Happy Wednesday, Razzball faithful!
I’m back again this week with another Divisional Preview.
Last week, we checked in on the Atlantic Division. If you missed it, you can open that up here.
This week, we’re headed to the Big City to check out the Metropolitan Division.
Can the Capitals charge their way to another divisional title?
Is Jet Greaves going to leave Elvis Merzlikins “All Shook Up” in the Blue Jackets’ crease?
What the heck are we supposed to call Sid “The Kid” Crosby now that he’s 38 years old?!
I might not answer all of these burning questions today, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be checking out the goods in…
The Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes – 47-30-5. 99 PTS – 2nd in the division.
IN: Mike Reilly, K’Andre Miller, Nikolaj Ehlers, Cayden Primeau
OUT: Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov, Jesper Fast, Jack Roslovic, Spencer Martin, Dustin Tokarski
DEPTH CHART
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Nikolaj Ehlers | Sebastian Aho | Seth Jarvis |
| Andrei Svechnikov | Jesperi Kotkaniemi | Logan Stankoven |
| Taylor Hall | Jordan Staal | Jackson Blake |
| Jordan Martinook | Mark Jankowski | William Carrier |
| LEFT DEFENSE | RIGHT DEFENSE |
|---|---|
| Jaccob Slavin | Sean Walker |
| K’Andre Miller | Shane Gostisbehere |
| Alexander Nikishin | Jalen Chatfield |
| GOALIES |
|---|
| Frederik Anderson |
| Pyotr Kochetkov |
Other notable names on the depth chart: Eric Robinson, Tyson Jost, Cayden Primeau, Mike Reilly
Marmo Magic – One name to expect good things from this year
Nikolaj Ehlers – Ehlers became a very rich man when he signed a $51 million deal with the Canes this summer. Everything is lining up for Ehlers to have a huge year. He’s riding shotgun to Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, and he’s cemented a spot on PP1. He’ll be a bargain on draft day, and as long as you don’t expect 82 games from him, he’ll give you an excellent return on your investment.
Marmo Meh – A player I’d avoid drafting or adding to my roster (for now)
Taylor Hall – Do you feel old now?
How about now?
It feels like a lifetime ago that we were listening to the arguments in favor of Hall before Seguin or Seguin before Hall. Now, both of these top picks from the 2010 entry draft are in their early 30s and shells of their former selves. Hall should be a nice complement to a powerful Carolina offense this year, just don’t expect an MVP-caliber season from the old boy.
Marmo Marvel – A Rookie/Youngster who has the potential to impress. Add these guys to your Dynasty rosters right now
Alexander Nikishin – This was a tough one to pick, and, in the end, I went with the cookie-cutter choice. Last year, Nikishin was considered the best player in the world who had yet to play in the NHL, so when Carolina added him to their playoff roster, the excitement was at an all-time high. He ended up a -5 in 4 GP and tallied just one assist in the playoffs, but fans are more concerned with the long game here. He’s expected to be brought along slowly (I read an article yesterday about Nikishin not getting PP time to start the year), but like a lot of other ones in this section today, he’s keeper league gold.
Columbus Blue Jackets – 40-33-9. 89 PTS – 4th in the division.
IN: Charlie Coyle, Isac Lundestrom, Miles Wood
OUT: Daniil Tarasov, James van Riemsdyk, Sean Kuraly, Justin Danforth, Jack Johnson, Luke Kunin, Jordan Harris, Kevin Labanc, Christian Fischer, Cole Clayton
DEPTH CHART
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Dmitri Voronkov | Sean Monahan | Kirill Marchenko |
| Boone Jenner | Adam Fantilli | Kent Johnson |
| Cole Sillinger | Charlie Coyle | Mathieu Oliver |
| Yegor Chinakhov | Isac Lundestrom | Miles Wood |
| LEFT DEFENSE | RIGHT DEFENSE |
|---|---|
| Zach Werenski | Dante Fabbro |
| Ivan Provorov | Damon Severson |
| Denton Mateychuk | Erik Gudbranson |
| GOALIES |
|---|
| Elvis Merzlikins |
| Jet Greaves |
Other notable names on the depth chart: Hudson Fasching
Marmo Magic – One name to expect good things from this year
Kirill Marchenko – 21, 23, 31. Those are the three goal totals from Marchenko from his first three years in the league. The other number that’s eye-popping is 25. That’s how old this kid is, so the room is there for even more improvement in his fourth full season. I’m not ready to call him the next Ovechkin or Kovalchuk, but he’s ready to join the conversation if we’re talking about the best goal-scoring Russian wingers in the league.
