After last year's playoff race came to a thrilling conclusion, with multiple metropolitan division teams being in the mix until the final days of the 23-24 season, this season, the division looks very balanced, with perceived contenders like the Devils to bubble playoff teams like the Capitals down to lottery teams like the Flyers. Today, I'm going to try and predict the metropolitan standings for 24-25, a division notoriously hard to predict.
8. Columbus Blue Jackets (68 pts)
In eighth place, I have the Columbus Blue Jackets. After the tremendous and heartbreaking loss of Johnny Gaudreau, there is no way to replace such an impact player. However, there is still reason to follow this team this season. Number one, this team has a young core—Fantilli, Johnson, Chinkakov, Sillinger, Marchenko, and now Caden Lindstrom as well. The defence boasts David Jiricek as the blue-chip prospect. The Blue Jacket's problems lie in goaltending and overall depth. A tandem of Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov isn't particularly inspiring, and the defensive core is still a step behind most of the league. This is going to be a growth year for the Blue Jackets, and a 68-point season seems about right.
7. Philadelphia Flyers (80 pts)
After a solid season last year that saw the Flyers put up 87 points and miss out on the playoffs on the final day, I have them once again missing the playoffs but only hitting 80 points. The biggest concern is undoubtedly the goaltending. How will a tandem of Ersson and Fedotov hold up for 82 games? In my opinion, not very well. The defensive core is still lacking powerful depth for me, and Jamie Drysdale needs to take a step if this Flyers team wants to compete for the playoffs. Of course, Matvei Michkov is going to be playing for the Flyers this year. The Russian prospect is one of the very best we've seen coming out of the last few drafts. John Tortorella will probably get the most he can out of this team, but I can't see them being much higher than 7th in this year's metro.
6. Washington Capitals (86 pts)
The Caps overachieved last year. But after a retooling off-season, the Capitals look ready to go back on paper. The addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois is interesting but doesn't seem to have any weight to it, especially considering his performance in the last two seasons in particular. The forward core is on the wrong side of 30 for the most part, and that has been pretty apparent as they scored just 220 goals in 2023-24, the lowest mark in the division by 15. Their -37 goal differential was the second worst in the division, only trailing Columbus and their -63. There is cause for hope, however, as the defence and goaltending once again look solid in the nation's capital. Matt Roy, Jakob Chychrun, and Jon Carlsson headline a defensive corps that some May view as a top 5 unit in hockey. Overall, however, the Capitals don't have enough offensive firepower to keep up with the division, and some of the other contenders in the league can still open up the great defence of the Caps on any given night.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins (89 pts)
The Penguins were an interesting team last year, with their 5v5 play being among the best in the league. By contrast, the Pittsburgh special teams were the reason they lost on a lot of occasions last season, but I don't see the Penguins having such polar numbers in either direction this season. As I am writing this, center Sidney Crosby signed a 2-year extension with the club, perhaps bringing a morale boost to the Penguins before a crucial training camp. A major question with the Penguins is the aging forward core. How much can a guy like 32-year-old Kevin Hayes contribute to this lineup? Their depth looks solid on paper, but the 12 forwards Pittsburgh will likely ice on October 9th don't seem too special. There is a bright spot in Rutger McGroarty, though, the team's most hyped and best prospect for this season. If he makes the lineup, look for him to be a difference-maker in the Penguins' middle six. The defence is the weakness of this team, in my opinion. Having an aging Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang in the top 4 is concerning. The most concerning aspect is Karlsson's point scoring; how long can he continue to produce at an elite level? The largest problem for the defence is depth. If one of their marquee guys goes down, can Pittsburgh replace their production? The answer is likely no.
(photo credit: The Athletic)
4. New York Islanders (93 pts)-X
After falling to the Canes in round one for the second straight year, the Islanders are a team that is on the bubble. They're not bad enough to tear down and start a rebuild, but the core isn't good enough to compete for a cup, so for now, they're stuck in the middle. After another mostly quiet off-season, the Islanders take a slightly changed roster into training camp. The Islanders were able to capitalize heavily on the faults of their opponents last season, and they rode it to a top-division spot. But with many expecting a more difficult division in 24-25, can they repeat last season's late-season magic? The answer this year is going to lie in consistency. Ilya Sorokin needs to play like the number one goaltender he is. The free agency signing of Anthony Duclair should also add a scoring touch to the Islanders' offence. I am predicting we will see another solid year out of the Islanders, with Barzal, Horvat, and Nelson leading the charge on offence once again. On defence, if the Islanders can find some consistency past Noah Dobson and Adam Pelech, watch out, as the Islanders could be a dark horse for a series win this season.
3. Carolina Hurricanes (102 pts)-X
The Hurricanes are coming off yet another disappointing season where they fell short to an analytically inferior opponent in the Rangers. It's been about five years of serious contending for the Canes, but they have yet to even win a game in the third round. This past offseason was more about keeping core guys and letting go of others, which led to their placement here at number three. After years of disappointment, however, it's starting to feel like the regular season is just a formality for the Hurricanes. Many fans are likely already looking towards the playoffs as the proving ground for the Canes. Many pundits do believe this Canes team isn't as strong as in years past. The real question for the Hurricanes, in my eyes, is: can they get it done in the playoffs?
2. New Jersey Devils (107 pts)-X
The number one bounce-back pick for this season is the Devils. Last season was a woeful one, as the Devils were expected to easily make the playoffs but ended up with a losing record of 38-39-5 and posting 81 points, good for just 7th in the 8-team metropolitan. If the core of the Devils can stay healthy (most notably Jack Hughes), things will be different this season. The team also addressed goaltending pretty heavily in the offseason, acquiring Jacob Markstrom from the Flames. The Devils look like a deep team with an improved defence as well. The signings of Brett Pesce and Brendon Dillon boost an already young and talented defensive line. The forward core is familiar and still just as skilled as last year. The likes of Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier will complement Jack Hughes. Nico Hischier is also on the team, taking a huge role as captain and as a role model for defensive play. This New Jersey Devils team might struggle in the early part of the season due to the global series, which is why I have them in second, but this regular season should be a memorable one for Devils fans.
1. New York Rangers (110 pts)-Y
On top of that, I have the New York Rangers winning back-to-back Metropolitan division titles. Last year's Presidents Trophy winners were built on high-power offence, special teams, and amazing goaltending. Artemi Panarin is a true standout. His line with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere was the best 5v5 line in the NHL last season, so look for that line to continue their tear through the league. Igor Shesterkin is coming off of an extraordinary playoff in 2024 and is going to be in contention for his second Vezina trophy in 24-25. After a down year in 23-24, I expect Mika Zibanejad to come back into form as the Rangers 1C. Peter Laviolette coached this team well last year, and rookies like Brennan Othmann or Brett Berard could potentially play meaningful games for the Rangers this season. Overall, this Rangers team has a mission similar to Carolina: win in the playoffs. The lights on Broadway are going to be bright this year, and with high-end talent, anything could happen for the Blueshirts this year.
This season's metropolitan division is going to be highly competitive and worth tuning into. There are plenty of storylines as well: the Devils' new coach, Sheldon Keefe, Sidney Crosby re-signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Matvei Michkov coming over to the North American game, and many more. This season's metro will be a balanced division that could have five playoff teams if things fall their way or just three if things don't.
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