The NHL's Atlantic Division has long been a powerhouse, with the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning claiming four of the last six Stanley Cup championships. This season, the division proved once again just how tough it is, sending five teams to the Eastern Conference playoffs.

While the Panthers, Lightning, Bruins, and Maple Leafs have dominated the Atlantic in recent years, a new wave of challengers has emerged. The Montreal Canadiens shocked the Lightning in a thrilling seven-game series, while the Buffalo Sabres dispatched the Bruins in Round 1. Now, these two former bottom-feeders are battling for a spot in the Eastern Conference Final, with Montreal holding a chance to clinch the series on home ice in Game 6 tonight.

Their rise is a testament to how quickly fortunes can change in the NHL. Not long ago, both teams were mired in rebuilds. Buffalo missed the playoffs for 14 straight seasons before this year, cycling through six coaches since Lindy Ruff's first stint. Montreal finished last in the Atlantic for three consecutive seasons before making the playoffs last year.

The Sabres' turnaround began in earnest with the 2018 draft, when they selected defenseman Rasmus Dahlin first overall. Days later, a young winger named Tage Thompson—who had scored just three goals in 41 games for St. Louis—arrived as part of the trade that sent Ryan O'Reilly to the Blues. Both players blossomed into stars, with Thompson notching a 47-goal season. The rebuild took a major step forward when superstar Jack Eichel was traded to Vegas early in the 2021-22 season, clearing the way for a new era in Buffalo.

Now, the Sabres and Canadiens are legitimate championship contenders, proving that no division in hockey is deeper—or more exciting—than the Atlantic.