I have been considering the Atlantic Division for some time now, weighing in what teams have on their roster, in their organization, strengths and weaknesses, as well as why they will or will not be better than they were last season.

I have also flop-flopped in my mind reasons why the Senators can make the gap and get back to the playoffs, and also why they won't.

The Senators didn't change a whole lot on their roster - swapping Mika Zibanejad for Derick Brassard is the biggest change, as well as having Dion Phaneuf around for a full season. The biggest change comes behind the bench with Guy Boucher taking over for Dave Cameron, bringing a new philosophy and game plan along with him.

Injuries play a role in the success of any team, and many Atlantic teams have already been bitten - Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau and Buffalo's Jack Eichel are among the key players who have suffered what could be significant injuries, and you can add Clarke MacArthur to that list. They are always a factor, so the depth of teams and the ability of bottom 6 forwards, or minor league prospects, to step in to fill those roles becomes paramount.

So given those factors, here are my predicted finish in the Atlantic division:

8. Toronto Maple Leafs - The future is bright, but this is an extremely young group that probably won't see a great improvement this year in the standings, but will gain a ton of valuable experience.

7. Buffalo Sabres - Like the Leafs, the Sabres are building something special, with a solid core. The injury to Eichel really hurts. Defensive depth might be an issue and I am not completely sold on the goaltending.

6. Boston Bruins - A very solid top six forward group, but after that the depth falls off. Zdeno Chara isn't the player he used to be and the defensive corps doesn't inspire confidence.

5. Ottawa Senators - It will take some time to get Boucher's system, time they might not have. A decent top 5 with the improving Stone and Hoffman, but depth is a problem. Solid top 4 D assuming, but falls off after that. Goaltending is an issue in my mind. While some have said Anderson is a top 10 goalie in the league, I don't see it and he might be the 6th or 7th best in the division.

4. Detroit Red Wings - With Pavel Datsyuk gone to the KHL, the Wings spent too much to bring in Frans Nielsen but he is an adequate replacement. Thomas Vanek was a gamble that may or may not pay off, but they have a solid nucleus that should continue the Detroit playoff streak.

3. Montreal Canadiens - Forward depth could be an issue, especially of the Alexander Radulov gamble doesn't work, but the Gally's (Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher) are becoming prime time players. The defense is different with Shea Weber in and P.K. Subban out, and they don't really have that gamebreaker on the blue line at the moment.
The difference maker is Carey Price, who is far and away the best goalie in the league and, like Martin Brodeur in the 90's, is pretty much a guaranteed playoff spot when he is healthy.

2. Florida Panthers - Jaromir Jagr can't drink from the fountain of youth forever, and the injury to Jonathan Huberdeau (3-4 months) and Nick Bjugstad (4-6 weeks) hurt. Replacing Brian Campbell with Keith Yandle is an upgrade and their D is very solid with potential Norris candidate Aaron Ekblad, and they have a solid 1-2 punch in net.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning - Top to bottom this is the class of the division. Forward depth is best in the Atlantic and the defense is solid led by another potential Norris candidate in Victor Hedman. Despite rumors that Ben Bishop might be traded at some point, they have a capable backup in Andrei Vasilevskiy who won't be much of a drop off, if at all.

So by the time all is said and done, the Lightning will be the team to beat, but the teams ranked from 2-6 could actually finish in any order, there isn't a lot to choose between them and any of those five could rise or fall depending on luck and health. The bottom 2 are on the rise, but I don't know if they have enough to knock on the door this season.

That is just one guy's opinion, and like most predictions, they will not go according to plan. Obviously I will have insulted more than a couple of teams' fanbases but that is how I see it and you can feel free to agree or disagree, its all in fun.

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