The Buffalo Sabres' path to the playoffs didn't get much outside help this summer. The back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were able to retain a vast majority of their title-winning core, and many of the other Atlantic Division members upgraded their rosters during the offseason.
Although Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams made some decent moves — Josh Doan, Michael Kesselring, Conor Timmins and Alex Lyon headlined the additions — there were no game-changing arrivals to suggest the Sabres will be markedly improved in 2025-26. At least not yet.
As hockey fans would expect, the Panthers stand atop the initial divisional power rankings for the upcoming season, but there's a lot of room for debate elsewhere in the Atlantic.
1. Florida Panthers
Just when opposing organizations felt the Panthers' budding dynasty might take a hit because of key player departures, Florida was able to re-sign Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand in a four-day span right before the start of free agency.
The Cats may spend most of the regular season on cruise control once again (they finished with the NHL's 11th-highest point total in 2024-25), but their roster is uniquely built to dominate playoff hockey. They're the team to beat when it matters most until proven otherwise.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
It's been a mostly quiet summer for the Bolts, which didn't come as a major surprise. They have one of the NHL's best rosters and limited financial flexibility. They're also coming off a 102-point campaign where they finished with the league's second-best goal differential (+75).
Signing Pontus Holmberg, who was non-tendered by the division rival Toronto Maple Leafs, was one of the offseason's savviest moves. The 26-year-old winger was extremely strong defensively in limited minutes for the Leafs and should provide a nice boost to Tampa's bottom six.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs are a tough team to place in preseason power rankings because their postseason failures are always going to overshadow their regular-season success. They finished atop the Atlantic Divison last season with 108 points, which was the league's fourth-highest total.
This year features an extra layer of uncertainty following the departure of Mitch Marner, who was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. Toronto didn't replace his star power, but perhaps a more balanced lineup rather than a top-heavy group will benefit the team in the long run.
4. Ottawa Senators
The Senators rank 11th in the NHL in all-situations expected goals for percentage (xGF%) across the last three seasons combined, per Natural Stat Trick. Yet, they have just one playoff appearance to show for it. They were knocked out in the first round by the Leafs last season.
Ottawa's underlying success combined with a solid offseason, led by a trade to acquire defenseman Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings, gives the Sens a sleeping giant vibe. It wouldn't be a shock to see them break into the Atlantic's top three in 2025-26.
5. Montreal Canadiens
The Habs used a late surge (7-1-2 over their last 10 games) to reach the playoffs last season, but their minus-20 goal differential suggested they weren't ready to seriously contend. Trading for blueliner Noah Dobson, one of the NHL offseason's best moves, is a major step in the right direction.
Montreal's season will rest on its goaltending, though. It desperately needs one netminder from the group of Sam Montembeault, Kaapo Kahkonen or Jakub Dobes to have a standout season. An early call up of prized prospect Jacob Fowler is also possible, but a full campaign in the AHL would probably be better for his development.
6. Buffalo Sabres
This feels like a fair placement for the full-strength Sabres but their lack of organizational depth, especially on defense, could become a major problem if injuries arise. They could finish near the bottom of the NHL if the likes of Jacob Bryson and Zac Jones are eventually thrust into key roles.
That said, Buffalo is another fringe playoff hopeful that's crossing its fingers about goaltending. Incumbent starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is coming off a downright miserable season (.887 save percentage) and it's no guarantee Lyon or Devon Levi can save the day if UPL struggles again.
7. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings overcame a sluggish start (13-18-4) last season to surge toward playoff contention, ultimately missing the postseason by five points. Given their strong finish, a more active offseason supplementing the roster would have created real buzz and hope in Hockeytown.
Instead, it's been a relative mundane summer for general manager Steve Yzerman. It's hard to know what to expect from goalie John Gibson, who bounced back last year after two poor seasons, and the additions of James van Riemsdyk and Mason Appleton to the skater group don't move the needle.
8. Boston Bruins
The Bruins hope No. 7 overall pick James Hagens, who starred at Boston College as a freshman last season, will become the face of the franchise's next generation. It's going to take a multiyear rebuilding effort to get the B's back in Cup contention, though.
It'll be interesting to see whether Boston heads more toward a full-scale roster teardown if its already out of the playoff race by the trade deadline. For now, it appears the front office will try to retool the organization without moving cornerstones like David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy.