NHL Playoffs: Who to Root For in the Atlantic
Written by: Brad Blakemore
Published: Sun Mar 29, 2026, 5:24 pm ET
Read Time: 13 minutes
nhl
Spring is in the air; which means sunshine, flowers blooming and backbreaking hip checks center ice. Yes, the NHL regular season is nearly finished and 16 teams will make their climb towards the Stanley Cup. And this is one of the most exciting looking playoff brackets we have seen in years. Out with the old guard and in with the new as East and West could have up to 8-9 teams make the big show who missed the playoffs last season. You read that correctly, nearly half of the teams chasing glory could be new.
And here at Betting News we want to ensure that you are ready to pick a team to cheer on. A team to act like an expert in when you're grabbing beers with the boys and/or girls. A team to become obsessed with until June, when one NHL team will hoist Stanley Cup. So if your favorite team isn't making the cut, or you just want a team from the other conference to root for we got you covered in this series.
I'll be breaking down each division, highlighting the narrative of each team currently in a playoff spot, or fighting for one. I'll let you know why you should root for them, or why you should spit on the ground any time you hear their name. Let's get started with the Atlantic Division.
1. Buffalo Sabers: – 1st Place Record: 45-21-8 | 98 pts | ~8 games remaining | Playoff odds: ~99% Lucky Rebel:
Sabres forward Josh Doan high fives teammates on the bench after scoring a goal.
The Story
In the words of Rose; "It's been 84 years". Ok well maybe not 84 years, but the Buffalo Sabres have the longest playoff drought in NHL history. Fourteen consecutive seasons without postseason hockey. Fourteen years of first-overall picks, front office upheaval, fired coaches, and broken hearts. Their drought spans 14 consecutive seasons from 2011-12 to 2024-25, the longest in NHL history, surpassing previous marks set by teams like the New York Islanders. And yet, here they are — leading the Atlantic Division.
The resurrection was wild to watch unfold. General manager Kevyn Adams was fired December 15, 2025, succeeded by Jarmo Kekäläinen, which coincided with a sudden turnaround — the team won 20 out of 24 games from December 2025 through the end of January 2026. They went from the basement of the Eastern Conference to leading the whole division almost overnight. The Sabres remain tied with the Hurricanes for the top spot in the conference , and their magic number to clinch is in the single digits. After fifteen years of heartbreak, it's genuinely almost over.
Why you should root for them: Zach Benson — one of Buffalo's key young players — was literally five years old the last time this team made the playoffs. For an entire generation of Sabres players and fans, playoff hockey in Buffalo has existed only as a story from another era. Root for them because Buffalo deserves something good, and because watching a fanbase finally exhale after 14 years of holding its breath is one of the best things sports can offer. After all, this is the city that birthed you hot wings and Benny the Butcher. The city that brought you Ted's Hotdogs (if you know, you know). And we all know the fanbase knows how to celebrate. This could be a generational playoff run, and one of the easiest teams to jump on the bandwagon to root for.
Why you should root against them: Let's get back to the fans. Yes, the Buffalo fans have endured so much pain over the years, and the Sabres have been a laughing stock for years now. But if the Sabres become a consistent contender, every single person you know who has a third cousin from the Buffalo are is going to become wildly obnoxious. They will get Sabres tattoos, break televisions, buy uncanny amounts of gear and practically wrap their cars in Buffalo stickers. It will become their identity…well at least until the Sabres miss again.
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2. Tampa Bay Lightning – 2nd Place Record: 45-21-6 | 96 pts | ~10 games remaining | Playoff odds: ~95% Lucky Rebel:
Lightning forward Brayden Point celebrates after scoring a goal.
The Story
There is no team in the NHL that knows how to just keep showing up like the Tampa Bay Lightning. Three Cup finals in a row, two championships, and even after what looked like an aging-out of their dynasty window, they're right back in the mix atop the Atlantic. Tampa currently holds a points percentage of .620, virtually locked in a dead heat with Buffalo for the division title. Jon Cooper quietly keeps this machine running, and nobody outside of Tampa seems to want to talk about it.
