Bold Predictions for Each NHL Atlantic Division Team

What's in store for the eight Atlantic division teams this season?

Apr 27, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) warms up against the Florida Panthers in game four of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Rejoice, hockey fans. The NHL is finally back on Friday, with the NHL Global Series set to begin the new season across the pond in Prague. To rein in the new season, here's one bold prediction for each team in the Atlantic division this season.

Boston Bruins

Bruins miss the playoffs

It has to happen at some point, right? Boston's had some notable additions and subtractions in their skater group, but that pales in comparison to their situation in net. Linus Ullmark left in a June trade to the Ottawa Senators, and considering contract talks with Jeremy Swayman keep going south, the Bruins' greatest strength now looks like a huge concern. If they can't solve the Swayman situation soon, it could be a long season in Beantown.

Buffalo Sabres

Rasmus Dahlin is a Norris finalist

Dahlin, Buffalo's newly-appointed captain, has quietly emerged as one of the game's top defensemen over the past couple of years, but hasn't received the recognition he deserves. Another strong season, especially if the Sabres can finally end their playoff drought, will make his rise impossible to ignore anymore. Some love from the NHL awards voters doesn't seem too farfetched.

Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings finally end their playoff drought

Detroit is one of the league's most-storied franchises, but with no playoff appearances since 2016, the past several years have been a chapter to forget. The Red Wings came so tantalizingly close to ending their drought last season, losing the final wild card spot to the Washington Capitals via tiebreaker. With some teams ahead of them likely to regress, the Red Wings finally get back to the postseason next spring.

Florida Panthers

Aleksander Barkov is a Hart finalist

For a long time, Barkov was the go-to choice as the league's most-underrated player, but not since the Panthers' rise to prominence. He's not only a point-per-game player, but arguably the best defensive forward in the league with two Selke trophies in the past four seasons. Fresh off Florida's first Stanley Cup, he's absolutely a candidate to win his first MVP award.

Montreal Canadiens

Cole Caufield scores 40 goals

Caufield has hovered around the 25-goal plateau for the past three seasons, but his ceiling is much higher. Now just entering his prime at 23 years old, and with several of his teammates maturing as well, the foundation is there for a career season. Not to mention his desire to honor his late friend Johnny Gaudreau, whose No. 13 jersey Caufield adopted in light of the tragedy.

Ottawa Senators

Linus Ullmark regresses with Senators

Probably the most tame prediction of the bunch, but still worth mentioning. While Ullmark gets a chance as the undisputed No. 1 goaltender once more, Ottawa's defense corps isn't anywhere near as good as the one he had in Boston. The 2023 Vezina winner can put up good numbers anywhere, as evidenced by a .912 save percentage in six seasons with the Sabres, but we probably shouldn't expect the astronomical heights we saw with the Bruins.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Andrei Vasilevsky returns to form

Vasilevsky remains one of the top goalies of this generation, but last season was far from his best. In fact, his .900 save percentage and 2.90 goals against average were both the lowest marks of his career, and missing the start of the season with injury didn't help. Now fully health and behind a Lightning team that should be better at even strength, the Russian goaltender reclaims his spot among the league's elite.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Mitch Marner leaves the Maple Leafs

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, as the misattributed Albert Einstein quote goes, then the Maple Leafs belong in an asylum at this point. Toronto is now entering Year 7 with the core of Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares (Year 9 with the first three), and has just one playoff series win to show for it.

It's well past time to move on from at least one of those four, and Marner, often the whipping boy for the team's failure, is in the final year of his contract and thus the natural choice to go. Whether it's at the end of the season or even at the trade deadline, this could very well be Marner's final season in a Toronto uniform. That is if the team stops bashing its head against the metaphorical brick wall.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

• Flames Sign Veteran Defenseman to One-Year Deal
• NHL Suspends Lightning's Conor Geekie After Fight
• Rangers Give Update on Injured Star
• Maple Leafs' Cedric Pare Called Canadien’s Patrik Laine After Vicious Hit
• Senators Get Positive Update from Injured Stars