The Metropolitan Division looks poised to be the hardest to call this season. As many as six teams could be vying for three playoff spots. But depending on how things go, all eight clubs could be in the mix for a spot at some point this season.
Despite some teams being on a clear downward trend, there’s no reason to count them out. Meanwhile, other clubs will be looking to have a big bounce-back year.
With that in mind, here’s our best effort at predicting how the Metro Division could look like in the 2025-26 season.
2025-26 Metro Division preview
#8 Pittsburgh Penguins
It’s tough to put a team with Sidney Crosby at the bottom of the standings. But the Pittsburgh Penguins are clearly in a downward trend. They’ve missed the playoffs the last couple of seasons and look like they’re headed for another postseason miss.
The prospect is that the Pens will be major sellers are the trade deadline. They have valuable pieces that other teams could covet at the trade deadline. But then again, this team is led by Sidney Crosby. So, it could be that the Pens turn things around and have a much better season than expected.
It might be wishful thinking, but there’s always the chance the Penguins have one last hurrah left in them.
#7 Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers will be looking to take the next step in their rebuild. They didn’t bring in Rick Tocchet to coach a last-place team. However, the Flyers may not quite be ready to contend for a playoff spot.
So, the 2025-26 season could be one in which Tocchet lays the groundwork for the Flyers to contend for a playoff spot in 2027. For the purpose of this Metro Division preview, we’ll assume the Flyers will have a good season. However, it may not be enough to get them close enough to a playoff spot.
The Flyers’ Achilles heel is their goaltending. If Samuel Ersson can have a good enough season, and Dan Vladar can provide solid play as a backup, the Flyers may just surprise everyone around the NHL.
The odds don’t have the Flyers making the postseason. But then again, they could be this season’s Cinderella club.
#6 Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets should be a good team this season. They’ll get some strong seasons from players like Adam Fantilli, Sean Monahan, and Zach Werenski, injuries notwithstanding. While the goaltending looks a little suspect, the Blue Jackets have much-improved depth.
That depth could be just enough to push the Blue Jackets over the hump and into a playoff spot. Last season, the Jackets were in the playoff picture down to the wire. They unfortunately couldn’t close the gap, with the Montreal Canadiens nabbing the last playoff spot.
While the odds may not favor the Blue Jackets, they could get hot at the right time and ride that streak into the postseason. They could turn into this season’s version of last year’s St. Louis Blues. The Blues rode a hot streak into the postseason at the right time and nearly knocked off the Winnipeg Jets in the first round.
If the Blue Jackets get some consistent goaltending, fans should really keep a close eye on the Columbus Blue Jackets this season.
#5 New York Islanders
Here’s a bold prediction. The New York Islanders will return to the postseason in 2025-26. Their turnaround this season will be their successful offseason.
Of course, it’s unlikely the Isles will tear into the Metro Division. They’ll likely nab the final playoff spot during the last week of the season. They’ll have to contend with other fringe playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. But consistent scoring, a relatively injury-free season, and elite goaltending from Ilya Sorokin could be enough to propel the Islanders into the postseason.
There is always the possibility that the Isles fade down the stretch like they did last season. If they do, fans won’t be too disappointed. The future looks bright in Long Island. Plus, the prospect of seeing Matthew Schaefer play this season gives the Isles a boost in this Metro Division preview.
#4 Washington Capitals
Here’s another bold prediction. Last season’s Metro Division winner, the Washington Capitals, could regress significantly. The reasons behind it could be an aging core. Superstar Alexander Ovechkin will be 40. Other key players like John Carlson and Tom Wilson will also be a year older.
Yes, the Capitals look like a deep team. But one has to wonder if their strong season in 2024-25 was the product of plenty of things going right at the right time. Their unceremonious exit against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round was likely a harbinger of what’s to come.
The Caps won’t fizzle out. They’ll remain strong all season. But they’ll only go as far as Logan Thompson will take them. A strong season from their number-one netminder and consistent play across the board could make this Metro Division preview look silly.
#3 New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils should reprise their third-place finish in the Metro Division in 2025-26. They have a good, young club with plenty of up-and-coming players and established veterans. The Hughes brothers, Jack and Luke, are the real deal.
Captain Nico Hischier looks poised to hit the next level, while Jesper Bratt looks poised for a breakout season.
The blue line is stacked with Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, and Brenden Dillon. Add Hughes and Simon Nemec to the mix, and the Devils hardly look like a pushover. So, it seems that it will come down to Jacob Markstrom playing steady in the crease.
The Devils could challenge for the Metro Division crown. But they’ll have to get past two very talented clubs in order to make it. They can do it, and it only seems like a matter of time before they will.
#2 New York Rangers
The New York Rangers should get a major boost from new coach Mike Sullivan. The Blue Shirts are running it back this season with pretty much the same group. They added the offseason’s best defenseman in Vladislav Gavrikov. The Gavrikov-Adam Fox pairing has the makings of one of the NHL’s best.
The forward group, albeit a bit long in the tooth, will have plenty of firepower to bring to the table. A full season of J.T. Miller will be crucial to the club’s success. Vincent Trocheck will hopefully continue to build on his increasing success as a top-line center.
As for Artemi Panarin, his “down” year in 2024-25 could be an aberration. While he may not return to the video game numbers from 2023-24, another 100-point season is not off the table by any means.
Ultimately, the Rangers’ success will boil down to Mike Sullivan getting the most out of his core. He’s a proven winner and will certainly maximize what this core has left in the tank. It could come down to Igor Shesterkin stealing a game here and there for the Rangers to return to the top of the NHL standings.
#1 Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes head into the 2025-26 as arguably the NHL’s deepest club. Their additions this offseason look fantastic. The biggest one was Nikolaj Ehlers. The 29-year-old should bring plenty of firepower to the table in Carolina.
Meanwhile, full seasons from Jackson Blake, Logan Stankoven, and Taylor Hall will all complement the returning talent.
On the blue line, the addition of K’Andre Miller will usher in a new injection of energy into a veteran core. Incumbents Jaccob Slavin, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Jalen Chatfield look solid. The biggest wild card will be Alexander Nikishin. The 23-year-old Russian could become a mainstay on the Canes’ blue line.
So far, everything looks rosy for the Hurricanes. However, the biggest issue could be goaltending. The Canes will roll the dice with 35-year-old Frederik Andersen and up-and-coming netminder Pyotr Kochetkov.
This could be the season that Kochetkov finally takes over the crease. That could be a major boost as Andersen has proven to be injury-prone over the last few seasons. Behind Andersen and Kochetkov is a relatively thin group. Newcome Cayden Primeau could fill in, albeit temporarily.
The Canes are deep enough to overcome less-than-stellar goaltending. But don’t be surprised if the Canes look to pull off a massive move. They have over $10 million in cap space. So, there’s plenty of room to add if needed.