The former Rangers coach has the Flyers (22-20-6) even with the Blueshirts in the standings, each team with 50 points. Philly is on a six-game point streak (5-0-1) and won three straight following a 2-1 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

Of course, the Rangers (23-20-4) are humming along right now with a season-long nine-game point streak (6-0-3). They’re coming a terrific 60-minute effort in a 5-0 win against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.

Something’s got to give Thursday at MSG in this ever-increasing tight race in the East.

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New York Rangers news

Tom Castro dives into why the surging Rangers do not need to trade for J.T. Miller, but still need to tweak the roster.

Good on Matt Rempe. He’s certainly had his share of ups and downs, but appears to be in a good place on the Rangers’ fourth line now, complete with a big goal against the Senators on Tuesday.

Peter Laviolette really liked how the Rangers “hung together” and stood up for Igor Shesterkin in that scrum with Ottawa the other night.

Will Cuylle has taken on more responsibility in a top-six role with the Rangers, and is doing quite well, thank you very much.

A pair of Rangers forward prospects are nominees for the 2025 Hobey Baker Award as the top men’s player in NCAA hockey. Gabe Perreault of Boston College and Noah Laba of Colorado College are among the nominees named Wednesday.

Also, if you missed it, here are our three takeaways from the Rangers impressive 5-0 win against the Senators.

NHL news

The New Jersey Devils suffered a massive blow with the news that goalie Jacob Markstrom will “miss some time” with an unspecified injury after leaving a 5-1 win against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday following a goal-mouth collision. Here’s how the Markstrom injury affects the Rangers.

The Minnesota Wild will have leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov back in the lineup Thursday when they host the Utah Hockey Club. Kaprizov was activated from long-term IR after he missed 13 games with a lower-body injury. Captain Jared Spurgeon will also return from a lower-body injury. The defenseman hasn’t played since Dec. 31.

Matthew Knies sustained an upper-body injury after a second-period collision against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday and did not return for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who lost 5-1.

Watch Adam Fantilli of the Blue Jackets record the first hat trick of his NHL career.

Former Rangers defenseman Neal Pionk scored 17 seconds into overtime to lift the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win against the Avalanche.

Check out Pionk’s OT game-winner.

Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves to help the Los Angeles Kings slip past the Florida Panthers 2-1.

The Devils announced Friday that Markstrom has an MCL sprain and is out 4-6 weeks in a damaging blow to the third-place team in the Metropolitan Division.

Markstrom, who’s been the backbone behind New Jersey’s rise in the Metropolitan Division this season, was injured in a goal-mouth collision with Boston Bruins forward Justin Brazeau at 3:09 of the second period in the Devils’ 5-1 win at Prudential Center. Markstrom was removed from the game after remaining down on the ice in obvious pain.

“We’ll take some time before we know the full extent on [Markstrom],” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame. “I talked to him; he is in good spirits. He’s feeling a lot better than before, so that’s positive. He’s going to miss some time.”

Jacob Markstrom will miss some time after being crashed into by Justin Brazeau😫

pic.twitter.com/MvtAhAxbY4

— Everything Hockey (@EHClothing) January 23, 2025

On a team that features stars like Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Dougie Hamilton and Nico Hischier, there’s likely no player more indispensable than Markstrom on the Devils roster. The 34-year-old arrived in an offseason trade with the Calgary Flames and has stabilized the goaltending position in New Jersey.

Markstrom is 21-9-5 with a 2.20 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and three shutouts this season. He’s fourth in the League in wins, tied for fourth in shutouts and has the fifth-best GAA. Last season, Devils goalies combined to allow the fifth-most goals in the NHL (281; 3.43 per game).

After stunningly failing to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, due in large part to atrocious defensive play and poor goaltending, the Devils (27-17-6) are third in the Metro with 60 points. They are three points behind the second-place Carolina Hurricanes and 11 in arrears of the red-hot, first-place Washington Capitals.

The Devils have a seven-point lead over the fourth-place Columbus Blue Jackets, who own the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference at the moment.

Fueled by a 10-game point streak (7-0-3), the Rangers are just one point out of the second wild card. But they could have the Devils in their sites now as well. The Rangers trail the Devils by eight points, but have two games in hand. And now Markstrom’s injury really change the landscape for New Jersey.

