This week, The Hockey News' Adam Proteau has been revealing his pre-season predictions for each NHL division – and in this file, we're wrapping up the series by predicting how the Atlantic Division will play out.
The NHL’s 2026-27 regular season is almost here, and at TheHockeyNews.com, this writer has been posting division-by-division pre-season predictions.
Each year, we unveil our guesstimates as to how the NHL standings will look by season’s end. Of course, there will always be circumstances that affect how well or poorly the year will go for teams, but what we’re looking at here is how things shape up on paper.
The series began by analyzing the Pacific Division. Then, we turned the spotlight on the Central Division before moving on to the Metropolitan Division. The Atlantic has topped the Central as the league’s most competitive division, with all eight teams having legitimate designs on a Stanley Cup playoff spot.
That said, these predictions are popcorn stories designed to spark healthy, respectful debate and discussion. Let’s get to it:
1st: Montreal Canadiens
2025-26 Divisional Finish: Third
Newcomers: Chris Kreider (LW), Brett Berard (LW), Sasha Pastujov (LW)
Here’s Why They’re Picked First: Our off-season grade for the Canadiens came before Montreal signed longtime New York Rangers winger Kreider. We’re not suggesting Kreider is the final piece of the championship puzzle for the Habs, but Kreider’s scoring skills make the Canadiens considerably more dangerous.
But it’s the rest of Montreal’s lineup that makes us believe the Habs will finish first. The Canadiens have the depth and coaching to elevate their game, and many of their youngsters are still only scratching the surface of what they’re capable of.
Why We Could Be Wrong: Montreal still needs an experienced second-line center to push this team ahead of very talented Atlantic teams in the post-season. They may also want to add a veteran goalie as insurance ahead of a long, fruitful playoff run.
Despite getting to the Eastern Conference final, they lost to a better Carolina Hurricanes team. No shame in that. However, the Habs are very likely to maul many teams this year, and no one should be shocked if and when they return to first place for the first time since 2016-17.
2nd: Tampa Bay Lightning
2025-26 Divisional Finish: Second
Newcomers: Ilya Mikheyev (LW), John Carlson (D), Dennis Hildeby (G), Jeffrey Viel (LW)
Here’s Why They’re Picked Second: The Lightning have been a playoff team every year since 2016-17. But in the past four seasons, Tampa failed to advance past the first round.
While most of the team’s core remains intact, Bolts GM Julien BriseBois made excellent additions in defenseman John Carlson (an upgrade on departed veteran Darren Raddysh) and goalie Dennis Hildeby, who was stuck behind a logjam in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ goalie depth chart. Thus, the Lightning will be as good as, if not better than, last year, and first place in the Atlantic is achievable.
Why We Could Be Wrong: The Bolts had one of the NHL’s best offenses and defenses last season, and we all should know by now that Jon Cooper is one of the sport’s best coaches. So it’s virtually impossible to look at this Lightning squad and expect they’re going to falter.
If backup goalies Hildeby and returning Jonas Johansson don’t perform as expected, Tampa Bay could slide down the standings. But even then, they won’t slide far enough to fall out of a playoff position.
3rd: Toronto Maple Leafs
2025-26 Divisional Finish: Eighth
Newcomers: Gavin McKenna (LW), Sergei Bobrovsky (G), Darren Raddysh (D), John Chayka (GM), Jim Hiller (coach), Jack Roslovic (RW), Colton Sissons (C), Brandon Duhaime (LW), Nick Paul (LW), Teddy Blueger (C), Zach MacEwen (RW), Emil Andrae (D)
Here’s Why They’re Picked Third: Some may see where we have the Maple Leafs in the standings and scoff with every ounce of ridicule they can muster. But Toronto finished second in our off-season power ranking for a reason: they’ve addressed every issue they had in 2025-26.
Their goaltending is better; their defense corps is deeper and more dangerous; and their forwards got significant help on every line. Chayka has rejuvenated the Leafs up and down the lineup, and this new-look Buds team has the experience, high-end skill, and overall depth few teams possess.
Why We Could Be Wrong: For all of Chayka’s moves, there’s a lot of high-risk, high-reward with Toronto’s roster. Star goalie Bobrovsky may be showing his advanced age; Raddysh could be a one-off anomaly after his fantastic 2025-26 season in Tampa; and hiring Hiller could go sideways.
But we still see the Leafs having enough horses to be a playoff team. Toronto will have roller-coaster stretches, but the experience they’ve added should help them steer through them and return to the post-season.
4th: Buffalo Sabres
2025-26 Divisional Finish: First
Newcomers: Olen Zellweger (D), Louis Crevier (D)
Here’s Why They’re Picked Fourth: The Sabres were a revelation last season, finally realizing their potential and surging to the penthouse of the Atlantic. But Buffalo has lost two key veterans in star winger Alex Tuch and top-four defenseman Bowen Byram, and that’s likely to cut into their effectiveness this year.
