Video above: Tampa Bay Lightning take the ice for first day of training camp
(AP) — Tampa Bay Lightning
Last season: 47-27-8, lost to Florida in first round.
COACH: Jon Cooper (13th season with Tampa Bay; 572-306-83).
SEASON OPENER: Oct. 9 vs. Ottawa.
DEPARTURES: C Luke Glendening, D Nick Perbix, RW Cam Atkinson, LW Isaac Howard, LF Conor Sheary.
ADDITIONS: C Pontus Holmberg, LW Boris Katchouk, RW Jakob Pelletier, C Sam O’Reilly, RW Scott Sabourin.
GOALIES: Andrei Vasilevskiy (38-20-5, 2.18 goals-against average, .921 save percentage), Jonas Johansson (9-6-3, 3.13, .895.
BETMGM STANLEY CUP ODDS: 11-1.
What to expect
After falling short of a Stanley Cup three-peat, the Lightning haven’t won a playoff series over the past three years, losing to eventual champion Florida in the first round the last two. They didn’t make any splashy moves in the offseason but have a talented roster and few holes. While some think the window is closing on the Lightning, oddsmakers consider them among the favorites. Staying healthy would help. Nikita Kucherov led the NHL in scoring, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel finished in the top seven in goals. Vasilevskiy finished fourth in goals-against and save percentage. Kucherov and others were banged up and not 100% during the most recent Panthers series.
Strengths and weaknesses
The good: The top line is one of the NHL’s best and so is Vasilevskiy. The offense ranked first in goals per game (3.56) and fifth in power-play percentage (25.9%). Tampa was also fourth in goals against per game (2.63) and sixth on the penalty kill (81.6%), thanks not only to Vasilevskiy but a defense anchored by captain Victor Hedman. Cooper is going into his 13th full season behind the bench, coaching much of the same core that was part of back-to-back title runs in 2020 and ‘21 and the trip to the final in ’22.
The not-so-good: After years of contending and trading first-round picks to acquire players to win now, the pipeline is bereft of high-quality prospects if any are needed to step in because of injuries. Salary cap attrition has also depleted Tampa Bay’s depth on defense.
Players to watch
Kucherov was a finalist for the Hart Trophy as MVP each of the past two seasons and last year was voted the winner of the Ted Lindsay Award for most outstanding player as voted by his peers. Only Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon have more points than Kucherov’s 994 dating to his 2014 debut. Point and Guentzel are also elite playmakers. Brandon Hagel is one of the game’s best at producing at even strength without needing to get himself and his numbers going with ice time on the power play.