Florida’s 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday was the latest lesson that there are no easy marks in a division where all eight teams have a winning percentage above .500. 

By comparison, only three of eight in the Pacific are above the .500 mark.

Atlantic Division teams, certainly, are not the pushovers they had been.

The Panthers practically owned the Wings in this decade. 

From 2019-20 through last season, they were 23-5-1 against Detroit. 

So far this season, the Panthers are 0-3 against Atlantic foes so far. 

Weaker teams in the Atlantic Division have improved over the years. 

The Sabres made the playoffs last season after a 14-year drought; Ottawa has been a playoff team the past two seasons but that was preceded by seven straight non-playoff years.

Likewise, the Montreal Canadiens made the postseason the past two years after missing for three seasons. 

They won two rounds before being eliminated by the eventual Cup winning Hurricanes in the conference finals.

The improved Bruins will be Florida’s next Atlantic Division opponent Sunday in Boston. 

The Bruins sit atop the Atlantic Division right now with 23 points.

Tampa Bay remains a force despite being eliminated by Montreal in a seven-game set last season. 

Oh yeah, they have Bobrovsky now as well. 

There is no shortage of old and young star power in the division.

The immediate task at hand is Chicago tonight. The Panthers squeaked out a victory at their earlier meeting in the Windy City. 

The Blackhawks lost six of the last seven, but like just about every NHL team, they are not pushovers.