The Buffalo Sabres looked good against the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, and that trend could continue if the Bolts take a step back.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have had quite the hold on the Atlantic Division over the past decade and the Buffalo Sabres were a frequent victim. That changed last season, when the Sabres finished 2-1-1 against their division rivals, and it could be a trend in the making in 2023-24 and beyond.
Tampa, despite their dominance in the late 2010s and early 2020s, is yet another team in the Atlantic who could backslide this season while the Blue and Gold continue their inevitable rise.