The Buffalo Sabres are 5-3 in March, notching five wins in a single month for the first time since October 2021.
The Buffalo Sabres are growing as a hockey team. Sure, growing pains persist, evidenced by their 6-1 shellacking at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. But, good teams learn how to bounce back and post shutout wins. And the Sabres did just that.
Okay, it’s premature to call the Sabres a “good hockey team.” But they’re no longer a franchise in the doldrums with no sense of direction. When you shut out elite NHL teams like the Calgary Flames, you’re at least watchable on most nights. So kudos to the Sabres for the ultimate redemption following a blowout loss.
And for that, plus the fact they’ve won three out of four, has allowed them to move up a notch in the latest power rankings.
Atlantic Division Power Rankings: Buffalo Sabres move up in latest power ranking; still a far cry from elite
8. Ottawa Senators
The Senators showed up in a recent 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. But blowout losses to the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets have put this team in the basement for the week.
7. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings finally showed some defense in their 1-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Problem is, they allowed 34 goals in the six preceding games. Add to struggles against the lowly Seattle Kraken, and this team is in serious trouble.
6. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have won three out of four. And while the blowout losses persist, they are a far cry from what they were as recently as February 2022. Even sweeter? All five wins came against playoff contenders.
5. Montreal Canadiens
You can’t call a team that’s 17-36-9 the hottest in the NHL. But this team is 9-3-2 since February 17th, and they are coming off of a big win against Ottawa. You can call them one of the NHL’s hottest teams from February-onward.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs bounced back from their Heritage Classic loss to the Sabres with back-to-back wins. One of which came against the mighty Carolina Hurricanes. But a 6-3 loss to the Nashville Predators keeps them at four.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
Right now, the Lightning are beating teams they’re talented enough to beat while struggling against playoff contenders. In their last four games against contenders, they have been outscored 11-5. Unfortunately, that’s who they will face in the playoffs.
2. Boston Bruins
It’s hard to see the Bruins catching the Florida Panthers. But if they keep up their winning ways, expect Boston to take second place in the Atlantic come the end of April. Yeah, anything can happen during the season’s final five weeks. But the Bruins are peaking at the right time.
1. Florida Panthers
The Panthers hit a few speed bumps this past week. But with 90 points, they’re the best team in the East and the second-best in the NHL. For at least another week, the Panthers rule the Atlantic.
Remember, these power rankings reflect more than the team’s current record. They also reflect how each team performed over the previous week, explaining Detroit’s position toward the bottom and Montreal’s at number five.
Also taken into account include goals scored, goals allowed, and strength of schedule. Of course, teams that remain consistent, even if they hit an occasional speedbump, often remain in a similar position, hence the entire top half of this week’s ranking.