All in all, as a whole, it’s been a fascinating offseason thus far for the Atlantic Division.
Across the board, a good majority of the eight teams have made substantial changes. At this point, with roughly a month to go until training camps open, no one really stands out in terms of getting incrementally better —at least on paper.
With that in mind, I decided to rank the seven other teams in the division in order of who I think could be the biggest threat to the Maple Leafs in 2024-25.
Florida Panthers
Considering they’re fresh off winning the Stanley Cup, I found it difficult not to rank the Cats first. Even though there’s no question that they lost some serious depth this summer, they’re still a force, and once again, I expect them to be a perennial contender for the division crowd. The Leafs need to find a way to buy in like Florida has done the past couple of seasons under Paul Maurice.
Boston Bruins
Surprise, surprise, the B’s still have Toronto’s number. Not to rehash the past but Boston handed the Maple Leafs yet another disappointing Game 7 loss this past spring. Honestly, it still stings. Of note, the Bruins added Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov on July 1st. Thankfully, noted Leafs killer Jake DeBrusk is now in Vancouver. Indisputably, Jim Montgomery’s bunch will be a threat once again.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev out, Jake Guentzel and Ryan McDonagh (again!) in. Even though Tampa’s will look a bit different this time around, as long as the usual suspects are in the mix, they will continue to be a handful to play against. Having said that, the Leafs have played them strong dating back to their first round triumphant in the spring of 2023. They don’t concern me as much as they did in recent seasons.
Montreal Canadiens
Clearly, I think the Habs could be a big-time sleeper this season. Over and above that, they always play the Leafs tough, regardless of what their roster looks like. In addition to that, there’s absolutely no pressure to win right now in Montreal, which ultimately, I think makes them a dangerous team. The Canadiens are young and hungry —that’s a scary combo. Martin St. Louis is an excellent coach.
Ottawa Senators
If the Sens could get a few saves from newcomer Linus Ullmark, who’s just one season removed from winning a Vezina Trophy, Travis Green’s squad will be in serious business. Up front, Ottawa possesses substantial talent. Ultimately though, like most teams, their fortunes will be dependent on defence and if they can keep the puck out of the net. Regardless of the year, the Battle of Ontario almost always seems to live up to the hype. Furthermore, the two teams haven’t played since the Morgan Rielly/Ridly Greig incident. We’ll see if Ottawa’s ready to step up to the plate.
Detroit Red Wings
Who else is starting to question Steve Yzerman? I know I am. Suddenly, the Wings, who’ve been rebuilding for seemingly five years now possess the fourth-oldest roster in the NHL. I’m not crazy about their crease, nor am I sold on all their pieces fitting as one cohesive unit. Personally, I think there are just way too many question marks surrounding the team for me to think that they’re ready to finally take that next step and push for a playoff spot. It’s tough to compete in this division, I get it.
Buffalo Sabres
Simply put, I hated Buffalo’s offseason. Considering they haven’t made the playoffs in 13 years, it’s easy to comprehend why I’m so down on this team. The one thing they do have going for them is their crease. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is wicked, so is Devon Levi. Having said that, I’m still projecting a tough year for the Sabres. It will be fun to see Lindy Ruff back behind their bench, though. Buffalo always plays the Leafs tough, too.
