NHL Atlantic Division Preview
With the NHL season just beginning, every team across the league is gearing up for an exciting season of play.
The Atlantic Division is a mixed bag of eight teams, one of which won the Stanley Cup last season.
Let’s take a look at some predictions of how the eight NHL Atlantic Division teams will perform for the upcoming 2021-22 season.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Now the ninth team in NHL history to secure the Stanley Cup back-to-back, the Lightning show no signs of slowing down.
Tampa Bay seems to be one of the strongest competitors for not only this division but for the entire Eastern Conference.
Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy looks to continue his excellent play and forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point lead an elite offensive unit.
Florida Panthers
After adding young talent to their roster over the offseason, the Panthers seem to be a team to keep a lookout for this upcoming season.
With players like Sam Reinhart and Anthony Duclair, and an underrated, talented defense, Florida is hungry and seems determined to keep the pace of last season continuing, but with a more successful ending.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins have been a playoff team in each of the past five seasons, and show no signs of breaking that streak.
The present goaltending issues and loss of David Krejčí are nerve-wracking for the Bruins, but the dangerous top-line and players like strong defensemen Charlie McAvoy will show a ready team.
There is a solid balance for this mainly young team, and this season looks to be prosperous.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Consistency was key for the Toronto Maples Leafs last season, as they were one of the more regular dominant teams throughout the league.
The possibility within the goaltending is exciting for the Maple Leafs, as well as the shift of focus to players like Auston Matthews and John Tavares after big roster losses during the offseason.
The Leafs seem to have the parts to play well this season, but the looming question is whether those parts will finally berth playoff success.
Montreal Canadiens
Last season’s heartbreaking loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cups Finals gives the Montreal Canadiens all the drive they need to be victorious this season.
Although their regular season was a little rocky this past year, with additions like Christian Dvorak, the Canadiens have the chance to be a thriving team.
The Habs seem hungry to be in the spotlight again and have the chance to prove so during the season.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators started last season on a rough foot but ended on a much stronger one, showing potential and motivation for this upcoming season.
With players like Josh Norris, the team has a strong and young foundation.
Ottawa is still in need of refining, but once they get their feet on the ground, the Senators will have the ability to become a more competitive and threatening team.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have been struggling the past couple of years, and this season looks to be no different.
Adding Alex Nedeljkovic and Nick Leddy to their roster is significant for Detroit, but not enough to get them out of the rut they’ve seemed to be stuck in since 2016.
The Red Wings still have a long road ahead of them before they can seriously compete with the other monsters in this division.
Buffalo Sabres
The cards have been stacked against Buffalo for a few years, and that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.
After multiple rebuilds and re-starts, the Sabres have yet to find the key to a triumphant season.
Issues with goaltending and the situation surrounding the former captain Jack Eichel aren’t helping Buffalo look prosperous this season.
Cearra O’Hern is a freshman studying broadcast journalism. To contact her, email ceo5312@psu.edu
