Are the Buffalo Sabres the worst team in the Atlantic Division right now?

The Buffalo Sabres might just be the luckiest team in the NHL, and no, I don’t say that sarcastically. They may have found another cornerstone in one returning player, and after a rough start to the season, they’re at least starting to show shades of what made them so dangerous in 2022-23, even after allowing a lot of goals lately. 

Another reason why they’re so lucky, ironically, this season? As bad as they’ve been, the Blue and Gold actually aren’t the worst team in the Atlantic Division. Sure, they’re far from being the best or one of the best, but one rival has taken the ‘dishonor’ early on of finding themselves in last place. Let’s look at the rankings.

8 - Detroit Red Wings

If there’s one general manager potentially under more pressure than Kevyn Adams, it’s Steve Yzerman, or that at least should be the case. And right now, Yzerman’s Red Wings aren’t just a pitiful bunch in the Atlantic, they’re one of the worst teams in hockey. 

7 - Montreal Canadiens

I’m giving the Sabres and Senators an edge here over the Canadiens, mainly because they’ve been outscored 10-4 in their last two contests and 12-17 since their season-opening win. Still, I can’t help but get excited for this group that should end up posting better returns as they gain experience.

6 - Buffalo Sabres

The last two games have been a dealbreaker for the Sabres defensively, even if they’ve started putting up gaudy numbers when they have the puck. But sooner rather than later, they need to realize that to win consistently, they have got to stop being so one-dimensional.

5 - Ottawa Senators

Are the Senators a better hockey team with Linus Ullmark? Honestly, it’s too early to get a read on them. Okay, it’s still so early in the year that projecting anything right now is a chore, but if there’s one team I can go either way on right now, it’s the Sens.

4 - Toronto Maple Leafs

So much for bad defense and goaltending, or at least those are my thoughts right now on the Maple Leafs. Yeah, you can counter that they’ve only played in just four games, but in that span, they’re allowing less than two goals per contest.

3 - Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins have a “we can’t beat the Florida Panthers” problem. Other than that, they’re a great hockey team. But, unfortunately for them, if they actually plan on making a run at the Stanley Cup, they’re going to need to figure out how to beat Florida. 

2 - Florida Panthers

My prediction is the Panthers will figure it out and take off at some point. My burning question is the matter of when precisely this will occur. Right now, they let the Sabres steal a win from them and they’re minus-2 in the goals for to goals against category. 

1 - Tampa Bay Lightning

Sure, the Tampa Bay Lightning have only played in three games, but they’ve been three good games against three good teams. And for sure, yes, this team will have its slip-ups but don’t expect them to happen often if they keep going at their current rate.