Marmo Meh – A player I’d avoid drafting or adding to my roster (for now)
Elvis Merzlikins – It might be ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ time soon for The King. Elvis isn’t a terrible goalie by any means, but the .892 SV% and 26-21-5 record last year opened the door for competition this year. And the competition has arrived. It’s not a stretch to say that Merzlikins could go from starter to backup behind Jet Greaves as early as the first week of November if the latter gets off to a hot start.
Marmo Marvel – A Rookie/Youngster who has the potential to impress. Add these guys to your Dynasty rosters right now
Adam Fantilli – There isn’t much to say here other than you need to push him up your draft boards before someone else snipes him. 31 goals in his first year is ridiculous enough, but when you factor in a 16.1% shooting percentage, he could give us even more in 2025-2026. He’s already the second-line center and a mainstay on the PP. Having Sean Monahan as a mentor in the middle will help, too.
New Jersey Devils – 42-33-7. 91 PTS – 3rd in the division.
IN: Connor Brown, Evgenii Dadonov, Juho Lammikko
OUT: Nolan Foote, Erik Haula, Tomas Tatar, Curtis Lazar, Justin Dowling, Nathan Bastian, Daniel Sprong, Brian Dumoulin
DEPTH CHART
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Ondrej Palat | Jack Hughes | Jesper Bratt |
| Timo Meier | Nico Hischier | Stefan Noesen |
| Evgenii Dadonov | Dawson Mercer | Connor Brown |
| Paul Cotter | Cody Glass | Arseniy Gritsyuk |
| LEFT DEFENSE | RIGHT DEFENSE |
|---|---|
| Luke Hughes | Brett Pesce |
| Jonas Siegenthaler | Dougie Hamilton |
| Brenden Dillon | Simon Nemec |
| GOALIES |
|---|
| Jacob Markstrom |
| Jake Allen |
Other notable names on the depth chart: Juho Lammikko, Nathan Lagare, Johnathan Kovacevic
Marmo Magic – One name to expect good things from this year
Luke Hughes – The 22-year-old defender was already the best of the bunch in New Jersey, and now he’s got 63 million reasons to smile. Last week, the younger Hughes ended his holdout and signed a 7-year extension with the Devils after putting up back-to-back 40-point seasons and showing he’s ready to take over the reins as the PP king from Dougie Hamilton. The only thing this guy needs to worry about now is how to get his other brother to bolt from Vancouver and reunite the family in the Garden State.
Marmo Meh – A player I’d avoid drafting or adding to my roster (for now)
Connor Brown – Speaking of new deals, Connor Brown signed a 4-year deal with the Devils after a couple of disappointing seasons in Edmonton. I’ve seen several projections tabbing him as a bottom-six winger. I don’t think he’ll be a total bust, but if he’s not lined up with Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier, we can kiss any bounce-back plans goodbye.
Marmo Marvel – A Rookie/Youngster who has the potential to impress. Add these guys to your Dynasty rosters right now
Simon Nemec – He spent some time in the AHL to get himself some minutes and experience at both ends of the ice. Now, the management team thinks he’s ready for a regular gig. The Devils boast a solid D-corp, so Nemec will be eased into the fold. Learning from veterans and developing alongside Luke Hughes should help him take that next step.
New York Islanders – 35-35-12. 82 PTS – 6th in the division.