Related: Why surging Rangers should move on from J.T. Miller trade interest, but still upgrade roster

Rangers could set sights on struggling Devils with Jacob Markstrom sidelined

Jake Allen is a capable veteran backup goalie for the Devils. However, before being credited with the win against the Bruins, stopping all 16 shots he faced, the 34-year-old had lost six consecutive decisions, allowing 20 goals.

Allen, who was the No. 2 behind Jordan Binnington when the St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019, does have a solid 2.66 GAA and decent .904 save percentage in 15 appearances this season. He’s a quality No. 2 but could be exposed if Markstrom is out for a long period of time.

Nico Daws, who has 46 games of NHL experience but has struggled with Utica in the American Hockey League this season, likely will be recalled to pair with Allen.

There’s no way around it for the Devils. This is a massive blow and comes at a terrible time. The Devils ended a four-game skid (0-2-2) against the Bruins but are 2-6-3 since Dec. 28, struggling at a time when the Rangers turned their season around.

The Rangers dropped to the bottom of the East standings during a 4-15-0 freefall to close out 2024. But since the calendar flipped to 2025, the Rangers are 8-1-3. That included an exciting 3-2 overtime win against the Devils on Jan. 9, after losing their first two meetings by a combined 10-1 score.

The Devils close out January with a road game in Montreal against the Canadiens and a home-and-home set against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Rangers defeated the Flyers 6-1 on Thursday and follow with home games against the Colorado Avalanche and Hurricanes finish their January schedule.

They’ve won two of three, scored 10 goals in their past two games and played a better, more competitive brand of hockey since returning from the NHL holiday break. Baby steps, yes. But steps in the right direction.

Tuesday at MSG, the Rangers (18-20-1) host the Dallas Stars. This is a good test against a good team that won has four straight and five of six (5-0-1). In their past two games against good teams, the Rangers defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 and then lost a sloppy 7-4 decision to the Washington Capitals.

Those two games preceded a dominant 6-2 throttling of the last-overall Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

The Stars don’t give up much — their 2.50 team goals-against average is tied with the Los Angeles Kings for best in the NHL. That means the Rangers will have to work to grind out a win on Tuesday.

Arthur Kaliyev won’t make his Rangers debut Tuesday after the forward was claimed off waivers from the Kings on Monday. Coach Peter Laviolette opted to stay with the same lineup that played well in the victory at Chicago.

New York Rangers news

The Rangers placed forward Chris Kreider on injured reserve Tuesday morning, retroactive to Sunday, and recalled forward Matt Rempe, who had been sent to Hartford of the American Hockey League after Kaliyev was acquired. This will allow Rempe to serve the final game of his eight-game suspension and make him eligible to play Thursday against the New Jersey Devils.

We took a close look at Filip Chytil’s strong play since the NHL holiday break, one that’s providing the Rangers a major spark.

Here’s our weekly look at who’s hot, who’s not for the Rangers, and what lies ahead for them in the coming week.

We took a crack at predicting what the Rangers quarter century team should look like.

Former Rangers defenseman Al MacNeil died at the age of 89 Monday. Our John Kreiser has the obituary on the four-time Stanley Cup champion.

NHL news

Devils forward Erik Haula has a bad ankle sprain and could miss a few weeks of action.

Without Haula in the lineup, the Devils ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 win against the Seattle Kraken. Jacob Markstrom was sensational in New Jersey’s victory. Watch one of his highlight-reel saves.

Alex Chiasson, who played 11 seasons in the NHL, officially retired Monday. The former forward helped the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018.

Speaking of the Capitals, they lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Buffalo Sabres. In that game, Sabres forward Tage Thompson scored the fastest goal in the NHL this season, on a shot recorded at 103.7 MPH.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker left practice Monday after crashing awkwardly into the boards. He was helped off the ice and couldn’t put any weight on his left leg.

Former Rangers forward J.T. Miller scored two goals for the Vancouver Canucks, but they lost 5-4 to the Montreal Canadiens when Nick Suzuki scored less than a minute into overtime.

