As important as it is to know everything we can about the Carolina Hurricanes, there is equal value in knowing the enemies around you, especially within your division. While the goal is to win the Stanley Cup every year, the first big race that teams face is the race for the division crown. Teams will play 84 games to best position themselves for the next race as they climb the mountain.
The Canes won the Metropolitan Division by 15 points last season, a margin that was the widest in the league. However, the battle behind them was as tight as there was in the NHL all year. Seven points separated second place from sixth place. This year, it's still anyone's guess how things will play out, so here's a quick look at each team in the division before Opening Night.
Columbus Blue Jackets
To call the Blue Jackets' offseason anything other than "tumultuous" would be incorrect. Both Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko were the subjects of trade talks for most of the summer, and while Werenski is still on the roster, Marchenko was shipped to Toronto on the eve of Opening Night. The Adam Fantilli negotiations went down to the wire, too, before they signed him to a new deal.
It wasn't all bad news for the Blue Jackets, acquiring Valeri Nichushkin from the Avalanche and signing Jet Greaves and Cole Sillinger to three-year extensions. Greaves, who really took off last season, will inherit the net for Columbus, especially with Elvis Merzlikins also on his way to Toronto. They'll also be down Dante Fabbro and Isac Lundestrom until likely November.
The Blue Jackets appear stuck. They are a talented team, but their most important player might want out, and their top forward succeeded in escaping. They've missed the playoffs the last six years, coming very close in each of the last two. As open as the division is, anything can happen, but I'm not sure if the current state of their roster is enough to buck that trend right now.
New Jersey Devils
I can't say that I hated the Devils' offseason that much. They finally gave Simon Nemec a fresh start, earning a solid haul from the Flames for their young defenseman. They used one of the first-round picks they received to acquire Luke Evangelista, who they signed to a five-year extension that kicks in next year. Nico Hischier also earned a nice extension, keeping him around for five years.
Injuries were a major story in the Devils' disappointing season last year, with Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes, Stefan Noesen, and Brett Pesce among the players to miss significant time. Their goaltending was an issue as well. Both Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen struggled, and I can't say that their situation has improved after trading Markstrom to Florida.
As long as they can keep their group healthy and scoring, the Devils should be fine. Anthony Mantha and Evan Rodrigues should prove to be good additions. I think Nico Daws will finally get a chance to shine. I won't be the least bit surprised if the Devils fight for a playoff spot. However, I also won't be surprised if they miss the playoffs, given how tight the division is.
New York Islanders
The Islanders are always the toughest team in the division to predict. They have one of the world's best goalies in Ilya Sorokin, who finished second for the Vezina Trophy. They have the unanimous Calder Trophy winner, Matthew Schaefer, on defense. Bo Horvat, their new captain, is always a threat to score 30 goals. They have a perfectly acceptable lineup from top to bottom.
However, they lacked consistency during their two seasons under Patrick Roy, leading to him getting the boot after the Canes beat them last season. Peter DeBoer took over for the final four games, and he's back this year as the permanent man in charge. DeBoer has an excellent track record, but he has never gotten over the hump. Something tells me he'll have his work cut out for him this season.
One of the biggest question marks for the Islanders to begin the year is the status of Mathew Barzal. He's dealing with a knee injury and was placed on IR, likely keeping him out to start the campaign. The Islanders probably have the widest range when it comes to their potential division finish. Seeing them in the playoffs wouldn't be a big surprise, but neither would seeing them miss the playoffs.
New York Rangers
Selfishly, there's a part of me that enjoyed watching the Rangers struggle last season. They were historically bad on home ice, being shut out seven times at Madison Square Garden, including twice by the Hurricanes. They traded Artemi Panarin before the Winter Olympics. They released The Letter 2.0 to the fans. When it was all said and done, they finished dead last in the division.
For as bad as their season was, their offseason actually wasn't that bad. They were very active on the trade market. At the draft, they shocked everyone by trading for Vegas' Pavel Dorofeyev and signing him to a seven-year deal. They also acquired Marcus Pettersson from Vancouver and Joonas Korpisalo from Boston. Still, their biggest move might've been trading Vincent Trocheck to Utah.
