The Metropolitan Division isn’t quite what the Atlantic is, but it has caught up a bit this offseason, especially at the top of the division. Let’s look around the Metro, what changes teams have made, and how the standings could play out.
New York Rangers
- Additions: Pavel Dorofeyev, Marcus Pettersson, Sean Durzi, Joonas Korpisalo
- Subtractions: Will Borgen, Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Quick (retired), Jonny Brodzinski
The Rangers bottomed out last season, finishing with 77 points and eighth place in the Metropolitan Division. That led to a busy offseason for general manager Chris Drury. He retooled the team’s defense and added some scoring punch to a top six that lacked it.
Pavel Dorofeyev is the Rangers’ most notable addition. He finished last season with 49 goals between the regular season and playoffs for the Vegas Golden Knights. While it’s fair to question if he can repeat his success outside of the Golden Knights’ environment, it’d be a surprise if he completely flopped with the Rangers. He was worth a wins above replacement (WAR) of 1.6 last season, so he will help.
On defense, Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi should improve a Rangers defense that struggled mightily outside of its top pair of Vladislav Gavrikov and Adam Fox. Pettersson has a long history with Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan, while Durzi will add more puck-moving ability than Will Borgen did.
Despite the team’s struggles, Igor Shesterkin was still phenomenal. His play was worth a WAR of 5.1 last season, and he played in just 51 games due to injury. He’ll have a new backup in Joonas Korpisalo, but he’s a fine 1B and should complement Shesterkin well.
New Jersey Devils
- Additions: Anthony Mantha, Amadeus Lombardi, Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, Declan Chisholm, David Rittich, Vladislav Kolyachonok
- Subtractions: Jacob Markstrom, Simon Nemec, Maxim Tsyplakov, Paul Cotter, Evgeny Dadonov, Colton White
It’s been a relatively busy first offseason for new Devils GM Sunny Mehta. That’s not a shock since the team disappointed and missed the playoffs for the third time in five seasons. The most notable changes for the Devils come in net, with Jacob Markström heading to the Florida Panthers.
Markström’s play was worth a WAR of -1 last season. Removing him from the equation may be addition by subtraction, but it’s fair to question if the Devils have really upgraded in net. They signed David Rittich to a one-year, $1 million deal. He was solid for the New York Islanders in 2025-26, finishing with a WAR of 1.4. If he can repeat that, then the Devils should be OK with Jake Allen and Nico Daws also splitting the remaining starts.
Goaltending is not the only area where the Devils made changes, though. Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist were part of the return for Markström. The team’s bottom six sorely needed an upgrade, and Rodrigues and Boqvist should provide it. Anthony Mantha is coming off a career season, and even though he may regress, he should give the Devils some finishing talent that they’ve needed in their top six.
The key for the Devils will be health. If Jack Hughes plays in just 60 games again, they will probably be on the outside looking in, but the team does look improved this offseason.
New York Islanders
- Additions: Matias Maccelli
- Subtractions: Anders Lee, Maxim Shabanov, David Rittich
Mathieu Darche’s tenure as Islanders GM has been an interesting one. He wasn’t particularly active this offseason, with Matias Maccelli being their lone notable addition. He’s a solid player capable of 40-50 points, but that’s likely to be negated by losing Anders Lee to the Utah Mammoth in free agency.
I do struggle with what the Islanders’ direction is. Are they rebuilding? Acquiring Brayden Schenn and Ondřej Palát ahead of last season’s trade deadline, then hiring Pete DeBoer as head coach, would suggest they are not. But signing Maccelli and calling it a day for the offseason is not exactly indicative of being in win-now mode. This team looks marginally improved, if that.
Columbus Blue Jackets
- Additions: Valeri Nichushkin, Colton White
- Subtractions: Mason Marchment, Boone Jenner
The Blue Jackets are another Metro team that feels like they’re stuck in the mushy middle, and their offseason hasn’t helped matters. Valeri Nichushkin is a solid pickup, but that’s negated by losing Mason Marchment to the San Jose Sharks in free agency.
At least in losing Boone Jenner, the Blue Jackets have the center depth to make up for it in their middle six. Charlie Coyle and Sean Monahan (when healthy) are capable second- and third-line centers. Still, it just doesn’t feel like the organization has done enough to improve its standing in the division.
They were a 92-point team last season, placing them firmly on the playoff bubble. They more or less have the same roster heading into the new season, but perhaps internal growth from young players such as Adam Fantilli and Denton Mateychuk can elevate the team. That seems like their best bet to escape NHL purgatory.
Washington Capitals
- Additions: Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, Boone Jenner, Vincent Desharnais, Justin Holl, Jonny Brodzinski
- Subtractions: Brandon Duhaime, Connor McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre, Trevor van Riemsdyk
The Capitals came back down to Earth last season, finishing with 93 points, leaving them just outside a playoff spot in the Metro. Management did not sit on their hands this offseason, making a couple of big-time moves to improve the team’s roster.
The Capitals’ most notable transaction was acquiring Alex Tuch via a sign-and-trade with the Buffalo Sabres. The two sides agreed to an eight-year, $10.5 million AAV contract as part of the sign-and-trade. I’m more skeptical of this move than others. That contract will likely age poorly, even in the rising cap world, and he’s starting to lose some footspeed, a sign of potential age-related decline.
