Atlantic Division Power Rankings Week 4: Sabres in redemption mode?
The Buffalo Sabres are finally looking stronger, having won five of their last eight. But the rest of the Atlantic isn’t budging just yet.
The Buffalo Sabres look like they have busted out of their early-season slump, even winning a game 5-2 earlier this week despite abysmal offensive play. Sure, that one took some luck, but it was still a 5-2 result in the win column.
They also shut out one of the best the NHL had to offer on Sunday, giving them a record of 2-0-0 for the week IF you consider it to start on Sundays. Either way, the Blue and Gold enjoyed its first two-game winning streak of the season, so did it bump them up in the Atlantic Division Power Rankings?
One major plus is the wins and ensuing goal-scoring frenzy, plus some sound defense. The downside? Through at least nine games of the year, the Atlantic Division remains one of the toughest in the NHL, so the Sabres may not have risen as highly as you may want them to.
Are the Sabres on the rise in the Week 4 power rankings?
8 – Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators can score, no doubt, but sometimes, scoring goals alone doesn’t guarantee you success in the NHL. And trust the Buffalo Sabres fanbase when they tell you that even the best scoring units in hockey won’t even guarantee that.
7 – Tampa Bay Lightning
Give the Tampa Bay Lightning credit for hanging on in the wake of their starting goaltender missing time. At 4-3-3, their record isn’t bad, but with a surging Sabres, Red Wings, and for now, Canadiens teams, Tampa will have a tough time keeping pace if they continue at their current level.
6 – Buffalo Sabres
While the Buffalo Sabres are seventh in the standings, their recent play is what has kept them out of seventh place. But, until Detroit or Montreal slow down, along with the “Big Three” in the Atlantic, it’s tough to put them any higher. For now, and perhaps the foreseeable future, they are stuck in sixth.
5 – Montreal Canadiens
Talk about the surprise team in the Atlantic as November hits its early stages, but the Montreal Canadiens are 5-3-2 with 12 points. While this likely won’t last into the New Year, it has become a rather fun team to watch early on, and the adrenaline rush has a chance to continue all year.
4 – Detroit Red Wings
This one will come as a shocker since the Detroit Red Wings are second in the Atlantic and have the second-highest number of wins. But they have also played one more game than everyone else, and they also hit a speed bump lately, scoring just six times in the past four games, while allowing 13 goals.
3 – Florida Panthers
The banged-up Florida Panthers are currently fifth, but they have also played in just nine games and are two points away from being tied for second with the Red Wings. So far, they have handled their situation quite well, setting the stage for what could be an epic 2024.
2 – Toronto Maple Leafs
Through 10 games, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made things quite interesting for themselves, with four of those games heading into overtime. Sooner or later, though, the Leafs must learn to put opponents away. That being said, perhaps we’ll see quite a thriller tomorrow night when they host the Sabres.
1 – Boston Bruins
No, we’re not going through this again. We’re definitely not going through this again, right? So far, the Boston Bruins have 19 points in 10 games, and are 9-0-1, so yeah, at this point, we are going through this again. Well, if there is one lesson learned over the past calendar year, it’s to never underestimate Boston.
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Overall, the Atlantic Division has been a tough one, so it’s refreshing to see the Buffalo Sabres showing signs of their high-octane game returning. If they can keep scoring big tonight and tomorrow while maintaining sound defense, then they have a chance to rise in these rankings.
(Information provided by Hockey-Reference)