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Ottawa Senators: The Early Atlantic Division Outlook

By Alexander O'Reilly

OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 21: Toronto Maple Leafs Defenceman Connor Carrick (8) and Ottawa Senators Right Wing Mark Stone (61) battle for the puck along the boards during the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 21, 2017 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 21: Toronto Maple Leafs Defenceman Connor Carrick (8) and Ottawa Senators Right Wing Mark Stone (61) battle for the puck along the boards during the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 21, 2017 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Going into the season there were a lot of questions around the Atlantic Division and the Ottawa Senators.

The Ottawa Senators had made the Eastern Conference Final but on what seemed like a miracle run. Team’s such as Toronto and Buffalo were on the rise. Question marks surrounded the Bruins and Panthers. The Lighting looked like a good team when healthy but had missed the playoffs the year before. It was uncertain how Montreal would perform after a series of off-season moves. The Red Wings were the only team that seemed like a lock to miss the playoffs. Now a few weeks into the season as the dust begins to settle we can get a better picture of what the Atlantic will look like this season.

The Contenders

Early on the Atlantic appears to have split up into three distinct groups. The first one being the divisional contenders. This group consists of the Tampa Bay Lightning, The Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Ottawa Senators. The Lightning have jumped out to the fastest start int eh league and appear to be the divisional favourite early on. The Toronto Maple Leafs are building on last year’s success and look to be the real deal this season. As for the Ottawa Senators they have been steady. Despite missing Erik Karlsson early on they picked up most of their available points and sit just one point behind the Leafs. Any of theses three teams could win the division and should be the favourites for the three Atlantic Division playoff spots.

The Bubble

The middle group in the division includes the bubble teams. These are the Detroit Red Wings, the Boston Bruins, and the Florida Panthers. These teams have got out to decent starts and have set themselves up early to contend for a wild card spot. None should be contenders for the division title but with strong season’s have a chance to steal one of the three divisional spots.

Next: Ottawa Senators: Bobby Ryan Suffers Injury Versus Leafs

Dead In The Water

The final group is for the teams that appear to be dead in the water. The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens both have got out to starts so bad that it already looks nearly impossible for them to make the playoffs even this early. The Sabres have won just two out of nine games and the Canadiens just one of eight. Neither should play a big role in the divisional race this season.

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