For the first time since the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ back-to-back championships in 2016 and 17, followed by the Washington Capitals’ first triumph in 2018, the Stanley Cup champion resides in the Metropolitan Division.
However, the offseasons of most of the Metro teams feel, at best, incomplete. Despite the Carolina Hurricanes’ championship, even they have pending issues that feel unresolved. In fact, resolution has not been a running theme for most teams in the division, as one of hockey’s most tradition-rich divisions is full of teams in transition.
Carolina has the Alexander Nikishin trade chatter sort of hanging in the air. The Penguins don’t feel fully assembled. The Columbus Blue Jackets have the ghostly specter of losing Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko hovering above them.
And more questions surround the tri-state teams as well. Which way are the New Jersey Devils headed, and will they win the waiting game for Quinn Hughes? Can the New York Rangers reverse last season’s faceplant and get back to winning with veterans under coach Mike Sullivan, or will they need to strip away those veterans and start anew?
Has anyone heard from the New York Islanders since the spring?
Indeed, the Metro Division is unlikely to be the best division in hockey this season, but the shifting priorities, big budgets, and rabid fans always make it one of the most interesting.
Grading the Metro
Washington Capitals: A+
In: Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch, Boone Jenner, Vincent Desharnais, Justin Holl
Out: Hendrix Lapierre, Connor McMichael
After the Capitals’ rebuild took a big step forward in 2024-25 with the team earning a Stanley Cup Playoffs berth, the steam sputtered, and the same buzz didn’t carry over into 2025-26. So, GM Chris Patrick put his chips on the table, traded away the emerging McMichael and picks for more established star, Jordan Kyrou, signed veteran free agents (technically, Tuch was a sign and trade with Buffalo, costing a third-round pick), and the resulting construction made the Capitals one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
Like the Penguins signing Evgeni Malkin, the Capitals also acquiesced to re-signing a 40-year-old franchise stalwart, inking Alex Ovechkin to a one-year deal.
You may quibble with the four-year contract given to the scrappy Jenner, or five years for Tuch, or any years for Desharnais, but the Capitals are willing to worry about those issues in a few years. For now, they are easily the second-best team in the East.
They get the A+ not just for the moves, but for the right moves. Kyrou could be a star in Washington for another decade.
New York Rangers: A
In: Pavel Dorofeyev, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Sean Durzi, Marcus Pettersson, Joe Veleno, Joonas Korpisalo
Out: Vincent Trocheck, Will Borgen
Losing Trocheck hurts the Rangers’ center depth, but they still have Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller in the middle. Rangers GM Chris Drury also pulled off what could be the trade of the summer by acquiring Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights for only two first-rounders (2026, 26th overall; conditional 2028 first-round pick) and the 92nd overall pick in the 2026 Draft.
Dorofeyev, 25, has scored over 35 goals in consecutive seasons. Pettersson will steady the Rangers’ blue line, much like he had to do for Sullivan’s Penguins squads. Durzi could pair with Pettersson as the offensive punch on that pairing, and Bjorkstrand will provide more dependability in the forwards group.
Drury didn’t address the bottom six, and that area could be a problem, but the Rangers followed their big swing with sharp moves to complete their team. And Drury has a few million in salary cap space as opportunities arise.
New Jersey Devils: A+
In: Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, Anthony Mantha, Declan Chisholm, David Rittich
Out: Jacob Markstrom, Simon Nemec, Maxim Tsyplakov
IN: GM Sunny Mehta
The Devil’s grade was boosted from an A to an A+ by the shrewd hire at the top. Mehta has quickly revitalized an increasingly forlorn franchise caught in the dull, dreary grip of bad luck and mediocrity. His first big trade netted a sizable haul, including a pair of first-round picks, for the young but already embattled Nemec.
Mehta was also the GM to roll the dice again on Mantha, who scored 33 goals last season for the Penguins. Despite Mantha’s disappearing act in the playoffs, he showed new levels of ambition and production last season, which could be a career changer. Rodrigues remains one of the most versatile and underrated forwards in the game, and Boqvist will fortify the Devils’ bottom-six group.
