Metropolitan Division
ConferenceEastern Conference
LeagueNational Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Founded2013
Suspended in 2020–21
2021 (reactivated)
No. of teams8
Most recent
champion(s)
Carolina Hurricanes (2nd title)
Most titlesWashington Capitals (5 titles)

The National Hockey League's Metropolitan Division (often referred to simply as the "Metro Division") was formed in 2013 as one of the two divisions in the Eastern Conference as part of a league realignment.[1] It is also a successor of the original Atlantic Division and one of the two successors to the Southeast Division. Six of its teams were previously together in the Patrick Division from 1981 to 1993 (one joined in 1982). It is the only NHL division without a Canadian team, with five of the division's clubs located in either the New York City area or in Pennsylvania and the other three in North Carolina, Ohio, and Washington, D.C.

The Metropolitan Division contains some of the most historic and intense rivalries in the NHL, including Flyers–Penguins, Devils–Rangers, Capitals–Penguins, Islanders–Rangers, Capitals–Rangers, Capitals–Islanders, Flyers–Rangers, Capitals–Flyers, and Devils–Flyers. Three of its teams (Rangers, Islanders, and Devils) are within the league's largest market (New York), the Flyers are in the fourth largest market (Philadelphia), and the Capitals are in the seventh largest (Washington, D.C.). Games involving Metropolitan Division teams are frequently shown on U.S. national television.

Division lineups

2013–2020

Changes from the 2012–13 season

  • The Metropolitan Division is formed due to NHL realignment
  • The Northeast and Southeast Divisions are dissolved due to NHL realignment
  • The New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins come from the Atlantic Division
  • The Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals come from the Southeast Division
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets come from the Central Division

2020–2021

  • Division not used for the 2020–21 NHL season

Changes from the 2019–20 season

  • Due to COVID-19 restrictions the NHL realigned into four divisions with no conferences for the 2020–21 season
  • The Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets move to the Central Division
  • The New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals move to the East Division

2021–present

  • Carolina Hurricanes
  • Columbus Blue Jackets
  • New Jersey Devils
  • New York Islanders
  • New York Rangers
  • Philadelphia Flyers
  • Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Washington Capitals

Changes from the 2020–21 season

  • The league returned to using a four division and two conference alignment
  • The Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets come from the Central Division
  • The New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals come from the East Division

Division champions

Season results

(#) Denotes team that won the Stanley Cup
(#) Denotes team that won the Prince of Wales Trophy, but lost Stanley Cup Finals
(#) Denotes team that qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs
Denotes winner of the Presidents' Trophy
Season1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th
2013–14(1) Pittsburgh (109)(2) NY Rangers (96)(3) Philadelphia (94)(WC1) Columbus (93)Washington (90)New Jersey (88)Carolina (83)NY Islanders (79)
2014–15(1) NY Rangers (113)(2) Washington (101)(3) NY Islanders (101)(WC2) Pittsburgh (98)Columbus (89)Philadelphia (84)New Jersey (78)Carolina (71)
2015–16(1) Washington (120)(2) Pittsburgh (104)(3) NY Rangers (101)(WC1) NY Islanders (100)(WC2) Philadelphia (96)Carolina (86)New Jersey (84)Columbus (76)
2016–17(1) Washington (118)(2) Pittsburgh (111)(3) Columbus (108)(WC1) NY Rangers (102)NY Islanders (94)Philadelphia (88)Carolina (87)New Jersey (70)
2017–18(1) Washington (105)(2) Pittsburgh (100)(3) Philadelphia (98)(WC1) Columbus (97)(WC2) New Jersey (97)Carolina (83)NY Islanders (80)NY Rangers (77)
2018–19(1) Washington (104)(2) NY Islanders (103)(3) Pittsburgh (100)(WC1) Carolina (99)(WC2) Columbus (98)Philadelphia (82)NY Rangers (78)New Jersey (72)
2019–20[a](3) Washington
(69 gp
90 pts.
.652 ppct.)

(4) Philadelphia
(69 gp
89 pts.
.645 ppct.)

(5) Pittsburgh
(69 gp
86 pts.
.623 ppct.)

(6) Carolina
(68 gp
81 pts.
.596 ppct.)

(7) NY Islanders
(68 gp
80 pts.
.588 ppct.)

(9) Columbus
(70 gp
81 pts.
.579 ppct.)

(11) NY Rangers
(70 gp
79 pts.
.564 ppct.)

New Jersey
(69 gp
68 pts.
.493 ppct.)

2020–21Division suspended for season; temporary realignment
2021–22(1) Carolina (116)(2) NY Rangers (110)(3) Pittsburgh (103)(WC2) Washington (100)NY Islanders (84)Columbus (81)New Jersey (63)Philadelphia (61)
2022–23(1) Carolina (113)(2) New Jersey (112)(3) NY Rangers (107)(WC1) NY Islanders (93)Pittsburgh (91)Washington (80)Philadelphia (75)Columbus (59)
Notes
  • a The 2019–20 NHL season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the imbalance in the number of games played among teams, the regular season standings were determined by points percentage.

Stanley Cup winners produced

Presidents' Trophy winners produced

Metropolitan Division titles won by team

Teams in bold are currently in the division.

TeamWinsLast win
Washington Capitals52020
Carolina Hurricanes22023
New York Rangers12015
Pittsburgh Penguins12014
Columbus Blue Jackets0
New Jersey Devils0
New York Islanders0
Philadelphia Flyers0

References

  1. "NHL introduces new division names with schedule". National Hockey League. July 19, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
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