An influx of young talent helps the Metro stand out in the NHL.

In recent seasons, standouts like Alexis Lafreniere, Noah Dobson, Seth Jarvis, Adam Fantilli and the Hughes brothers — Jack and Luke — have made their mark for their Metro team at the NHL level, and each is under the age of 24 this season.

There’s more young talent pushing its way into the division this season.

Though there may not be room on the Rangers roster for him to start the season, 2021 first-round pick Brennan Othmann is knocking on the door at training camp. The 21-year-old forward scored 21 goals last season with Hartford of the American Hockey League and played three games with the Rangers in January.

Coach Peter Laviolette promised that there’s a chance for a player like Othmann to make a case for himself this month at camp. But it appears more likely he’ll start the season in the AHL again, barring an injury or two on the Rangers roster.

The one younger Blueshirt to keep an eye on is Zac Jones. The 23-year-old defenseman is not a rookie nor projected to be a star, but after three seasons as an apprentice, he’s ready for his first regular gig with the Rangers, replacing Erik Gustafsson on the third defense pair this season.

But the most-hyped rookie in the Metropolitan Division doesn’t play for the Rangers.

Related: Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere ‘wouldn’t mind’ more power-play time this season

Rangers’ Brennan Othmann isn’t top rookie in Metro Division

Enter Matvei Michkov. All eyes are on the Philadelphia Flyers forward, who’s projected to be a Calder Trophy contender as the NHL’s top rookie this season.

The Flyers took Michkov with the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He could easily have ended gone higher if teams ahead of Philly weren’t focused on different needs or turned off by his contract status. The common belief — both before and after the draft — was that it would take three years for Michkov to arrive in North America after he completed his KHL contract in Russia.

So even though the dynamic Michkov smashed records for his U-16 team, he slipped to seventh overall. The Flyers decided to play the long game for this potential star; they were rewarded when Michkov got out of his contract after one season and came to North America this summer. 

The 19-year-old is the talk of Flyers camp. The Rangers already got a taste of what the kid can bring when he scored against them in a rookie game last Friday.

“What I’ve been really impressed with is how hard he plays in traffic. He’s a little shorter, but he’s stocky, he’s strong,” Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said Tuesday. 

The uber-skilled right wing has a slippery nature, quick and accurate release, and magnetic possession of the puck. He and 2024 first-rounder Jett Luchanko dominated rookie camp. Now let’s see what Michkov can do for coach John Tortorella in the preseason.

As for Michkov’s Michigan goal attempts, we will see how that meshes with Tortorella, who’s notorious for getting the best out of his teams when they buy into his old-school system. 

Look at Michkov create in the offensive zone. They literally can’t take the puck of his stick pic.twitter.com/yuFKpOi9dV

— Travis Ballinghoff (@travieballin26) September 17, 2024

Rising young stars to keep eye on in Metropolitan Division

Outside of the Rangers and Flyers, here’s one player from each Metropolitan Division team to keep an eye on this preseason.

Carolina Hurricanes: Bradley Nadeau

The University of Maine product could be a steal for the Hurricanes. He is projected to not only make the final cut out of camp but do so in a top-six or middle-six role at age 19. 

The 30th player taken in 2023 lit up Hockey East with 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) in 37 games last season before signing with the Hurricanes and making his NHL debut.

The opportunity is there for him after several key forwards — including Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Stefan Noesen — departed Carolina during the offseason.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Gavin Brindley 

Brindley in many ways was overshadowed by Fantilli at Michigan in 2022-23, but he continues to boast first-round draft stock despite being a second-round selection (No. 34). 

The 19-year-old scored 25 goals and totaled 53 points in 40 games with Michigan last season. He also scored six goals in seven games for the gold medal-winning U.S. squad at the 2024 World Junior Championship. Brindley capped his season by making his NHL debut on April 16 against the Hurricanes.

Brindley is a high-motor player with silky hands that complement his hard-nosed game and ability to anticipate and support plays as they develop. 