The Rangers started the day off with the shocking announcement that Chris Kreider would be a healthy scratch. Kreider has scored just two goals in his past 13 games despite being a mainstay on the top power-play unit. His absence caused yet another shakeup in the line combinations.

“It was just a lineup decision. We just need more,” coach Peter Laviolette said after the game when asked about the decision to scratch the team’s senior member.

If Laviolette’s goal was to send a message to the rest of the team, it didn’t work. Rather than coming out firing, the Rangers were shut out for the second time in a week, dropping further down the Metropolitan Division standings, and falling below NHL .500 (16-17-1) after starting the season 12-4-1.

The big story was the special teams, or lack thereof, for the Rangers. They went 0-for-4 on the power play, while their penalty kill — which entered the day as the NHL’s best — allowed New Jersey to score three power-play goals in four opportunities.

Jonathan Quick made 24 saves on 29 shots and did everything he could to limit the bleeding. However, it wasn’t enough as the Devils sent the Rangers to their fifth loss in six games. They’ve been shut out twice in four games during the past week, which hasn’t happened since the 2020-21 season.

“Every game it feels like it has to happen that night,” center Vincent Trocheck said postgame. “Just seems like we get down early or we get down at any point in the game and we just fold. That can’t happen.”

The loss was the 13th in past 17 games (4-13-0) for the Rangers, and dropped them 15 points behind the Devils, who lead the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers are 11th in the Eastern Conference and remained five points behind the Ottawa Senators, who hold the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways after 5-0 loss to New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils 5, New York Rangers 0

The Rangers tried to match Sunday’s fast start, once again starting their fourth line of Adam Edstrom, Sam Carrick, and Jimmy Vesey in hopes of setting the tone. However, it was Trocheck who got things started by dropping the gloves with Paul Cotter.

Unfortunately, it was the Devils who scored the opening goal at 4:29 of the first period. Ranger-killer Jack Hughes scored when his shot from the left circle was deflected by newly acquired Rangers defenseman Will Borgen and got past Quick.

Then it was Carrick’s turn to try to fire up the team; he went toe-to-toe with Brenden Dillion in a much more spirited fight. But that’s all New York could muster in the first 20 minutes.

While not the start they wanted, the Rangers ended the first period only down 1-0.

But as was the case in Sunday’s 3-1 home loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, the second period was when things fell apart for New York. The Devils cashed in on each of the two bench minors for too many man on the ice to take a three-goal lead after 40 minutes.

Timo Meier made it 2-0 when he beat Quick on a beautiful passing play at 4:41 of the second period. Quick made a great attempt at stretching across the crease to make the stop but had no chance.

Then it was Hughes again — this time he teamed up with younger brother Luke to make it 3-0 at 11:13 and siphon any comeback hopes the Rangers might have had. Hughes had his way against the Rangers once again; he scored twice, giving him 15 goals in 22 career games against New York.

The Devils continued to own the puck throughout the final period, despite the Rangers’ efforts early on. The toughest of Jacob Markstrom’s 12 saves on the day came when he denied Artemi Panarin in the first few minutes.

New Jersey made it 4-0 at 8:00 of the third period when Stefan Noesen finished off passes from Nico Hischier and Meier on a play that left the Rangers defense out of position.

Dawson Mercer scored New Jersey’s final goal of the game and third on the power play at 12:35, leaving New York desperate for solutions. When the Devils got a late power play after Panarin was called for slashing at 15:54, Devils coach Sheldon Keefe used it to give his bottom-six forwards and bottom-four defensemen some rare ice time with the extra man.

With another dud in the books, the Rangers head into their four days off still searching for answers.

“We get a break now,” defenseman Ryan Lindgren said. “We’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror here and come back really hungry, because this is just not winning hockey we’re playing right now. It’s miserable for us, it’s miserable for the fans. It’s time to figure it out.”

The Rangers get back to work on Saturday when they begin a two-game swing through Florida with a visit to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning began Monday fourth in the Atlantic Division and holding the first wild card in the East after winning six of their past eight – scoring 36 goals during that stretch. It’s the first meeting of the season between the teams; New York won two of three games against the Bolts in 2023-24.

