The Carolina Hurricanes are the last Metropolitan Division team remaining in the postseason, which means the other seven have begun their offseason journeys. For some teams, that means new head coaches and for others it means contract extensions and free-agent signings. Which teams have the most work to do this summer and what will 2025-’26 look like for the Metro?
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a team in transition. They finished last in the Eastern Conference this season and had the third-worst power play in the league. On May 14, they hired Rick Tocchet to be their next head coach. Most recently, Tocchet coached the Vancouver Canucks and won a Pacific Division title in 2023-24. He spent his 18-year NHL career with the Flyers racking up 232 goals and 508 points.Â
Tocchet definitely has his work cut out for him in Philadelphia. The team has some promising talent in forwards Matvei Michkov and Travis Konecny, but their goaltending and special teams need attention. The Flyers have missed the playoffs for five seasons in a row, and they are hoping their new head coach can help them get back to the postseason.Â
Columbus Blue JacketsÂ
The Columbus Blue Jackets were one of the best surprises of the regular season. They finished in fourth place in the Metropolitan and only missed a postseason berth by two points. One area that needs attention this summer is special teams. Columbus finished 22nd in the league in both power-play percentage and the penalty kill.Â
Columbus has the flexibility to tweak the lineup this summer with two first-round draft picks and a good amount of cap space at their disposal. With a young core of forwards in place that includes Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, Dmitri Voronkov, and Cole Sillinger, the team is already in a pretty good spot. The question for the Blue Jackets heading into 2025-26 will be whether they can build off the success they found this season.Â
New York IslandersÂ
The New York Islanders have a lot to figure out this summer. After making the postseason the last two seasons, they were optimistic about continuing their streak this season but things didn’t go as planned. It might be time for a rebuild on the Island, and the defense is a good place to start.Â
Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock celebrate a goal at the New York Islanders bench (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Defenseman Noah Dobson ad a career season in 2023-24 with 70 points, but he took a huge step back this season. He is a pending restricted free agent, and there are questions surrounding his extension. The Islanders won the 2025 Draft Lottery and if they select defenseman Matthew Schaefer first overall, that could definitely affect Dobson’s future with the team. Â
On April 22, the Islanders announced they would not be renewing general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello’s contract. A new GM might opt for a rebuild and that could be exactly what the team needs.Â
Pittsburgh PenguinsÂ
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has a busy summer ahead. After missing the postseason for the third year in a row, the Penguins parted ways with head coach Mike Sullivan on April 28. A new head coach is not the only thing on the team’s to-do list this offseason.Â
Erik Karlsson trade rumors have been rampant since the 2025 Trade Deadline. His time in Pittsburgh has been largely disappointing, and a change of scenery might be the best thing for both him and the team. He isn’t impossible to move, but his age and no-movement clause will make things a little tricky if Dubas decides to go that route.Â
Dubas has been clear about his goal to make the Penguins younger since he arrived in Pittsburgh. The team has some promising prospects in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, now they just need to find high-end young talent that is ready to play. It may be a couple seasons before they are ready to return to the postseason.Â
New York RangersÂ
The New York Rangers had a pretty disappointing season. They missed the playoffs this season after making it to the Eastern Conference Final last season. After firing Peter Laviolette on April 19, they were quick to hire Sullivan as the new head coach. A huge question mark surrounding their offseason is what they will choose to do with Chris Kreider, who at 34 years old has slowed down significantly. His age combined with his injury history held him to 22 goals this season.Â
Moving on from Kreider would create cap space that the Rangers desperately need. He has a 15-team no-trade clause so moving him could be tricky but they will more than likely be listening to offers this summer. New York is still in a win-now mode, and they have a pretty strong foundation in place. Bringing in some young talent this summer to assist their veteran core next season should be their focus.Â
New Jersey DevilsÂ
The New Jersey Devils fell to the Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs. If the Devils learned anything from their first-round exit, it’s that they have to have quality depth to be successful. Through five games against Carolina, New Jersey’s bottom six combined for a total of one goal, two assists, and 31 shots.Â
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
The Devils also came up empty against Carolina’s special teams. Over five games, they had 15 power-play opportunities and failed to convert on any of them. They simply could not generate any offense when they were on the man advantage. There is no question their defense improved this season, and that is something they can build on going into next season. They took steps in the right direction this season and will be looking to jump right back into contention in 2025-26.Â
Washington CapitalsÂ
The Washington Capitals surprised a lot of people this season by finishing first in the Metropolitan and entire Eastern Conference. They fell to the Hurricanes the second round in five games. Last season, they barely squeaked into the playoffs and were swept in the first round by the Rangers. GM Brian MacLellan took a gamble last summer bringing in seven new players to flip the roster and it worked.
Related: 2 Capitals Takeaways Following a Tough Round 2 Series Loss to the Hurricanes
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy, Brandon Duhaime, and Logan Thompson — players who were all added last summer, — will return next season. That gives the team a good amount of stability heading into next season. Alex Ovechkin, who will be 40 by the start of next season, plans to return for his 21st campaign. In 65 games, he scored 44 goals and had 73 points. Washington fully plans to contend for a Stanley Cup in 2025-26 and they are in a good spot to do just that.Â
Carolina HurricanesÂ
The Hurricanes have advanced to the Eastern Conference Final where they will face the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Carolina’s penalty kill has been huge for them this postseason. Their penalty kill has turned away 28 of 30 power plays with a 93.3% conversion rate. They have perfected their ability to break up plays and apply relentless pressure. They are also getting scoring throughout their lineup which makes a huge difference. Their attention to detail has gotten them this far and their battle with the Panthers will be an exciting one.Â
Who Will Be At the Top of the Metro in 2025-26?
It doesn’t look like much will change in the Metropolitan next season. The Hurricanes and Capitals will more than likely remain in the top two spots. New Jersey did struggle with injuries for much of this season so they could move up a few spots if they can stay healthy. The Rangers may also put up a fight for a top spot with Sullivan now at the helm. It will be interesting to see who comes back strong in 2025-26.
