Atlantic Division (NHL) explained

Atlantic Division
Conference:	Eastern Conference
League:	National Hockey League
Sport:	Ice hockey
Formerly:	Patrick Division, Adams Division, Norris Division
Founded:	1993 Suspended in 2020–21 2021 (reactivated)
Teams:	8
Champion:	Florida Panthers (3rd title)
Most Champs:	New Jersey Devils (9 titles)

The Atlantic Division is a name used by the National Hockey League to describe a division of teams in the Eastern Conference.

The original Atlantic Division, the predecessor of which was the Patrick Division, was formed in 1993 as part of the Eastern Conference in a league realignment.

As part of a 2013 realignment, the entirety of the former Atlantic Division was realigned into the Metropolitan Division. The Atlantic Division name was assigned to a new division comprising the former Northeast Division plus the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning (coincidentally, both were members of the original Atlantic Division until 1998) from the now-defunct Southeast Division, and the Detroit Red Wings, who moved from the Central Division of the Western Conference.

This division features a number of classic and modern NHL rivalries, including Bruins–Canadiens, Canadiens–Maple Leafs, Maple Leafs–Red Wings, Maple Leafs–Senators, and Lightning–Panthers. Games between the division's three Canadian teams, plus the Bruins and Red Wings, are frequently featured on Hockey Night in Canada as its main attraction.

Division lineups

1993–1998

• Florida Panthers
• New Jersey Devils
• New York Islanders
• New York Rangers
• Philadelphia Flyers
• Tampa Bay Lightning
• Washington Capitals

Changes from the 1992–93 season

• The Atlantic Division is formed as a result of NHL realignment
• The New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals come from the Patrick Division
• The Tampa Bay Lightning come from the Norris Division
• The Florida Panthers are added as an expansion team

1998–2013

• New Jersey Devils
• New York Islanders
• New York Rangers
• Philadelphia Flyers
• Pittsburgh Penguins

Changes from the 1997–98 season

• The Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals move to the Southeast Division
• The Pittsburgh Penguins come from the Northeast Division

2013–2020

• Boston Bruins
• Buffalo Sabres
• Detroit Red Wings
• Florida Panthers
• Montreal Canadiens
• Ottawa Senators
• Tampa Bay Lightning
• Toronto Maple Leafs

Changes from the 2012–13 season

• The Northeast and Southeast Divisions are dissolved due to NHL realignment
• The New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins move to the Metropolitan Division
• The Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs come from the Northeast Division
• The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning come from the Southeast Division
• The Detroit Red Wings come from the Central Division

2020–2021

• Division not used for the 2020–21 NHL season

Changes from the 2019–20 season

• Due to COVID-19 restrictions the NHL realigned into four divisions with no conferences for the 2020–21 season
• The Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres move to the East Division
• The Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning move to the Central Division
• The Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs move to the North Division

2021–present

• Boston Bruins
• Buffalo Sabres
• Detroit Red Wings
• Florida Panthers
• Montreal Canadiens
• Ottawa Senators
• Tampa Bay Lightning
• Toronto Maple Leafs

Changes from the 2020–21 season

• The league returned to using a four division and two conference alignment
• The Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres come from the East Division
• The Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning come from the Central Division
• The Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs come from the North Division

Division champions

• 1994 – New York Rangers (52–24–8, 112 pts)
• 1995 – Philadelphia Flyers (28–16–4, 60 pts)
• 1996 – Philadelphia Flyers (45–24–13, 103 pts)
• 1997 – New Jersey Devils (45–23–14, 104 pts)
• 1998 – New Jersey Devils (48–23–11, 107 pts)
• 1999 – New Jersey Devils (47–24–11, 105 pts)
• 2000 – Philadelphia Flyers (45–22–12–3, 105 pts)
• 2001 – New Jersey Devils (48–19–12–3, 111 pts)
• 2002 – Philadelphia Flyers (42–27–10–3, 97 pts)
• 2003 – New Jersey Devils (46–20–10–6, 108 pts)
• 2004 – Philadelphia Flyers (40–21–15–6, 101 pts)
• 2005 – no season (NHL Lockout)
• 2006 – New Jersey Devils (46–27–9, 101 pts)
• 2007 – New Jersey Devils (49–24–9, 107 pts)
• 2008 – Pittsburgh Penguins (47–27–8, 102 pts)
• 2009 – New Jersey Devils (51–27–4, 106 pts)
• 2010 – New Jersey Devils (48–27–7, 103 pts)
• 2011 – Philadelphia Flyers (47–23–12, 106 pts)
• 2012 – New York Rangers (51–24–7, 109 pts)
• 2013 – Pittsburgh Penguins (36–12–0, 72 pts)
• 2014 – Boston Bruins (54–19–9, 117 pts)
• 2015 – Montreal Canadiens (50–22–10, 110 pts)
• 2016 – Florida Panthers (47–26–9, 103 pts)
• 2017 – Montreal Canadiens (47–26–9, 103 pts)
• 2018 – Tampa Bay Lightning (54–23–5, 113 pts)
• 2019 – Tampa Bay Lightning (62–16–4, 128 pts)
• 2020 – Boston Bruins (44–14–12, 100 pts)
• 2021 – Division suspended for season
• 2022 – Florida Panthers (58–18–6, 122 pts)
• 2023 – Boston Bruins (65–12–5, 135 pts)
• 2024 – Florida Panthers (52–24–6, 110 pts)