Last season, four teams from the Metropolitan Division made the playoffs- the Rangers, Hurricanes, New York Islanders and Capitals. It’s fair to say that each of those teams, plus the Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, will be in the playoff hunt this season. Only the Columbus Blue Jackets, following the tragic death of star forward Johnny Gaudreau, appear to be out of that mix.

All in all, the Rangers find themselves in an exciting division, full of elite competition and dynamic players, once again in 2024-25.

Related: What’s next for Rangers, Igor Shesterkin after Jeremy Swayman ends holdout with Bruins

Key players to watch from Rangers and their Metro Division rivals

Here’s a look at one key player from each team in the division who’s set to be a difference-maker this season.

New York Rangers: Adam Fox

The Rangers defense has been a flurry of experimental pairings to start the season, in the wake of Ryan Lindgren sustaining an upper-body injury in the second preseason match. The emergence of prospect Victor Mancini has given the Rangers some interesting decisions to make about the makeup of their defense pairs with Lindgren out.

One thing is certain though, Adam Fox remains New York’s No. 1 defenseman and, arguably, their most important all-around player. So, the Rangers must get it right with his partner, what with Lindgren injured. It appears K’Andre Miller will slide up to play alongside Fox on opening night Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. That could be an electrifying pair.

After scoring an NHL career-high 17 goals and finishing with 73 points in 72 games last season, it feels like Fox could explode offensively this season. Remaining healthy is key, though. He missed 10 games with a knee injury in 2023-24. We all saw how adversely the Rangers are affected when Fox isn’t 100 percent healthy, like in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring.

If Fox stays healthy and averages his typical 24 minutes per game in ice time, he could be in line for a massive season and, perhaps, another Norris Trophy. No matter the final point totals, Fox is the linchpin to all the Rangers do, 5v5 and on the power play.

Fox is undoubtedly a leader on the ice, as well. His example is a guide for the 22-year-old Mancini and can inspire players like Braden Schneider and Zac Jones to unlock another level in their game.

The Rangers are known for their dynamic offense and the spectacular goaltending of Igor Shesterkin, but this season, Fox can set the tone for how impactful the Rangers’ defense can become.

Carolina Hurricanes: Seth Jarvis

The Hurricanes had a busy offseason with the departure of several key players, like Brady Skjei, Jake Guentzel, and Brett Pesce, and new additions, like Shayne Gostisbehere and William Carrier. Despite the changes, the Hurricanes expect to be a serious contender again this season, after seven straight seasons making the playoffs.

Seth Jarvis is a big reason for optimism in Carolina. The 22-year-old forward broke out with 33 goals and 67 points last season, then signed a robust eight-year, $59.36 million contract this past summer.

The Hurricanes hope the arc continues up for Jarvis, whose production jumped dramatically last season after two very solid 40- and 39-point season his first two years.

Should Jarvis become even more of a contributor on the score sheet, he will be a pivotal difference-maker for his team. He has already demonstrated a high defensive intelligence and seems to improve his two-way play each season. His versatility can help the Hurricanes maintain the high level of play they’ve now become accustomed to.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Adam Fantilli

The Blue Jackets finished at the bottom of the division again last season and they continue to be in rebuilding mode. The devastating loss of Gaudreau this offseason was another deeply impactful blow to an already struggling team. They also traded talented wing Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens, per his request.

There are several intriguing young talents whose development can turn help things around here.

One of Columbus’ most exciting young players to watch is Adam Fantilli. Drafted third overall in 2023 out of the University of Michigan, Fantilli had already garnered several awards and accolades as a junior and college player. The anticipation for his NHL career was high, but his rookie season didn’t go quite as planned last season. The 19-year-old forward got off to a slow start and sustained a season-ending leg injury in January. In his limited ice time, he accumulated 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 49 games.

This season, Fantilli will be looking to build off of the initial experience he gained and become a regular contributor for a team that desperately needs offense. He has a defensive side to his game as well and has maintained his ability to be a two-way player as he’s developed.

His preseason showing has been mostly positive, with six points (four goals, two assists) in six games. Fantilli admitted missing so much time last season required him to get his timing back and get used to the speed of the game again. In his second preseason outing, he netted a hat trick against the Capitals, a positive sign for sure. If Fantilli finds his timing and stays healthy this season, he should quickly develop into a major offensive weapon for the Blue Jackets.