Early reports suggest playing for Cleveland in the AHL may be most beneficial for his development. But there are open spots for a skilled player on that Blue Jackets roster, with the trade of Patrik Laine and the tragic death of Johnny Gaudreau.

New Jersey Devils: Simon Nemec

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft sustained an upper-body injury in an Olympic qualifying game for Slovakia before training camp started. But the Devils were able to exhale when Nemec arrived at camp ready to practice and play.

The 20-year-old defenseman played 60 games as a rookie last season and acquitted himself well. He had 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) and finished fifth on the Devils averaging 19:52 in ice time per game.

Nemec was pressed into heavy duty last season following a string of injuries, most notably to first-pair defenseman Dougie Hamilton. He’ll be more sheltered this season following the acquisitions of veterans Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon, plus the return to health by Hamilton.

New York Islanders: Samuel Bolduc 

The Islanders desperately want Bolduc to earn a regular spot on their defense corps this season. They had high hopes for him when they selected Bolduc in the second round (No. 57) in the 2019 draft, but the results so far have been so-so.

He’s played 51 NHL games across two seasons, and parts of four in the AHL. Injuries allowed him an NHL shot last season, and he had five points (two goals, three assists) in 34 games while averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time.

Heading into camp, it appears Bolduc will need to beat out veteran Mike Reilly for a spot on the third defense pair.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Rutger McGroarty

Acquired in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets this past summer, McGroarty is a key player to watch at Penguins training camp. Though not nearly as skilled as Michkov, McGroarty will receive nearly as much attention because of his well-publicized trade request from Winnipeg.

But make no mistake, the 20-year-old power forward can play.

McGroarty can punish opponents physically and also outwit them with his high hockey IQ. What could be the deal-breaker for an NHL spot is his skating ability. But the Penguins desperately need to infuse their lineup with young talent, and McGroarty fits the bill. He starred for two seasons at University of Michigan and helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 WJC, when he scored five goals in seven games.

Washington Capitals: Ivan Miroshnichenko

Selected with the No. 20 pick in the 2022 draft, Miroshnichenko has a chance to make the Capitals roster out of camp. Hendrix Lapierre, Aleksei Protas and Connor McMichael have earned regular roles with the Capitals recently, and the next prospect who could make the team out of camp and see NHL time this season should be the 20-year-old right wing. 

The Caps did make significant upgrades to their roster on July 1, adding Andrew Mangiapane and Taylor Raddysh to improve their depth on right wing. Miroshnichenko could a third-line or fourth-line role — and if management doesn’t see those roles as a fit, he may appear later in the season for the Capitals barring injuries.

Miroshnichenko had six points (two goals, four assists) in 21 games with the Capitals last season and 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 47 games with Hershey of the AHL.

Prior to the start of the game, the Rangers named Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard, and Matthew Robertson captains of their rookie squad. The three prospects have experience playing in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, and assumed leadership roles at both development camp in July and this week at rookie camp.

Leading the way in Allentown. pic.twitter.com/z8NtoUeGK7

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 13, 2024

Each of the “veterans” played a hand in the victory.

The Rangers young guns got off to a quick start, dominating play and striking first thanks to a power-play goal by Adam Edstrom on a rebound, assisted by Othmann and Robertson. However, the Flyers rookies then took control, tying the game at one, and grabbed the lead on a 5-on-3 power-play goal from highly-touted prospect Matvei Michkov in the second period.

Edstrom came right back, scoring another rebound goal courtesy of a blast by defenseman Case McCarthy. New York took the lead in the third period when Kalle Vaisanen tipped home a pass from Adam Sykora to make it a 3-2 game. The Flyers, however, tied it with just 14 seconds left in regulation.

The Rangers rookies eventually found a way to win when Othmann scored the only goal of the shootout.

The rookies will face-off again Saturday at 5 p.m. The contest will be streamed on the Flyers web site.

Related: Rangers rookie camp: ‘Explosive’ Adam Edstrom eyes NHL job

3 takeaways from Rangers vs. Flyers rookie game

Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Rangers 4-3 win in their rookie game against the Flyers on Friday.

