Former NHLer turned analyst Mike Rupp made a claim on NHL Network about the Metropolitan Division heading into the 2025-26 NHL season:

Safe to say @Rupper17 is not too confident in the Metropolitan Division this year. 😬 pic.twitter.com/tEvVLYWr25

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) July 19, 2025

This past season, the Washington Capitals were the second-best team in the NHL (111 points), but then there was a major drop with the remaining Metro Division playoff teams.

The Carolina Hurricanes finished at No. 10 (99 points), while the New Jersey Devils (91) came in at No. 16. 

The New York Rangers (85 points) and New York Islanders (82 points) missed the playoffs, finishing in 22nd and 23rd place, respectively. The Columbus Blue Jackets finished 20th (89 points).

So, what about the 2025-26 season and Rupp's claim?

The Capitals are coming off a magical season, but there's no way they can do it again, right?

The Hurricanes, regardless of what they do in the summer, always find a way to have strong regular seasons, so it wouldn't be a shock to see them finish atop the Metro this season.  They did land Nikolaj Ehlers and get a full season of Logan Stankoven

While the Devils didn't make any crazy splashes in free agency -- they'll be getting Quinn Hughes sooner rather than later -- their success sits on the shoulders of Jack Hughes and his ability to stay healthy. They should be a playoff team. 

The Rangers didn't do much and are going through a bit of an identity crisis at the moment, but when you have Igor Shesterkin in goal, defying odds is always possible. They did add Valdislav Gavrikov, who should help the defense. 

First-time general manager Mathieu Darche filled holes this summer, but will the new additions be strong enough to get this team back to the postseason? 

Coming off an emotionally driven season, the Blue Jackets could be a playoff team this upcoming season, while the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers aren't likely to be ultra competitive. 

The Islanders are likely to be fighting for a wild-card spot again, as they always seem to do. That projection can change if the Islanders can show some consistency out of the gate, as they've been anything but since Patrick Roy took over behind the bench mid-way through the 2023-24 NHL season. 

To get back to Rupp's claim, the Metro could very well be the weakest division in the NHL this season, which means an even stronger chance for the Islanders to find a way to get back into the postseason.

Projection:

CAR

WSH

NJD

NYI

NYR

CBJ

PHI

PIT

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PHOTO: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

According to Puckpedia’s numbers, the Montreal Canadiens have the most expensive goaltending in the NHL this season. They devote $14.8 million in salary to masked men, which accounts for the three goaltenders they have on NHL contracts and who aren’t waivers exempt: Carey Price, Samuel Montembeault, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Jakub Dobes. That works out to 15,5% of their cap.

The New York Rangers are in second place, with Ivor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick commanding a combined salary of $13 M, 13.7% of their cap. The Anaheim Ducks are in third place with $12.9 M for Lukas Dostal (who was just signed to a five-year contract with a $6.5 M cap hit), Petr Mrazek, and Ville Husso. The trio takes up 13.6% of the cap. The New York Islanders are in fourth place, having devoted $12 million to Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov, and David Rittich. That counts for 12.6% of the cap. Finally, the Boston Bruins wrap up the top-five with $11.2 M devoted to two goaltenders; Jaremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo that amounts to 11.8% of the cap.

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Among the top-five teams, only two have goaltenders who are or could be placed on LTIR, with only one who won’t ever come off it. That’s, of course, the Canadiens, with Price’s contract. Once he’s placed on LTIR or traded, the Canadiens’ cap hit for masked men will fall back down to $4.3 million, leaving them with one of the lowest amounts of money spent on goaltending.

That demonstrates the significant shift in direction the Canadiens have taken since Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton took over. Of course, they had no choice, since Price’s career was cut short by injury, but when he was hired, Hughes said in an ideal world, his team would be a fast and attacking one that would suit his coaching style. Since then, several moves have been made to achieve this goal, and there is no indication that the Canadiens will revert to a defense-first approach with the recent arrivals of Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, and this off-season’s addition of Noah Dobson.

When Price’s contract comes off the books, be it by expiring or being traded, that money won’t be reinvested in goaltending or defending, since the blueliner is already looking pretty solid with the prospects in the pipeline. While Habs fans enjoyed watching the face of the franchise make great saves for years, this is undoubtedly a welcome change of pace.

Photo credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images

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The San Jose Sharks have completed most of their business for the summer at this point, and we have a rough idea of what the roster should look like on opening night. With an abundance of players fighting for a limited number of spots, though, there will be hard decisions and we’ll likely see some veterans, or even some younger players, placed on waivers when preseason comes to a close.