I also thought they made two sneakily good signings in Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen. The Rangers have a good roster, led by consistent Vezina candidate Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox. Their offense loses some steam the further down the lineup you go, but their top-end talent is present. I don't see them finishing at the bottom of the division again, but I have no clue what to expect.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers' late-season turnaround was something to behold. They went from well outside the playoffs at the trade deadline to nearly hosting a first-round series within a month. Then, they beat the Penguins before being swept by the Canes. There is something good going on in Philadelphia, and they made sure to reward their biggest stars accordingly.
Dan Vladar, Tyson Foerster, Trevor Zegras, and Jamie Drysdale all earned big extensions this summer, keeping them in the City of Brotherly Love. However, it was the move that didn't land that thrust them into the spotlight. Daniel Briere put forth a massive offer sheet to Anaheim's Leo Carlsson, offering him five years at $90 million ($18m AAV). The Ducks matched it, but it reset the market for everyone.
There is no reason why the Flyers can't be right back in the thick of the Metro hunt this season. I really liked their move to fortify in the crease by adding Joseph Woll to back up Vladar. Porter Martone is one of the favorites to win the Calder Trophy this season. Most importantly, they know what it takes to get to the playoffs, and that expertise is not to be taken lightly.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins shocked a lot of people when they qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing second in the Metro on the back of their ageless wonder, Sidney Crosby. While their ride lasted only six games against the Flyers, it was cool to see them back in the fight. It was enough for them to alter their stance on re-signing Evgeni Malkin, giving him a one-year deal in May.
With their lineup continuing to age, and Crosby, Malkin, and Erik Karlsson on expiring deals, the window for the Penguins is about as closed as you'll get, but we saw what they did last season. Their offseason didn't do much to help, with Andrei Kuzmenko, Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Nick Robertson among the team's most notable additions. Crosby might have to do a lot of heavy lifting.
Still, if they did it last year, we know that it's within reason that they can do it again. Arturs Silovs should have a little more runway to work with in the net. They're an incredibly scrappy team, led by their captain of 20 years. If they can overcome some early-season injury concerns to guys like Ben Kindel, Bryan Rust, and Justin Brazeau, the Penguins could shock some more people this year.
Washington Capitals
It feels like the Capitals have been named the consensus "offseason winners" after being very active while trying to improve their roster. They made two giant moves, acquiring Jordan Kyrou from the Blues and Alex Tuch from the Sabres, the latter of whom came with an eight-year contract. They also signed Boone Jenner, bringing in another stout center to bolster their lineup.
Many suggested that these moves were to either prepare for life without Alex Ovechkin or to convince him to play one more year. Ovechkin, who was a free agent after the season, re-signed with the Capitals on a one-year deal. It's unclear whether it'll be his final season, but I'm operating under the suspicion that it will be. Either way, the Capitals appear ready to contend.
There are many reasons to be intrigued by the Capitals. Along with a menagerie of players who play well against the Canes, they have two exciting rookies: Ilya Protas, the younger brother of now-teammate Aliaksei Protas, and Cole Hutson, the younger brother of Montreal's Lane Hutson. They also have Logan Thompson, who could be in Vezina contention. This is a dangerous-looking team.
Carolina Hurricanes
Of course, for now, the head of the table is occupied by the Carolina Hurricanes. They won the division, the conference, and the Stanley Cup in 2025-26, so the path to the top goes through Raleigh. That could be bad news for everyone else because the group that just won it all didn't change a whole lot during the offseason.
The only notable loss was Frederik Andersen, while Alexander Nikishin's situation is ongoing as Opening Night draws closer. The rest of the group remains in place. Seth Jarvis is out to begin the season, but he's ahead of schedule as he recovers from offseason surgery. The crease belongs to Brandon Bussi for the time being, though Connor Hellebuyck rumors won't go away.
It should come as no surprise that I think the Hurricanes will repeat as division champs. As much as teams like Washington improved this offseason, the Canes have been the epitome of consistency for the last eight years. The only real concern I have is whether the Cup hangover will be real. It's the shortest offseason they've had under Rod Brind'Amour, yet the expectations remain the same.
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