The Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals and New York Rangers have each won at least one Metropolitan Division title since the 2019-20 season.
But, this season, according to a panel of NHL.com writers, there shouldn’t be much variety at the top.
Seven of the nine NHL.com writers polled picked the Hurricanes to win the division this season, with the New Jersey Devils and Rangers getting the other picks.
Carolina certainly has the credentials to be division champs; the Hurricanes have done it in two of the past three seasons. Last season, they finished second to the Capitals in the division and fourth overall in the Eastern Conference before knocking out Washington in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Devils finished third in the division last season, losing to Carolina in the first round of the playoffs. The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy two seasons ago but missed the playoffs this past season. Mike Sullivan, the former coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, is now in charge, looking to get the Rangers back atop the mountain.
The Capitals, who had a conference-best 111 points, did not get any votes despite having won the division title last season and in 2019-20.
The Columbus Blue Jackets were just two points behind the Devils last season and just missed qualifying for the postseason for the first time in six seasons.
Like the Rangers, the Philadelphia Flyers have a new coach in Rick Tocchet, who coached the Vancouver Canucks last season. They are looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2020.
The New York Islanders, under new general manager Mathieu Darche, and with 2025 No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer on the blue line, will be looking to climb up from a sixth-place finish last season.
The Penguins, under new coach Dan Muse and in the middle of a rebuild, finished seventh last season.
Here are the writers on who will win the division.
Carolina Hurricanes
I’m looking at the Hurricanes with an eye on the 2021-22 Colorado Avalanche. They were coming off three straight losses in the Western Conference Second Round before finally breaking through, making it to the Stanley Cup Final, and winning it all. While I’m not quite going that far with the Hurricanes, I think this is the year they break through to the Final after having lost in the second round in three of the previous five seasons and in the Eastern Conference Final twice. I believe in what general manager Eric Tulsky is building, including the additions of Nikolaj Ehlers and K’Andre Miller, and in the strides made by some of the players in that organization, including Logan Stankoven, rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin and Seth Jarvis. That will start with the Hurricanes winning the Metropolitan Division. — Amalie Benjamin, senior writer
The Hurricanes have become perennial contenders in the Metropolitan Division, finishing first or second each of the past four seasons, including second behind the Washington Capitals last season, and reached the Eastern Conference Final last season for the second time in three seasons. Signing Ehlers and acquiring Miller this offseason should help push them back to the top of the Metropolitan. Ehlers, who scored at least 25 goals five times in his 10 seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, is a much-needed offensive weapon that should fit seamlessly into their unrelenting forecheck system. The Hurricanes believe Miller can reach another level playing under coach Rod Brind’Amour following five seasons with the New York Rangers. Carolina still has to prove it can take the next step in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but with Brind’Amour getting complete buy-in from his players, they are poised to be the class of the division again during the regular season. — Tom Gulitti, senior writer
The Hurricanes should win the Metropolitan Division for the first time since 2022-23 because they are by far the most complete team in the division. The core group is battle-tested, winning at least one series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for five straight seasons, including a run to the conference final last season. And during the offseason they got deeper and more talented. Miller should be poised for a bounce-back season after some inconsistencies the previous two years with the New York Rangers. The Hurricanes do have their faults, but they’re more skilled, deeper and arguably better coached than any other team in the division. — Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor
The Hurricanes still have a stoic, playoff-tested core intact with defenseman Jaccob Slavin and forwards Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal, Andrei Svechnikov and Jarvis, and the addition of Ehlers, will help the depth scoring. They can play a fast game, or gritty, hard-hitting game, and that helps during the rigors of an 82-game season. Carolina lost defenseman Brent Burns to the Colorado Avalanche in free agency but acquired Miller, and Nikishin is also expected to play a big role along the blue line. The question remains in goal with the health of Frederik Andersen and consistency of Pyotr Kochetkov. Otherwise, Carolina remains the team to beat in the Metropolitan. — Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer
An already solid team made two quality additions in the offseason to areas of need. Ehlers had 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games for Jets last season. He’s a threat to score every time on the ice and his speed will fit into Carolina’s system, which requires players to get up the ice quickly, fire pucks at the net and be strong on retrievals. Miller has a long reach and skates well. He will also fit in well in Carolina’s system. Those additions plus everything the Hurricanes have returning from a team that won 47 games and had 99 points last season is enough to push them to the top of the Metropolitan Division. — Dan Rosen, senior writer
Carolina has been considered a Stanley Cup contender for a number of years, but has been unable to put it all together in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, losing in the Eastern Conference Final in two of the past three seasons. Ehlers is a solid addition to an established forward group. The Hurricanes are also solid on the back end and if goalie Frederik Andersen can stay healthy, they will be in a good spot heading into the playoffs this season. — Derek Van Diest, staff writer
The Devils will give Carolina a run, especially if they can stay healthy, which they haven’t been able to do in recent years. Nevertheless, outside of their own goal crease, the Hurricanes are as deep as any team in the NHL. Mikko Rantanen’s stay in Raleigh lasted a few weeks, not the few years Hurricanes brass would have liked. Goals shouldn’t be an issue. Burns is gone from the blue line, but Miller’s best years are ahead of him. As always with Carolina, whether Andersen and Kochetkov can stay healthy remains the key question. — Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
New Jersey Devils
The Devils were on a good run last season when they were derailed by devastating injuries, the biggest coming to top scorer Jack Hughes and then top defenseman Dougie Hamilton. Despite that, they made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I see New Jersey staying healthy this season and winning the Metropolitan for the first time since the division was formed heading into the 2013-14 season. The Devils have strong goaltending, led by Jacob Markstrom. Now, it will certainly help New Jersey to get Luke Hughes signed as soon as possible. The 22-year-old defenseman isn’t participating in camp yet but I’m guessing he’ll get up to speed quickly once the deal is done. It’s time for the Devils to get to the top. — Tracey Myers, staff writer