Having made the rounds across the Central, Atlantic, and Pacific, looking at less discussed prospects in each division to keep an eye on this upcoming season, we wrap things up with the Metropolitan.

There’s the defending champions in Carolina, along with divisional foes who hung banners last decade, looking to capture that magic one more time, among others hoping to etch their own eras of contention. All are vying to uncover the next Aliaksei Protas, a modest AHL producer turned 30-goal-scorer for the Capitals, or a totally off-the-radar gem like New Jersey star Jesper Bratt, a 2016 sixth-rounder. Who are three Metropolitan prospects worth keeping an eye on in 2026-27, that aren’t generating all the hype?

The first player of our entire review that has already debuted in the NHL, New York prospect Drew Fortescue is overshadowed in a pool well-stocked on the back-end. Jumping into the show late in the Rangers’ season out of Boston College for nine games, the 21-year-old will be set up to earn his stripes in AHL Hartford this fall. A 90th overall selection in 2023, Rangers’ general manager Chris Drury may have had his eye on Fortescue for a long time, as he was U15 AAA teammates with Drury’s son, Luke. Fortescue made 111 appearances for the Eagles from 2023-26, teaming up with fellow Blueshirts prospect Gabriel Perreault before winning 20 games this past season. Capturing the Beanpot proved to be the highlight from a campaign which ended in the Hockey East semi-finals.

Fortescue never jumped out on the page statistically in college, but that’s the exact type of player he is; calm and steady. By the end of his time on campus, he was a trusty minute-eater. A 6’2″ lefty, he’ll play alongside veterans with NHL experience in Dennis Cholowski and Marc Del Gaizo for the Wolfpack. It was a big moment last spring for the Pearl River, New York native to debut on home ice against the Blackhawks, assisting that night on a Jonny Brodzinski tally in a convincing win. It was one of his two assists during the stint.

More of a reliable stay-at-home defender who will never wow anybody offensively, Fortescue is a prospect any team would love to have, who can mesh nicely with an offensive sidekick. Look no further than skilled righty prospect Scott Morrow, if he can step up in a prove-it year and find a home in New York for years to come. A player who has yet to play a single AHL game, Fortescue didn’t look overwhelmed at the highest level, but he would do well from holding down a top-four role in Hartford, maybe getting a call-up depending on injuries. A youngster who has gotten better each year, second-pairing upside isn’t out of the question, but at the least, he’s set to be a solid third pairing anchor for the Rangers.

The Caps didn’t hold back this summer, major players on the market as they go for one more run with their franchise icon. Through it all they’ve also built up an intriguing farm system, impressive when you consider the lack of high end selections they’ve had. One such hit is Andrew Cristall, a 40th overall pick in 2023. Anybody who remotely has interest in keeping up with the AHL, or prospects in general, has surely heard of the Vancouver native by now. Either way he’s a name to keep in mind surrounded by other high-upside Caps prospects. The 21-year-old was a force for the WHL from 2021-25, finishing his over 400-point junior career alongside Seattle top prospect Berkly Catton. Cristall kept rolling into the AHL with 60 points in 72 games, a very impressive rookie campaign.

Cristall squashed any doubt on his post-WHL optics in Hershey alongside fellow AHL rookie Ilya Protas, the duo pacing the team’s scoring, with Cristall coming away second on the roster. A high-end playmaker, his play for the Bears exceeded expectations across the board. With the team making a playoff push to the very end, eventually coming up short, he was unable to get into an NHL game in the spring, but made a big impact in the AHL playoffs with seven points in six games. It’s already clear that the winger has a very real opportunity to make the Washington roster out of camp, but there’s not a lot of room after all their off-season moves, and it’s most likely Hershey fans haven’t seen the last of him just yet.

Falling in the draft for his size (5’10”) and supposed lack of strength, Cristall is fully embracing what it takes to stick in the NHL. Looking to add more muscle, he’s also adding more gritty aspects to his game. That, coupled with his serious offensive flair, is a player the Capitals would love to make a home for. Holding some parallels to a former star in Jeff Skinner, Cristall certainly has top-six, 60+ point upside. He has tools best utilized on the power play, but the lefty’s willingness to add some “rat”-type aspects to his game only raises the intrigue for Washington.

A perfect way to wrap up our list with our first and only netminder, Sergei Ivanov got a bit upstaged by 2025 first-rounder Pyotr Andreyanov, still a strong prospect in his own right. Drafted 138th overall in 2022, the Blue Jackets have had to be patient. Always having impressive athletic traits, he slipped during the draft process with uncertainty on ever leaving the KHL. Over the past few years the Russian has grown into NHL upside and being worth the wait. Serving as backup for SKA St. Petersburg, Ivanov was still trusted with a large share of work, 29 games where he offered a strong 2.50 goals-against and .928 save percentage.

Signed by the Jackets just last month, the prospect should have a final year in Russia before embarking on his North American career. This past season he was teammates with plenty of former NHLers, including Valentin Zykov, Nikolay Goldobin, and Rocco Grimaldi. A franchise which dominated in the late 2010s while offering star players like Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk, they made the playoffs this year after a respectable 37-24-3 record, but were dispatched early in the postseason. The Columbus prospect took the crease twice in the playoffs, splitting the games by win/loss, but doing his part with a .938 SV%.

At 6’0″ Ivanov isn’t towering, but he reads the play nicely and rarely gets far out of position. Even if so, the 22-year-old has the lateral quickness to recover nicely. There’s serious potential to become an NHL starter one day, and already an established pro in the KHL, it’s not like a long adjustment period in the AHL would be required. Jet Greaves looks like the real deal in Columbus, earning an extension, but with Elvis Merzlikins having an expiring contract, there’s a clear path for Ivanov to the NHL by 2027-28. The Blue Jackets look to have any goaltending needs ready to be handled internally.

Image Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports – Imagn Images via Reuters Connect