2025-26 NHL Preview: Atlantic Division

There has been a lot of news coming out of the Atlantic Division in the last few days, especially for the defending champions. The league has witnessed complete dominance by the Atlantic over the last eight years, more specifically, the state of Florida. The division has represented the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last eight seasons, with the 2021 Final featuring both Tampa and Montreal because of the realignment. The Lightning and the Panthers have combined for six straight appearances, winning a pair each. Can they make it nine in a row over the Metropolitan Division, or is their run set to end?

Keeping to my word, here are my predictions regarding the Atlantic Division from last season that aged very poorly once April and May rolled around. This one was a mess, if I'm being honest:

• Florida wins the division (they finished 3rd, but I doubt picking the defending champions to win the division was hardly a hot take)
• Ottawa and Montreal finishes 7th and 8th in the division (they finished 4th and 5th, respectively, and each earned Wild Card bids)
• Boston finishes 2nd in the division (they finished dead last)
• Tampa Bay and Detroit are Wild Card teams (Tampa finished 2nd with over 100 points, while Detroit missed the playoffs)

8. Buffalo Sabres

I want so badly to see the Buffalo Sabres succeed and finally end their postseason drought. I question whether their front office feels the same. They moved in the opposite direction this offseason, which is incredible considering how bad they already were. It was one thing to move JJ Peterka, but it was another to not get enough for him, receiving Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring. The Sabres have good players. Tage Thompson is a 40-goal threat, and he could reach 50 as Buffalo's main source of offense. Rasmus Dahlin is a potential Norris threat. There are other good pieces. The issue is that the Sabres have done nothing to improve their standing relative to their division rivals. While they were a Top 10 offense last season, their defense was the 4th-worst. It feels like Buffalo is stuck in Purgatory. The day they finally make the playoffs will be incredible.

7. Boston Bruins

I'll speak for myself when I say that I didn't expect the Boston Bruins to crumble the way they did last season. It was ugly, and that's putting it mildly. David Pastrnak was still incredible, scoring 43 goals and 106 points. Morgan Geekie broke out, scoring 33 goals and 57 points to earn a massive extension. However, Geekie's 57 points were second on the team, showing a 49-point difference with Pastrnak. No one was scoring. It didn't help that injuries forced Charlie McAvoy to miss over 30 games, and Hampus Lindholm was held to 17 games. They also did what was previously thought the be impossible and traded Brad Marchand to Florida at the deadline. The Bruins could rebound, but none of their big moves this offseason made them better than the teams they're chasing. Tanner Jeannot's contract was a head-scratcher. Viktor Arvidsson won't be the answer they need. If Jeremy Swayman turns it around, they might have a chance. It still feels unlikely.

6. Detroit Red Wings

The middle of the Atlantic Division is tough to call. Ottawa, Montreal, and Detroit are all good teams, so any of them could make the playoffs. It has left me making some tough decisions. That is why I have made the painful choice of placing the Red Wings in this spot. Of the three teams, they leave me with the most questions about their roster. They upgraded at goalie, trading for John Gibson at the draft in June and pairing him with Cam Talbot. Lucas Raymond took a big step forward, leading the team with 80 points a year ago. The top of their forward and defensive groups is solid, but they lack the depth on paper that I'd like to see from a playoff team. Raymond, Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, and Moritz Seider are good enough to carry this team, especially if Gibson finds his game again. Otherwise, the wait could continue.

5. Ottawa Senators

If I hadn't already made it crystal clear, I'm incredibly conflicted. The Ottawa Senators cleared Montreal last season by six points to claim the 1st Wild Card. Their top lines are electric. Tim Stutzle is so much fun to watch. Brady Tkachuk is a pain to play against. Dylan Cozens was an excellent addition last season, and Drake Batherson can score in bunches. Jake Sanderson is emerging as a franchise defender. There is everything to like about them this season. So why aren't they making the playoffs? Simply, I don't think they had a better offseason than Montreal. Jordan Spence is a fine addition to the defense, but it's not as good as the Habs' addition. Linus Ullmark looked fine when he was in the lineup, but he wasn't great. This could age poorly, but I like Montreal more than Ottawa. 

4. Montreal Canadiens*(WC2)

Last season, the division sent five teams to the postseason, thanks to a tough season for the Metro. Montreal was the last team in, and it was electric. This momentum is probably what made them take a big shot by acquiring Noah Dobson from the Islanders before the 1st Round of the draft. They've worked their way back into the fold. Now it's their time to really make a push. Their top line of Slafkovsky, Suzuki, and Caufield has turned into a unit. Lane Hutson is coming off a Calder Trophy season. Ivan Demidov made an impression once he joined late in the season and is poised to challenge for the title of the league's top rookie. If there's one area of concern, it's whether Samuel Montembeault can find another gear and start to look like Carey Price before him. If he can, along with other events transpiring throughout the division, the Canadiens might enter the Top 3.

3. Florida Panthers*

Originally, I had the Panthers finishing 2nd in the division. Once we learned the extent of Captain Aleksander Barkov's injury, I had to move them down a spot. It'd be one thing if it were just Barkov hurt, but having Matthew Tkachuk out until potentially December is tough for the two-time defending champions. Still, it would be foolish to believe that the Florida Panthers won't still be just as dangerous. They were able to retain all three of their big free agents (Bennett, Ekblad, and Marchand). Sam Reinhart is one of the best two-way players in the league. Sergei Bobrovsky might see a lighter workload, but he's still one of the best in the league. Gustav Forsling is one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL. This team is still incredibly stacked. Tkachuk will eventually return, adding another clutch piece to the puzzle. Barkov's injury is an immense loss for Florida, but it doesn't derail their entire season.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs*

It feels unsavory to say that a team will "benefit" from another team's injury, but the Toronto Maple Leafs might've needed something to swing in their favor, especially after losing Mitch Marner this offseason after months of speculation. The Leafs don't have the depth that Florida does, but there are some difference makers at the top of the lineup that will heavily be relied upon. Auston Matthews had a difficult first season as the Toronto captain, limited to 67 games, though he still scored 78 points. William Nylander topped 40 goals. Matthew Knies found his spot next to Marner and Matthews. Taking a 100-point player out of the equation is never ideal. This just means the top guys need to be even better while the depth guys pull their weight. This goes for the defensemen and the goalies, too. I could easily be underestimating how important losing Marner was for this team. I still think they're a playoff team, but I wouldn't be very surprised if they're a Wild Card squad.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning*

Sometimes, the best thing to do for your team is to do nothing. The Tampa Bay Lightning were very quiet this offseason. There were no big trades. There were no team-altering signings during free agency. The Bolts sat still and allowed the rest of the league to change around them. In some respects, Tampa didn't need to do anything. Nikita Kucherov is coming off an Art Ross season. Jake Guentzel scored 41 times in his first season in Tampa. Brayden Point topped him with a team-high 42 tallies. Brandon Hagel reached 90 points and was Top 10 in Selke voting. Victor Hedman is still one of the best defenders. Andrei Vasilevskiy has nursed an injury during camp, but he remains a brick wall in the crease. This is by no means a perfect team, though they're one of the deepest in the conference.