The three favorites are most likely to battle for Atlantic Division supremacy, but which of the Stanley Cup contenders will reign supreme?''
NHL odds have the Panthers (+225), Maple Leafs (+200), and Lightning (+250) as the lead horses in the Atlantic Division.'
Those teams, who finished first, second, and third last season, will once again battle for divisional superiority and home ice advantage in the postseason.'
Can the Panthers repeat as the division winner, or will the Maple Leafs finally live up to lofty expectations? Meanwhile, Tampa Bay looks to spoil the party and win the division crown for the first time since 2018-19.'
Atlantic Division Preview: Odds & Predictions
The difference between the three Atlantic Division favorites (Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning) is almost negligible in terms of NHL odds.'
Expect those three teams to jostle for the top spot throughout the 2022-23 campaign, with the Lightning prevailing.
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| Team | Odds to Win Division |
| Maple Leafs | +200 |
| Panthers | +225 |
| Lightning | +250 |
| Bruins | +900 |
| Senators | +2500 |
| Red Wings | +2800 |
| Sabres | +6600 |
| Canadiens | +10000 |
Favorites to win the division, the Maple Leafs finished the 2021-22 campaign in second place, seven points behind Florida.'
The Maple Leafs have all the tools to compete for the division crown, including an abundantly talented top-six forward unit with reigning MVP Auston Matthews, the second favorite to repeat.'
Mitch Marner finished 10th in league scoring with 97 points, while captain John Tavares and William Nylander round out the top four offensive threats. The Leafs had the second most potent offense last season, scoring 3.80 goals per contest. Only division rivals Florida scored more.'
However, the Buds allowed 3.07 goals per game, the 14th most in the NHL. That doesn't sound woeful, but a repeat of those mediocre defensive numbers won't be good enough to fend off the Lightning and Panthers.'
In addition, the Maple Leafs have put all their eggs in Matt Murray's catching glove. The two-time Stanley Cup winner is a shadow of his former self but can rise to prominence again, given his experience and history.'
However, Murray hasn't played more than 50 games in seven NHL seasons due to a litany of debilitating injuries. And he didn't make it past 30 in either season with the Sens. Unless Kyle Dubas knows something everyone else doesn't, the Maple Leafs represent a risk too great.'
Prediction: Second Place'
Last season's Presidents' Trophy winners, the Florida Panthers, are second favorites to repeat as Atlantic Division champions.'
Swap Jonathan Huberdeau for Matthew Tkachuk, and little has changed offensively for the Panthers in the lead-up to the 2022-23 campaign.'
Ben Chiarot and Claude Giroux, both of whom exited Florida in the offseason, were deadline deals, so neither player was instrumental in leading the Panthers to the division crown.'
However, Florida lost top-four defenseman MacKenzie Weegar in the blockbuster Huberdeau trade. In conjunction with Chiarot's departure, the Panthers are left relatively short on top-end defensive talent, which will prevent them from repeating as division champions.'
Prediction: Third Place'