Atlantic Division

Prediction

With the 2025-2026 DCHL season right around the corner i'd like to give some predictions starting with the Atlantic Division. For several seasons now the Atlantic hasn't been strong with only Boston and Buffalo really being the only good teams in the division. Last year we saw some improvments with Boston, Buffalo, Montreal making the playoffs and  Detroit and Tampa just missing it with Ottawa right behind them too. Since the 2016 reguar season there has only been 2 season more then 3 teams from the Atlantic made the playoffs 2019 Tampa and Montreal were the wildcard teams and in 2020 Ottawa was a wild card team. The atlantic has been the laughing stock of the East pretty much since the start of the DCHL, personally i think that is about to change. 

We saw Montreal do a complete flip going from winning the lottery then the following  season winning the atlantic, Tampa and detroit also improved there team lastv year to just missing out on the playoffs,

Now it's time for the Prediction 

1. Montreal Canadiens,

Coming off a 105 point season and a division title the Canadiens our looking too rebound after they took a Rd 1 playoff exit which surprised alot of people. GM Koslowski did some tweaking to his lineup adding Noah Hanifin, Mitch Marner and Carter Verhaeghe.

The Canadiens once again will have a power house team with there Top 6 being Marner, Scheifele, M Tkachuk, Verhaeghe, Carsson and Thompson the bottom 6 has depth with Maxklin Celebrini leading the way on the 3rd line and having a Top 4 D being Hanifin, Pietrangelo, Theodore and Myers. The only weakness i could see them having is between the pipes in Scott Wedgewood and Joel Hofer, i'm not saying it a horrible goalie tandem just not sure its the best.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning,

Wow what a offseaon the GM J.Levergneux had trading for Horvat, RNH, Pastrnak and Bennett. Justin was looking to improve his roster and he sure did the new top 6 for tampa is RNH, Horvat, Pastrnak, Bedard,Coyle and Bennett. The defence for the lightning i think needs some work other then there top pair D with Fowler and Karlsson they don't have much to look forward to. I can see justin maybe trading for some defence. Now in goalie we have Skinner-Desmith tandem this is where i think just will run into a problem with Skinner only allowed to play 65 games in the regualar season this is where Justin will need to play Desmith in a strategic way to make sure he wins those games with Desmith in net.

3. Buffalo Sabers,

It was a quiet off season for GM Thorton has we didn't see much change with his team but why would we coming off another spectacular season in playoffs there wasn't much change to be done with a strong Forward group in Hyman, D. Strome, Batherson, Coleman, Barbashev and Meier. I personally like the top paring d for the sabers in Toews and Ekholm that is one of the best in the Atlantic. For Goalies the Sabers have the best 1A 1B tandem in Shesterkin and Lindgren. Ian won''t need to worry about his team to much.

4. Ottawa Senators,

The Sim did not like the Ottawa Senators last year andd it showed. GM Downs made some minor twaeking to there team this offseaon adding Dewar to fill a hole on the 4th line and Savard in his top 4 defence. the Big thing Sens did was resiging Grandlund doing so they didn't have to replace there 1C, this possible could be another interesting season for the Sens. The top 6 for the sens is decent with Ovechkin, Grandlund, Peterka, Kadri, Henrique and Slafkovsky the bottom 6 for the sens could put up a fight against some other teams and could help them gain a few extra wins this season, for defence it is a toss up on who has the best between ottawa and buffalo both teams have depth all down both sides. The thing that might hurt the Sens this year is Freddy Anderson and Dan Vladar Tandem, Can Anderson be that number 1 goalie the sens need him to be?. With Ottawa having Ovechkin, Henrique and Brodin all on expiring deals will the Sens will they try and push for a playoff spot or trade them mid seson to gain for future assests if they fassil again this year.

5. Detroit Redwings

The Detroit Redwings this is a interesting team i wasn't sure were to put them it was either 3 or 4. GM Trevor D has  Forward heavy team with Fiala, Thomas, Panarin, Zuccarello, Byfield, Guenther. I'ts not the best forward group but lots of young stats fiinally making a impact and we saw that last year with just being 3 points out of a playoff spot. The big thing Det needs to work on is there Defensemen with not having really a top pair this is where they will struggle as in the same boat as MTL Quick can onlt play 65 games so Det will have to play Kolosov and hopefully he can get some wins cause every game will matter for the redwings this year.

6. Boston Bruins.

This is the year we finally see the bruins miss the playoffs. with the struggling team finally making improvements i thnk they have improved enough to pass the bruins. the bruins don't have alot ot look  forward to with really only having Crosby, Carlson Nelsoon, and Josi on there team now and Montembeault in net I cant see the bruins fliping it around with trades like they usually to be able to make the playoffs. I have a feeliong we won't see the bruins in the playoffs for a few years now.

7. Toronto Maple Leafs.

I't was a toss up between Toronto and Florida here. The reasaon why I have the Leafs here is because the sole fact they added some good  guys in FA  this year and it will help them win a few more games this year. 

Additions 

Sequin, Letang and Binnington

Adding a guys like Binnington to your next helps you win a few more games i don;t care if your a bottom team having that caliber of a goalie is important. GM Gaudreault has been improving his team each year and I think it's a matter of time he makes the playoffs with a young core of Fantilli, Coronato, Gauthier and Clarke on D. The leafs also have a solid prospect pool with Cole Hutson, Liam Greentree, Porter Martone. the leafs have a bright future ahead of them.

8. Florida Panthers.

Having the Florida Panthers at 8 was difficult they don't have a bad team at all i think they  could even GM Levergneux is still trying to build up his prospect pool and with Gavin Mckenna has the projected number 1 pick we will seaon the panthers lose a few more games then last year. Do i think he will purposly tank no. I think he will just dress his roster the way it is and go from there. The future is bright in Florida as he has been patient and it has shown with one of the best prospect pools in the DCHL the florida panthers will be a fun team to watch in the next few years once these guys have develped.

Zach's Prediction

1.MTL

2.TBL

3.BUF

4.OTT

5.DET

6. BOS

7.TOR

8. FLA