The Lightning are doing it the old-fashioned way — veteran leadership, elite special teams, and the continued brilliance of Nikita Kucherov, who leads the NHL in scoring with 120 points, 40 goals and 80 assists. If there's a dark horse to win it all in the East, it's still this team.
Why you should root for them: Because watching Kucherov be the best player in the world while everyone pretends he isn't is one of the great pleasures in hockey. He's a magician and Tampa is built around letting him cook. Kurcheov knows who to get under the skin of the league, as he seemingly does everything at elite levels with a flippant attitude and ease that would make must hockey players boil over. He is truly one of the greats, and shines even more on the big stage.
Why you should root against them: They already won twice. They had their run. Let someone else have something nice for once. The fact that they're still here, competitive, and dangerous is almost rude. Or it goes to show how the East needs to become more competitive. While this isn't quite like rooting for the Patriots in their prime just because you wanted to root for a winner, it isn't far off either. Build some character, and root for an underdog.
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3. Montreal Canadiens — 3rd Place Record: 41-21-10 | 92 pts | ~10 games remaining | Playoff odds: ~88% Lucky Rebel:
Montreal Canadians Cole Caufield celebrates scoring a goal.
The Story
The rebuild worked. After bottoming out spectacularly — and landing the pick that became Juraj Slafkovsky — the Canadiens have quietly assembled one of the more exciting young rosters in the league. Lane Hutson has emerged as a genuine offensive force on the blue line, and Martin St. Louis has turned this franchise around faster than anyone expected. Montreal is in a playoff spot and playing meaningful hockey in late March, which was unthinkable just two years ago.
The Habs hold the third seed in the Atlantic and have a comfortable enough cushion to make them feel safe — but with Boston breathing down their necks as the first wildcard team, any prolonged skid could shake things up in a hurry. This is one of the most fun young core in hockey, and watching them have success in the NHL Playoffs will make the whole product better.
Why you should root for them: The Montreal Canadiens returning to playoff relevance is good for the entire sport. The NHL is simply better when the Habs matter, and after years of tanking, it's genuinely fun to watch this young group compete. The passion of the city oozes out of the TV. The announcers screaming in French is unlike anything else in North American pro sports. And we can all feel a bit fancy being a "Habs" fan for a couple months. So grab some Moulson and strap into the Canadiens' fandom.
Why you should root against them: Their fans will immediately start comparing this team to the '70s dynasty if they win a single playoff round, and you will not hear the end of it. Proceed with caution. If you thought the Buffalo fans would become unbearable, the providence of Quebec will become the most entitled area on the globe.
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4. Boston Bruins — Eastern Conference Wild Card 1 Record: 41-24-8 | 90 pts | ~9 games remaining | Playoff odds: ~82% Lucky Rebel:
Boston Bruins players celebrate after scoring a goal vs. the Panthers.
The Story
The Bruins are old, banged up, and somehow still right there. This is a team that has been doing this for so long that it almost doesn't feel surprising anymore — Boston just finds a way to be relevant in late March no matter what. The Bruins hold the first wildcard spot at 40-24-8 with 88 points and are playing playoff hockey against Buffalo in the projected first round matchup of the NHL Playoffs — which, given everything, would be a fascinating series.
They're not the powerhouse of the Bergeron-Marchand era, but they're experienced, they're physical, and they still know how to close games. This is a team who plays big, bad hockey. They may be built the closest to the previous two-time Stanley Cup winner, the Florida Panthers. But without some of the elite talents in the forward group. Still, these big bruising teams can find success in the playoffs. Don't sleep on Boston in April.
Why you should root for them: The Bruins organization has been an exemplar of sustained success and they're still doing it without their core from the dynasty years. That kind of institutional stability is genuinely impressive. If you say "defense wins championships" whenever you watch sports, this is the team for you. The Bruins play an old school style of hockey that many NHL fans embrace. You don't need dipsy doodling forwards who can draw people out of their seats, no you just need to punish opponents and WIN.
