EP. 15: "2026-2027 Regular Season on Deck"

Stevie Z gives his thoughts on preseason and what he thought about the format. He also talks about players that impressed and some that he wanted to see more from. He covers the Opening Night roster and gives his initial impression. He previews the opening game of the season vs. the Rangers and the home opener vs. the Capitals. Lastly, he talks about what he wants to see from the Bolts this season, and gives his Atlantic Division predictions. 

Transcript

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The preseason is finally done. The opening night roster has been finalized. We're going to get into it. I want to talk about preseason and the format. We'll talk about who impressed, who I wanted more from. We'll talk about the final roster for opening night. We'll preview the two games this week between the Rangers and the Washington Capitals. We'll look into some goals that I have for the Bolts at a minimum for this season. And if I have time at the end, I'll get into some division predictions on the Atlantic division. So let's get into it. For the preseason, I really liked the format. Right? Short and condensed. NHL regulars can only play two games. You know, so you don't really have to worry about taxing them too much or injury in a game where they might be playing a roster or another team's roster who is loaded with prospects who are trying to make an impression. You know, I thought when I first saw the new rules in the CBA regarding training camp that it was interesting that, you know, they would only have to play two games, but I was in favor of it. I was in favor of it all in all. I thought it was really quick. The Lightning played four games in a week. And it was just, it was structured so differently, so unique in comparison to what we have seen in previous training camps where they just kind of seemed to drag on. Now, in saying that, with it being a more condensed preseason or more streamlined, if you will, there was less time for prospects and fringe players to make an impression. I would say that for those who are interested in that element of training camp, that was hindered or almost taken away in a sense, because a lot of that groundwork was done prior to training camp and prospect development camps or what have you for various teams throughout the league. I would say that you know you couldn't really hide your line combos and defense pairings if you would normally throughout a longer training camp. Like what we saw for the Lightning was a lot of consistency throughout their line combinations and defense pairings from day one of training camp. And they stayed pretty consistent throughout, and we'll kind of get to that when we get to the opening night roster. And all that to say, right, about preseason being so streamlined, what can you expect early on in the season? I think you will have to understand that it will be a work in progress because a lot of the NHL regulars they didn't get the normal amount of reps that they would have gotten in an elongated preseason of past. Rather, it being so short and being so condensed, everything was just expedited. Everything had to happen quick, right? You there's no reading the tea leaves for who may make the team, who may not make the team. Everything was just kind of laid out in front of us from the jump. And I kind of enjoyed that. I really did. Everything was kind of cut to the chase, matter of fact, at least it in Boltz training camp. And I kind of want to get to players who stood out for me throughout preseason. Uh, and I have quite a few here, right? The first being Sam O'Reilly. I didn't know what to really expect from him coming into training camp. Came in with much fanfare, obviously being the number one prospect in the Tampa Bay Lightning system right now. And I thought he performed incredibly well. Winning face-offs, penalty kill, just a player who seems to play so mature for his age, he was one who pleasantly surprised me coming in because obviously, unless you watch you know, Canadian junior hockey, you wouldn't really have the opportunity to watch him on a regular basis. And being here in States, we don't really have that opportunity. So, really, your first opportunity to see Sam O'Reilly, not only live, but probably for the first time in person, was here at Boltz Training Camp, amongst other professionals. The other player, uh, another player was Benjamin Rautianin. I thought early on in training camp, he was trying to find his footing. I thought he was probably getting knocked off the puck a little bit too easy, had a hard time finding space out there for himself. I thought he was getting lost in the fray, especially in the first two preseason games. And like Sam O'Reilly, he did play all four. In the last two preseason games versus the Panthers, I felt as I watched him, he became more comfortable on the ice. He became comfortable with his skill set and understanding what he could do on a more um, I guess you could say, smaller rink, smaller ice sheet. And he began to kind of find himself on the ice a little bit more in getting involved, right? Not not on the outskirts of the ice and and being a more involved player. And I felt that you could really see uh a lot of his skill shine through. You could see that confidence, like it, and I hate to put this comparison on him, but I noticed elements of like a Kucharov-esque confidence about the way that he plays, especially and going into the very last preseason