After lifting the Stanley Cup, the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t slowing down, locking in as the rightful favorites in the Metropolitan Division for next season. While other teams in the Metro have been making big splashes or gut-wrenching cuts, the Canes’ summer moves have mostly flown under the radar, a testament to their already stacked roster.
The Canes’ Masterclass in Chill
Seriously, you gotta respect Carolina’s offseason approach. While everyone else is scrambling, the Hurricanes basically had the quietest summer in the whole league. Their big move was a two-year extension for Nic Deslauriers, who, let’s be honest, absolutely stole the show during their Cup celebrations. They tried to snag John Carlson by trading for his rights, but he dipped to Tampa Bay, which is a bummer, but not a disaster. The only key guy to actually leave? Goalie Frederik Andersen. He’s 36, played 35 games last season after just 22 and 16 in previous years. It feels like a smart play to turn the page there. This squad still has cap space, draft capital, and plenty of room to grow. No wonder they’re the favorites, right?
Penguins Facing a Brutal Reality Check
Man, the Pittsburgh Penguins are really testing Father Time, huh? After overachieving with 98 points last season, they’re still rolling with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin leading the charge. But their offseason has been a total head-scratcher. They waved goodbye to some key names, most notably Anthony Mantha, who bagged 33 goals in the regular season before pulling a total disappearing act in the playoffs, and Stuart Skinner, whose .885 save percentage in 27 games was, let’s just say, average at best. Noel Acciari, Parker Wotherspoon, Ryan Shea, and Connor Clifton also packed their bags. Their big “replacements” for Mantha are Andrei Kuzmenko and Nick Robertson, but neither of those wingers screams “30-goal scorer” to me. Twenty, maybe, but that’s a big step down. They added some depth with Kaedan Korczak and Trevor van Riemsdyk, sure, but it feels like Kyle Dubas is just hoping Crosby and Malkin can somehow defy the odds for another year. It would be genuinely surprising if the Penguins even made the playoffs in 2027, let alone replicated their second-place division finish. Seriously, the Flyers should be better than the Penguins this season.
Meanwhile, the Washington Capitals are looking to make some noise, loading up their forward group around Alex Ovechkin, which could mean they take a few steps forward while Pittsburgh trips backwards. As July comes to a close, the Metropolitan Division is shaping up to be a wild one. The Hurricanes are still the top dogs, no question, but the Pylon-guins seem set for a fall. Get ready for some serious battles when the puck drops, because things are getting spicy in the Metro!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
Leave a Reply