Adam Edstrom most noticeable player, will contend for roster spot

Of all the Ranger prospects expected to stand out and impress, it was Edstrom who stole the show in this one. With each of his goals scored on a rebound opportunity, Edstrom showed his ability and willingness to put his 6-foot-7 frame in the tough areas to score dirty goals.

Aside from his two rebound tallies, one after an Othmann blast on the power play, and one from a McCarthy point shot, Edstrom was noticeable all over the ice. His 11 games of NHL experience really showed playing in a game with the majority of players yet to make their NHL debut.

The 23-year-old forward was physical all night, and his skating really stood out as well. He even generated a grade-A chance by completely burning a Flyers defenseman and driving to the net with the puck, almost coming away with a third goal. He also nailed the crossbar midway through the third period.

If this performance proves anything, it’s that Edstrom will certainly be in contention for a roster spot when training camp begins, likely battling Matt Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski for one of the final two forward spots on the opening-night roster.

Dylan Garand making serious push to be No. 3 Rangers goalie

Dylan Garand had a great night between the pipes for the Rangers rookies. The 22-year-old goalie faced multiple high-danger chances from Michkov and the rest of the Flyers rookies throughout the night, and made some very timely saves. While the Flyers ultimately tied the game late, Garand kept them in it throughout regulation, overtime, and in the shootout, where he stopped all three shots, including an attempt by Michkov.

The first two goals that Garand let up came on a deflection that was near-impossible to stop, and on a two-man disadvantage. Hard to blame the goalie for either of those goals against. The tying goal came after a slew of Flyer chances, and after New York failed to score on the empty net. While it was just one rookie exhibition game, Garand looked like he was playing at a higher level.

Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick are set as the 1-2 punch in goal for the Rangers again this season, but don’t be surprised if Garand gets the first call-up rather than veteran goalie Louis Domingue.

Entering his third season with Hartford, and coming off two excellent runs in the Calder Cup Playoffs, Garand should receive the bulk of the work with the Wolf Pack this season. Eventually, Garand will earn his NHL debut. If Shesterkin or Quick go down with injury, Garand may be the next man up.

Related: Rangers goalie prospect Dylan Garand promises ‘my time will come’

Matvei Michkov destined to be thorn in Rangers’ side for years to come

It was a big surprise earlier this summer when the 2023 No. 7-overall pick announced he would be making the transition to North America ahead of schedule from his native Russia. Expectations are through the roof for the talented 19-year-old, and it appears Michkov looks like he is ready to contend for a spot in the Flyers lineup. He was all over the ice against the Rangers rookies, generating chance after chance, whether it was finding space to get a shot, or by making a nifty play to set up a teammate.

Michkov wasn’t afraid to get creative in this contest. At one point, he tried to score from a poor angle to the side of Garand, but the Ranger netminder was up to the task. He then tried to do a Michigan-like pass from behind the net, similar to the viral Trevor Zegras/Sonny Milano goal from a few years ago. Clearly, Michkov is not lacking confidence.

Michkov scored an impressive goal during Philadelphia’s 5-on-3, tucking the puck in between the post and the skate of Garand from behind the Rangers net. It was certainly a glimpse into the future, as Michkov should be in Philly’s opening-night lineup. There’s certainly a world in which the likes of Adam Fox, Shesterkin, and Co. — rather than a group of prospects — are defending Michkov when the Rangers first meet the Flyers this season the day after Thanksgiving.

The Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers will play two rookie games this weekend, Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m., at PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League.

Even though these games are glorified scrimmages, with lineups filled out largely by young prospects and minor leaguers, there’s plenty of intrigue and important things to watch for.

Related: Rangers rookie camp notebook, including Robertson seeks mental edge

Rangers vs. Flyers: How to watch, stream rookie games this weekend

The Rangers rookie games against the Flyers this weekend will not be broadcast by MSG Network.

However, each game will be streamed on the Philadelphia Flyers official team web site.