Season results

bgcolor=#FFCC00 align=center width=10px	^(#)	Denotes team that won the Stanley Cup
bgcolor=#C0C0C0 align=center width=10px	^(#)	Denotes team that won the Prince of Wales Trophy, but lost Stanley Cup Finals
bgcolor=#BBFFBB align=center width=10px	^(#)	Denotes team that qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs
align=center width=10px	‡	Denotes winner of the Presidents' Trophy

Season	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
	^(2) NY Rangers (112)^‡	^(3) New Jersey (106)	^(7) Washington (88)	^(8) NY Islanders (84)	Florida (83)	Philadelphia (80)	Tampa Bay (71)
	^(2) Philadelphia (60)	^(5) New Jersey (52)	^(6) Washington (52)	^(8)NY Rangers (47)	Florida (46)	Tampa Bay (37)	NY Islanders (35)
	^(1) Philadelphia (103)	^(3) NY Rangers (96)	^(4) Florida (92)	^(7) Washington (89)	^(8) Tampa Bay (88)	New Jersey (86)	NY Islanders (54)
	^(1) New Jersey (104)	^(3) Philadelphia (103)	^(4) Florida (89)	^(5) NY Rangers (86)	Washington (75)	Tampa Bay (74)	NY Islanders (70)
	^(1) New Jersey (107)	^(3) Philadelphia (95)	^(4) Washington (92)	NY Islanders (71)	NY Rangers (68)	Florida (63)	Tampa Bay (44)
	^(1) New Jersey (105)	^(5) Philadelphia (93)	^(8) Pittsburgh (90)	NY Rangers (77)	NY Islanders (58)
	^(1) Philadelphia (105)	^(4) New Jersey (103)	^(7) Pittsburgh (88)	NY Rangers (73)	NY Islanders (58)
	^(1) New Jersey (111)	^(4) Philadelphia (100)	^(6) Pittsburgh (96)	NY Rangers (72)	NY Islanders (52)
	^(2) Philadelphia (97)	^(5) NY Islanders (96)	^(6) New Jersey (95)	NY Rangers (80)	Pittsburgh (69)
	^(2) New Jersey (108)	^(4) Philadelphia (107)	^(8) NY Islanders (83)	NY Rangers (78)	Pittsburgh (65)
	^(3) Philadelphia (101)	^(6) New Jersey (100)	^(8) NY Islanders (91)	NY Rangers (69)	Pittsburgh (58)
	No season due to 2004–05 NHL lockout
	^(3) New Jersey (101)	^(5) Philadelphia (101)	^(6) NY Rangers (100)	NY Islanders (78)	Pittsburgh (58)
	^(2) New Jersey (107)	^(5) Pittsburgh (105)	^(6) NY Rangers (94)	^(8) NY Islanders (92)	Philadelphia (56)
	^(2) Pittsburgh (102)	^(4) New Jersey (99)	^(5) NY Rangers (97)	^(6) Philadelphia (95)	NY Islanders (79)
	^(3) New Jersey (106)	^(4) Pittsburgh (99)	^(5) Philadelphia (99)	^(7) NY Rangers (95)	NY Islanders (61)
	^(2) New Jersey (103)	^(4) Pittsburgh (101)	^(7) Philadelphia (88)	NY Rangers (87)	NY Islanders (79)
	^(2) Philadelphia (106)	^(4) Pittsburgh (106)	^(8) NY Rangers (93)	New Jersey (81)	NY Islanders (73)
	^(1) NY Rangers (109)	^(4) Pittsburgh (108)	^(5) Philadelphia (103)	^(6) New Jersey (102)	NY Islanders (79)
	^(1) Pittsburgh (72)	^(6) NY Rangers (56)	^(8) NY Islanders (55)	Philadelphia (49)	New Jersey (48)
Realignment