New Jersey Devils: Jacob Markstrom

The Devils notably have offensive power in Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Timo Meier. They have solid veteran and young defensive standouts in Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, and Simon Nemec. What they have lacked in the recent past is stable goaltending.

Last year saw the team perform under expectations and miss the playoffs. They allowed 3.43 goals per game, fifth worst in the NHL, while suiting up various goalies, including Nico Daws, Vitek Vanecek, and Kaapo Kahkonen among others.

This offseason, the team made a splash by trading for Jacob Markstrom. The 34-year-old goaltender brings experience from multiple hockey markets and previous playoff runs. His game may not be at the level it was a few years ago, but he’s a massive upgrade over what the Devils had last season in goal. Within the division, you can argue Markstrom is right behind Shesterkin and Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin as best in the Metro.

Markstrom made a strong case for himself with his Devils debut at the 2024 NHL Global Series against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague last week. In the season opener, Markstrom masterfully controlled rebounds, stopped 30 of 31 shots and led the Devils to a win.

He is hugely important to New Jersey’s hopes to bounce back this season.

New York Islanders: Mat Barzal

The Islanders squeaked into the playoffs last season and didn’t do much to improve the roster during the offseason. It’ll be a plus to have Patrick Roy behind the bench the entire season, but the Islanders still face a lot of questions in 2024-25.

Their goaltender, Sorokin is looking to have a comeback season after disappointing in 2023-24. They’ve modified their forwards with some new additions like Anthony Duclair and Maxim Tsyplakov.

But one of the most intriguing storylines for the Islanders will be how effective Mat Barzal can be this season.

Barzal burst onto the NHL scene with a Calder Trophy-winning rookie year that culminated in 85 points in 2017-18. Since then, Barzal has yet to be able to replicate that dominance, although last season showed some promising upside. Barzal was an NHL All-Star last season, scored a career-high 23 goals and finished with 80 points.

This season, Barzal will be paired with a new linemate in Duclair, be continuing to adapt to Roy’s high-accountability coaching style, and looking to break out and reach his full offensive potential at age 27. Barzal has at times been hesitant to shoot the puck and hasn’t always displayed defensive follow-through. Roy has challenged all his players to be responsible on both sides of the puck, and Barzal should be able to develop his two-way game.

He also seems to have found more offensive confidence and will benefit from Bo Horvat and Duclair as linemates. Barzal’s breakout rookie year was exciting to watch, and no doubt a breakout year as a more experienced and developed player would be beneficial for the Islanders.

Philadelphia Flyers: Matvei Michkov

The Flyers exceeded most expectations by being in the playoff hunt last season. They just missed qualifying after a late season swoon, but still proved to be scrappy and resilient. This season, the Flyers want to build on what went right for them last season and see more consistent success.

The Flyers weren’t afraid to take shots on net last year, but struggled to capitalize on many, scoring in just 8.5 percent of their attempts. Their power play was also mess, last in the League at 12.2 percent.

This season the Flyers have an exciting new offensive weapon that could help turn things in the right direction.

Matvei Michkov, the Russian phenom from SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL, is a dynamic player, who is among the preseason favorites to win the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

In training camp and preseason, the 19-year-old lived up to the hype, displaying high offensive intelligence and instinct, high energy, and scoring capabilities. Michkov had seven points (three goals, four assists) to lead the Flyers in preseason scoring.

The Flyers have had an identity as a tough, check-heavy team, but Michkov’s slick-offensive-minded style of play provides a new level of depth to their game. The forward has already delivered what the organization was expecting to see from him with smart passing, dynamic skating, and ability to finish. His rookie season should be special to watch.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Erik Karlsson

The Penguins found themselves out of the playoff picture for the second season in a row in 2023-24. But they’re sticking to a veteran core after signing Sidney Crosby to a contract extension this offseason. So the Penguins will run it back with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson.

A key here is Karlsson, the 2022-23 Norris Trophy winner as the League’s top defenseman. He should be healthy and ready for the season opener after dealing with an injury during training camp and preseason. That is excellent news for a Penguins team that’s dealing with injuries to forwards Bryan Rust and Blake Lizotte and goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.

