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<\/a>. Pettersson has a long history with Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan, while Durzi will add more puck-moving ability than Will Borgen did.<\/p>\n Despite the team\u2019s 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\u2019ll have a new backup in Joonas Korpisalo, but he\u2019s a fine 1B and should complement Shesterkin well.<\/p>\n New Jersey Devils<\/p>\n Additions: Anthony Mantha, Amadeus Lombardi, Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, Declan Chisholm, David Rittich, Vladislav Kolyachonok<\/p>\n Subtractions: Jacob Markstrom, Simon Nemec, Maxim Tsyplakov, Paul Cotter, Evgeny Dadonov, Colton White<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a relatively busy first offseason<\/a> for new Devils GM Sunny Mehta. That\u2019s 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 Markstr\u00f6m heading to the Florida Panthers.<\/p>\n Markstr\u00f6m\u2019s play was worth a WAR of -1 last season. Removing him from the equation may be addition by subtraction, but it\u2019s fair to question if the Devils have really upgraded in net. They signed David Rittich<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Goaltending is not the only area where the Devils made changes, though. Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist were part of the return for Markstr\u00f6m. The team\u2019s bottom six sorely needed an upgrade, and Rodrigues and Boqvist should provide it. Anthony Mantha<\/a> is coming off a career season, and even though he may regress, he should give the Devils some finishing talent that they\u2019ve needed in their top six. \u00a0<\/p>\n 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. \u00a0<\/p>\n New York Islanders<\/p>\n Additions: Matias Maccelli<\/p>\n Subtractions: Anders Lee, Maxim Shabanov, David Rittich<\/p>\n Mathieu Darche\u2019s tenure as Islanders GM has been an interesting one. He wasn\u2019t particularly active this offseason, with Matias Maccelli being their lone notable addition<\/a>. He\u2019s a solid player capable of 40-50 points, but that\u2019s likely to be negated by losing Anders Lee to the Utah Mammoth in free agency.<\/p>\n I do struggle with what the Islanders\u2019 direction is. Are they rebuilding? Acquiring Brayden Schenn and Ond\u0159ej Pal\u00e1t ahead of last season\u2019s trade deadline, then hiring Pete DeBoer<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Columbus Blue Jackets<\/p>\n Additions: Valeri Nichushkin, Colton White<\/p>\n Subtractions: Mason Marchment, Boone Jenner<\/p>\n The Blue Jackets are another Metro team that feels like they\u2019re stuck in the mushy middle, and their offseason hasn\u2019t helped matters. Valeri Nichushkin is a solid pickup, but that\u2019s negated by losing Mason Marchment to the San Jose Sharks in free agency.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t feel like the organization has done enough to improve its standing in the division.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> and Denton Mateychuk can elevate the team. That seems like their best bet to escape NHL purgatory.<\/p>\n Washington Capitals<\/p>\n Additions: Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, Boone Jenner, Vincent Desharnais, Justin Holl, Jonny Brodzinski<\/p>\n Subtractions: Brandon Duhaime, Connor McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre, Trevor van Riemsdyk<\/p>\n 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\u2019s roster.<\/p>\n The Capitals\u2019 most notable transaction was acquiring Alex Tuch<\/a> 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\u2019m more skeptical of this move than others. That contract will likely age poorly, even in the rising cap world, and he\u2019s starting to lose some footspeed, a sign of potential age-related decline.<\/p>\n Tuch isn\u2019t 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\u2019s due to bounce back.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Philadelphia Flyers<\/p>\n Additions: Joseph Woll, Simon Benoit, Noel Acciari<\/p>\n Subtractions: Sam Ersson, Garnet Hathaway, Emil Andrae<\/p>\n 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<\/a> and retained Carlsson.<\/p>\n It would have been a much different offseason for the Flyers had they signed Carlsson. Otherwise, it\u2019s 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\u2019s play was worth a WAR of -1.6. The key for Woll will be staying healthy, which he\u2019s had trouble with during his NHL career.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s physical, but he\u2019s a below-replacement-level player (-1.6 WAR in 2025-26) and offers no offensive ability.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Penguins<\/p>\n Additions: Andrei Kuzmenko, Nick Robertson, Kaedan Korczak, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Hendrix Lapierre<\/p>\n Subtractions: Anthony Mantha, Stuart Skinner, Ryan Shea, Parker Wotherspoon, Noel Acciari, Connor Clifton<\/p>\n After a season where they defied everyone\u2019s expectations, there\u2019s 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?<\/p>\n Their biggest loss may be Mantha, who totaled 33 goals and 64 points. Even though he\u2019s 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\u2019ve lost in Mantha, but he doesn\u2019t have the skating or rush ability that Mantha does.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also been a fair amount of retooling on defense. Kaedan Korczak has breakout potential, but the Penguins\u2019 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.<\/p>\n Carolina Hurricanes<\/p>\n Additions: None<\/p>\n Subtractions: Frederik Andersen<\/p>\n It was a quiet offseason for the Hurricanes, but who cares when you\u2019re the defending Stanley Cup champions<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019re still the best team in the Metro from top to bottom.<\/p>\n Predicting the Metro<\/p>\n The Metro isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n On paper, the Capitals look like the second-best team. They\u2019re certainly the most improved at a minimum. They should compete for a top-three spot in the division next season, but they\u2019ll have competition.<\/p>\n 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?<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The Islanders feel like they\u2019re in the same boat as the Rangers. They\u2019re 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\u2019s been marginal improvement this summer, if that, and that could cost them in the playoff race.<\/p>\n Hurricanes \u2013 107 points<\/p>\n Capitals \u2013 101 points<\/p>\n Devils \u2013 99 points<\/p>\n Blue Jackets \u2013 92 points (WC2)<\/p>\n Penguins \u2013 89 points*<\/p>\n Flyers \u2013 87 points*<\/p>\n Rangers \u2013 84 points*<\/p>\n Islanders \u2013 83 points*<\/p>\n * = eliminated<\/p>\n Notably, no team in the Metro has an O\/U below 80 points. Per DraftKings, the Rangers have the lowest O\/U, and that\u2019s still at 86.5. It will be a competitive division, even though the Hurricanes are the heavy favorites.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s no guarantee. It\u2019ll be interesting to see how it shakes out.<\/p>\n Advanced stats from Evolving Hockey<\/a> and Natural Stat Trick<\/a><\/p>\n Free Newsletter<\/p>\n \n Get Season Previews coverage delivered to your inbox <\/p>\n In-depth analysis, breaking news, and insider takes – free.<\/p>\n![\"Jake](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Jake-Allen-Devils-1200x800.jpg\")
New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen gestures toward Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner after making a save against him during a shootout (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"Anthony](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Anthony-Mantha-Penguins-3-1200x900.jpg\")
Anthony Mantha, Pittsburgh Penguins (Amy Irvin<\/a> \/ The Hockey Writers)<\/p>\n