Few NHL players carry more value to their team than Aleksander Barkov does to the Florida Panthers. You can probably count them on one hand. He embodies everything that's allowed the Cats to capture two straight Stanley Cup titles: a smart, team-first, highly effective two-way superstar.
So, while the Panthers' depth still protects them as a likely playoff team while Barkov recovers from a major knee injury suffered in a training camp practice, the massive void he leaves in Florida's lineup does alter the outlook for the Atlantic Division ahead of the 2025-26 season.
The Panthers ranked first in our initial divisional power rankings back in late July. Where do they stand following the Barkov injury? Let's find out.
2025-26 NHL Atlantic Division Power Rankings (Preseason)
1. Tampa Bay Lightning
It speaks to the remarkably high standard the Bolts have set that they finished last season with 102 points and a plus-75 goal differential, and yet it felt like a failed campaign because they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Panthers.
Tampa has coming out flying in the preseason with 15 goals scored amid a 4-0-0 start. The Lightning's combination of elite talents (Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy) and effective role players may give them the NHL's highest floor.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
The departure of Mitch Marner will hang over the Leafs until they can prove their ability to win without him, even though Auston Matthews is already tired of talking about it. It puts some additional pressure on Toronto to get out of the gates hot so everybody can move on.
Of course, a lot depends on the development of Matias Maccelli, who'll try to handle a first-line role alongside Matthews. He showed impressive growth across his first two NHL seasons with the Arizona Coyotes before seeing his production drop off considerably in Utah last year. He's the X-factor.
3. Florida Panthers
Sam Reinhart just became one of the most intriguing players to watch this season. He's emerged as tremendous two-way force for the Panthers in recent years, but how much will his impact fade, if at all, without getting to play alongside Barkov?
Beyond that, Florida should still trend quite comfortably toward the postseason and give itself a chance at the three-peat. Whether the team's three-time Selke Trophy-winning captain can make it back for the playoffs will obviously become a major story in the spring.
4. Ottawa Senators
The Sens are a sleeper to win the Atlantic. They have a great goaltending tandem in Linus Ullmark and Leevi Merilainen, a main core that should all be in their prime (Jake Sanderson, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle) and an underrated offseason addition in Jordan Spence.
Whether they can truly make the jump atop the division likely comes down to their middle-six centers: Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto. They've both flashed the ability to become impact NHL players and, if they both emerge in 2025-26, Ottawa could skyrocket up the standings.
5. Montreal Canadiens
The Habs may have the widest range of potential outcomes of any team this year. There were stretches last season where they looked like a possible Cup contender, including a 7-1-2 run to finish the regular season that featured two wins over the Panthers. They lacked consistency, however, and were easily dispatched by the Washington Capitals in the playoffs.
Can Montreal become more effective on a game-to-game basis or was that forgettable series against the Caps a troublesome sign of things to come? Ivan Demidov may be the piece that prevents the offense from going into extended slumbers, allowing the Canadiens to surge in the East.
6. Buffalo Sabres
A unique transition is happening in Buffalo. Over the years, fan optimism often ran counter to terrible projections within the analytics community. The narrative has flipped this season. The Sabres have received growing support in preseason predictions amid growing indifference in Western New York.
Yes, there are still a lot of question marks, most importantly whether Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen can bounce back between the pipes. That said, there's a legitimate chance the Sabres can make a serious push toward their first playoff appearance in 15 years.
7. Detroit Red Wings
It's a bit surprising the Red Wings didn't make a bigger offseason splash. They've stagnated a bit over the past three years, and it felt like a perfect time to make a blockbuster addition or two in an effort to move from the playoff fringe into legitimate Atlantic contention.
Instead, the marquee arrivals (John Gibson, Mason Appleton and James van Riemsdyk) didn't move the needle as Detroit doubled down on its returning roster. It's possible the Wings leapfrog Montreal and Buffalo on this list, but it feels like their upside is capped there.
8. Boston Bruins
The Bruins are trying to thread the needle by rebuilding without completely tearing down the roster. It's understandable as the full-scale, scorched-Earth approach hasn't proved particularly fruitful over the past decade, as best illustrated by the division-rival Sabres.
Boston still has a solid spine in place, led by David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy, but the roster as a whole appears a step or two behind the rest of the Atlantic. That outlook could change if Jeremy Swayman bounces back and produces Vezina Trophy-level results, though.