IN: Maxim Shabanov, Emil Heineman, Ethan Bear, Daniel Rittich
OUT: Noah Dobson, Matt Martin, Mike Reilly, Hudson Fasching
DEPTH CHART
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Johnathan Drouin | Bo Horvat | Kyle Palmieri |
| Anders Lee | Mathew Barzal | Simon Holmstrom |
| Anthony Duclair | Jean-Gabriel Pageau | Max Shabanov |
| Maxim Tsyplakov | Casey Cizikas | Emil Heineman |
| LEFT DEFENSE | RIGHT DEFENSE |
|---|---|
| Alexander Romanov | Ryan Pulock |
| Adam Pelech | Tony DeAngelo |
| Matthew Schaefer | Scott Mayfield |
| GOALIES |
|---|
| Ilya Sorokin |
| David Rittich |
Other notable names on the depth chart: Ethan Bear, Semyon Varlamov, Kyle MacLean, Maxim Shabanov
Marmo Magic – One name to expect good things from this year
Ilya Sorokin – I almost went with Bo Horvat here, but the easy argument is that Sorokin is the best player on the team. I looked to see if they had a guy who could provide PIMs in your multi-category leagues (there wasn’t one), and I looked for a 70+ point scorer too (there wasn’t one of those either). Sorokin is a lock for 30 wins, a handful of shutouts, and a healthy save percentage. He should be among the top 10 goalies off the draft board this year and ranks at #70 in Viz’s Top 200 overall.
Marmo Meh – A player I’d avoid drafting or adding to my roster (for now)
Mathew Barzal and Jonathan Drouin – It was tough to pick one from the two of these guys, and because they’ve got similar risks, it felt right to put them both down here. Barzal missed 52 games last year with an “upper body injury” and then with a busted-up kneecap that required surgery. Drouin’s injury report was less specific, as the winger missed 39 games with “upper and lower body” injuries. Barzal has said he doesn’t think his knee will ever be 100% again, and Drouin has missed preseason games with an “illness”. Whatever that all means is up to your interpretation, but for me, it means a hard pass on the draft board.
Marmo Marvel – A Rookie/Youngster who has the potential to impress. Add these guys to your Dynasty rosters right now
Matthew Schaefer – So you’re telling me that the Islanders had two teams finish below them in their division AND they ended up with the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry draft? Ouch. When a team can roll out a #1 overall draft pick in their opening night lineup, it’s tough to take anyone else as the best up-and-coming skater on the team. Schaefer was hurt for most of the year after he broke his collarbone at the World Juniors in December. 22 points in 17 games for Erie in the OHL was a nice way to say goodbye to his ‘minor league’ years – two of them – and hello to the Islanders’ blue line for the next 10-15 years. He’s a top pick in dynasty leagues if you’re looking for the next big thing on the blueline.
New York Rangers – 39-36-7. 85 PTS – 5th in the division.
IN: Taylor Raddysh, Vladislav Gavrikov, Derrick Pouliot, Scott Morrow
OUT: Arthur Kaliyev, Zac Jones, Chris Kreider, K’Andre Miller
DEPTH CHART
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Will Cuylle | J.T. Miller | Mika Zibanejad |
| Artemi Panarin | Vincent Trochek | Alexis Lafreniere |
| Brett Berard | Jusso Parssinen | Taylor Raddysh |
| Adam Enstrom | Sam Carrick | Matt Rempe |
| LEFT DEFENSE | RIGHT DEFENSE |
|---|---|
| Vladislav Gavrikov | Adam Fox |
| Carson Soucy | Will Borgen |
| Urho Vaakanainen | Braden Schneider |
| GOALIES |
|---|
| Igor Shesterkin |
| Jonathan Quick |
Other notable names on the depth chart: Gabe Perrault, Jonny Brodzinski, Derek Pouliot, Scott Morrow, Louis Dominigue
Marmo Magic – One name to expect good things from this year
Artemi Panarin – Contract year! I almost left it at that, but The Bread Man is gonna be looking for some serious bread come this summer. Mike Sullivan announced on Monday that Panrin would be ready to rock for Opening Night, and as of the final edit here, he was pencilled into the starting 12. The 33-year-old Russian will be looking to cash in on one last deal, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he took a run at another 50-goal, 100-point season. (He had 49/120 in 2023-2024).
Marmo Meh – A player I’d avoid drafting or adding to my roster (for now)
Taylor Raddysh – The free agent add wasn’t a huge splash, but with no open spots in the Top 6 forward group, the Rangers didn’t need to aim for the top shelf. Raddysh is a serviceable 3rd line RW with the ability to chip in a half dozen goals and around 20 PTS, but don’t expect much else in the way of a breakout or any extra category support (like hits, blocks, takeaways).
