Coming off three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances, Tampa Bay Lightning fans are probably spoiled. It’s no secret many expected more from the team throughout the first month and a half. The Bolts currently sit at 11-7-1 and in the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. However, they are only four points behind Toronto for second in the Atlantic Division with two fewer games played. Their first month was tough as well, as the team played only two games at Amalie Arena the entire month of October. They also began the season minus the services of three veterans. Defenseman Ian Cole was suspended as the result of sexual abuse allegations, while both Zach Bogosian and forward Anthony Cirelli continued to recover from off-season shoulder surgery. Heading into American Thanksgiving, the Lightning looked to be turning a corner. They were 4-1 and starting to show glimpses of the team that dominated the Eastern Conference from 2019-2022. Here are three things the Lightning and their fans must be thankful for.
A Rejuvenated and Healthy Steven Stamkos
Entering this season, captain Steven Stamkos was coming off his best season but getting older. He had also undergone four to five different surgeries between 2013 and 2020. Naturally, there were questions about how long he could continue playing hockey at the highest level.
Stamkos has shown he’s not ready to slow down. He began the season scorching hot, with seven goals in the Lightning’s first five games. He then didn’t light the lamp for three weeks before scoring in three straight games leading up to the final game before the Thanksgiving holidays.
The captain has ten goals and 11 assists for 21 points about a quarter of the way through this season. The only gripe might be his tendency to take lazy stick penalties at inopportune times.
The Top Lines Play
With the departure of Ondrej Palat in free agency, Lightning coach Jon Cooper entered this season not knowing who would play alongside Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov on the top line. He tried many different combinations, hoping to find one that worked. It took a few games, but he finally settled on the 2022 trade deadline acquisition, Brandon Hagel.
The early returns have been stunning. Kucherov leads the team with 28 points. Ten of those are goals. He’s also launched a team-high 75 shots on net through 19 games. Hagel, meanwhile, has more points (13) in fewer games played this season than he did after being traded last year.
After enduring a significant groin tear early in last year’s playoff run, Brayden Point isn’t as dynamic as fans have grown accustomed to seeing him be. Even so, his six goals rank fourth on the team, and 18 points tie Mikhail Sergachev for third.
The Emergence of Nick Perbix
The Lightning started this season with only three established defensemen in their system. Cal Foote was young and inexperienced. The team brought in Ian Cole and Haydn Fleury during free agency and acquired Philippe Myers from Nashville for Ryan McDonagh.
After the season-opening three-game road trip, it became clear the team’s defense needed help. They called up rookie Nick Perbix from AHL Syracuse. The former college star debuted on October 18 vs. Philadelphia and held his own in almost 14 minutes of ice time.
Perbix’s poise with the puck impressed the coaching staff so much that he stuck around and ended up on the second defense pairing with Sergachev until a recent injury forced him out of the lineup.
Prior to being injured on November 17 vs. Calgary, the rookie had started showcasing his offensive skills. He had a four-game point streak from November 5-13.
The Lightning are nowhere near full strength, yet are showing signs of being hard to play against. With the returns of Cirelli, Perbix, and Foote likely on the horizon, they should enter 2023 as a threat to go deep into the playoffs once again. That’s something all Bolts fans should be thankful for.
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