The Metropolitan Division still runs through Sidney Crosby.
At 1, Crosby remains the standard-bearer in a group that keeps stacking talent around him. He’s still logging heavy minutes, still winning a ton of faceoffs, and still handling the biggest draws when the moment gets tight. For all the young stars pushing up behind him, the Penguins’ captain is the one who stays at the top of the mountain.
Right behind him, Sebastian Aho comes in at No. 2 after leading Carolina in points. He’s exactly what the Hurricanes want to be: relentless, competitive, and skilled enough to drive the offense. That combination makes him one of the division’s cleanest all-around threats.
No. 3 is Jack Hughes, who keeps flirting with a true breakout season even while the injury issues keep interrupting the climb. He missed 20 games last year, still put up 77 points, and added a Golden Goal. The talent is obvious; the only question is when he strings it all together for a full Art Ross-type push.
Kirill Marchenko lands at No. 4.
At 26, there are questions about where things go next, but the present is plenty bright. He’s already the Blue Jackets’ top-scoring forward, and that alone puts him in strong company.
Jesper Bratt checks in at No. 5 after a rough 2025-26 by his standards. Even so, his puck skills make him one of the league’s most effective playmakers when he’s rolling, and the expectation here is that he bounces back.
Nico Hischier takes the sixth spot after signing an extension with an $11.7 million cap hit. That deal should age well if he keeps doing what he usually does: deliver around 30 goals, around 70 points, and strong work away from the puck.
At No. 7, Andrei Svechnikov turned in a career year with 31 goals and 70 points. He may not profile as a scoring-title threat, but he’s still the kind of player who can take over a game on a given night.
Mat Barzal lands eighth after shaking off recent injury problems to post 72 points and another 50-plus-assist season. That kind of production keeps him near the top of the division conversation.
Seth Jarvis is next at No. 9, and consistency is the calling card. Over the last three seasons, he’s basically lived in the same neighborhood statistically, with either 32 or 33 goals and 33 or 34 assists each year. That kind of reliability matters.
Nikolaj Ehlers rounds out the top 10 after a 71-point season and a point-per-game playoff run that helped Carolina win the Cup. His speed and skill gave the Hurricanes exactly what they had been missing.
Travis Konecny comes in at No. 11. He doesn’t always get the spotlight he deserves, but he led the Flyers in assists and points last season and remains one of the league’s more underrated playmaking wingers.
Jordan Kyrou is No. 12 after a down 2025-26. Even with the slump, there’s a strong track record behind him: from 2021-25, he produced between 67 and 73 points every year. The hope is that the change of scenery gets him back to being a dangerous rush scorer with elite finishing.
Adam Fantilli is 13th. He’s still only 21 when the season begins, and while he hasn’t hit superstardom yet, last year’s 59 points were a career high and he’s moving in the right direction.
Alex Ovechkin checks in at No. 14 after scoring 32 goals last year. The skating and defensive impact are long gone at 41, but the shot still plays, and that alone keeps him on this list.
Bo Horvat sits at No. 15.
He’s the definition of steady: about 30 goals, about 30 assists, every year, with good size and dependable play. That consistency is a big reason he still carries Team Canada-level value.
The honorable mentions: Bryan Rust, Pavel Dorofeyev, Evgeni Malkin, Charlie Coyle, Trevor Zegras, and Alex Tuch.
In Other News...
Penguins Prospects Have A Bigger Opportunity Than Just Winning In Detroit
The Penguins prospects headed to Detroit this week for the inaugural Prospect Tournament at Little Caesars Arena, a three-game look against Columbus, Detroit and Dallas that gives the organization a better read on its young talent before the season begins. After practicing at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, the group arrived with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Kirk MacDonald stressing that the bigger point is development, not just the scoreline.
For a team trying to keep its pipeline moving, these kinds of events matter because they can show who handles speed, structure and pressure against unfamiliar competition. The games will be streamed on the Penguins website, giving fans a chance to track more than the final result while the club sorts out which prospects are ready to take another step and which ones still have work to do. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Camp Battle Just Got Tougher For Young Players
The Penguins offseason additions have made training camp feel a little less open for the younger players trying to carve out a role. With Kyle Dubas continuing to prioritize roster flexibility and even signaling a willingness to use waivers to keep options open, the competition is shaping up to be as much about fit and timing as raw talent. Hendrix Lapierres arrival is part of that equation, adding another name to a group already under pressure to prove who belongs.
For players like Jake Livanavage, there may still be a path to making the roster if the right opportunity opens up. Others, including Tommy Galvas, are still in the earlier stages of development and may not be ready to force the issue just yet. It leaves Pittsburgh with a familiar camp storyline, where promise is real but the margin for a young player to break through appears thinner than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Crosby Weighed In On A Coaching Hire Fans Still Debate
When the Oilers turned to Mike Babcock as their new head coach, the move instantly stirred the kind of reaction that tends to follow him everywhere. Edmonton is clearly making a push to go from contender to champion, and the hire puts a longtime taskmaster in charge of a roster built around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, with the hope that structure and detail can help finish the job.
For Pittsburgh fans, the wrinkle is that Sidney Crosby has long been among the players who have spoken highly of Babcocks coaching and organizational demands. Even so, the reaction around the league has been split, because his track record continues to color how some view the decision. The Oilers are betting the upside outweighs the debate, but it is the sort of hire that will keep getting picked apart until the results settle the argument. [Read more 🡒]