Many observers have noted the exodus of talent from the generally tough Atlantic Division, but a recent column in ESPN quantifies it (subscription required). It lists the the net change in each team's GVT -- a player value metric -- during the offseason to date.
True, the offseason is not over, and Atlantic Division teams like the Rangers, Flyers and Penguins, are sure to be in the thick of the Ryan and Nash sweepstakes, but the extent of the talent drain thus far is remarkable. Thankfully, the Islanders have largely avoided this (insert joke here about lack of talent to begin with), leaving them in better relative shape for those countless intra-division contests next season.
Here is the list with Atlantic teams in bold:
| Team | Change in GVT |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | +28.4 |
| Tampa Bay | +21.5 |
| Winnipeg | +14.2 |
| Dallas | +13.2 |
| Colorado | +13.0 |
| San Jose | +11.1 |
| Columbus | +10.4 |
| Carolina | +8.2 |
| Calgary | +7.7 |
| Chicago | +6.3 |
| Vancouver | +3.7 |
| Montreal | +3.3 |
| St. Louis | +2.0 |
| Los Angeles | 0.0 |
| Edmonton | 0.0 |
| NY Islanders | -0.3 |
| Washington | -0.7 |
| Buffalo | -4.2 |
| Anaheim | -4.7 |
| NY Rangers | -5.3 |
| Toronto | -5.4 |
| Florida | -7.8 |
| Detroit | -9.5 |
| Pittsburgh | -10.0 |
| Phoenix | -10.9 |
| Philadelphia | -11.9 |
| Ottawa | -13.3 |
| Boston | -14.2 |
| Nashville | -23.2 |
| New Jersey | -23.9 |