3 things to watch for at Rangers – Flyers rookie games

The two rookie games provide an opportunity for each team to evaluate the progress of younger prospects and gauge where the more experienced players fit within the organization this coming season.

Grant Potulny, who was hired as coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack this summer, will be behind the Rangers bench. He’ll get a good first look at a slew of players who’ll be on Hartford’s roster this season, plus three of the four Rangers draft picks from this past June.

Let’s break down the top 3 things to watch when the Rangers rookies face-off twice with the Flyers this weekend.

Related: Brett Berard enters Rangers camp after summer training with Calder Trophy winner

Time for Brennan Othmann to dominate

Photo courtesy of Hartford Wolf Pack

What Brennan Othmann does at Rangers training camp and how he performs in those preseason games means more than anything he can do in rookie camp or in rookie games. But make no mistake, the forward should dominate game action against the Flyers if he plans on making a run at a top-9 role on New York’s opening-night roster.

This is his fourth rookie camp and the 21-year-old is coming off a 21-goal goal season with Hartford in his rookie pro season. The 2021 first-round pick also got in his first three NHL games with the Rangers last January.

With roughly five extra pounds of muscle on his frame, Othmann just might find himself alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, or possibly on New York’s third line, at some point this season.

If that’s the case, he should be the best player on the ice for the Rangers in these rookie games. He’s embraced being a leader among the prospects both at development camp and rookie camp. Now, let’s see if he embraces the expectation of being their best player.

Related: Brennan Othmann confident he ‘can handle himself’ in NHL

1st look at 2024 Rangers draft picks

Only first-round pick E.J. Emery is missing this weekend from the Rangers 2024 Draft Class. The talented defenseman, who was selected with the No. 30 pick overall, started his freshman year at University of North Dakota and is not attending rookie camp.

But forwards Raoul Boilard (4th round), Nathan Aspinall (5th round) and Rico Gredig (6th round) are in camp and available to play against the Flyers.

Boilard led QMJHL rookies in scoring last season, with 62 points (22 goals, 40 assists) in 68 games. The Rangers view him as a strong two-way center, with a nice offensive upside. They liked Boilard so much that the Rangers traded up eight spots to select him at No. 119 overall. That was something not lost on the 18-year-old at the draft.

“It means a lot (that the Rangers traded up to make this pick),” Boilard said. “That means they like me, so that’s good. A good organization that likes me, it’s a good sign.”

Several scouts believe the Rangers landed a solid bargain by selecting Boilard in the fourth round. Let’s see what he shows before heading back to junior.

Aspinall will be hard to miss out there against the Flyers. The towering forward stands 6-foot-6 and has been skating on a line with Dylan Roobroeck (6-foot-7) and Jaroslav Chmelar (6-foot-4) the first two days of rookie camp.

Let’s see how well he skates and uses his size in game action against some more experienced players. Last season with Flint in the OHL, Aspinall scored 18 goals and totaled 34 points with 23 penalty minutes.

Gredig is a 19-year-old with good size (6-foot-1, 180 pounds). He played for Davos at two levels last season and represented Switzerland at the 2024 World Junior Championship, finishing with one assist and a plus-two rating in five games.

We know the least about him, so it’ll be interesting to see him in game action.

Matvei Michkov’s first games with Flyers

If there’s a bigger talent on the ice than Othmann this weekend, it’s Matvei Michkov. Philadelphia’s first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in the 2023 draft has already wowed observers with his high-end skill at Flyers rookie camp, and expectations for him are massive heading into his rookie season, where he’s already considered a top contender for the Calder Trophy.

Michkov had 19 goals and 41 points in 48 KHL games last season as a 19-year-old. Considered an electric offensive talent, he’s exactly what John Tortorella’s Flyers need. But despite all the hype surrounding his earlier-than-expected arrival in North America, he’s still a kid that will need to adjust to a new language, new life and the best league in the world.

