History says that at this point, most of the dust has settled on major NHL offseason moves now that we’re 10 days into the free agency period. Let’s check around the division to see what the most important competitors have been up to when it comes to changing their clubs next season. This outlook isn’t meant to analyze the longterm ramifications what giving an older player a long contract might mean way down the line, only a focus on immediate gains and losses to capture how NHL rosters have been altered.
For our sake, the adds/losses won’t be comprehensive to the max degree. We’re limiting it to major moves involving current NHL caliber players – or at least top prospects that would have impact in the 2026-27 season to get a sense of how the gains and departures stack up. So, say, trading a 2030 first round pick might be a poor result in the long run, but for now the focus is strictly on impact to the current roster.
1. Washington Capitals
Gains: Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch, Boone Jenner, Vincent Deshairnais
Losses: Connor McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre, Brandon Duhaime, Trevor van Riemsdyk
The Caps finished 15th in goals scored last year and clearly wanted to add offensive talent and quick strike ability on the rush. They accomplished that, times two, with the additions of Tuch and Kyrou. Deshairnais’ stock has rocketed since his stint in Pittsburgh, he and Jenner will add important role players. Division rivals will have to hope this is shades of Nashville adding Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei to win the offseason but not translate to performance in the fall, the Caps had lots of space and used it very well to bring in a ton of talent this summer.
2. New York Rangers
Gains: Pavel Dorofeyev, Sean Durzi, Marcus Pettersson, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Joe Veleno, Joonas Korpisalo
Losses: Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Quick, Conor Sheary
—The Rangers are all over the place as they presumably try a quick rebuild by adding a star forward (Dorofeyev) and two capable defenseman (Durzi and Pettersson) by giving up mostly high draft picks (plus Trocheck). It may or may not work out cohesively on the ice, but they’ve upgraded their talent levels in significant ways for the present day, which is all we’re tracking here. Goal could be somewhere to watch, veteran Quick wrapped up a three-year stint with NYR that exceeded expectations. Korpisalo has been over the map lately and could be a curious choice to count on.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
Gains: Valeri Nichushkin, Ryan Lomberg
Losses: Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment
—We’ll put the Blue Jackets here, if only since they mended fences and found a way to not add Zach Werenski in the ‘losses’ category this offseason. Otherwise, not too much going on besides their own free agents like Adam Fantilli and Jet Greaves. Losing both Jenner and Marchment hurts. Nichushkin can be a difference-maker when he’s engaged, will CBJ bring the most out of him?
4. Philadelphia Flyers
Gains: Noel Acciari, Simon Benoit, Joseph Woll
Losses: Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson
—The Flyers would have rocketed up the list if their coup for restricted free agent Leo Carlsson had worked, maybe even to the top spot by adding a 21-year old first line center. Instead, they’re out in the cold, making minimal changes to this point as a result. The addition of Woll could be a sneaky good one considering the goaltending issues by non-Dan Vladar options in recent years, that possibility of an upgrade gives them their position on this list. Philadelphia isn’t going to be done in the near future with taking big swings but it is very satisfying they struck out on the Carlsson bid, coming close yet ultimately achieving nothing is Flyers hockey!
5. Carolina Hurricanes
Gains: none
Losses: Frederik Andersen
—The Hurricanes have done virtually nothing since winning the Stanley Cup. That’s not a knock, they didn’t have any areas in dire need of attention that needed to be addressed, so they’ve held firm. We’ll slot them here since they’re having the best summer of everyone celebrating a championship and holding a status quo is better than the teams below that have lost more than they gained.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
Gains: Andrei Kuzmenko, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Nick Robertson, Declan Carlile, Kaeden Korczak, Hendrix Lapierre
Losses: Anthony Mantha, Ryan Shea, Stuart Skinner, Noel Acciari, Connor Clifton, Parker Wotherspoon, Kevin Hayes
—The Pens have been very active, shuffling out several players and replacing them with new options. On paper, they don’t look better than last year in that department, possibly downgrading a bit since the departing players of Mantha/Wotherspoon/Shea contributed a lot and were replaced by what appears to be lesser immediate substitutes. (Then again, it’s not like Mantha/Wotherspoon would have inspired a ton of confidence 12 months ago, so some solace can be taken there). Some of the moves made to overstock the team with wingers and right shot defenseman doesn’t quite make sense at the moment but could fall into place with a future move.
7. New Jersey Devils
Gains: Nico Daws, David Rittich, Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, Declan Chisholm
Losses: Simon Nemec, Jacob Markstrom, Evgenii Dadonov, Zack MacEwen, Paul Cotter
—Not too much meaningful change yet in New Jersey with new GM Sunny Metha. The biggest move is one not captured for this purpose when they locked up captain Nico Hischier on a long-term deal. Markstrom wasn’t working out well in net for the Devils, and it’s tough to say they’ve upgrade via talent on paper but you never know with goalies. At least there’s a low bar to clear from prior performance. After failing on the Barrett Hayton offer sheet bid, the Devils are just sort of treading water at this point and the loss of Nemec (11 goals last year) makes it hard to say more talent has come in than what has gone out this offseason. It’s doubtful NJ is all the way done with attempts to improve, but for now they haven’t accomplished much.
8. New York Islanders
Gains: Mattias Macelli, Matthew Kessel, Vitek Vanecek
Losses: Anders Lee, Carson Soucy, Marc Gatcomb, Max Shabanov, David Rittich
—The Islanders didn’t have a lot of cap room to play with and as a result couldn’t do much by way of improving. They lost team captain Lee to free agency and replaced his spot in the lineup with a cheaper winger in Macelli in what figures to be a downgrade. Otherwise, not much by the way of significant movement to be found here to freshen them up very much.
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Of course, this list is certainly subject to change if anyone has a rabbit they’re waiting to pull out of a hat with a move that would change the picture up accordingly. There’s a chance all the activity isn’t done, but this outlook serves to give a good idea or reminder about the action that has taken place to date for the Pens and their biggest rivals.
This was an interesting split to see broken out by team. The Caps and Rangers were able to invest a lot to improve their talent levels quite a bit (neither were also were afraid to burn first round picks to accomplish that), besides them the rest of the division looks like it’s in about the same spot today on July 10th as they were when the season ended, as far as external changes to the roster go. There’s been some player movement for all, but most of the teams in the division doesn’t look dramatically better (or worse) on the whole.
One other interesting item is there have been no head coaching changes within the division this off-season – though NYI and CBJ do have new bench bosses that have been installed during the calendar year of 2026. Other than Rod Brind’Amour in Carolina (hired in May 2018), the next longest-tenured coach in the division is Spencer Carbery with Washington, who has only been there since May 2023. Five of the eight Metropolitan coaches have only been in their current positions since May 2025 or sooner, so while there haven’t been any changes this off-season, that might be only because so many teams have changed recently enough.