Karlsson was a hue acquisition by the Penguins during the 2023 offseason. He accumulated 101 points with the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23, but in Pittsburgh, Karlsson couldn’t quite replicate those numbers with 11 goals and 56 total points in 82 games. The Penguins and Karlsson had an up-and-down year and couldn’t seem to find consistency.

This season, Karlsson must step up his point production and be a difference maker. He’ll be able to quarterback a power play that will be improved from last season with both structural and personnel changes brought in by new assistant coach David Quinn, whom Karlsson played for in San Jose. Among many big names. Karlsson’s turnaround might just be the most important for the Penguins this season.

Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin

The Capitals made the playoffs last season despite struggling offensively and having an aging core on their roster. They was swept by the Rangers in the first round, but the season provided hope that they could still be competitive in a tough division.

This season, the Capitals have added some new important new players to the mix, like forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois and Andrew Mangiapane, defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy, and goalie Logan Thompson.

But when you talk about the Capitals, you still talk about superstar forward Alex Ovechkin. Washington’s captain is entering his 20th season in the League and remains the centerpiece to its fortunes.

Last season, however, Ovechkin struggled to be his usual self and had only eight goals through the first 43 games of the season. He finished with 31 goals and sits 41 goals behind Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record. Ovechkin should net more than 31 this season, but he’ll be under a ton of scrutiny the closer he gets to Gretzky’s record.

Ovechkin has personal accolades on the line this year, but he also has the opportunity to give himself another shot at a playoff run. Ovechkin has long been an elite forward in the League, and he still has the skill and talent to be a difference maker for the Capitals.

That would be the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers. One appears to be on a return path to serious contention and the other could be ready to take the next step back to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

The Rangers will return by and large the same roster that helped them win the Presidents’ Trophy last season with a franchise-record 55 wins and 114 points. They’ve added forwards Reilly Smith and Sam Carrick, subtracted defenseman Erik Gustafsson and forwards Barclay Goodrow, Jack Roslovic, Alex Wennberg and Blake Wheeler. The core remains intact, so the Rangers remain the team to beat in the division.

But the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders appear vulnerable, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are getting older and have missed the playoffs two straight seasons. The Columbus Blue Jackets reside in the basement of the division and the Washington Capitals snuck into the playoffs last season only to be swept by the Rangers in the first round, though they improved their roster this offseason.

That leaves the Devils and Flyers as two teams to watch in 2024-25, and beyond.

Related: Chris Kreider ‘suffered through’ watching Panthers win Stanley Cup last season

Rangers must take notice of Devils, Flyers in 2024-25

The Devils addressed their biggest weakness from last season by acquiring veteran goalie Jacob Markstrom in a trade with the Calgary Flames. Markstrom will provide a huge boost in the crease for New Jersey, which just tied for the fourth-most goals against in the NHL last season (281).

The Devils did not stop there. They signed two key defensemen in free agency, which should make their D-core more complete around veteran Dougie Hamilton and youngsters Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. First, they signed Brett Pesce to a six-year deal. Pesce entered free agency as one of the most sought-after defenseman after making a name for himself in Carolina as an excellent shut-down defender The Devils also signed Brenden Dillon to a three-year deal. He will bring a rugged element and is another defenseman who averages close to 20 minutes per game.

New Jersey added Stefan Noesen, Tomas Tatar, and Paul Cotter, adding depth to their forward group, which already featured stars Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier.

It isn’t crazy to picture the Rangers and Devils battling for first in the division this season. Remember, it was only two seasons ago the Devils set a franchise record for most points (112) and defeated the Rangers in seven games in the first-round of the playoffs. Last season’s 31-point drop off could be the outlier for what, on paper, appears to be one the best teams in the League.

The Flyers improved by 12 points to 87 last season and were a surprise team in the NHL, missing the playoffs by four points because of a late swoon. They’re not in the same league as the Rangers and Devils, but it’s not hard to imagine that they could take the next step and become a playoff team in 2024-25.

Though they have not been incredibly busy this offseason, there is a lot to be excited about in the Flyers organization, especially with “Michkov Mania” taking over the City of Brotherly Love.

After being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Matvei Michkov was not expected to make the transition to North America for at least three years, since he was under contract in the KHL. However, the highly-skilled 19-year-old forward got his release this spring, signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers and arrived in North America this week.