Markstrom was never the brickwall goalie the Devils thought they acquired from Calgary, so Mehta is trying a three-goalie rotation in New Jersey with Jake Allen, Rittich, and Nico Daws. If young defenseman Luke Hughes takes another step forward and Jake Hughes can stay healthy, the Devils will be quite competitive.
Philadelphia Flyers: B
In: Noel Acciari, Simon Benoit, Jack Studnicka, Zach Aston-Reese, Joseph Woll
Out: Garnett Hathaway, Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson
A tale of potential. The Flyers changed the landscape of the league forever when they tendered a five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks restricted free agent center, Leo Carlsson. Overnight, every young center and RFA cost more … much more.
However, Anaheim matched the Flyers’ offer, and their offseason has otherwise been about depth. GM Daniel Briere signed Acciari, a fourth-line warrior. Aston-Reese is another reliable bottom-line forward with exceptional defensive stats, and the Flyers greatly upgraded their backup goaltending position with Woll.
The Flyers’ rebuild is in the final stages, and Briere did nothing to derail what looks like a solid job.
Carolina Hurricanes: B?
In: None
Out: Frederick Andersen
?: Alexander Nikishin
Nikishin’s fate could greatly change Carolina’s offseason grade. If GM Eric Tulsky trades the RFA defenseman, Carolina could be even better than last season. If they sign him or let him sit on a shelf, it’s merely a lost opportunity but doesn’t significantly weaken the team, as he was a sheltered third-pairing defenseman last season, his rookie year.
The Stanley Cup champs are taking a bit of a gamble in net by sticking with upstart playoff hero Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov. Tulsky has also banked nearly $10 million in cap space, in case anything comes along or he needs to address any situation.
Pittsburgh Penguins: C-
In: Andrei Kuzmenko, Nick Robertson, Hendrix Lapierre, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Declan Carlile, Kaedan Korczak
Out: Anthony Mantha, Noel Acciari, Ryan Shea, Parker Wotherspoon, Kevin Hayes, Jack St. Ivany, Stuart Skinner
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas broomed two of his three left-side defensemen by trading Wotherspoon to Vegas for Korczak and praising Shea all the way to free agency and all the way out the door to Edmonton. It was a curious strategy, but Dubas added the late-blooming Carlile to pick up slack, and he appears ready to let van Riemsdyk play on his offside to fill the void.
Dubas also re-upped 40-year old Evgeni Malkin for one more year but kept adding forwards as if he hadn’t.
The Penguins’ offseason moves and unsuccessful trade attempts for Jason Robertson have raised questions regarding the rebuild/retooling strategy. For example, the team acquired Lapierre from Washington for a third- and fifth-round pick, but where exactly does he fit? How much longer will the team rely upon older veterans?
Overall, the team is not in better shape than it was at the end of the season, but the additions of Robertson and Carlile might prove to be long-term adds.
Columbus Blue Jackets: C-
In: Valeri Nichushkin, Ryan Lomberg
Out: Boone Jenner, Mason McTavish
?: Adam Fantilli
GM Don Waddell did well to get Nikushkin from Colorado, but Lomberg is a low-scoring grinder who won’t come close to replacing Jenner or McTavish. And a team already thin in the middle not only lost McTavish but is bickering with restricted free agent Fantilli over a new contract.
Waddell got goalie Jet Greaves to ink a contract extension, as well as Erik Gudbranson and Cole Sillinger, but that’s underwhelming.
Columbus needs to show Werenski they can turn things around to entice the Norris Trophy winner to stick around, but they are not off to a good start. Columbus missed the playoffs last season and is worse off today with the Fantilli situation clouding everything.
If or when Fantilli signs, his long-term status will greatly affect the final offseason outlook.
New York Islanders: F
In: Matias Maccelli, Vitek Vanecek
Out: Anders Lee
The Islanders are significantly worse off without Lee. There have been no other additions. Coach Pete DeBoer was unable to stop the Islanders’ slide when he took over in the final games last season, and GM Mathieu Darche did nothing over the summer to revive the team, either. The grade is an easy 0.0.
Tags:Carolina Hurricanes Columbus Blue Jackets new jersey devils New York Islanders New York Rangers Philadelphia flyers Pittsburgh Penguins washingon capitals
Categorized:Metro Division Penguins Offseason Analysis