Why you should root against them: They're the Bruins. Boston sports fans have enough championships. The queue is long and you should take a number. Enough said.
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5. Ottawa Senators — Just Outside the Playoff Line Record: 38-25-10 | 86 pts | 9 games remaining | Playoff odds: ~55% Lucky Rebel:
Ottawa Senators Brady Tkachuk celebrates a goal with his teammates.
The Story
Ottawa has quietly become one of the most fun teams to watch in the East. Brady Tkachuk is a force of nature, Tim Stutzle is a legitimate superstar, and the Senators are on a tear — they've won five of six and are 14-3-2 in their past 19 games. The problem? The wild card logjam is absolutely brutal, and Ottawa is currently on the outside looking in. They have 12 games left and seven of them are at home, including six of their final eight, which gives them a genuine shot to overtake one of the teams ahead of them.
Claude Giroux is having a quietly excellent season in what is likely one of his final years, and watching him potentially lead Ottawa to the playoffs would be a genuinely touching story. Much like the Canadiens, this is a young team who are still stacking and introducing their young talent to the NHL. This team could catch fire, as they are built for the NHL playoffs.
Why you should root for them: Ottawa last made the playoffs in 2025 and lost to Toronto in the first round. They've been building for this. Tkachuk vs. anyone in the first round is must-watch television. And you can seem like a snobby NHL fan in front of all your friends by picking a team to root for that most can't find on a map. This is a franchise that have not had much go their way in recent years, and yet still put together competitive teams. This is one of the ultimate underdogs in the East.
Why you should root against them: Brady Tkachuk. You love him or you hate him. On and off the ice he is met with celebration, or meme after meme of his reading comprehension level. He may have done your favorite player dirty in a game, or you just can't stand the brothers Tkachuk, and would like to see nothing more than for them to lose. Or maybe you are rooting for late season collapse so Brady asks for a trade to your actual favorite team.
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6. Detroit Red Wings — Just Outside the Playoff Line Record: 39-26-8 | 86 pts | ~9 games remaining | Playoff odds: ~50% Lucky Rebel:
Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin celebrates after a big vs. the Canadiens.
The Story
The Detroit Red Wings' playoff drought is nine seasons long — and after years of stripped-down rebuilding, they are right there. The Red Wings fell out of a playoff spot when the Islanders won on Sunday, and they're tied in points with Ottawa while trading places with them almost daily. Their remaining schedule includes massive games against the Senators, Sabres, Penguins, and Blue Jackets. Every single one counts.
The Wings are doing this without the glitzy stars of their old dynasty — this is a lunch-pail, hard-working group that has earned every point. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider have developed into legitimate building blocks, and if they sneak in, they'll be dangerous.
Why you should root for them: Nine years is a long time for one of hockey's most storied franchises to be irrelevant. The Red Wings in the playoffs feels right. Detroit hockey fans have suffered enough.
Why you should root against them: Chaos reigns. If Detroit were to miss, yet again, their fan base and ownership could have a complete melt down. A long rebuild will begin to stall, their vets will be another year older and the team may have to admit they don't have enough elite talent to get the job down. You are the type that enjoys watching the world burn, and this could be an epic collapse that leads to big changes in Detroit. Also, their fans still bring up the Nicklas Lidstrom era in casual conversation. It's been over a decade, guys. Let it breathe.
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Brad Blakemore, better known as Betzky, is a desert rat who was born and raised in Tempe Arizona. Shockingly this didn't stop Betzky from becoming a hockey fanatic. He specializes in NHL capping, and is (unfortunately) a diehard Coyotes fan, through all the highs and (mostly) lows. When not consuming NHL action Betzky collects records of all genres, attends tons of concerts and spends time with the Mrs, their cat Brain and doggo Ned. Follow Betzky on Twitter/X @gretzkybetzkys or on the Parlay Science discord.
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