Marmo Marvel – A Rookie/Youngster who has the potential to impress. Add these guys to your Dynasty rosters right now
Will Cuylle – At 23 years old, this one still qualifies as a youngster who can impress. Cuylle took a huge jump forward in his second (full) season with 20 G and 25 A in 82 GP. He’s slotted in as the 2nd line RW with a decent helping of PP time. The 13.2 shooting percentage should mean a jump in goals if he can build on the 152 SOG from last year with an increased role in 2025-2026.
Philadelphia Flyers – 33-39-10. 76 PTS – 8th in the division.
IN: Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak, Noah Juulsen, Dan Vladar
OUT: Olle Lycksell, Ryan Poehling, Jakob Pelletier
DEPTH CHART
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Christian Dvorak | Sean Couturier | Matvei Michkov |
| Owen Tippett | Trevor Zegras | Travis Konecny |
| Tyson Foerster | Noah Cates | Bobby Brink |
| Nicolas Deslauriers | Rodrigo Abols | Garnet Hathaway |
| LEFT DEFENSE | RIGHT DEFENSE |
|---|---|
| Cam York | Travis Sanheim |
| Nick Seeler | Jamie Drysdale |
| Egor Zamula | Rasmus Ristolainen (IR) |
| GOALIES |
|---|
| Samuel Ersson |
| Dan Vladar |
Other notable names on the depth chart: Adam Ginning, Noah Juulsen, Cam York, Emil Andrae, Jeff Luchanko
Marmo Magic – One name to expect good things from this year
Matvei Michkov – At the risk of being called a brown noser and a suck up to the boss, I went with one of Viz’s favorite wingers this season for the Marmo Magic pick. I’m a big believer in Michkov, too, and think that he could take another big step forward in 2025-2026. If anyone missed it, Michkov was Viz’s first Bold Prediction in his article yesterday. I don’t know if he hits the 90-point threshold like Viz says in there, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he took a big jump forward from his 26-goal, 63-point freshman season.
Marmo Meh – A player I’d avoid drafting or adding to my roster (for now)
Any Philly Goalie – Samuel Ersson is a p…erson that I had to look up to see if he had more than a handful of games last year (he started 44). The numbers aren’t horrible, but this isn’t a guy you want to draft on your squad unless you’re in an extremely deep league where you have to dress 3 active goalies each week. Former Bruin Dan “Darth” Vladar is likely not the answer here either. At least I’d take Vladar as a last-round reserve pick in a 32-team dynasty league, though.
Marmo Marvel – A Rookie/Youngster who has the potential to impress. Add these guys to your Dynasty rosters right now
Trevor Zegras – I know! He’s not a rookie! But Sean Couturier looked terrible last year, and this kid is still just 24 years old. He should flourish in the top center role in Philly and could become the second most loved orange-Flyer behind this guy.
Pittsburgh Penguins – 34-36-12. 80 PTS – 7th in the division.
IN: Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau, Matt Dumba, Connor Clifton, Parker Wotherspoon, Alexander Alexeyev, Arturs Silvos
OUT: Matt Grzelcyk, Conor Timmins, Alex Nedelijkovic, Matt Nieto, Emil Bernstrom
DEPTH CHART
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Rickard Rakell | Sidney Crosby | Ville Koivunen |
| Anthony Mantha | Evgeni Malkin | Bryan Rust (IR) |
| Blake Lizzotte | Tommy Novak | Philip Tomasino |
| Justin Brazeau | Noel Acciari | Connor Dewar |
| LEFT DEFENSE | RIGHT DEFENSE |
|---|---|
| Parker Wotherspoon | Kris Letang |
| Ryan Shea | Erik Karlsson |
| Matt Dumba | Connor Clifton |
| GOALIES |
|---|
| Tristan Jarry |
| Arturs Silvos |
Other notable names on the depth chart: Kevin Hayes, Benjamin Kindel, Danton Heinen, Rutger McGroarty, Ryan Graves, Alexander Alexeyev
Marmo Magic – One name to expect good things from this year
Ville Koivunen – For the record, I had Bryan Rust in here last week and was ready to hype up another solid year for him, but he was injured in practice on Monday and is expected to miss at least two weeks. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure…or something like that. Koivunen impressed enough last year with 7 points in an 8-game audition way back in April. And now he’s slated to start on Sidney Crosby’s wing? Sign me up.
