Going back to the Eastern Conference for the last episode of my classification forecast series for the NHL season 2025-26, we have the Metropolitan Division. When you look at the metro this season, the first word that comes to mind is in the middle. The contrast in this division is really like no other. The top of the division is really good, while the bottom is very bad. Apart from a few teams in the middle who can fight for a Wildcard spot by the end of the season, this division is perhaps the easiest to predict in terms of who makes the play -offs and who is not.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets took a big step last season, but the play -offs missed with two points, and that was largely due to their ability to score goals and mask many of their defensive shortcomings. Not much has changed with their selection, although they have added some middle depth with Charlie Coyle. The Blue Jackets are another team that has a lot of young talent, and the players such as Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko, who have the opportunity to place this team in a better position than expected.
Related link: Razs 2025-26 Stakement predictions: Pacific Division
The blue jackets can very well be in the mix for a wildcard spot, but a few things have to happen. Their attack must continue to produce with a similar pace of last season, and they need much more from their goalkeepers, especially Elvis Merzlikins, who can very well lose his runway to Jet Greaves.
Washington Capitals
Not much expected that Washington’s capitals would be as good as last season and the Metro Division won with 111 points. Much of their success was due to the fact that players had better seasons and produced more than expected. Logan Thompson was phenomenal between the legs and the capitals got their best, really since Brewing Holtby. Dylan Strome decided to count a career of 82 points, and of course Alex Oveechkin did what he does best with 44 goals. This low season has not changed much with the capitals, which are basically declining with the same grid, minus Andrew Mangiapane and Lars Eller. Unless they are able to collect the same amount of production as last season, they will certainly show some regression. That said, they still have to be in the play -off conversation.
New Jersey Devils
At the moment, the greatest care for the New Jersey Devils is the fact that defender Luke Hughes is still not signed. With just a few days away from the opening evening, the Devils and Hughes have still not come to an agreement, which raises questions about how long each party is willing to keep out. Apart from that, the Devils look good on the 2025-26 season and should compete for a top three place in the metro.
Their offsean was in no way large, but a few solid additions in Evgenii Dadonov and Connor Brown should improve their lower six and secondary score. Consistency is perhaps the biggest mistake of the Devils, and part of it has to do with injuries. Both Timo Meier and Jack Hughes are crucial pieces of the devil’s devil and have a history of long -term injuries. In a relatively weak to middle metro division, they should not have any problems obtaining a play-off place, with the exception of unforeseen injuries.
Philadelphia Flyers
Hockey in Pennsylvania has been rough lately, and that does not seem to change quickly. The Philadelphia Flyers will probably go to another season where they will most likely not be near the play -off conversation, and they are not expected to be because they will continue to navigate. However, they are trending in the right direction and have to take that next step after a few more seasons, and much of them has to do with the young, promising core that they are trying to develop. The flyers had a fairly active low season and landed the forward-filled Trevor Zegras with highlight-reel. They also signed Christian Dvorak, who will give them a much needed middle depth, especially as a say grass for whatever reason goes to the wing.
The flyers have had a number of important goalkeepers, and although adding Dan Vladar should improve that area, it will probably not be with a considerable margin. This season is nothing but development for the flyers, and I am sure they will be a nice group to watch, especially with the potential Matvei Michkov and Zegras Magic.
Carolina Hurricanes
In terms of the busiest and most impactful low season, the Carolina Hurricanes are at the top of the list. After they continue to fail to keep game-changing talent around (ie Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen), The hurricanes made one of the splashes of the low seasonLanding Nikolaj Ehlers. Not only that, but they also took over K’andre Miller from the New York Rangers, which contributes to an already fantastic defensive group. The hurricanes are by far the best team in the metro and must be the clear favorites to win the division. They are built to make the play -offs and not to show signs of wrestling during the regular season. It takes that next step in the play -offs that has been the big question for the hurricanes in the past seasons, but in terms of reaching there they have that formula in Pat.
The only area that can somewhat hinder the chances of the Hurricanes to win the division is their goalting and the possible regression of an injury-sensitive, 35-year-old Frederik Andersen. That is why they are said to go to goalkeeper Carter Hart, because I don’t think someone is completely sold on Pyotr Kochetkov as a starter. Apart from goal congregation, they are one of the most solid teams up and down in the selection, and that will translate into the rankings.
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders got better this season, but not for the 2025-26 season. They had a phenomenal design, which saw them with three picks in the first round, Including the selection of Matthew Schaefer With the first overall choice, and to be followed with both Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson. Although the future starts to look pretty good for the islanders, the same cannot really be said about the present. The contrast in the grid is very interesting. Their forward group is super light and has not nearly enough talent to fight for a play -off place. Outside Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat this group looks rough.
That said, their defensive group and goal convening with Ilya Sorokin is what the islanders will keep mediocre. They don’t look like a team that will punish offensively, but they also become a difficult team to score. If Sorokin does not have the season that is expected of him, the islanders can quickly fall at the bottom of the ground of the rankings.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Lost, confused, identity crisis, no man of man, are just a few ways in which you could describe the current state of the Pittsburgh Penguins that cannot choose direction. This team is unable to compete for a play -off place, and they have to accept to start improving the future. Trading their veteran talent for picks and “refueling” for Gavin McKenna must be priority number one for the penguins. Although it sucks not to see Sidney Crosby compete where it is most important, they must start planning what their franchise looks like after Crosby.
Arturs Silovs was a nice addition out of season and could immediately step into a greater role, depending on which version of Tristan Jarry decides to appear. Anthony Mantha was another solid add on paper, but who knows how he will take care of missing almost the entire previous season with a torn ACL. Everything can happen, but it will probably be a pretty brutal season in Pittsburgh.
New York Rangers
What happened to the New York Rangers last season? With all that talent and skills, they had to be the most disappointing team of the 2024-25 season. A bounce back year is probably in the cards and for a few reasons. Change is the largest, both on ice and on the couch. JT Miller was appointed captain, and you can bet that his competitiveness will be felt in that entire schedule. They also hired Mike Sullivan as their new head coach, who should be able to give a much needed direction and stability that this group simply did not seem to have last season. Landing Vladislav Gavrikov was huge and will undoubtedly be a defensive upgrade of K’andre Miller.
The Rangers may have the most talented grid in the metro on paper, but they have to put it all together. With a group like this, plus a goalkeeper like Igor Shesterkin, there are no apologies for the Rangers, who should end in the metro third or higher.
Final rank
- Carolina Hurricanes – X
- New York Rangers – X
- New Jersey Devils – X
- Washington Capitals – X
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- New York Islanders
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Pittsburgh Penguins
X = concrete play -off place
The top is very strong in the metro and the bottom is very weak. It will probably be teams such as the Capitals and Blue Jackets that make the Wild Card Race in the Eastern Conference interesting, even with a stacked Atlantic Division.
#Razs #Standing #predictions #Metropolitan #Division #Hockey #Writers #latest #news #analysis