each NHL team. After they had demanded the trophy of the presidents a year ago, they became the fourth organization in the NHL history that the Play -offs missed the year after winning the presidents’ trophy.
There were some changes for the Rangers. The most striking was to exchange K’andre Miller and then the signing of Vladislav Gavrikov in the free desk, and they traded Chris Kreider on the Anaheim Ducks. At first glance, they only make the Rangers a marginal better team, but Mike Sullivan who takes over the couch for Peter Laviolette can help them the most. Many of the problems of the Rangers in 2024-25 were due to playing chaotic and unstructured hockey under laviolette. Sullivan should bring some stability, and although their cup content name closed or closes, they have to push to the play-offs again.
Columbus Blue Jackets
- Additions: Miles Wood, Charlie Coyle, Hudson Fasching, Isac Lundstrom
- Subtractions: James van Riemsdyk, Justin Danforth, Sean Kuraly, Daniil Tarasov, Jordan Harris
- Lost net of 0.6 victories
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had an interesting low season. They only missed the play -offs last season with two points, but they didn’t improve much this season. It started with the leading trade trade in which they give up two pull choices and Gavin Brindley for Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood. Coyle is a good enough third line center, but Wood is a scale of the player he was for a big hip injury with the New Jersey Devils a few seasons ago.
As far as the Blue Jackets is concerned, it is that they are leading registration candidates after playing a very untenable hockey of the past season. I don’t see the bottom falling out because they have a lot of promising young talent. But it would not shock me if they end up with a play-off place than in 2024-25.
New Jersey Devils
- Additions: Connor Brown, Evgeny Dadonov, Arseniy Grityuk, Thomas Bordeleau
- DEFEREMENTS: Nathan Bastian, Justin Dowling, Tomáš Tatar, Curtis Lazar, Erik Haula, Brian Dumoulin
- Net of 2 wins added
The New Jersey Devils have had a relatively quiet low season and sign Connor Brown and Evgeny Dadonov in a free desk. Dadonov comes from a 40-point season of 20 goals, while Brown is a Swiss pocket knife that will add some pace, upside down and two road bravery will score on the lower six of the team.
They have to help improve a lower six that was too slow and deprived of skills last season, but it still feels like the devils are still missing a top nine, whether on the wing or in the middle. Arseniy Grityuk could be the answer to the wing, but he is a stranger after playing in the KHL after almost five seasons. Jack Hughes who remains healthy would go a long way for the Devils, but this team only seems to be marginal without a top-nine addition.
Carolina Hurricanes
- Additions: Nikolaj Ehlers, K’andre Miller, Mike Reilly
- DEFEREMENTS: Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov
- Net of 2.4 victories added
Although the Capitals of Washington ran away with the metro last season, I think it is safe to say that the Carolina Hurricanes are the favorites to win it in 2025-26. They were not overly busy this season, but their additions were remarkable. It started by taking over Miller from the Rangers in exchange for a few trekking choices and Scott Morrow. Miller struggled with the Rangers last season, but playing in a Hurricanes system that has been tailor-made to play at his strengths should help him return.
The hurricanes too signed nikolaj ehlersPerhaps the best free agent in what was one of the weakest classes in years. Ehlers has had injury problems, but there is no doubt about his value if available. He offers high -quality skills that the hurricanes have not been able to protect in recent years, whether it loses Jake Guentzel in a free desk or Mikko Rantanen almost two months after he had taken over. The hurricanes could still use a second -line center, but they look like the best team in the metro that runs away.
Washington Capitals
- Additions: Declan Chisholm
- DEFEREMENTS: Andrew Mangiapane, Lars Eller
- Net of 0.7 victories added
The capitals were the surprise team of the 2024-25 season. They won 51 games and amounted to 111 points to win the metro with 12 points over the hurricanes. They are essentially running back the same team for this coming season, but they are almost a certain gamble to go back. They had several players who shot well above their career sides and almost certainly come to the earth. That does not mean that they will not be a playoff team, especially with how weak the metro is, but there is a good chance that they will fight for play -off positioning with the devils and rangers.
How will the Metropolitan shake?
The hurricanes have the highest top/bottom in the metro at 107.5. The Devils are the next at 98.5, so Vegas has the sticks as tough favorites to win the division, but what happens among them is everyone gambling:
- Hurricanes – 106 points
- Devils – 97 points
- Capitals – 96 points
- Rangers- 93 points WC2
- Islanders – 84 points *
- Blue Jackets – 80 points *
- Flyers – 74 points *
- Penguins – 68 points *
*eliminated from Play -OFL STING
In my Atlantic Division Roundup I had the Ottawa people as WC2 in the east. But after they have looked at the metro, the Rangers are perhaps the chance of the two who take the second wildcard slot. Anyway, those teams look like the best bets for the play-off berths in the east.
Although four metro teams qualify for the play -offs this season, just look around; There are not many great teams. The hurricanes are the favorites, but they have mistakes, namely in the middle. Perhaps they will find their second-line center in the coming weeks, or the Devils acquire a top-nine attacker, then that would make the division a little more interesting. But the metro is the weakest it has been in years, especially at the bottom of the division, and that will probably not change this next season.
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