With the NHL season fully underway, teams are starting to figure out what works and what doesn’t. While it is only a couple of weeks in, there have been some surprises and some disappointing starts. While there is still most of the season to go, let us take a look at how the teams in the Atlantic Division are doing so far.
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit kicked off the season on a high note and is looking great. With an impressive 5–1–0 record so far, they sit at the top of the division. Their young core finally seems to be gelling together, Dylan Larkin has stepped up as the leader of this team, and Patrick Kane has shown that he can still perform at this age.
While they have battled injuries, they find themselves in the midst of being the hottest team in the league so far. While his save percentage may not look that impressive, John Gibson has been the netminder they’ve been looking for to be a stable presence in net. The next step is making sure they can keep this momentum all season and finally reach the playoffs.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are starting to look like the next juggernaut out of the Atlantic. With a record of 5–2–0, they are tied for the top spot in the division. Their core of young stars is starting to show signs of taking the next step. Cole Caufield looks like he’s got the scoring touch with the ability to score some clutch goals. Jakub Dobes has emerged as a potential star goalie, going 3–0 to start the season with an impressive .939 save percentage.
Lane Hutson, coming off a contract extension, is looking like he is worth every penny and the future of defencemen. Nick Suzuki is one of the premier leaders in the league and will be fighting for a Team Canada spot. Ivan Demidov is emerging as a star, leading all rookies in points. Even with all this firepower, the Habs also have guys like Juraj Slavkovsky, David Reinbacher and Samuel Montembeault. They surprised everyone and made the playoffs last year; this year, they look to become real threats in the division.
Florida Panthers
After winning their first three games, the defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champs dropped four in a row before winning their last match. With a record of 4–4–0, the Panthers are trying to figure out what their identity is in the face of missing both Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk.
While they looked impressive at home, their struggles came to light on the road. The team is struggling on the offensive side of both five-on-five play and on special teams. Evan Rodrigues has emerged as one of the more important players in this lineup while the team deals with injuries. The team might not currently look like the juggernaut we are used to, but as the season progresses, we will see what this team is really made of.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The story heading into this season for the Leafs was about how they would survive without Marner and if the new additions would fit under Berube’s system. They are currently sitting with a record of 3–3–1, which isn’t terrible, but the expectations are higher. William Nylander continues to be a top player in this league and has helped John Tavares find the net as of late. Anthony Stolarz is looking like he is worth the money and is the starter until further notice.
One of the big issues is that this team hasn’t been able to put together a full 60 minutes. With the missing offence, Easton Cowan should be a regular going forward. This team was promoted as being heavier and harder to play against, and we have yet to see that. Although the regular season doesn’t matter for Leafs fans, they need to start putting some wins together to make the postseason.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins have come into this season with a record of 3–5–0. While we have known them to be contenders throughout the last decade, they might be entering a new chapter this season. David Pastrnak will still be a great player and will continue to score goals. Charlie McAvoy is looking to be a top defenceman as he fights for a Team USA spot. Jermey Swayman has looked fine to start the season, but they have to expect more from a top-earning goalie. This team will have to look at this season and decide if they are ready for the future or if they have one more good season left in them.
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators have started slowly with a record of 2–4–1. Their record is a surprise considering some of the performances on the team. Shane Pinto is surprisingly at the top of the league in goals. Jordan Spence has looked good for this team. They currently lead the league in face-off winning percentage and are in the top ten on the power play.
Despite all these encouraging stats, the team has stumbled out of the gate. They have not looked their best, their penalty kill is suffering, and their goaltending has not been good. These have led to issues for the team, but the biggest issue is that they are without their captain. Brady Tkachuk is the heart and soul of this team, and they desperately need him back.
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are 2–4–0 to start the season. This team has been good offensively, but the defence is still struggling. They have signs of hope as Alex Lyon has looked good to start the season and could potentially take the starting spot. For a team that has been this frustrating, they have a chance to change the narrative. They lost JJ Peterka in the offseason, but they will need to rely on their leaders like Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson to bring them to April.
Tampa Bay Lightning
This is an unfamiliar sight, but the Tampa Bay Lightning are at the bottom of the division with a record of 1–3–2. For a team that has been a yearly contender, this is surprising, especially considering they still have Andrei Vasilevsky, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and others.
Vasilevsky missed time during training camp, and it looks like it has affected their play. While their penalty kill has been great and their power play has been mediocre, the five-on-five play should be better. Despite having their stars, those guys haven’t looked the same. If this team still wants to compete in the division, they will have to turn around fast.
