The landscape of the Atlantic Division is likely to change over the next couple years with an influx of young franchise building blocks in Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Aaron Ekblad and Jonathan Drouin.
Teams that have dominated the division for the first half of the decade are beginning to show cracks and appear to be on the downslide due to salary cap considerations, age and fiscal constraints.
Today we look at the four teams in the Atlantic who are on the rise or have reached their apex and should make the post-season for the foreseeable future.
Tampa Bay - The Lightning have made the Stanley Cup Final and Eastern Conference Final in the last two seasons and after many thought that Steven Stamkos would leave for greener pastures, the superstar center signed an eight-year, $68 Million contract.
GM Steve Yzerman also locked up franchise defenseman Victor Hedman and forward Alex Killorn to long-term extensions and will likely do the same with RFA forward Nikita Kucherov.
While some roster decisions will need to be made for the sake of the salary cap, Tampa will likely retain their core group for the next 3 or 4 years, which will allow Stamkos and crew to contend for the Cup every season.
Florida - The Panthers under the leadership of former GM and current Team President Dale Tallon assembled group of excellent young talent at the top of the first round in Ekblad, Jonathan Huberdeau and Alexander Barkov, along with centers Nick Bjugstad and Vincent Trocheck.
Veterans Roberto Luongo and Jaromir Jagr have provided leadership and new Panthers ownership has begun spending money, signing free agent goalie James Reimer, defensemen Jason Demers and Keith Yandle to long-term contracts and extending Ekblad and Trocheck.
Florida is poised to make the playoffs for the foreseeable future unless Luongo cannot return to form after offseason hip surgery or Jagr finally begins to show his age.
Buffalo - The Sabres were the NHL’s worst club in 2014 and 2015, but emerged with a pair of second-overall picks in Eichel and Sam Reinhart, who both scored over 20 goals in their rookie season. Along with center Ryan O'Reilly and defenseman Ramsus ristolainen, GM Tim Murray has put together a group that will have Buffalo tasting success in the next few seasons.
Murray does have some hurdles in front of him. Matt Moulson and Josh Gorges are players in decline with significant term remaining on their contracts, defenseman Zach Bogosian has been plagued by injury and inconsistency since being acquired from Winnipeg and winger Evander Kane is talented but continues to be a magnet for controversy.
If Buffalo can successfully clear out some of their bad contracts, build up their defense and get Robin Lehner to live up to expectations in goal, they could possibly challenge for a playoff spot by 2018.
Toronto - There's no place to go but up for the Maple Leafs, after a last-place finish and a season spent dismantling the roster put together by Brian Burke and Dave Nonis. Victory in the Draft Lottery brought Toronto the franchise center they have been missing since Mats Sundin in Matthews and first rounders Mitch Marner and William Nylander, along with James Van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri gives the Leafs a group of quality forwards.
GM Lou Lamoriello acquired goaltender Frederik Andersen from Anaheim for a pair of draft picks, giving what the Maple Leafs hope is there best starting goaltender since the early 2000’s with Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour.
Similar to the Sabres, the area where Toronto has to concentrate on improving to be a playoff club is on the blueline, where 22-year-old Morgan Rielly has become a legitimate top pairing defenseman, but there is not much else there.
Hopes are high that 24-year-old KHL import Nikita Zaitsev will be quality addition and Jake Gardiner will eat up minutes, but the Leafs are two or three years away from being a legitimate playoff contender.
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