	^(1) Boston (117)^‡	^(2) Tampa Bay (101)	^(3) Montreal (100)	^(WC2) Detroit (93)	Ottawa (88)	Toronto (84)	Florida (66)	Buffalo (52)
	^(1) Montreal (110)	^(2) Tampa Bay (108)	^(3) Detroit (100)	^(WC1) Ottawa (99)	Boston (96)	Florida (91)	Toronto (68)	Buffalo (54)
	^(1) Florida (103)	^(2) Tampa Bay (97)	^(3) Detroit (93)	Boston (93)	Ottawa (85)	Montreal (82)	Buffalo (81)	Toronto (69)
	^(1) Montreal (103)	^(2) Ottawa (98)	^(3) Boston (95)	^(WC2) Toronto (95)	Tampa Bay (94)	Florida (81)	Detroit (79)	Buffalo (78)
	^(1) Tampa Bay (113)	^(2) Boston (112)	^(3) Toronto (105)	Florida (96)	Detroit (73)	Montreal (71)	Ottawa (67)	Buffalo (62)
	^(1) Tampa Bay (128)^‡	^(2)Boston (107)	^(3) Toronto (100)	Montreal (96)	Florida (86)	Buffalo (76)	Detroit (74)	Ottawa (64)
	^(1) Boston (70 gp 100 pts. .714 ppct.)^‡	^(2) Tampa Bay (70 gp 92 pts. .657 ppct.)	^(8) Toronto (70 gp 81 pts. .579 ppct.)	^(10) Florida (69 gp 78 pts. .565 ppct.)	^(12) Montreal (71 gp 71 pts. .500 ppct.)	Buffalo (69 gp 68 pts. .493 ppct.)	Ottawa (71 gp 62 pts. .437 ppct.)	Detroit (71 gp 39 pts. .275 ppct.)
	Division suspended for season; temporary realignment
	^(1) Florida (122)^‡	^(2) Toronto (115)	^(3) Tampa Bay (110)	^(WC1) Boston (107)	Buffalo (75)	Detroit (74)	Ottawa (73)	Montreal (55)
	^(1) Boston (135)^‡	^(2) Toronto (111)	^(3) Tampa Bay (98)	^(WC2) Florida (92)	Buffalo (91)	Ottawa (86)	Detroit (80)	Montreal (68)
	^(1) Florida (110)	^(2) Boston (109)	^(3) Toronto (102)	^(WC1) Tampa Bay(98)	Detroit (91)	Buffalo (84)	Ottawa (78)	Montreal (76)

Notes

• The 1994–95 NHL season was shortened to 48 games due to the lockout.
• The 2012–13 NHL season was shortened to 48 games due to the lockout.
• The 2019–20 NHL season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the imbalance in the number of games played among teams, the regular season standings were determined by points percentage.

Stanley Cup winners produced

• 1994 – New York Rangers
• 1995 – New Jersey Devils
• 2000 – New Jersey Devils
• 2003 – New Jersey Devils
• 2009 – Pittsburgh Penguins
• 2020 – Tampa Bay Lightning
• 2021 – Tampa Bay Lightning
• 2024 – Florida Panthers

Presidents' Trophy winners produced

• 1994 – New York Rangers
• 2014 – Boston Bruins
• 2019 – Tampa Bay Lightning
• 2020 – Boston Bruins
• 2022 – Florida Panthers
• 2023 – Boston Bruins

Atlantic Division titles won by team

Teams in bold are currently in the division.

Team	Wins	Last win
	9	2010
	6	2011
Boston Bruins	3	2023
Florida Panthers	3	2024
Montreal Canadiens	2	2017
	2	2012
	2	2013
Tampa Bay Lightning	2	2019
Buffalo Sabres	0	—
Detroit Red Wings	0	—
Ottawa Senators	0	—
Toronto Maple Leafs	0	—
	0	—
	0	—

References

• NHL History