NHL Metropolitan Division 2025-26 Point Projections & Predictions

The NHL’s Metropolitan Division is shaping up for an interesting season, with the Carolina Hurricanes looking to maintain their spot at the top despite some major changes to their defense.

The Hurricanes are projected to hit around 106 points this season. That’s pretty solid, even though it’s down from their impressive 116-point showing in 2021-22. They’ve made a bold move, swapping out veterans Dmitry Orlov (34) and Brent Burns (40) for younger talent in K’Andre Miller (25) and Alexander Nikishin (23).

The New York Rangers are making serious moves to bounce back from last year’s disappointment. They’ve grabbed Vladislav Gavrikov, who was arguably last season’s best defensive defenseman, to pair with Adam Fox. Plus, they’ve brought in Mike Sullivan, a two-time Stanley Cup winning coach.

Here’s what’s really interesting about the Rangers: They were terrible at protecting their net last year, ranking 29th in high-danger chances allowed. But with their new additions and Igor Shesterkin in goal (who was seventh-best in saves above expected), they’re looking much stronger.

The New Jersey Devils are a tough team to predict. They’ve got incredible talent, but their superstar Jack Hughes keeps getting hurt – he’s missed about 19 games per season over the last four years. That’s a big problem.

Washington’s still hanging in there, even with Alex Ovechkin turning 40. They were surprisingly good last season, but can they keep it up with an aging defense?

The Columbus Blue Jackets are this year’s wild card. They’ve got young talent and a coach who knows how to get the most out of his players. Their only real weakness? Goaltending looks a bit shaky.

The New York Islanders seem stuck between rebuilding and competing. Trading Noah Dobson to Montreal sends mixed signals about their direction.

Philadelphia’s in full rebuild mode under new coach Rick Tocchet. They’re looking like Detroit did a few years ago – lots of potential but too many holes to fill right now.

And then there’s Pittsburgh. Even with Sidney Crosby still playing amazing hockey at 38 (91 points last season!), they’re probably going to struggle. They’ll likely trade away some key players during the season, which won’t help their chances.

The division’s looking more competitive than ever, with some teams clearly pushing for the playoffs while others are playing the long game. It’ll be fascinating to see how these predictions hold up once the puck drops on October 7.