2025-26 NHL: Atlantic Division Preview

As the puck drops on the 2025-26 NHL season, the Atlantic Division stands out as one of the most competitive in the league. With powerhouses, dark horses, and several squads in transition, every point is likely to be precious. The betting markets reflect that — the favorites are clear, but there’s enough parity that longshots still carry intrigue.

Team-by-team outlook (odds courtesy BetMGM):

Florida Panthers
Odds to win division: +155

Florida enters the season as the heavy favorite in the division. Despite some expected early absence for Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers did well to retain key veteran talent—Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad—which bolsters their depth. If their goaltending (led by ageless wonder Sergei Bobrovsky) and defense can stay healthy, they have the roster and momentum to repeat or close to it.

Tampa Bay Lightning
Odds to win division: +270

Tampa is viewed as a top-contender alongside Florida and Toronto. They still have their core veterans (Kucherov, Vasilevskiy, Hedman, etc.), and their experience in tight high-stakes games gives them an edge. The big questions are age, depth beyond the stars, and whether their defense and backup layers can hold up over a grueling season in a difficult division.

Toronto Maple Leafs
Odds to win division: +360

The Leafs remain dangerous. The loss of Mitch Marner looms large, but Toronto still possesses star power up front, and its secondary scoring will be under increased pressure. Whether they can maintain consistency without Marner will be a major storyline. If Matthews, Nylander, and Tavares stay healthy and Knies takes another step in his development, Toronto will be in the mix for the top of the division. 

Ottawa Senators
Odds to win division: +850

As one of the more intriguing up-and-coming teams, Ottawa is getting respect but still faces skepticism. Their young core (Tkachuk, Stützle, Sanderson) has shown flashes, and this may be a year where expectations rise. But in a division this stacked, they’ll need sustainable offense, depth, and consistency in difficult matchups to truly contend. 

Montreal Canadiens
Odds to win division: +1400

The Habs are viewed as dark horses. The acquisition of Noah Dobson on defense helps, and their core pieces like Suzuki and Caufield provide offensive punch (with Ivan Demidov a true wild card). Still, Montreal must improve their depth scoring and avoid being shut down in big moments. If they can do that, sneaking into the upper half of the division or grabbing a wild-card is possible. 

Buffalo Sabres
Odds to win division: +5000

The Sabres are longshots. They have high-end pieces (Dahlin, Thompson, etc.), but past seasons have revealed inconsistent stretches and defensive lapses. No NHL franchise has endured a longer current playoff series win drought (18 years and counting). The betting market gives them little margin; they’ll need a near-flawless season and perhaps some favorable injury luck in other teams to make a serious push.

Detroit Red Wings
Odds to win division: +4000

Like Buffalo, Detroit is considered a underdog in the division. They have some promising young talent and have made tweaks to improve, but there’s a gap to bridge versus the top tier in the Atlantic. Their season may depend on how well their improvements in goal and defensive depth hold up, and whether their young forwards can deliver consistently. 

Boston Bruins
Odds to win division: +10000

In an interesting turn of events, the perennially-contending Bruins are viewed as the biggest longshot among Atlantic teams to win the division. After a difficult 2024-25 season and several roster changes, expectations are modest. While veterans like Pastrnak and McAvoy are still impact players, Boston will need a resurgence in performance, especially from younger players and depth forwards, to make any noise in the standings.