Holiday Wish List: Atlantic Division

What is each team in the Atlantic Division asking for this holiday season?

Jacob Punturi | 8 Hours Ago

Oct 14, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke (52) knocks down Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) during the third period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

In this story:

The holiday season is a time for wishes and hopes, and the NHL is no different. Look no further than the Atlantic Division. It's a tight race for the top three spots, and with a brief break here for the holidays, here's what each time has on their wish list.

Florida Panthers - Another Top-Four Defender

Defending the Stanley Cup is an impossible task, but the Panthers are faring well in their post-championship campaign. The glaring hole on their team is top-four defense. Brandon Montour’s departure left a void that hasn’t been filled. If they want to be the second team in less than five years to be repeat Stanley Cup winners, they will need to add another dependable top-four defender.

Ottawa Senators - A Stay-at-Home Defenseman

The Senators are on a red-hot winning streak and they have a firm hold on a Wild Card spot. The team is scoring goals with ease and getting excellent goaltending, but they are also having a rough time insulating starting net minder Linus Ullmark.

One possible solution is to bring in someone to pair alongside either of their mobile puck-movers in Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot. Back in the days of the Senators being a playoff contender, the recipe worked quite well. Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson skated often alongside stay-at-home defender Marc Methot.

Buffalo Sabres - Everything

This is a dreadful season for the Buffalo Sabres, so their holiday wish is simple and easy: please send help.

Toronto Maple Leafs - Contact Extension for Mitch Marner

The holidays are for dreaming big, and the front office in Toronto is holding hope that they can wrap up their contract negotiations with star forward Mitch Marner. This likely won’t be resolved until after the season, but in a perfect world they have one of the best players locked up at a reasonable salary for the remainder of his prime.

Boston Bruins - Another Scoring Winger

The Bruins’ front office spent greatly this past offseason, but the list of needs is still large in Boston. Top of that list is another scoring winger. They have one of the worst goal differentials in the NHL this year, surrendering 17 more goals than they’ve scored as a team this season.

Bringing in another offensively focused forward could help to close that gap. It’s hard for a player who isn’t committed to two-way hockey to fit in Boston, but there’s a compromise to be made in order to score more.

Montreal Canadiens - Under 25 Top-Four Defenseman

Patrik Laine’s return added a needed infusion of offense for the Canadiens and the addition of Alexandre Carrier fills an immediate need to improve the blue line. The need now is for an anchor on defense. Lane Hutson is an offensive dynamo and Kaiden Guhle plays a stout defensive game, but there isn’t that 25 minutes a night defenseman that they can depend on.

They have multiple options on the way. David Reinbacher is rehabbing an injury, but the former first-round pick is expected to be an every situation defenseman. The organization is also very high on Logan Mailloux, who is currently with the AHL team in Laval. Neither helps the team right now, and the front office in Montreal would love to add another bonafide and young defender to their lineup.

Detroit Red Wings - A New Coach

The Red Wings need change. A group of strong forwards led by Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, and Alex DeBrincat and a young blue line with promise isn’t enough to snap this team’s recent playoff drought.

What would help infinitely is a new head coach that could rally this lineup and turn them into a contender. The front office could help the forward group be more balanced, but a new head coach could be the spark that sends this team into the next level.

Tampa Bay Lightning - Depth Forward

The top of the lineup is solid. The jury is still out on their defense, but with JJ Moser out long-term it’s hard to fully evaluate.

What this team is hoping for is another classic Lightning forward trade. In the mold of Brandon Hagel, Blake Coleman, and Nick Paul, the goal is to find another player improperly utilized in their current organization and bring them into the right environment for more production. It’s a model that’s worked a few times, and it’s top of their wish list again this year.

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

Published 8 Hours Ago

JACOB PUNTURI