Something is Missing with the Bolts

By Mark Pukalo

Let’s be honest. Aren’t you a little worried about the Tampa Bay Lightning from what you have seen through the first month of the season?

The numbers don’t lie. The Lightning would be a .500 team without the three games against the New York Islanders – the first of which the former Fish Sticks looked about as interested in playing as going to the dentist. Don’t forget they were also rescued by a miraculous shot by captain Steven Stamkos in the final seconds of regulation in a win against Florida at home.

Perhaps our expectations are too high this early in the season, but there just seems to be something missing. Oh yes, there are excuses. The Bolts haven’t had Jonathan Drouin the last five games, heart and soul Ryan Callahan was not here for the first 10 and top-pair defenseman Anton Stralman has been battling injuries since the start of the season. There is enough talent in the lineup to play better though, and they are not – on a consistent basis.

There have been periods in which they have looked like the Lightning of the past few seasons. They were solid in the win at Ottawa and took control in the second and third periods against New Jersey at home. They scored seven goals at Toronto, thanks in part to Frederik Andersen, but got outplayed for more than half the game. Monday's victory against the Islanders was a good sign, but Andrei Vasilevskiy had to be too good again.

No doubt, even the best teams can’t play great every night. But there seems to be a stale nature to their play at times. They fall back into old habits – overpassing, no-look clears – more often. Perhaps, it is mental. With almost the same roster the last two-plus years, even in bad times they feel that it’s just going to happen for them. Because, it almost always seems to work out. The great thing about this team the previous two seasons is they have often responded to a bad stretch with a winning streak. Unfortunately, at some point, it may not happen.

It’s not time to panic. It’s just getting to a point where GM Steve Yzerman has to sit down with his staff and seriously evaluate his roster. Does it need a minor shake up to add a spark? Do they have to overpay slightly to go out and get a top-four defenseman, preferably on the right side?

Brayden Point becoming an true NHL player one year ahead of expected has given the Lightning the ability to move a forward for a defenseman. No one is going to want to deal for Valtteri Filppula, and I’m not sure he isn’t needed through this season after watching him raise his game a bit through the first 15 games. Yzerman must make a decision on Vladislav Namestnikov. Is he continuing to get better? Or is this what he is? Vladdy is a good hockey player and a smart young man. He has value. But he could be a nice trading chip as well.

Yzerman also must decide what he has on the back end. Victor Hedman is an elite defenseman and Stralman is a perfect complement. But when the forwards are not playing at their top level for the Lightning, their bottom four defensemen are exposed. Slater Koekkoek might be a top-four defenseman, but we’re not 100 percent sure are we? Jason Garrison and Braydon Coburn are solid veteran rearguards. Andrej Sustr even has his moments. But when your second “shutdown” pair is Garrison-Sustr, that just may not be good enough in the long run. That duo was spun in circles by the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

The other concern is will we ever see the Tyler Johnson of two seasons ago again? The Bolts second-line center has had a few productive games, but has been a ghost in others. It may be time for coach Jon Cooper to just put the Triplets back together and let them go.

Top-four defensemen are not growing in the orange groves in Florida. They are hard to get -- because, the really good ones are either expensive to pay or to acquire. Two right-hand shooters might be available and they are both young – Dougie Hamilton of Calgary and Jacob Trouba of Winnipeg. Word is that Trouba was coveted by the Lightning on draft day and went just before they picked Koekkoek. St. Louis’ Kevin Shattenkirk could be a rental down the road. I have no doubt Yzerman has been on the phone working on improving his defense. At some point, he may have to trade some high picks and/or a prospect to get something done.

Something makes me believe Ben Bishop is here until the end of the season and will leave as a free agent. But there is always potential that the Dallas Stars will find a way to make it worthwhile that the Lightning deal the big goaltender to them.

Plenty can happen. There is time, but if the Lightning come home from this road trip at less than 3-1-1, Yzerman may have to do something. The Eastern Conference is too competitive. Perhaps the 2016-17 Bolts won’t be able to just turn it on when they need it.