Like Othmann, though, if Michkov expects to snag a top-6 spot with the Flyers at training camp, he should be their best player in these rookie games. Getting to watch Michkov play on the same line with Jett Luchanko, Philly’s top pick this past spring (No. 13 overall), could be a vision of what’s to come down the line one day for the Flyers.

“Obviously, my first game in a Flyers jersey, I’m a little nervous, but by time warmups are over, it should be all gone,” Michkov said through a translator Thursday. “Most important is to be confident in yourself and your teammates, and everything else will be resolved.”

It certainly doesn’t hurt to have Artemi Panarin for the past five seasons, arguably the most talented forward in Blueshirts history with a franchise-record 1.32 points per game that tops even Jaromir Jagr.

Beyond him, there are longtime staples Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad as well as Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere, the latter two coming off of career seasons playing next to Panarin, who posted 120 points and finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting. 

Related: Where Rangers goalie tandem ranks ahead of 2024-25 NHL season

Even with questions surrounding Zibanejad’s declining play and a new right wing in Reilly Smith, it’s still a very talented unit that should continue to produce at a quality rate. But is that enough to make them the best group in a deep Metropolitan Division with no shortage of skill?

Let’s find out.

Where Rangers forwards rank in Metropolitan Division

Here are all the forward groups in the Metropolitan Division ranked from worst to best. 

8: Columbus Blue Jackets – Notables: Gaudreau, Monahan, Fantilli, Marchenko

The first two seasons of the Johnny Gaudreau experience with the Columbus Blue Jackets have been nothing short of a complete failure.

It may have been fool’s gold to expect Gaudreau, who signed a 7-year, $9.75 million AAV contract in 2022, to top his 40-goal, 115-point season from 2021-22. But who could’ve expected such a sudden dropoff in production? After scoring 60 points and a career-low 12 goals in 81 games, it’s hard to expect that he’ll bounce back to his elite ways.

Even if Gaudreau was playing like a superstar, this unit still needs some work. Kirill Marchenko (42 points) and Boone Jenner (35 points) are coming off solid seasons compared to the rest of the group, but that doesn’t move the needle a ton.

Related: See where New York Rangers GM ranks among New York sports executives

Adam Fantilli, the third overall pick in 2023, was limited to 12 goals and 27 points in 49 games, a mixture of injuries and adjusting to the NHL level in his rookie campaign. A leap from him in his age-20 season would make a big difference. Plus, the addition of Sean Monahan in free agency, coming off a 59-point year, is a game-changer.

That’s enough to think this group should take a jump from last year, but it’s still not very deep, and the main core needs some work.

7: Pittsburgh Penguins – Notables: Crosby, Malkin, Rust

It’s a very strange feeling to say that the Pittsburgh Penguins, even with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, have the second-worst forward group in the division.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Penguins would’ve topped a list like this consistently. But Pittsburgh has entered a new phase, perhaps most clearly indicated by the decision to ship Jake Guentzel at the trade deadline to a division rival.

Even at 37 years old, Crosby is still one of the best forwards in the sport, coming off a 42-goal, 94-point season that saw him finish Top 10 in both Hart and Selke voting for the fourth time in his career. Unfortunately, there’s not a ton of help around him.

Malkin will be 38 next season, and the future Hall of Famer may have lost a step, putting up 67 points while playing all 82 games. Perhaps he’s due for a bounceback year — after all, he did score 83 points the year before — but it’s hazy to project right now.

Bryan Rust and Michael Bunting are returning 50-plus point scorers, but there’s just not a ton of scoring or skill beyond Crosby and Malkin. General manager Kyle Dubas also traded his fifth-highest-scoring forward (Smith) to the Rangers this offseason. They likely won’t embrace a full-on rebuild until Crosby retires, but Pittsburgh is clearly headed in that direction.

Crosby should still be excellent while Kevin Hayes and Anthony Beauvillier are solid bottom-six additions, but when you line this unit up to the others in the Metro, it just doesn’t have enough.