A lot can change over the next two months; however, we’re far enough into the off-season to start spitballing about the opening night roster, what lines will look like, as well as who will make the cut, and who will be left out. 

With the forwards, for the most part, it’s pretty clear. William Eklund, Macklin Celebrini, and Tyler Toffoli should be reunited on the first line, and it’s safe to say they’re all guaranteed a spot on the roster. The Sharks have made it clear that they want Will Smith to play center moving forward, as a resul,t he’s an obvious option as the second-line center. Alongside him, I’d pencil in two newcomers, Jeff Skinner and Philipp Kurashev.

The third line is where things truly get interesting, as Michael Misa will shake things up quite a bi,t whether he’s ready for the NHL or not. Personally, I think it would be hard for him not to earn a spot in the opening night lineup; however, like Smith, it would be logical to start him as a winger in his rookie season. Alexander Wennberg would slot in as the third-line center, and veteran Adam Gaudette would be on the right wing. 

Ironically, the fourth line is what gave me the most trouble. Barclay Goodrow and Ty Dellandrea are safe bets to have a spot on the Sharks’ bottom line, but the right wing spot creates some questions. Carl Grundstrom or Ryan Reaves would be the obvious choices. Both require waivers to go to the American Hockey League, and it’s very clear what each of them brings to the table. Instead, though, I envision both of them being scratched on opening night.

After heavily considering Collin Graf as an option to take that spot, instead I think he’ll start the season with the San Jose Barracuda, and Ethan Cardwell will earn the final spot in the lineup. It would be a shock to many, that’s for sure, but he impressed at both the Rookie Faceoff and training camp last season. He brings more defensive responsibility, and whether it was with the Sharks or the Barracuda last season, he always brought a ton of energy to each shift. Graf could certainly earn the job in training camp with a strong showing, but as of now, I see Cardwell just edging him out. 

The first major question on the blue line is, what happens to Sam Dickinson? If any of the other defensemen in the hunt for a job were waiver-ineligible, Dickinson would almost be guaranteed to get a nine-game tryout in the NHL before Mike Grier needed to make a decision. However, now that Shakir Mukhamadullin and Jack Thompson would require waivers to go to the Barracuda, it makes things a bit more difficult, and as a result, Dickinson could head back to the London Knights.

While I don’t think the OHL is the best option for Dickinson's development at this point, it’s also hard to risk him starting in the NHL, waiving a player to make room, then realizing Dickinson isn’t ready after nine games. As a result, I reluctantly left him off the opening night roster, but that could easily change with a strong showing in the Rookie Faceoff and training camp. 

Mukhamadullin is very likely to have a spot on the Sharks’ opening night roster. Given his value to the organization, it seems highly unlikely he gets waived; as a result, he’s almost guaranteed a job in the NHL. Mario Ferraro and two of the new additions, Dmitry Orlov and John Klingberg, also appear to be locks. Nick Leddy, on the other hand, could find himself in the lineup, in the press box, or even on waivers once again. Ultimately, in my eyes, it seems like Timothy Liljegren and Thompson get the final two spots in the lineup, while Nick Leddy is a healthy scratch. As a result, Vincent Desharnais would be on waivers and start the season with the Barracuda if he clears. 

In between the pipes, it seems clear that Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic will be the tandem to start the season. I discussed the potential of that partnership earlier this week, but overall, it can be either one of the Sharks’ greatest assets or biggest weaknesses.

Lineup Projection:

Eklund - Celebrini - Toffoli

Skinner - Smith - Kurashev

Misa - Wennberg - Gaudette

Goodrow - Dellandrea - Cardwell

Reaves, Grundstrom

Ferraro - Klingberg

Mukhamadullin - Liljegren

Orlov - Thompson

Leddy

Askarov

Nedeljkovic

Of course, there are some names I haven’t mentioned who will likely see some playing time with the Sharks this coming season. Players like Cam Lund, Egor Afanasyev, Quentin Musty, Zack Ostapchuk, and Luca Cagnoni are a few that come to mind as potential recall options once injuries strike or players are moved near the trade deadline. I also left Daniil Gushchin out of the lineup, which could lead to an interesting situation with him, as he could be a player who is due a change of scenery.

The Sharks have a multitude of options in every position, which is a blessing, but it can also be a curse when many of them are around the same skill level. It’ll be a tight race for many of these players hoping to make the opening night roster, which means it should be a very interesting preseason this September. 

Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Jun 26, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Former Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne arrives on the red carpet before the 2023 NHL Awards at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

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Oct 15, 2018

Top 100 Goalies Of All Time

48. PEKKA RINNE

Drafted so late that the round doesn’t exist today, he scored one of hockey’s greatest victories for deep-dive scouting

BY RYAN KENNEDY

BORN Nov. 3, 1982, Kempele, Fin.

NHL CAREER 2005-present

TEAMS Nsh

STATS 311-168-66, 2.37 GAA, .919 SP, 51 SO

ALL-STAR 2 (First-1, Second-1)

TROPHIES 1 (Vezina-1)

GIVEN HIS MODEST roots, it’s heartwarming to see goaltender Pekka Rinne as an elder statesman in the NHL, even as he continues to play some of the best hockey of his long career. Not only was he an excellent last line of defense for the most successful Predators team ever – the edition that went to the 2017 Stanley Cup final – but he has also become one of the most veteran Finnish players in the league.

At All-Star Game weekend in Tampa, young Florida Panthers star Aleksander Barkov stood by himself in the corner of a buzzing hotel lobby while other elite NHLers moved to and fro. Barkov was alone until Rinne, his fellow Finn, came over and chatted up the humble center.

On a more regular basis, Rinne has been a mentor for his Nashville backup, Juuse Saros. While Saros is one of the smallest netminders in the NHL at 5-foot-11, he always liked the 6-foot-5 Rinne’s style and idolized him growing up in Finland. Now, Rinne influences Saros in person.

“He has helped me a lot on and off the ice,” Saros said. “Any question I have, he’s usually got the answer. He even gives me tips on some players if he knows their habits.”

The story of how Rinne was discovered is well-known in NHL circles, but an abridged version is necessary. He was taken in the eighth round of the 2004 draft – a slot that doesn’t even exist in today’s seven-round draft – as a flyer by the Preds thanks to Finnish scout Janne Kekalainen.

Other members of the Preds brass (such as then-assistant GM Ray Shero) had only seen Rinne in warmups, because the youngster played behind Niklas Backstrom for Karpat Oulu and didn’t see the crease often.

Clearly the gamble paid off, as Rinne holds Nashville’s franchise records for wins, shutouts and games by a goalie. And just as Rinne has been a mentor for Saros, Backstrom was a mentor for Rinne.

“I always looked up to him and paid a lot of attention to him in practice,” Rinne said. “The way Niklas carries himself, he’s a super-nice guy, and he was very good to me, very helpful.”

It’s impressive what an incubator those Karpat Oulu teams turned out to be. Backstrom had a stellar career with the Minnesota Wild before returning home, while Jussi Jokinen has played in the NHL for more than a decade.

Mika Pyorala eventually did a year with the Philadelphia Flyers organization, as did Mikko Lehtonen with Nashville.

“We had so much talent back then on those teams,” Rinne said. “A lot of those guys had success either in Europe or here in the NHL, and it’s awesome. I have very special memories from those days, and that being my hometown made it special.”

While his long career is winding down, it’s too early to plan the retirement party. Rinne’s past two seasons have been his strongest since 2010-11, when he was a second-team NHL all-star. Going to the Cup final in 2017 was huge for the veteran, even with all his past individual success.

“Last year, we all as a team gained a lot of confidence, going to the final,” he said. “But also, it’s expectations inside the room. It shows on the ice. We expect to win, and it’s no different for myself. I’ve always believed that it goes hand in hand with the team, just that a goalie (on his own) can never make your team successful, and together we’ve done a great job.”

With his imposing frame and bear-trap reflexes, it’s amazing to think in retrospect that Rinne almost went undiscovered. But Nashville took the risk, and the team’s most important player ever was their reward.

“A lot of people have covered that story, it’s pretty funny how I was drafted,” Rinne said. “Never in my wildest dreams…of course I dreamed about the NHL, but the Finnish League was my main goal. But as you reach certain goals, you set other goals. I’ve been extremely fortunate. If you asked me back then, I never thought I would play this long in the NHL and have the success I’ve had.”

DID YOU KNOW?

RINNE AND MIKA PYORALA have an on-ice connection from their days with Karpat and also share a family bond.

Pyorala married Rinne’s twin sister Anna. The couple has two sons, and when Pyorala’s 2016-17 season with Karpat finished, the whole family came over to watch Rinne in the Stanley Cup final.

While Rinne missed the 2018 Olympics, his brother-in-law was there repping the family, as Pyorala suited up for Finland.

Jun 26, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Former Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne arrives on the red carpet before the 2023 NHL Awards at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: over 2,000 issues of history, stories, and features.

