The buyers and sellers are firmly established in the NHL as we near this season’s trade deadline on Friday, March 6 at 3 p.m. ET.

While the Tampa Bay Lightning have been a contender in the Atlantic Division for over a decade, it looks like we’re shaping up for some new blood in the playoffs this year.

Toronto is on pace to miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 years and Florida is in even worse shape after reaching three straight Stanley Cup Finals.

With Detroit and Buffalo sitting as surprise playoff teams, let’s take a look at the buyers and sellers ahead of the trade deadline in the Atlantic Division.

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Division previews

Central Division trade deadline preview

Metropolitan Division trade deadline preview

Pacific Division trade deadline preview

Boston Bruins

Deadline status: Moderate buyer

Boston is clinging to the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, but with games in-hand over Detroit and Buffalo, the Bruins are poised to be moderate buyers.

Boston is in an awkward position as they are firmly in the middle of a retool, so this isn’t a ‘Cup or bust’ scenario. The goal for this deadline will be adding pieces that fit long-term.

High end targets like Elias Pettersson, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas make sense from a team-building standpoint, but the Bruins will have to do some serious salary cap gymnastics to make it work.

Buffalo Sabres

Deadline status: Buyer

The Buffalo Sabres sit second in the Atlantic Division and they are finally poised to make the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

The Sabres will likely try to add some depth pieces, but they should be wary about anything major that disrupts the chemistry of this core as there are no real areas of weakness.

I’m looking for Buffalo to bolster their middle-six forward group with a cheaper veteran option and I also see them using pending UFA Alex Tuch as essentially an own-rental.

Detroit Red Wings

Deadline status: Buyer

Sitting third in the Atlantic, the Detroit Red Wings are finally back to postseason contention after nine years without playoff hockey.

Detroit is in a position to be one of the most aggressive buyers as they have the picks, prospects and cap space to go after the big names.

While the cornerstone pieces are on the roster, the Red Wings still need a 2C and a top-four defenceman. That puts them in the mix for the likes of Elias Pettersson, Robert Thomas and MacKenzie Weegar.

Florida Panthers

Deadline status: Moderate seller

The Florida Panthers are well out of the playoff picture, but injuries and three straight years going to the Stanley Cup Final make this season more like a temporary setback.

This won’t be a fire sale for the Panthers. This is an opportunity to rest, reset and recoup some assets to make another run next season.

Florida will try to move aging pending UFAs, but the big question is whether they’ll get rid of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. He’s 37 and having a down-year, but his playoff history could make him attractive to a contending team with goaltending struggles like Edmonton or Vegas.

Montreal Canadiens

Deadline status: Buyer

The Montreal Canadiens hold the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and it would surprise no one if they end up finishing top three in the Atlantic Division.

Montreal has put on an absolute masterclass when it comes to a rebuild. They have a talented young core that is locked up long-term and they have several high end prospects and draft picks that can be flipped to acquire impact roster players.

The Canadiens don’t have a ton of cap space, but flipping Patrik Laine and Sam Montembeault would open up about $12 million to go after higher end targets.

Ottawa Senators

Deadline status: Moderate buyer

While the Ottawa Senators are only five points out of a playoff spot, it looks bleak as they have a long list of teams they need to jump.

A cautious approach makes sense for the Senators and whatever pieces they add should be able to contribute beyond this season.

Ottawa’s approach in the past has been targeting younger players who need a change of scenery, so I wonder if Shane Wright in Seattle or Alexis Lafreniere with the Rangers makes sense.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Deadline status: Buyer

The Tampa Bay Lightning are easily the best team in the Atlantic Division and they’re showing flashes of the group that went to three straight Stanley Cup Finals a few years ago.

The Bolts have a rock solid option in net with Andrei Vasilevskiy and a deep back-end led by Victor Hedman, so the focus should be on improving their depth up front.

Tampa won’t be able to add any major pieces because they are in serious salary cap trouble and they don’t have a lot of draft capital or prospects to flip. A cheap option like Toronto’s Bobby McMann is the type of move the Lightning can pull off.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Deadline status: Moderate seller

You won’t have to worry about the Toronto Maple Leafs blowing it in the first round of the playoffs this season because they won’t be there for the first time in nine years.

By all accounts, Toronto’s management thinks this season is an outlier due to injuries, so don’t expect any major subtractions from the roster.

The Leafs are expected to focus on moving their UFAs like Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton in anticipation of being a contender next season.