By Mark Pukalo
There are several challenges to start, and likely more obstacles on the horizon for the Tampa Bay Lightning as they set sail on another season.
But there is a comforting, confident feeling in camp as they dive deeper into the exhibition season with three games the next three nights.
The pain of losing four key players to free agency and expansion while having only pennies of cap space left to spend is easily cured by the exhilaration and satisfaction of two straight Stanley Cup runs
The fatigue of two long postseasons is easily mitigated by the belief that the Bolts still have their top six forwards, top-four defensemen and the best goalie in the world all healthy for a chance at a three-peat.
With some smart moves by GM Julien Brisebois in the offseason and a handful of prospects ready for an opportunity with the big club, the Lightning should still be the favorite when the 2021-22 campaign gets underway Oct. 12.
The exhibition games will give the first indication what coach Jon Cooper has in mind when he rebuilds the bottom two forward lines that were so important in both Cup runs.
Barclay Goodrow (New York Rangers) and Blake Coleman (Calgary) left for well-deserved paydays as free agents and the irrepressible Yanni Gourde was the forward the Bolts lost to expansion Seattle. That threesome was so good in the last two postseasons that you can’t begin to replace their production. Cooper just has to find the right mix of players to continue rolling four lines. Tyler Johnson, who had a good postseason, was also dealt to create another hole.
Ross Colton emerged as more than a dependable forward last season, Mathieu Joseph has shown he is a capable NHL player and the Big Rig Pat Maroon is back to take three of the spots. Veterans Corey Perry and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare were added by Brisebois at bargain basement salaries, which likely leaves two roster positions - assuming no injuries.
That sets the stage for the biggest battle during the exhibition season. Sure, veterans Gemel Smith and Charles Hudon along with newcomer Simon Ryfors cannot be left out of the competition all together, but the final two spots should come down to rookies Boris Katchouk, Alex Barre-Boulet and Taylor Raddysh. If my math is correct, I believe the Lightning can only keep two due to cap concerns unless they roll the dice with just six defensemen on the roster.
Katchouk has been a good two-way player who improved offensively last season and Raddysh has been a scorer who is getting better at the 200-foot game. Barre-Boulet did not embarrass himself in a 15-game audition in Tampa Bay due to injuries last season, but it’s still unsure whether his AHL production will translate at the NHL level. The 24-year-old will have to show he can play on all four lines as well. Otto Somppi is also a name to remember down the road.
So, what will it be? Keep the top six together and use Colton between Joseph and Perry while Maroon and Bellemare play with Katchouk - the best Lightning forward in the exhibition opener Tuesday at Carolina (3-1 loss) - on the fourth line? Play Perry on the fourth line with the other two veterans and slide Raddysh or Barre-Boulet with Colton and Joseph? Use Joseph or Barre-Boulet with Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli while captain Steven Stamkos creates a top-9 scenario playing with Colton and Perry? Move Killorn to a third line with Colton and Perry?
There are so many ways Cooper can go and the hope is that the preseason makes it clear what the best route is.
Perhaps even more important is who takes the place of expert penalty killers Goodrow, Coleman and Gourde? Bellemare has plenty of experience to take one spot with Killorn and Cirelli remaining as the top pair. Colton, Joseph, Ondrej Palat, Perry and perhaps Katchouk will probably get their shot. Penalty killing might have been the least recognized important ingredient to the Lightning’s two Cup runs.
It will all be fun to watch.
The defense is set with Victor Hedman, Jan Rutta, Mikhail Sergachev, Erik Cernak and Ryan McDonagh joined by veteran free agent Zach Bogosian in the top six. Cal Foote will likely miss the first few weeks, so the Bolts could use Fredrik Claesson as seventh D man for a while. Darren Raddysh, Daniel Walcott (also a forward), Sean Day and even Andrej Sustr would likely be next in line.
This will all make the preseason interesting.
The only thing I see holding the Lightning back in 2021-22 is the potential of injuries. I’m not sure the playoff run fatigue will affect this group.
The biggest challenge will likely be in their division. Toronto and Boston will still be tough, we learned how pesky Florida can be last season with a former Whaler as a coach, and heck, Montreal made the finals, didn’t they? Detroit and Ottawa are getting better and Buffalo probably can’t be worse than they have been.
But that obstacle is down the road. Now it’s time for Cooper to carve out the roster - and perhaps cross some fingers if a good prospect has to be sent through waivers.
October is almost here.
