{"id":811464,"date":"2026-08-12T19:52:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T19:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/811464\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T19:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T19:52:08","slug":"offseason-grades-metro-division-where-penguins-rank","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/811464\/","title":{"rendered":"Offseason Grades: Metro Division; Where Penguins Rank"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the first time since the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a>\u2018 back-to-back championships in 2016 and 17, followed by the Washington Capitals\u2019 first triumph in 2018, the Stanley Cup champion resides in the Metropolitan Division. <\/p>\n

However, the offseasons of most of the Metro teams feel, at best, incomplete. Despite the Carolina Hurricanes\u2019 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\u2019s most tradition-rich divisions is full of teams in transition. <\/p>\n

Carolina has the Alexander Nikishin trade chatter sort of hanging in the air. The Penguins don\u2019t feel fully assembled. The Columbus Blue Jackets have the ghostly specter of losing Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko hovering above them.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s faceplant and get back to winning with veterans under coach Mike Sullivan, or will they need to strip away those veterans and start anew? <\/p>\n

Has anyone heard from the New York Islanders since the spring? <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Grading the Metro<\/p>\n

Washington Capitals: A+<\/p>\n

In: Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch, Boone Jenner, Vincent Desharnais, Justin Holl <\/p>\n

Out: Hendrix Lapierre<\/a>, Connor McMichael<\/p>\n

After the Capitals\u2019 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\u2019t 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. <\/p>\n

Like the Penguins signing Evgeni Malkin<\/a>, the Capitals also acquiesced to re-signing a 40-year-old franchise stalwart, inking Alex Ovechkin to a one-year deal. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

They get the A+ not just for the moves, but for the right moves. Kyrou could be a star in Washington for another decade. <\/p>\n

New York Rangers: A<\/p>\n

In: Pavel Dorofeyev, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Sean Durzi, Marcus Pettersson<\/a>, Joe Veleno, Joonas Korpisalo<\/p>\n

Out: Vincent Trocheck, Will Borgen<\/p>\n

Losing Trocheck hurts the Rangers\u2019 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. <\/p>\n

Dorofeyev, 25, has scored over 35 goals in consecutive seasons. Pettersson will steady the Rangers\u2019 blue line, much like he had to do for Sullivan\u2019s Penguins squads. Durzi could pair with Pettersson as the offensive punch on that pairing, and Bjorkstrand will provide more dependability in the forwards group. <\/p>\n

Drury didn\u2019t 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. <\/p>\n

New Jersey Devils: A+<\/p>\n

In: Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, Anthony Mantha, Declan Chisholm, David Rittich<\/p>\n

Out: Jacob Markstrom, Simon Nemec, Maxim Tsyplakov<\/p>\n

IN: GM Sunny Mehta<\/p>\n

The Devil\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n

Mehta was also the GM to roll the dice again on Mantha, who scored 33 goals last season for the Penguins. Despite Mantha\u2019s 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\u2019 bottom-six group. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Philadelphia Flyers: B<\/p>\n

In: Noel Acciari, Simon Benoit, Jack Studnicka, Zach Aston-Reese, Joseph Woll<\/p>\n

Out: Garnett Hathaway, Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson<\/p>\n

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 \u2026 much more. <\/p>\n

However, Anaheim matched the Flyers\u2019 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. <\/p>\n

The Flyers\u2019 rebuild is in the final stages, and Briere did nothing to derail what looks like a solid job. <\/p>\n

Carolina Hurricanes: B?<\/p>\n

In: None<\/p>\n

Out: Frederick Andersen<\/p>\n

?: Alexander Nikishin<\/p>\n

Nikishin\u2019s fate could greatly change Carolina\u2019s 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\u2019s merely a lost opportunity but doesn\u2019t significantly weaken the team, as he was a sheltered third-pairing defenseman last season, his rookie year. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Penguins: C-<\/p>\n

In: Andrei Kuzmenko, Nick Robertson, Hendrix Lapierre, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Declan Carlile, Kaedan Korczak<\/p>\n

Out: Anthony Mantha, Noel Acciari, Ryan Shea, Parker Wotherspoon, Kevin Hayes, Jack St. Ivany, Stuart Skinner<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Dubas also re-upped 40-year old Evgeni Malkin for one more year but kept adding forwards as if he hadn\u2019t. <\/p>\n

The Penguins\u2019 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? <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Columbus Blue Jackets: C-<\/p>\n

In: Valeri Nichushkin, Ryan Lomberg<\/p>\n

Out: Boone Jenner, Mason McTavish<\/p>\n

?: Adam Fantilli<\/p>\n

GM Don Waddell did well to get Nikushkin from Colorado, but Lomberg is a low-scoring grinder who won\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

Waddell got goalie Jet Greaves to ink a contract extension, as well as Erik Gudbranson and Cole Sillinger, but that\u2019s underwhelming. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

If or when Fantilli signs, his long-term status will greatly color the entirety of the offseason.<\/p>\n

New York Islanders: F<\/p>\n

In: Matias Maccelli, Vitek Vanecek<\/p>\n

Out: Anders Lee<\/p>\n

The Islanders are significantly worse off without Lee. There have been no other additions, except the faded Maccelli and backup goalie Vanecek. Coach Pete DeBoer was unable to stop the Islanders\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags:Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> new jersey devils<\/a> New York Islanders<\/a> New York Rangers<\/a> Philadelphia flyers<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> washingon capitals<\/a><\/p>\n

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