The 2023-24 campaign has not been one to remember for the Tampa Bay Lightning the first four games in. However, a few individual efforts stick out in the small sample size. Here are the top three Lightning players to start the season.
Three Stars of the Tampa Bay Lightnings First Four Games
1. Brandon Hagel
Brandon Hagel is hands down the best player on the ice for Tampa Bay to open the season. He continues to bring his high-intensity game in transition and on the forecheck. Hagel is one of the best-conditioned players the NHL has to offer. He showed this in the dying seconds of regulation against the Buffalo Sabres by scoring the game-tying goal with seven seconds left.
Hagel led the Lightning with four goals in four games. In addition, he had five points, three of which came at 5v5. Hagel led all Lightning players with 15 shots on goal and 10 high-danger chances. He ranked 3rd in high-danger chances amongst the entire league. Hagel uses his lower-body stability to win battles against defencemen attempting to clear him out.
Microstat tracking completed by Kyle Pereira and myself shows Hagel offers more than goal-scoring. On opening night, Hagel made 13 of his 15 pass attempts. His 13 completed passes ranked second-best amongst Lightning forwards. Furthermore, he recorded a high-danger pass and chance assist. Hagel helps the Lightning maintain pressure using the cycle. His five offensive zone cycle passes ranked second-best amongst Lightning forwards. Hagel uses his speed to burst around defenders and generate scoring chances in transition. Hagel controlled roughly 71% of his entries in game one, third best amongst all Tampa Bay players. He has been a treat to watch, making his fresh 8-year deal look like a bargain.
2. Anthony Cirelli
A less obvious pick based on the scoresheet, Anthony Cirelli has been dominant in puck possession at 5v5 for the Lightning. Cirelli had a respectable three points in those four games, all of which have come at 5v5. Cirelli led the Lightning in nearly every possession statistic. He’s controlled an impressive 56.64% of the expected goal share on-ice. No player on Tampa Bay controlled more than 46.08% of the expected goal share. Moreover, Cirelli handled 59.26% of the scoring chance share and 68.42% of the high-danger chance share over that span.
Cirelli continues to play so dominantly due to his off-puck gameplay. He is one of the best players in the NHL at reading the play when the puck isn’t on his stick. After all, most players possess the puck for less than one percent of an entire hockey game. However, when Cirelli does have the puck, he sets up scoring chances for his linemates. Against the Nashville Predators, three of Cirelli’s eight passes resulted in chance assists for the Lightning. The Hagel and Cirelli duo is underappreciated and will continue to control the pace of play at 5v5.
3. Tanner Jeannot
The Lightning didn’t spend a rack of draft picks for nothing when they acquired Tanner Jeannot via trade. The ferocious and hard-hitting winger showed flashes of excellence when he scored 24 goals for the Predators in 2022. Jeannot has been one of the best players on the roster to open the season. He recorded three points in four games, all points at 5v5.
Moreover, Jeannot provides superb value to the breakout. Against the Predators, he completed six breakout passes. Three cross-ice passes, one pass to the middle lane, and one to the perimeter. His six breakout passes were the most amongst all Tampa Bay forwards. In addition, Jeannot is carrying the puck through the neutral zone from his clean breakouts. His nine zone entry attempts ranked third-best on the Lightning against Nashville. Jeannot deserves more opportunity in the middle-six for his services to start the season.
The Superstars Need to Step Up
While the middle-six has pieced together a respectable effort to open the season, this won’t be enough for the Lightning to return to the playoffs. Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and Victor Hedman will need to compete more on both sides of the puck. The Lightning started last season with a record of 1-3 through four games. Jon Cooper is more than capable of leading this group past adversity.
Main Photo Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