Marmo Meh – A player I’d avoid drafting or adding to my roster (for now)
Kris Letang – The former top defense pick in fantasy leagues has finally entered the ‘old age’ category of pro athletes. Letang is 38 years old now, just had a procedure to repair a hole in his heart, and is part of the old guard in Pittsburgh who will be tasked with mentoring the youngsters. He’ll still get Top 4 minutes and PP1 time, but I don’t expect him to play another 82-game season before he eventually hangs them up. Fun fact: He has two 82-game seasons. 2023-2024 and 2010-2011 (I would’ve lost that bet).
Marmo Marvel – A Rookie/Youngster who has the potential to impress. Add these guys to your Dynasty rosters right now
Philip Tomasino – I could have flipped Tomasino with Koivunen, but I decided to leave the 24-year-old here because he feels like a youngster who could tap into something special. Tomasino was a goal scorer in the OHL with the Niagara Ice Dogs, and the speedy winger signed a one-year deal on July 1st to stay in Pittsburgh. With a roster full of older veterans, Tomasino could impress early and get moved into a bigger role sooner rather than later. If the Pens tank early and start to ship out the older guys, he could find himself in a Top 6 role pretty quickly.
Washington Capitals – 51-22-9. 111 PTS – 1st in the division.
IN: Justin Sourdif, Declan Chisholm
OUT: Lars Eller, Andrew Mangiapane, Alexander Alexeyev, Taylor Raddysh
DEPTH CHART
| LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Ovechkin | Dylan Strome | Anthony Beauvillier |
| Aliaksei Protas | Pierre-Luc Dubois | Tom Wilson |
| Ivan Miroshnichenko | Connor McMichael | Ryan Leonard |
| Brandon Duhaime | Nic Dowd | Justin Sourdif |
| LEFT DEFENSE | RIGHT DEFENSE |
|---|---|
| Martin Fehervary | John Carlson |
| Jakob Chychrun | Trevor van Riemsdyk |
| Rasmus Sandin | Matt Roy |
| GOALIES |
|---|
| Logan Thompson |
| Charlie Lindgren |
Other notable names on the depth chart: Hendrix Lapierre, Sonny Milano, Ethen Frank, Declan Chisholm, Dylan McIlrath
Marmo Magic – One name to expect good things from this year
Logan Thompson – I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that every Washington Capitals fan hopes that Team Canada leaves Logan Thompson off its Olympic roster when they’re announced because it certainly worked out well when he was snubbed in the Four Nations Faceoff tourney.
Thompson played like a man possessed and had a gigantic chip on his shoulder when he found out he wouldn’t be representing his home country in last year’s mid-season get-together. He responded by winning 8 of his first 9 games, and finished with a 31-6-5 record in 43 games. He’s not being drafted like a top goalie (135 ADP on Fantrax), and he shouldn’t be the 18th-ranked backstop out of our regular starters. Get in on this bargain while you still can.
Marmo Meh – A player I’d avoid drafting or adding to my roster (for now)
Pierre-Luc Dubois – I try to put personal bias aside when I’m at the draft table (or in the digital draft room), but sometimes it’s tough to shake that feeling of being burned. Fool me once, shake on you, fool me twice…you’re not gonna fool me again. Or something like that. If you’re looking for a guy who should play 80 games and not come close to recording a point per game, maybe this is for you, but I’m not falling for the promise of “upside”. Especially when he’s well past the age of an up-and-coming prospect. (He’s 27).
Marmo Marvel – A Rookie/Youngster who has the potential to impress. Add these guys to your Dynasty rosters right now
Ryan Leonard – The kid from Massachusetts impressed enough in a 9-game audition last year to sneak his way into a bottom 6 role with some powerplay time. Now, as a follow-up, Leonard is ready to take the next step. Back-to-back 30-goal seasons at Boston College and a World Juniors MVP mean his resume is stacked. Lock him in if you’re in a keeper league.
That’s all, folks! I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to drop any questions or comments below, and be sure to come back to visit me next Wednesday when I jump over to the Western Conference and preview the Central Division.
Follow me @marmosdad on Twitter/X and Bluesky @marmosdad.bsky.social