Tuch isn’t the only top-six upgrade the Capitals made this summer, though. Jordan Kyrou struggled with the St. Louis Blues last season, totaling 18 goals and 46 points in 72 games, but a change of scenery could do him well. His underlying metrics were terrific. He posted an expected goals share (xG%) just above 59 percent and finished with a WAR of 1.9 last season. Those metrics suggest he’s due to bounce back.
On defense, Vincent Desharnais was one of the surprise signings of the summer. The two sides inked a four-year, $4.2 million AAV contract. That may seem pricey for what he offers, but he is a stout defensive defenseman. Overall, the Capitals do look much improved.
Philadelphia Flyers
- Additions: Joseph Woll, Simon Benoit, Noel Acciari
- Subtractions: Sam Ersson, Garnet Hathaway, Emil Andrae
The Flyers went on quite the run to close last season and clinch a playoff berth, but the lack of a first-line center was glaring in their postseason defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes. They took one of the biggest swings of the offseason when they tendered a five-year, $18 million AAV offer sheet to Leo Carlsson, but the Anaheim Ducks ultimately matched and retained Carlsson.
It would have been a much different offseason for the Flyers had they signed Carlsson. Otherwise, it’s mostly been some additions on the margins. Joseph Woll should be a significant upgrade over Sam Ersson as a backup to Dan Vladar. Woll finished with a WAR of 1.3 last season, while Ersson’s play was worth a WAR of -1.6. The key for Woll will be staying healthy, which he’s had trouble with during his NHL career.
Up front, Noel Acciari should add some more offensive punch in the bottom six over Garnet Hathaway. On defense, Simon Benoit will likely be a significant downgrade over Emil Andrae. He’s physical, but he’s a below-replacement-level player (-1.6 WAR in 2025-26) and offers no offensive ability.
Pittsburgh Penguins
- Additions: Andrei Kuzmenko, Nick Robertson, Kaedan Korczak, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Hendrix Lapierre
- Subtractions: Anthony Mantha, Stuart Skinner, Ryan Shea, Parker Wotherspoon, Noel Acciari, Connor Clifton
After a season where they defied everyone’s expectations, there’s been plenty of turnover in Pittsburgh this offseason. Will the Penguins be able to catch lightning in a bottle again? Or will they come back down to Earth and find themselves outside of the playoff race?
Their biggest loss may be Mantha, who totaled 33 goals and 64 points. Even though he’s a regression candidate next season, his finishing talent and ability off the rush fit in well with how the Penguins want to play. Andrei Kuzmenko may replace some of the production they’ve lost in Mantha, but he doesn’t have the skating or rush ability that Mantha does.
There’s also been a fair amount of retooling on defense. Kaedan Korczak has breakout potential, but the Penguins’ left side of the blue line is lacking in talent after losing Parker Wotherspoon and Ryan Shea, the latter of whom signed with the Edmonton Oilers in free agency. That looks like their biggest weakness heading into training camp.
Carolina Hurricanes
- Additions: None
- Subtractions: Frederik Andersen
It was a quiet offseason for the Hurricanes, but who cares when you’re the defending Stanley Cup champions. They did attempt to sign John Carlson, acquiring his UFA rights from the Ducks ahead of free agency, but he ultimately chose to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Otherwise, the Hurricanes will be running back the same roster, minus Frederik Andersen, who signed with the Oilers in free agency. Even without any notable additions this summer, they’re still the best team in the Metro from top to bottom.
Predicting the Metro
The Metro isn’t what the Atlantic Division is, but it has improved. As mentioned just above, the Hurricanes are the favorites to win the division again, but the rest of the race should be quite competitive.
On paper, the Capitals look like the second-best team. They’re certainly the most improved at a minimum. They should compete for a top-three spot in the division next season, but they’ll have competition.
The Devils, Blue Jackets, Flyers and Penguins round out the next tier of teams that look like possible playoff contenders. Then what about the Rangers and Islanders?
The question with the Rangers is: did they improve enough to get back in the playoff picture? They certainly are better than they were before this offseason, but they still seem like an 85- to 90-point team, which will likely keep them just out of the playoffs.
The Islanders feel like they’re in the same boat as the Rangers. They’re not bad enough to bottom out, but they might be stuck in the mushy middle of bubble teams who finish with 80-90 points. There’s been marginal improvement this summer, if that, and that could cost them in the playoff race.
- Hurricanes – 107 points
- Capitals – 101 points
- Devils – 99 points
- Blue Jackets – 92 points (WC2)
- Penguins – 89 points*
- Flyers – 87 points*
- Rangers – 84 points*
- Islanders – 83 points*
* = eliminated
Notably, no team in the Metro has an O/U below 80 points. Per DraftKings, the Rangers have the lowest O/U, and that’s still at 86.5. It will be a competitive division, even though the Hurricanes are the heavy favorites.
The division could play out several ways after the Hurricanes. You never know who will underperform, and injuries are always a factor. The Capitals and Devils may be favorites for top-three spots, but it’s no guarantee. It’ll be interesting to see how it shakes out.
Advanced stats from Evolving Hockey and Natural Stat Trick
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