For the month of June, Last Word On Sports will be covering each team in our 30 in 30 series. Once a day, we take a look at an NHL team’s past season, what their off-season looks like, and what they could hope to achieve before the start of their 2015-16 season. Everybody wants to get better and improve upon last season’s success or downfall and NHL’s 30 in 30 gives you that analysis and preview you need to get you by during another long and grueling summer season. 30 days in June, 30 teams to cover. Starting on June 1st we start from the bottom and make our way to the very top.
Today’s team: The Tampa Bay Lightning. Check out our previous 30 in 30 articles here.
NHL’s 30 in 30: Tampa Bay Lightning
Finishing 5th overall, the Tampa Bay Lightning posted a record of 50-24-8 to end up with 108 points, placing them in second place in the Atlantic Division, eight points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings and just two points back of the Montreal Canadiens. Their home record (32-8-1) accumulated for 65 points, which was the best finish in that regard and also made them one of just three teams to finish the year with less than ten regulation losses on home ice. Their away record (18-16-7) was a big problem for them, accumulating just 43 points but luckily enough for Bolts fans their dominance at home was more than enough to get them by.
The 2014-15 Regular Season
The argument two seasons ago, among fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning, was that they could have done more if their starting goaltender wasn’t injured. They had just been swept by the Habs in the first round and it left the team wondering what if. Fast forward one year later and they got their answer. Defeating the same Canadiens team in the second round and moving on to the Stanley Cup final, the Lightning were just two games away from winning their first Stanley Cup since 2004. Head Coach Jon Cooper rallied his team around one of the best trios in the league, a defenseman that anchored the blue-line and a 6’7 goaltender that battled through pain.
One of the best goal-scoring forwards in the league, Steven Stamkos, hit at least 40 goals for the fourth time in his career. His 43 goals led the team and he finished in a tie for points with 72, however his total minutes were his lowest in a full season and his average ice time hit below the 20 minute mark for the first time since his rookie year. On top of the captain’s production, the top line of Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov were simply dominant. The line which was dubbed “The Triplets” featured three second-year players who all finished in the top-five for scoring on the team. Kucherov put up an impressive 64 points despite averaging 14:57 ice-time. Johnson impressed hockey fans with his intensity and speed, tying Stamkos for the team lead in points. Palat, drafted 208th overall in the 2011 draft, followed up his runner-up to the Calder Trophy season by putting up 63 points in 75 games, showing the league that there was no weak link on their line.
Valtteri Filppula started the season as a third-line center averaging over 19 minutes a game, but behind Stamkos and Johnson on the depth chart. That situation changed when Stamkos converted to the right wing, giving the spot to Filppula and creating a dynamic they needed down the stretch to give them two lines that could score big goals. At 30 years of age, Ryan Callahan tied his career-high in points, set in the 2011-12 season, with 64. He was effective playing in a complimentary role, averaging his lowest ice-time during the playoffs since the 2007-08 post-season, as a member of the New York Rangers. Alex Killorn averaged 16:56 ice-time which was a career-high for him and after putting up 38 points in 71 games, he stepped it up in the playoffs and added 18 points in 26 games, while averaging 20:10 ice time.
Rookie Jonathan Drouin was expected to turn heads and in a way he did, but for all the wrong reasons. After scoring just 4 goals in 70 games on a Tampa Bay team that is creative, and averaging just 13:14 of ice-time, Drouin became a healthy scratch during the post-season and played in only six games. Cedric Paquette became quite the story in the post-season, scoring key goals and lining up against Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, but he also had some not-so-great moments, like getting dropped by Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. Vladislav Namestnikov split time between Tampa Bay and Syracuse and was effective in his role. Given his skill level, it’s possible he’ll receive a more prominent role at the NHL level next season.
If you didn’t know who Victor Hedman was before last season, you should now. His 38 points in 59 games was his second highest point-per-game average of his career, and he received a bump in ice-time during the playoffs, where his true compete level was seen by the hockey world. Anton Stralman got a fresh start in Tampa and received more opportunities, averaging a career-high 21:57 of ice time, and putting up career-numbers in goals, assists and points. Another fresh face that settled with the Lightning, Jason Garrison provided stability in the top-four and his big shot from the point was a nice addition to their threatening powerplay.