6: Washington Capitals – Notables: Ovechkin, Strome, Wilson, Dubois

While no one should be shocked if he rattles off 42 goals this year and surpasses Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, it does seem that age is catching up to Alexander Ovechkin. He was held without a point and limited to just five shots in the postseason, essentially invisible in a four-game first-round sweep versus the Rangers.

Alexander Ovechkin rebounded from an uncharacteristic slow start and finished the season with 31 goals. He’s managed to score 30-plus goals in 18 of his 19 NHL seasons, with the lone exception being the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

Washington made the playoffs last season, but they didn’t get much help from an offense that produced the fifth-fewest goals in the NHL. Dylan Strome is a very nice top-line center, leading the team with 67 points last year, but with Tom Wilson coming off a down year, there’s not a ton of confidence in this group.

They certainly don’t have a player who matches up with Crosby now that Ovechkin’s decline has begun. However, the addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois, an intriguing X-factor if he can finally put it all together again, as well as middle-six players like Andrew Mangiapane and Sonny Milano give them more upside going into the upcoming season.

5: Philadelphia Flyers – Notables: Konecny, Michkov, Tippett, Couturier

The Philadelphia Flyers may have lost steam down the stretch and missed the playoffs after holding down the third spot in the Metro for most of the season, but it’s still hard not to feel good about where they’re at going into their third year under former Rangers coach John Tortorella.

Travis Konecny signed an 8-year extension to remain in Philly after posting both team and career highs with 33 goals and 68 points. Owen Tippett scored 28 goals and 53 points in his age-24 season. Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee, and Scott Laughton all return. Really the only notable loss is Cam Atkinson, who signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning this offseason.

There’s a clear core forming here with a defined identity. The one thing they’re lacking is a superstar goal scorer. But that could change quickly.

Promising Russian prospect and former No. 7 overall pick Matvei Michkov has arrived in the United States and is expected to make his NHL debut as a 19-year-old. While it’s no guarantee that he’ll make an impact, he has the potential to immediately spark their forward unit.

The new member of the New Era. #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/wm0vckqGbo

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) July 24, 2024

The Flyers finished 2023-24 with the sixth-fewest goals in the NHL. It’s still a long path to becoming a high-producing offense, but the arrival of Michkov and the continuity of a largely similar core should bode with Philadelphia’s trajectory on the rise.

4: New York Islanders – Notables: Horvat, Borzal, Nelson, Palmieri, Duclair

The New York Islanders are a frustrating example of a team whose production hasn’t quite matched their talent the last few years. Since 2018-19, they haven’t finished higher than 19th in the NHL in scoring. In four of those six seasons, they finished in the bottom 10.

This roster has undeniable skill, especially following the addition of Anthony Duclair, who closed out his 2023-24 season strong after being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Duclair next to Bo Horvat and Matt Barzal makes a very good top line, and with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri coming off very solid seasons, it’s a very representable top six.

Led by 34 goals from Nelson and 33 from Horvat, both of whom recorded 30-plus goals for a third consecutive season, and 30 goals from Palmieri, the Islanders have reliable scorers. With Barzal coming off a career-high in goals (23) and his most points (80) since his Calder-winning rookie season and the addition of Duclair, there’s reason to think this group can have a solid season.

Keep in mind, Horvat scored 52 points in his final 60 games after a brutal start to his season. If he is a consistent force, you’re looking at two potential 80-point scorers along with Barzal.

Maxim Tsyplakov seems to be NHL-bound after scoring 31 goals in 66 KHL games last season. He’s even more of a question mark than Michkov, but it’s another supporting piece that could strengthen the bottom six and potentially work into a larger role.

The Islanders don’t have the depth or high-end talent to match up with the top three teams in the conference, but they’re a good step ahead of everyone else, barring a big leap from the Flyers.

3: Carolina Hurricanes – Notables: Aho, Jarvis, Necas, Svechnikov

The Carolina Hurricanes came up short in the Jake Guentzel sweepstakes, unable to lure him back to Raleigh as he signed for eight seasons in Tampa. That wasn’t the only casualty in this forward group this offseason, losing Tuevo Teravainen and Stefan Noesen in free agency while Evgeny Kuznetsov announced his return to the KHL.

