"The Metropolitan Division looks poised to be the hardest to call this season. As many as six teams could be vying for three playoff spots. But depending on how things go, all eight clubs could be in the mix for a spot at some point this season. Despite some teams being on a clear downward trend, there's no reason to count them out. Meanwhile, other clubs will be looking to have a big bounce-back year."
"It's tough to put a team with Sidney Crosby at the bottom of the standings. But the Pittsburgh Penguins are clearly in a downward trend. The prospect is that the Pens will be major sellers are the trade deadline. They have valuable pieces that other teams could covet at the trade deadline. But then again, this team is led by Sidney Crosby. So, it could be that the Pens turn things around and have a much better season than expected."
"So, the 2025-26 season could be one in which Tocchet lays the groundwork for the Flyers to contend for a playoff spot in 2027. For the purpose of this Metro Division preview, we'll assume the Flyers will have a good season. However, it may not be enough to get them close enough to a playoff spot. The Flyers' Achilles heel is their goaltending. If Samuel Ersson can have a good enough season, and Dan Vladar can provide solid play as a backup,"
The Metropolitan Division is expected to be highly competitive and unpredictable, with as many as six teams competing for three playoff spots and all eight clubs potentially in contention at times. Some teams show clear downward trends while others aim for significant rebounds and midseason improvement. The Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be in decline and could become sellers at the trade deadline, despite Sidney Crosby's presence and the small chance of an unexpected turnaround. The Philadelphia Flyers are rebuilding under Rick Tocchet and may improve, but goaltending from Samuel Ersson and backup Dan Vladar will be critical to any surprise.
Read at Puck Prose
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