Can the Lightning Finally Reach the Promised Land?

By Mark Pukalo


Here we go, again.

The Tampa Bay Lightning approach the 2019-20 season with the pieces in place to make another run at a Stanley Cup. Four or maybe even five times in the past decade the Bolts seemed poised to add a second Cup to their history, but they could not finish the job.

None of those seasons ended with more disappointment and questions than last spring, when the Lightning tied the NHL all-time record with 62 regular-season victories and failed to add another while being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

There were many reasons for that disaster, but the one positive coming out of it is the 2019-2020 version of the Bolts will have a little more anger in their game.
   
“We could sit and pout in the corner, but it’s not going to change anything that happened last year,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos told reporters when training camp opened. “I’m hoping guys come in with that extra motivation and a little chip on their shoulder, because I know I will.”

The Lightning have more than enough talent to play deep into June. The question is, how to do it? Who plays with who, can they add some size without losing their flow, can they be tighter defensively without giving up much offense?

Much of that falls on coach Jon Cooper, who should be under the most scrutiny of his career in Tampa Bay this season. You can say that if Ben Bishop doesn’t come flying out of net in Game 5 of the 2015 Cup finals or if Yanni Gourde gets his stick on a puck inches from the line in Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference finals, Cooper could have two Cups. You could even say if Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman don’t get hurt and the Bolts don’t get overconfident after a 3-0 lead in Game 1, they beat Columbus last year before gaining momentum. Who knows?

But, with all that talent, Cooper hasn’t been able to make the proper adjustments when it really counted to get the team over the finish line first. The fear is he doesn’t have what it takes. The hope is that he has learned a lot from all these experiences, failures, and can put them to use. The thing is though, he may not be Tony Bennett.

Tampa Bay has struggled on offense at key times in the last two postseasons, despite owning the NHL’s best attack, but the biggest improvement must be made on defense.

The Bolts gave up the 11th-most shots per game in the league last season and finished tied for seventh in goals-against per game. That difference happens when you have the best goaltender in the world between the pipes. Andrei Vasilevskiy was outstanding in every way last season and the Lightning don’t have to worry about their goaltending - with capable veteran Curtis McElhinney as the backup - but they would like to limit the rubber the duo sees overall.

Ryan McDonagh, who was a remarkable plus-38 in the regular season in 2018-19, has formed a great partnership with physical Eric Cernak in the top four on the blue line. The dilemma is, who do you play with Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman with Stralman and Dan Girardi gone? Mikhail Sergachev looked like he could get a shot there, but it appears newcomer Kevin Shattenkirk will start the season beside the big Swede.

Shattenkirk could be one of the keys to the season, coming in on a one-year deal to re-establish his reputation after struggling with the New York Rangers before they bought him out. In my opinion, he is a much better defender than people think and if that proves true this season, the Bolts’ blue line will be improved. I’d still like to see Dominik Masin get a look at some point this season as a potential lefty replacement for Braydon Coburn in the future. Let’s hope GM Julien Brisebois doesn’t give up on him too soon.

With Brayden Point arriving late to camp and being held out a few games while finishing his recovery from double hip surgery, the forward lines have been jumbled early on. Cooper seems to have decided to move Stamkos to the wing, at least for now, and play either Gourde or Tyler Johnson in the middle when Point returns. I disagree. But it is bold and there’s nothing wrong with experimenting with a team that will be in the playoffs, unless it is barraged with injuries.

Patrick Maroon adds beef on the fourth line and in front on the power play for the Bolts while rookie Carter Verhaeghe joins the team after a strong season with AHL Syracuse in 2018-19 followed by an excellent training camp. Gemel Smith also adds some size on the fourth line for the Lightning with Cedric Paquette (arm) out for a while.

There will be enough scoring with Stamkos, reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov and Point, but they need to match last season’s secondary production. Gourde and Johnson can score goals while Mathieu Joseph and Anthony Cirelli have the ability to contribute even more after outstanding rookie seasons. If the Bolts can get a rebound season from Ondrej Palat and another 17-20 goals from Alex Killorn, they will be fine up front, no matter how they are configured until the playoffs. I would love to see Palat score 20-25 goals to quiet his detractors.

Good health, reduction of shots against, continued secondary scoring depth and bit more sandpaper will be plenty to win the Atlantic Division.

Then, the hard part begins.

This team is impossible to predict. Have the failures of the past five years damaged their psyche. Or will those disappointments fuel the players at just the right time.

It’s time to enjoy the next six months of hockey. Then, Lightning fans can start worrying again.