How 3 desperate teams can finally shake up the Atlantic

By losing twice in Prague to open the NHL schedule, the Buffalo Sabres sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

They're in a familiar hole. The Sabres last made the playoffs in 2011, meaning their infamous, all-time record drought is at risk of reaching 14 seasons. It's hard to swim upstream, complete a rebuild, and return to relevance in a division that resists change.

Seven NHL squads have appeared in at least five straight postseasons, and four of those powerhouse teams rule the Atlantic. Every year, they box out Buffalo and two fellow perpetual rebuilders, the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators, who are desperate to break their dubious streaks.

The efforts of Buffalo, Detroit, and Ottawa to unseat a playoff lock - be it the Boston Bruins, reigning champion Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, or Toronto Maple Leafs - will help define the new season. Each combatant faces pressure to take the next step before the Montreal Canadiens, the Atlantic's current pushover, begin to rise in the standings. Not all of them will.

Their three-way dogfight to play in May again - Detroit's playoff appearance drought is eight years old, and Ottawa's has lasted seven - has no precedent. Few NHL franchises spin their wheels for seven to 13 seasons, and they're the first set of division rivals to endure simultaneous droughts of this length.

Just because an Atlantic shakeup's overdue doesn't mean it'll happen. Boston, Florida, Tampa Bay, and Toronto still boast major star talent after ranking in the top five in goals scored (Leafs, Lightning) or goals allowed (Panthers, Bruins) last season. This quartet won three Stanley Cups, accounted for six total Cup Final berths, and bullied the rest of the division in the years since the Senators detonated their roster.

To compete, Ottawa needs to stop the puck (32nd in save percentage in 2023-24) and quit wilting in adverse situations (1-14-1 record in Western Conference road games). Buffalo, the NHL's youngest team (average age: 25.3), brought back Lindy Ruff to coach a fledgling group that buried 50 fewer goals last year than in the high-flying 2022-23 season.

Progress depends on how a few key players perform.

The X-factors in Ottawa are newly extended goaltender Linus Ullmark and second-line center Josh Norris, who can score 35 goals when his surgically repaired shoulder complies. A subtly crucial defenseman is Thomas Chabot, whose passing and puck-handling tilt the ice for the Senators when he isn't injured (sat out 68 games over the last three seasons) or forced to log huge, tiring minutes.

There are swing players throughout Buffalo's forward corps. Compared to '22-23, lead sniper Tage Thompson put 39 fewer shots on net and was half as prolific last year from the high-danger area around the crease (11 goals versus 23), per NHL EDGE. The Sabres want good health for third-year winger Jack Quinn, an efficient point producer, and hope depth center Ryan McLeod's speed and defensive aptitude will justify his acquisition price.

The Red Wings are loaded with scorers but missed last year's postseason via tiebreaker despite an 11.6% team shooting percentage, the eighth-best mark of the salary-cap era. Regardless of whether that's repeatable, they need to stiffen defensively after ranking 24th in goals against and allowing 200 more dangerous scoring chances than they generated (1,007-807), according to Natural Stat Trick.

Subplots to track include top defenseman Moritz Seider's workload - PuckIQ assessed that he played the league's toughest minutes last season - and 21-year-old Simon Edvinsson's readiness to shoulder a big role. These young guns strengthen Detroit's aging, middling hodgepodge of blue-liners and goalies.

A dozen games are scheduled between Buffalo, Detroit, and Ottawa. Five happen before Christmas, and five arrive in a fast flurry after the March 7 trade deadline. Depending on who gains and drops points, these matchups could dictate which endless Atlantic skid finally, mercifully ends.

Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.