But even with the departures, this is still an excellent group with impressive high-end talent.

Martin Necas ended months of rumors that he was seeking a change of scenery by signing a 2-year, $6.5 million AAV extension to stay with the Hurricanes, keeping the 25-year-old in Carolina after two strong seasons.

It’s a big player to lock up as Carolina couldn’t have suffered another loss to the top six. Even with the losses of Guentzel and Teravainen, the Canes still return four of their top five scorers: Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Necas, and Andrei Svechnikov.

Aho led the team with 36 goals and 89 points while the 22-year-old Jarvis is coming off a 33-goal season. Still, it’s the weakest the top six has looked in a while, with a combination of the frustrating Jesperi Kotkaniemi, free agent signings Jack Roslovic and William Carrier, and maybe even 2023 first-rounder Bradly Nadeau vying for those last two spots.

If Jesper Fast’s neck injury lingers into the start of the season, you might have to worry about the bottom six as well, even in coach Rod Brind’Amour’s effective system. It’s certainly the weakest we’ve seen in some time.

Only the Rangers and New Jersey Devils can go toe to toe with the skill of Carolina’s top six, but the culmination of their losses puts them firmly behind those two in the Metro.

2: New Jersey Devils – Notables: Hughes, Bratt, Hischier, Meier, Mercer

It’s a close one between the Rangers and Devils for the prestigious top spot, but the Blueshirts just barely edge New Jersey.

Reuniting with Tomas Tatar and Stefan Noesen in free agency, this group is more balanced and should be better and tougher defensively. It’s the right type of addition for a team that has no shortage of skill and finesse, led by Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt.

A potential third line of Tatar, Noesen, and Erik Haula likely tops the Rangers’ third line of Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko. The top six, however, falls a little short next to New York.

Make no mistake, it’s a very talented group. Bratt’s coming off a career-high 83-point season and is one of the best wingers in the conference. A combination of injuries and underperformance kept Hughes from matching his 99-point 2022-23 season, but it’s still a toss-up between him, Aho, and Crosby for best center in the conference. And when you throw in Hischier as well, that’s probably the best one-two down the middle in the entire Metro.

A slump season from Timo Meier and quieter years from Dawson Mercer and Ondrej Palat leave this group shrouded in a bit more doubt than the Blueshirts. A rebound year from Hughes and a return to form from Meier and Mercer would help narrow the gap, but even without it, this group has plenty of talent and should help return the Devils to the elite level they reached in 2022-23.

1: New York Rangers – Notables: Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider, Trocheck, Lafreniere

Led by the best forward in the Metro, the Rangers boast the top forward group going into the 2024-25 season.

With his 49 goals and 120 points, Panarin led the division in goals and was the first Metro player to record 100-plus points since Crosby in 2018-19. Boosting his linemates Trocheck and Lafreniere to career seasons, they should be due for another very successful season.

Even with questions surrounding Zibanejad’s production as a top-line center, Kreider still posted 39 goals while playing on his line all season long, giving the Rangers two of the top three goal scorers last year in the Metro.

They’re also the only team in the division to have four different forwards surpass the 70-point mark. After a promising season and strong postseason, Lafreniere could be in line for a leap as well.

Smith isn’t an inspiring addition to the top six, but there’s enough talent there that it’s not necessarily crushing. A healthy season from Filip Chytil and a bounce back from Kaapo Kakko would boost production in the bottom six, and while the third and fourth lines don’t pop off the page, they’ve got solid depth with role players like Will Cuylle and Jimmy Vesey. Let’s also not forget the intriguing idea of 6-foot-8 Matt Rempe getting a full season on the fourth line.

Panarin may not top his fifth-place Hart Trophy season from last year, but he’s been an elite producer in every season as a Ranger, and there’s more than enough skill around him for this group to make it one of the top offenses in the League once again.

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.

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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.