The Canadian Press’s Joshua Clipperton posted an article about the ever-competitive Atlantic Division today, and he leads off with a now-well-known quip from Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, said during the NHL’s Player Media Tour:
Dylan Larkin paused for a moment to ponder the question. What, the Detroit Red Wings captain was asked, is it like to play in the Atlantic Division night in, night out?
“It’s like hell,” Larkin finally began.
That description of running what might be the NHL’s most challenging gauntlet is hard to argue. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and, more recently, the Florida Panthers, have shared the spoils as the circuit’s big boys the last number of years.
But it could soon get crowded at the top. The Buffalo Sabres missed the playoffs by a point last spring — the closest that franchise has come since its last post-season appearance in 2011 — while the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings were in the conversation for long stretches.
And then there’s the Montreal Canadiens, a club that owns the division’s weakest roster on paper, but can still present massive problems to any opponent on a given night.
“There’s superstars and young teams coming up,” continued Larkin, who spoke at the recent NHL/NHLPA player media tour. “Can’t really count anyone out. It’s exciting.”
