Metropolitan Division facts for kids

The Metropolitan Division is a group of ice hockey teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). It was created in 2013 as part of the NHL's Eastern Conference. This happened when the league changed how its teams were organized, a process called "realignment." Some teams came from the old Atlantic Division, and others joined from the Southeast Division. Many of the teams in the Metropolitan Division were also part of the Patrick Division between 1981 and 1993. This division is special because it's the only NHL division without any Canadian teams. Most of its teams are located around New York City or in Pennsylvania.

Teams in the Metropolitan Division

This is a list of the teams that have been part of the Metropolitan Division since it was formed in 2013:

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

How the Division Was Formed

The Metropolitan Division was created because the NHL decided to reorganize its teams. This meant some older divisions, like the Northeast and Southeast Divisions, were closed down. Teams from those divisions, and even one from the Central Division, moved to form the new Metropolitan Division.

• The New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins moved from the old Atlantic Division.
• The Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals came from the Southeast Division.
• The Columbus Blue Jackets joined from the Central Division.

Division Champions

A division champion is the team that finishes with the best record in their division during the regular season. Here are the teams that have won the Metropolitan Division title:

• 2014—Pittsburgh Penguins
• 2015—New York Rangers
• 2016—Washington Capitals

Division Standings by Season

This table shows how the teams finished in the Metropolitan Division each season. The teams highlighted in green made it to the playoffs, which is the tournament to win the Stanley Cup.

• The green background means the team qualified for the playoffs.

Stanley Cup Winners

The Stanley Cup is the championship trophy awarded to the NHL playoff winner. Here are the teams from the Metropolitan Division that have won the Stanley Cup:

• 2016—Pittsburgh Penguins
• 2017—Pittsburgh Penguins
• 2018—Washington Capitals

Presidents' Trophy Winners

The Presidents' Trophy is given to the NHL team with the best regular season record across the entire league. Here are the Metropolitan Division teams that have won this trophy:

• 2015—New York Rangers
• 2016—Washington Capitals

Metropolitan Division Titles by Team

This table shows how many times each team has won the Metropolitan Division title. Teams listed in bold are currently part of the division.