Toronto Maple Leafs are Atlantic Division favorites

Early on, the Atlantic Division has belonged to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Can they keep it up?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are proving they might be the best team in the Atlantic Division given their 6-1 record to start the season. They have shown their high-scoring offense could be ready to run away with a division title given the team’s depth at forward. The Maple Leafs are scoring better than any other team in the league, averaging close to five goals per game.

On top of a deep forward group, what they might lack in team defense, they make up in goal with Frederik Andersen. His 5-1-0 record and a recent shutout over the Washington Capitals shos he can compete with the NHL’s best goaltenders, highlighted by a head-to-head win over Carey Price.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are right behind the Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division standings with their 5-1-1 record. However, can their lack of depth keep up with Toronto over 82-games? Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov are anchoring Tampa Bay’s offense. However, outside of those two, is there enough offensive support to contend for a division title? Especially without Jonathan Drouin?

The Maple Leafs can roll three lines featuring at least two players with the potential to score 60-points this season. The Lightning are capable of rolling one incredible line and three hardworking grind lines. When Stamkos and Kucherov hit an eventual cold streak in scoring, Tampa Bay appears destined to struggle. Conversely, when Auston Matthews and William Nylander hit a cold streak, Toronto still has Mitch Marner, Patrick Marleau, James van Riemsdyk, or Nazem Kadri capable of filling the scoring void.

Besides the Lightning, the Ottawa Senators are another contender for the division title given they were a game away from the Stanley Cup finals last season. The same team that lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals has returned this year with an excellent start to their season and a 3-1-2 record.

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They are built completely different than Tampa Bay, as instead of two forwards being their best players, they have a defenseman and goaltender. Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson are two players capable of taking over games all on their own in their own unique ways. Karlsson is the best offensive defenseman in the league while Anderson has shown a routine ability to steal games since arriving in Ottawa.

However, given the defenseman’s foot surgery over the summer, there are concerns if he’ll be able to stay healthy for the remainder of the season. Ottawa’s top-six forwards have stepped up in the first month, but it’s unlikely the team will see two 60-point forwards this season as they haven’t the previous two years.

After Tampa Bay and Ottawa, no other Atlantic Division team has shown through the first month of the year to be a legitimate threat to win the division. The Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings appear headed for a transition year with youth and inconsistency. The Boston Bruins can’t seem to stay healthy as Patrice Bergeron, David Backes, Torey Krug, and now Tuukka Rask have all dealt with injuries.

Meanwhile, pending an immediate turnaround of their seasons, the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres already appear to be out of the running for a division title. Both teams have managed only a combined two wins in fourteen games.

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The Maple Leafs aren’t without holes in their game as team defense will be an issue all season. However, given how Toronto can relentlessly continue to throw explosive offensive weapons at their opponent while having a goaltender bail out defensive mistakes. It’s within reason to consider the Maple Leafs the best team in the Atlantic Division.

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