The Buffalo Sabres snapped their 15-year postseason drought, winning the Atlantic Division and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but after an offseason that saw Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch being dealt, the task of repeating as division champion or finishing in the top three of the Atlantic could be significantly more difficult. 

This week, we will look at the seven other teams in the Atlantic to see where they stand in comparison to where they were at the end of last season and see where they potentially stack up as competition with the Sabres.

The Boston Bruins bounced back from a terrible season to make the playoffs with a 45-27-10 record (100 points), due mostly to the performance of superstar winger David Pastrnak, who finished in the top 10 of NHL scoring with 100 points, the goal scoring of Morgan Geekie (who scored a career-high 39 goals), and the bounceback of goalie Jeremy Swayman, and defenseman Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins gave the Sabres a fight in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but lost in six games.

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Additions

J-J Peterka - Former Sabre scored 25 goals with the Utah Mammoth

Will Borgen - Scored 15 points with the New York Rangers

Connor Clifton - signed two-year, $4.5 million deal

Subtractions 

Viktor Arvidsson - scored 25 goals last season, signed with the Detroit Red Wings 

Joonas Korpisalo - 14-9-6 as Swayman's backup 

Outlook

The Bruins only impactful move of the offseason was the swap of two first round picks with Utah to acquire Peterka, who was sent by the Sabres one year ago for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring. GM Don Sweeney is making a habit of collecting former Sabres, as he added blueliners Borgen and Clifton to a group that already includes former Buffalo first rounds Casey Mittelstadt and Nikita Zadorov, and blueliner Henri Jokiharku.

Boston is similar to the Sabres in that they are hoping for internal growth from youngsters Fraser Minten and 2025 first rounder James Hagens, to go with the likes of Pavel Zacha, Elias Lindholm, and Hampus Lindholm as support players. Most of all, they are depending on Swayman to continue what he did last season, and for backup Michael DiPietro to build on a phenomenal year with AHL Providence and take some of the burden off of the Bruins starter. 

The Bruins have an advantage in goal, and have a solid blueline that is on par with the Sabres, while Buffalo has the advantage in offensive ability up front. The apparent status quo with Boston and Sabres slight step back after the loss of Tuch and Byram gives the Beantowners to pull closer to Buffalo or perhaps overtake them in the Atlantic Division. 

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