By Mark Pukalo
Why not them? Again.
The pressure should be gone. This amazing core group that leads the Tampa Bay Lightning finally has its much-deserved Stanley Cup. It may have been one of the toughest to win in the fabled history of the tournament.
Now, the players have a chance to add to their legacy before changes will have to be made due to salary cap issues for the next full season in 2021-22.
There’s no reason they can’t be the first team to repeat since Pittsburgh (2016-17). Even though the Bolts used every ounce of energy to finish the job last October and they will be without their leading scorer, along with a few other important role players, this special group should still be the favorite to make it two in a row during the Covid-shortened 56-game season.
Nikita Kucherov underwent hip surgery recently and won’t be around until at least the playoffs, but the Lightning expect to have captain Steven Stamkos healthy and ready to go after the All Star missed all but one game of the postseason last summer and fall.
Defensemen Zach Bogosian, Braydon Coburn and, most-importantly, Kevin Shattenkirk are gone along with fourth-line center Cedric Paquette and wing Carter Verhaeghe. Each can be replaced if young players rise up and reach their potential.
The most important newcomer will be former first-round pick Cal Foote, who is vying for a role on the right side of the defense. It is time for him to shine, and the hope is that coach Jon Cooper gives the son of former NHL D man Adam Foote some rope to ease into a role playing beside Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh or Mikhail Sergachev - or likely all of the above.
The Bolts are set in the net with Andrei Vasilevskiy, the best goalie in the world, while they hope veteran Curtis McElhinney can match last season’s solid performances in a backup role. Free agent pickup Christopher Gibson is a capable third netminder, but it would not be a surprise if the Lightning looks for a bit more depth between the pipes.
One of the advantages Tampa Bay has to start the season is their lineup up front is virtually set. There shouldn’t be much of an adjustment period with Stamkos likely taking Kucherov’s spot on the top line along with Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat - who both had remarkable playoff runs.
Kucherov’s injury, and the deft move by Bolts general manager Julien Brisebois to acquire hobbled Marian Gaborik and Anders Nilsson from Ottawa to create enough cap space through long term injured reserve, allowed Tampa Bay to keep both Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn for at least one more year while signing three important restricted free agents. Those veterans will likely be flanking center Anthony Cirelli, although Johnson was waived Monday in a cap-saving move. If Johnson struggles early, it would not be a surprise if Cooper gives Mathieu Joseph, Alexander Volkov or Alex Barre-Boulet a shot in that spot. Joseph may get a shot on opening night.
The irrepressible Yanni Gourde expects to stay between Baraclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman on a line that may have been the key to winning the Cup. Coleman and Goodrow are in the final years of their contracts, so it will be interesting to see what happens as the season goes on. It’s possible at some point you might see Goodrow drop to the fourth line while one of the younger players steps into his role to stir the pot a bit.
Pat Maroon is "back to back" and goes for three Cups in a row after signing for two more years. The Big Rig will have some new linemates. Mitchell Stephens gets the first shot to replace Paquette at center and then the battle for the other wing spot is likely down to Volkov and Joseph to start. But much can happen with Barre-Boulet, Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk, Ross Colton and others continuing to make progress up front.
It will be interesting to see who emerges. I believe the Lightning have better prospects than many of the experts think. The next two seasons will be a test of that question.
The Bolts’ new division - for this season only - will be fascinating with Dallas, Carolina, Nashville and Columbus likely battling for playoff spots alongside the champs. Florida could also be a factor if Sergei Bobrovsky returns to form and their changes up front create more scoring depth, while Chicago may be a threat if they stick around long enough to make moves at the deadline. Detroit, meanwhile, is starting its rebuild.
So what are the keys to a second straight Cup in the Bay area? Health is always near the top, especially with a big point producer already gone. The right side of the defense - Erik Cernak, Jan Rutta, Foote, Luke Schenn and maybe even Ben Thomas - must be better than it looks on paper. The Bolts also need balanced scoring. They can’t just depend on the top line to provide all the offense. But perhaps the most important thing is to be heading into the postseason with a little momentum. It does not matter if they end up as the first, second, third or fourth seed. It does matter how they are playing in April.
It will be a strange season, with a lot of empty arenas for a while, taxi squads, plenty of roster and lineup changes, but the Lightning is positioned just fine for a repeat despite the loss of Kucherov.
It sure does feel good that the Bolts aren’t still looking for that first Cup since 2004 though, with a trail of failures behind them, doesn’t it? They have the blueprint now. The talent is still there. It’s time to just play.
Sit back and enjoy Lightning fans. Another fun season is on the way, starting Wednesday.
It’s impossible to make picks now. So much can change before the playoffs. But the run of excellence among Tampa professional sports teams will continue.
Two in a row? Yes, they can.
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