Tampa Bay Lightning
Last season: 45-29-8, lost to Florida Panthers 4-1 in first round of playoffs.
COACH: John Cooper (525-279-75 over 11-plus seasons, 2 Stanley Cup titles).
SEASON OPENER: Oct. 11 vs. Carolina.
DEPARTURES: C Steven Stamkos, D Mikhail Sergachev, LW Anthony Duclair, D Matthew Dumba.
ADDITIONS: C Jake Guentzel, D Ryan McDonagh, D J.J. Moser, RW Cam Atkinson, C Zamgus Girgensons, C Conor Geekie.
GOALIES: Andrei Vasilevskiy (30-20-2, 2.90 goals-against average, .900 save percentage), Jonas Johansson (12-7-5, 3.37, .890).
BetMGM STANLEY CUP ODDS: 22-1.
What to expect
Stamkos was the face of the franchise for more than a decade, and the Lightning acknowledge their long-time captain will be missed. But the expectations within a team not too far removed from making three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final — winning it twice — have not changed. The Lightning feel their championship window is far from closed. And with a star-studded nucleus of Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brayden Point augmented by talented offseason acquisitions Guentzel and McDonagh, it's difficult to argue they don't have everything it takes to be a legitimate contender.
Strengths and weaknesses
The good: Vasilevskiy is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. With Guentzel plugged into a line with Kucherov and Point, as well as replacing Stamkos on the power-play, the Lightning figure to remain one of the league's high-scoring teams.
The not-so-good: One of the top priorities in the offseason was bolstering the defense, which saw Hedman get a four-year, $32 million contract extension. In addition to reacquiring McDonagh, who was a key member of Tampa Bay's Stanley Cup winners, Moser was obtained a trade that sent Sergachev to Utah. A lot of eyes will be on how the defense performs.
Players to watch
Kucherov had 100 assists and led the league in scoring with 144 points last season. Point scored a team-high 46 goals, so it will be interesting to see how Guentzel (30 goals, 47 assists for Pittsburgh and Carolina last season) fits that line. Hedman, entering his 16th season, takes over as captain. Vasilevskiy is healthy after missing the start to last season following back surgery.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
The Associated Press