That speeds up the rebuild quite a bit for a Flyers team that already has good young talent making some noise in the NHL. There’s Jamie Drysdale (22) and Cam York (23) on defense, Owen Tippett (25), Joel Farabee (24), Bobby Brink (23) and Tyson Foerster (22) up front and Sam Ersson (24) in goal. Plus this will be the first full NHL season for goalie Ivan Fedotov (27), and Travis Konecny (27) just signed a long-term contract extension.

And now they have Michkov, two years earlier than expected and already one of the favorites to win the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

After holding the No. 3 spot in the division for nearly all of last season, the Flyers lost nine of their last 11 contests, missing out on a postseason berth. They could take a step back since they won’t surprise anyone this coming season, but it’s more likely they are even better.

One thing is certain, with the Devils and Flyers on the way up, the Rangers and the rest of the Metropolitan Division must take notice and understand that it is deeper this season than last season.

So, when the New Jersey Devils acquired goalie Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames on Wednesday for defenseman Kevin Bahl and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, it was an important move in what should be a tight race for supremacy in the Metropolitan Division next season.

The Rangers established franchise records for wins (55) and points (114) this past regular season. That helped them win the division by three points over the Carolina Hurricanes. Three points. That’s it. They also won the Presidents’ Trophy with the best regular-season in franchise history. The Rangers did so because they were a single point better than the Dallas Stars. One point.

So, you get the point, pardon the pun. Every move the Rangers make this offseason, as well as ones made by their rivals, could make the difference in where they finish in the standings next season. Yes, it’s going to be that tight again.

New York’s offseason took a positive turn when veteran forward Barclay Goodrow was claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. That cleared Goodrow’s entire $3.6 million salary cap hit for the next three seasons off the books without any dead money, which would have been the case if they had bought out the 31-year-old.

The Rangers now have $13.65 million in projected cap space.

Related: Wolf Pack could be close to hiring former NCAA coach

Key Rangers rival upgrades goaltending with Jacob Markstrom trade

The Goodrow news was good for the Rangers because it’s most important because it sets up their next move, providing more cash to pursue a top-six forward in all likelihood. The Devils, though, filled a huge void on their roster Wednesday by acquiring Markstrom.

Though he’s 34 years old, Markstrom should provide the Devils a bonafide No. 1 goalie. That’s something they haven’t had in a long time. In fact, since Tom Fitzgerald became their general manager before the 2020-21 season, the Devils have started 12 different goalies.

New Jersey was able to eliminate New York in seven games in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with goalie Akira Schmid the surprise hero. But last season, it was a goalie carousel in New Jersey and its playoff hopes were dashed in large part because they were tied for 26th in the NHL, allowing 3.43 goals against per game. Their goalies combined for a sub .900 save percentage.

Not surprisingly, the Devils finished 10 points out of the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. That’s the same Devils who finished second in the Metropolitan Division the season before with a franchise-record 112 points, five up on the Rangers in 2022-23.

Markstrom was 23-23-2 with a 2.78 goals-against average and .905 save percentage with the Flames last season. In 2021-22, he led the NHL with nine shutouts and had a 2.22 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

For what it’s worth, Markstrom is 9-4-2 in 16 games against the Rangers with a 2.43 GAA and .916 save percentage, playing for the Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers.

He may not be an elite goalie any more, but Markstrom is solid and a major upgrade over what Vitek Vanecek and Co. gave the Devils last season. Veteran Jake Allen, acquired ahead of the trade deadline this past season, is a decent veteran backup, which allows Nico Daws and Schmid the chance to hone their games in the AHL.

Simply, there’s a lot to like about this trade for the Devils, including the fact that the Flames are retaining 31 percent of Markstrom’s salary. That means the Devils are on the hook for $4.125 million in salary the next two seasons and still have over $16 million in projected cap space this offseason.

The Devils have loads of talented young forwards, led by Jack Hughes, and a slew of quality young defensemen, with veteran Dougie Hamilton hoping to be healthy again in 2024-25. Now they have a true No. 1 goalie.

It’s a strong start start to the offseason for a key rival, that also hired a new coach in Sheldon Keefe, and is looking to make up ground on the Rangers next season.