To make up for what they’ve lost in experience, the Sabres need their youngsters to contribute more, and sometimes that just doesn’t happen. So while we fully expect Buffalo to be a playoff team once again this year, they could backslide in the standings.
Why We Could Be Wrong: Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen did make some good moves this summer, adding dynamic young blueliners in Zellweger and 2026 first-round draft pick Rudolph. Adding Rudolph will help Buffalo in the long term, but it won't affect the current roster.
If Lindy Ruff can coax better performances from his returning players, the Sabres could earn home-ice advantage for the second straight season. But it’s so hard to win consistently in hockey’s top league, so Buffalo will have to be as dominant as they were last year just to keep up with the Joneses in the Atlantic.
5th: Florida Panthers
2025-26 Divisional Finish: Seventh
Newcomers: Brady Tkachuk (LW), Jacob Markstrom (G), Akira Schmid (G), Garnet Hathaway (RW), Radko Gudas (D), Sam Lafferty (C), Lars Eller (C)
Here’s Why They’re Picked Fifth: Last season was over for the Panthers right out of the gate, when star center Aleksander Barkov was lost for the season due to injury. Barkov set the tone for the franchise, and the Panthers missed him dearly.
But Florida GM Bill Zito is one of the NHL’s most aggressive managers, and he’s gambled big-time with his off-season moves. Adding Brady Tkachuk, Hathaway, and Gudas makes the Panthers easier to loathe, but this isn’t the National Friendship League.
Florida means business, and Florida’s business is being mean.
Why We Could Be Wrong: The biggest gamble Zito made was cutting ties with star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, and replacing him with former New Jersey Devils netminder Markstrom. Yes, Markstrom’s 2025-26 numbers were poor because the Devils were poor, but Markstrom will be 37 in January, and his save percentage has been .900 or worse in three of the past four seasons.
But we have the Panthers making the playoffs. They’ll be a handful, and while they may not earn home-ice advantage, they’ve got enough to return to the post-season.
6th: Ottawa Senators
2025-26 Divisional Finish: Fifth
Newcomers: William Eklund (LW), Samuel Ersson (G), Andre Burakovsky (LW), Philip Tomasino (RW), Sammy Blais (LW)
Here’s Why They’re Picked Sixth: The Senators were devastated by the departure of former captain Brady Tkachuk, but Ottawa GM Steve Staios moved quickly to triage the damage, trading for Eklund, Ersson and Burakovsky.
Unfortunately, from our perspective, we don’t believe that was enough to keep the Sens in the playoff picture this year. Burakovsky doesn’t move the needle for us, and Ersson’s subpar performance with the Philadelphia Flyers is why they dealt him. So we believe the Senators will slide one spot down the standings – and out of a post-season position.
Why We Could Be Wrong: The Sens still have a solid base of relatively-young talent, and they have significant motivation to show Tkachuk he was wrong to pull the chute on this team.
If Ersson comes in and supports starter Linus Ullmark well, Ottawa has enough high-end skill to stay consistently competitive. Losing the snarl Tkachuk brings to the game will hurt, but the Sens have a chance to show they’re a resilient bunch.
7th: Boston Bruins
2025-26 Divisional Finish: Fourth
Newcomers: J.J. Peterka (LW), Ivan Ivan (LW), Connor Clifton (D), Jiri Patera (G), Brendan Gaunce (LW), Will Borgen (D)
Here’s Why They’re Picked Seventh: The Bruins added firepower to their roster with Peterka, but otherwise, their off-season was extremely mediocre. While Boston is a proud organization with top talent like Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak, there’s simply not enough quality depth there to rival virtually every other Atlantic team.
The Bs are accustomed to steadily climbing the standings, but we don’t see them having enough skill to get back to where they were last season.
Why We Could Be Wrong: If the Bruins develop more internal talent and starting goalie Jeremy Swayman stands on his head, we could see Boston stay feisty and in the mix for a wild-card playoff spot.
No one is saying they can’t be competitive, but being competitive and being consistently good are two different things. That could mean Boston slides near the Atlantic’s basement.
8th: Detroit Red Wings
2025-26 Divisional Finish: Sixth
Newcomers: Viktor Arvidsson (RW), Keegan Kolesar (RW) Daniil Tarasov (G), Shawn Horcoff (interim GM)
Here’s Why They’re Picked Eighth: We’re not here to pile on the Red Wings, a franchise that once was the measuring stick for all NHL teams. But there’s no denying the fact that Detroit has stumbled time and again, in virtually all aspects of the game.
Nothing the Wings added this summer will push them into a playoff spot. Star center Dylan Larkin still wants out, and Horcoff has no GM experience. So unless a Motown miracle happens, Detroit is destined for another long year.
Why We Could Be Wrong: Every Atlantic team has components worth building around, and the Red Wings have that in defenseman Moritz Seider and wingers Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat.
There’s always a chance Detroit surprises people – that’s why they play the games – but the Wings are facing a mountainous task in a vicious division, so it will take a lot of internal improvement for them to ascend the Atlantic standings.
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