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Lightning Hold Advantage Over Atlantic Division in Key Category

In a division where every point matters, the Tampa Bay Lightning hold a key statistical edge that could shape the Atlantic playoff race in surprising ways.
Samuel Len|
Dec 9, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) celebrates with teammates including forward Nikita Kucherov (86) and defenseman Max crozier (24) and forward Anthony Cirelli (71) after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Dec 9, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) celebrates with teammates including forward Nikita Kucherov (86) and defenseman Max crozier (24) and forward Anthony Cirelli (71) after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images | Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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Tampa Bay LightningFlorida PanthersBoston BruinsOttawa SenatorsToronto Maple LeafsMontreal CanadiensDetroit Red WingsBuffalo Sabres

This NHL season has already tested everyone’s nerves. More than a quarter of all games have pushed past regulation, turning the Eastern Conference standings into a logjam. The top 12 teams are separated by just six points — a razor-thin margin that makes every shootout, every overtime rush, and every single mistake feel bigger than it should in December.

The chaos gets even louder when you zoom in on the Atlantic Division. The top five teams are split by only four points, and every night seems to end with someone leapfrogging someone else. By now, we’re all aware of how dominant the Central Division is, with three of the league’s top four teams: the first-place Colorado Avalanche, the well-rounded Dallas Stars and the red-hot Minnesota Wild.

But when it comes to pure competitiveness, the Atlantic has a strong case as the most competitive division in the NHL.

Tampa Bay’s Surprising Edge in a Packed Division

For all the parity, one stat separates the Lightning from everyone else: goal differential.

Tampa Bay is the only Atlantic Division team with a positive goal differential, sitting at +18. Everyone else is in the negatives. Toronto sits at –1. Ottawa is –2. Boston is –4. Florida is –5. Montreal is –7. Buffalo is –9. Detroit, once off to a promising start, has fallen to –11.

The statistical story gets even more interesting when you dig deeper. Excluding the Senators (86 goals allowed) and Panthers (81 goals allowed), every other team in the division has already surrendered more than 90 goals. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay sits far below that chaos with just 67 goals against — the lowest in the Eastern Conference and third-lowest in the entire NHL. Only Colorado (56 goals allowed) and, surprisingly, the Seattle Kraken (66 goals allowed) have been better.

A Blue Line Reinvented — and Better Than Expected

In a division defined by tight margins and nightly swings, that defensive gap is massive. This was supposed to be the Lightning’s weakness. Losing Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak on paper should have cratered their defense.

Those aren’t just top players — they are three of the most respected shutdown defenders in the league. Instead, Tampa Bay reinvented itself on the fly and, in under a month, surged from the bottom of the division standings all the way to the top.

JJ Moser has emerged as a magic eraser, providing poise, smart positioning, and some of the best under the hood analytical numbers among NHL defenders this season. Rookie Charles-Édouard D’Astous has also impressed, adding mobility and calmness, while giving Tampa a steadying presence they desperately needed.

Vasilevskiy Looks Like “Big Cat” Again

Andrei Vasilevskiy has rediscovered his form and is playing his best hockey since having back surgery in 2023. His movement is crisp, his reads are instant, and that familiar intimidation factor is back. He was creeping into the Vezina conversation until Jesper Wallstedt’s outrageous run — and now, with Vasilevskiy on IR with an undisclosed injury, the award feels like a long shot. But his impact before the injury is a massive part of Tampa’s defensive success.

Trends Worth Watching in Other Division

The Atlantic isn’t alone in its odd goal-differential landscape. In the Pacific Division, only the Ducks (+5) and Golden Knights (+1) sit on the positive side. The Metro, meanwhile, is almost the opposite of the Atlantic — excluding Columbus (–7) and the Islanders (0), every team is in the positives, led by Washington at +27.

Will these trends hold as the season drags deeper into winter? If Tampa Bay keeps defending like this, their edge in the league’s tightest division may only grow.

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Sam Len
SAMUEL LEN

Sam Len is a content editor, writer, and digital strategist with a lifelong passion for hockey. Growing up just north of Toronto, the game was never just background noise—it was part of everyday life. The Pittsburgh Penguins were the first team that captured his imagination, and he still remembers watching Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal at the 2010 Olympics like it was yesterday. Over time, his love for the sport expanded to include the Tampa Bay Lightning, blending his appreciation for classic grit with modern speed and skill. Between 2024 and 2025, Sam worked as a content editor at Covers, where he helped shape sports and gaming content for top-tier brands including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Bet99. He’s also written for Bolts by the Bay and Pro Football Network, covering everything from Tampa Bay Lightning analysis to trending stories across the NHL, NFL, and NBA.

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