Subscribe now to view the full THN Archives here

(Note: Due to the digital quality of some older issues, articles may contain errors).

Oct 15, 2018

Top 100 Goalies Of All Time

48. PEKKA RINNE

Drafted so late that the round doesn’t exist today, he scored one of hockey’s greatest victories for deep-dive scouting

BY RYAN KENNEDY

BORN Nov. 3, 1982, Kempele, Fin.

NHL CAREER 2005-present

TEAMS Nsh

STATS 311-168-66, 2.37 GAA, .919 SP, 51 SO

ALL-STAR 2 (First-1, Second-1)

TROPHIES 1 (Vezina-1)

GIVEN HIS MODEST roots, it’s heartwarming to see goaltender Pekka Rinne as an elder statesman in the NHL, even as he continues to play some of the best hockey of his long career. Not only was he an excellent last line of defense for the most successful Predators team ever – the edition that went to the 2017 Stanley Cup final – but he has also become one of the most veteran Finnish players in the league.

At All-Star Game weekend in Tampa, young Florida Panthers star Aleksander Barkov stood by himself in the corner of a buzzing hotel lobby while other elite NHLers moved to and fro. Barkov was alone until Rinne, his fellow Finn, came over and chatted up the humble center.

On a more regular basis, Rinne has been a mentor for his Nashville backup, Juuse Saros. While Saros is one of the smallest netminders in the NHL at 5-foot-11, he always liked the 6-foot-5 Rinne’s style and idolized him growing up in Finland. Now, Rinne influences Saros in person.

“He has helped me a lot on and off the ice,” Saros said. “Any question I have, he’s usually got the answer. He even gives me tips on some players if he knows their habits.”

The story of how Rinne was discovered is well-known in NHL circles, but an abridged version is necessary. He was taken in the eighth round of the 2004 draft – a slot that doesn’t even exist in today’s seven-round draft – as a flyer by the Preds thanks to Finnish scout Janne Kekalainen.

Other members of the Preds brass (such as then-assistant GM Ray Shero) had only seen Rinne in warmups, because the youngster played behind Niklas Backstrom for Karpat Oulu and didn’t see the crease often.

Clearly the gamble paid off, as Rinne holds Nashville’s franchise records for wins, shutouts and games by a goalie. And just as Rinne has been a mentor for Saros, Backstrom was a mentor for Rinne.

“I always looked up to him and paid a lot of attention to him in practice,” Rinne said. “The way Niklas carries himself, he’s a super-nice guy, and he was very good to me, very helpful.”

It’s impressive what an incubator those Karpat Oulu teams turned out to be. Backstrom had a stellar career with the Minnesota Wild before returning home, while Jussi Jokinen has played in the NHL for more than a decade.

Mika Pyorala eventually did a year with the Philadelphia Flyers organization, as did Mikko Lehtonen with Nashville.

“We had so much talent back then on those teams,” Rinne said. “A lot of those guys had success either in Europe or here in the NHL, and it’s awesome. I have very special memories from those days, and that being my hometown made it special.”

While his long career is winding down, it’s too early to plan the retirement party. Rinne’s past two seasons have been his strongest since 2010-11, when he was a second-team NHL all-star. Going to the Cup final in 2017 was huge for the veteran, even with all his past individual success.

“Last year, we all as a team gained a lot of confidence, going to the final,” he said. “But also, it’s expectations inside the room. It shows on the ice. We expect to win, and it’s no different for myself. I’ve always believed that it goes hand in hand with the team, just that a goalie (on his own) can never make your team successful, and together we’ve done a great job.”

With his imposing frame and bear-trap reflexes, it’s amazing to think in retrospect that Rinne almost went undiscovered. But Nashville took the risk, and the team’s most important player ever was their reward.

“A lot of people have covered that story, it’s pretty funny how I was drafted,” Rinne said. “Never in my wildest dreams…of course I dreamed about the NHL, but the Finnish League was my main goal. But as you reach certain goals, you set other goals. I’ve been extremely fortunate. If you asked me back then, I never thought I would play this long in the NHL and have the success I’ve had.”

DID YOU KNOW?

RINNE AND MIKA PYORALA have an on-ice connection from their days with Karpat and also share a family bond.

Pyorala married Rinne’s twin sister Anna. The couple has two sons, and when Pyorala’s 2016-17 season with Karpat finished, the whole family came over to watch Rinne in the Stanley Cup final.

While Rinne missed the 2018 Olympics, his brother-in-law was there repping the family, as Pyorala suited up for Finland.