Ben Bishop put up his lowest save percentage in the last five seasons but he was still good enough to back-stop a team that out-scored their opposition more often than not. In the post-season, Bishop showed true character by diving into the action head first and battling through a torn groin to help his team fight for a Stanley Cup. Drafted in 2012, Andrei Vasilevskiy may be getting primed for a starting role and he certainly has the potential to do so, but at the age of 20 there is still lots of time for him to learn the ropes behind Bishop before he makes that transition.
General Manager Steve Yzerman was among the busiest in the weeks leading up to the draft and he was just as active in the season as well. Defenseman Eric Brewer was sent to Anaheim in exchange for Edmonton’s 2015 3rd-round pick, while they acquired prospects Carter Ashton and David Broll from Toronto for a conditional 2015 7th-round pick. In a class act move, goaltender Evgeni Nabokov was dealt to San Jose for future considerations, allowing the netminder to retire as a member of the Sharks. At the draft, Yzerman bolstered his blueline by acquiring Braydon Coburn from Philadelphia for Radko Gudas, a conditional 2015 1st-round pick and a 2015 3rd-round pick. Yzerman then sent out Brett Connolly to Boston for a pair of 2nd-round picks, one in 2015 and the other in 2016.
The Off-Season and Free Agents
Heading into the off-season, the Lightning have a total of five free agents to decide on. Of the five free agents, four of them are restricted to the team, including forward Andrei Vasilevskiy, and defensemen Mark Barberio, Andrej Sustr and Luke Witkowski. 36-year-old forward Brenden Morrow is the lone upcoming unrestricted free agent. In terms of non-roster players, Yzerman will have to decide on seven restricted free agents and five unrestricted free agents.
There isn’t much need for a team that is deep at the forward position, steady on the blue-line and set between the pipes. There could be the option to add more depth up front but with Drouin and Namestnikov around, simply giving them more ice time and sheltered zone starts could make a difference. With six defensemen already signed at least until next season and three restricted free agents, Yzerman could have the opportunity of making a few deals to make room. Even then, there are a few prospects in the pipeline that could push for a spot on the roster, such as Slater Koekkoek and Anthony Deangelo.
If there is a need to move a few contracts out to clear up some cap space and allow a couple of prospects to make their way into the line-up, veteran center Brian Boyle could attract some attention as he is set to make a rather cheap $2 million for the next two season, while Mattias Ohlund (who hasn’t played since 2011) is entering the final year of his deal. Again though, the absolute need to make a move is quite minimal at this point in time. The Lightning have a solid team, from top to bottom.
The Draft Table
Yzerman and his scouting staff will have nine picks to work with at this upcoming draft, and funny enough they do not possess their own first, second and third round selections this year. While their own 29th overall pick was used in the Coburn trade, they have the Rangers 28th overall pick as part of the St. Louis deal. The Lightning also have the Bruins second-rounder, the Ducks third-rounder (originally belonging to Edmonton), the Ducks 4th and 7th-round picks and the Coyotes 6th round pick. In all, Tampa Bay will select 28th, 44th, 64th, 118th, 120th, 150th, 153rd, 180th and 208th.
At 28th overall, the potential of landing a big prospect is still there. While there is no gaping holes in the Lightning’s prospect pool, with strengths at all positions, Yzerman could kick things off by selecting a big winger with tons of offensive upside like Brock Boeser. They could also look for help on the other wing, with a big, physical player like Jake DeBrusk, who has great family bloodlines as well as top-notch talent. If defensemen like Thomas Chabot and Jeremy Roy slide a little, the Lightning could add to their defensive ranks that already star future NHL regulars Koekkoek and Deangelo.
The Lightning would be best off going for a forward in the first round however, as they are in a fine spot in the second round to take a defenseman like Nicolas Meloche. While his game is still somewhat green at this point, he has loads of potential and could very well transition into a solid, two-way defender that plays on the team’s top-four. Of course, if the team selects Boeser, they made be tempted to select his teammate and two-way center Thomas Novak.
A player like Julius Nattinen or Nathan Noel could drop into the early third-round and would be viable options for the Lightning at the 64th spot. Selecting either one of them along with the names mentioned above, Tampa Bay would land three probable NHL regulars and good ones at that. Mixed in with their scouting club that found Palat in the 7th round and you’ll find every reason why the Lightning are as good as they were last season, and why that won’t be changing any time soon.
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