game against the Panthers on on Saturday night, when he scored that not amazing, but just incredible, incredibly confident, I'll say, shootout goal to win the game. You just were like, okay, this this kid has something about him, like he knows that he belongs. And obviously, the coming from a bigger ice sheet to a smaller ice sheet, there's going to be an adjustment period. But I think that in the future, whether he made the team or not out of training camp, we have somebody for the future who has that element to have confident, have confidence to score and be a big time player for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the future. Another player, uh, Connor Geeky, noted improvement. He looked much faster with his skating. And obviously, he had been working with Barb Underhill for the duration that he's been in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. And they say that it's it's not your first year that you work with Barb Underhill, but it's it's your second and third year. And obviously, being his third year in the organization, there was noted improvement in his skating and his ability to get around the ice. And I noticed that about his game. And you know what, like obviously coming in, he he wasn't noted for his skating, and it's much similar to Braden Point, right? When he when he came out of junior, Braden Point was not noted for his skating, and now he's probably one of the fastest skaters in the league, or has been one of the fastest skaters in the league. And I you kind of just look at that improvement for Connor Geeky, and there's a similar track in working with Barb Underhill and what she does with our players who probably need some help in their technique and their skating, and she is able to elevate them. And I know I thought that that was notable for Connor Geeky in the preseason. Um Jansen Parkins, who is a career, a 300-game career NHL player, right? Played with Anaheim last year, has been a bit of a journeyman the last few years. His ability to win face-offs and get around the ice and kill penalties and fulfill a bottom six, primarily a fourth-line center role, he was a surprise for me in camp because you don't you don't really know about him, especially when he was signed in the offseason. And he kind of came in and he carved himself out a role and made himself very noticeable scoring those two goals against Florida in the preseason. And I thought I thought that he was just a pleasant surprise, somebody who was off the radar, who was like, okay, you think that he's probably going to serve as organizational depth in Syracuse. And he kind of inserted himself into a role to where it was gonna it was gonna be a tough decision for the coaching staff whether or not to put him with the lightning or send him down to Syracuse. Uh Dennis Hildeby, the backup goaltender, big boy, 6'7. I noticed that off the jump. He looked incredibly comfortable in the net. He wasn't flopping around in the crease, he just seemed to track pucks really well. And although, I mean, he he lost that game in Nashville where they gave up three on entry goals or what have you. I'm not sure any of them are his fault. But just his ability to track the puck feels so comfortable in that. As a fan, watching him, I felt really comfortable in knowing that he would be our backup goaltender for this season and for the foreseeable future. Uh Noah Steen. Look, he's gonna start the season in Syracuse, but watching him throughout preseason, he was a player who reminded me a lot of Ross Colton and the edge that he played with. It just was very Ross Colton-esque. And somebody who was not afraid to mix it up in the corners, play with that little bit of swagger, play, play heavier, play bigger than he might be. And look, he I mean, he's he's well put together at what 6'1, 195 pounds. Uh and so now coming over and playing on a smaller ice sheet, he will get the opportunity to grow and develop down in Syracuse and hopefully continue on a development path along the likes of uh Sam O'Reilly and Rao Tiananen, where within the next couple years, he is plugging himself into a more permanent role in Tampa and being a contributor where I see him middle sixth, but more likely bottom sixth role for the Tampa Bay Lightning. And lastly, a player who I was really curious to see about coming into training camp preseason, Victor Hedman. So Victor Hedman, it has been stated that he lost weight, he cut weight, he was playing at 244 pounds last year, I believe he cut uh 15 pounds and is down to 229, as noted on the roster. And he was getting around the ice like we had been used to seeing him previously. I'm not saying that Victor Hedman is going to come out and light the world on fire like we have been used to seeing him. But what I am saying is that the ability to get up and down the ice, move around, be mobile, and be an active player to be able to get to certain spots that we felt he has not been able to get to, at least within the last year or two, but that we were accustomed to seeing Victor Hebman get to in the past. There's elements of that. And there's an element of uh there's an element of confidence in his game. There's an element of, I don't know if relief is the right word, but just the ability to go out and play again because his mental health is in a place where he is comfortable and he is confident enough to feel like he can get back to being a contributing member of this team. Uh players who I wanted to see more from, and it's really two, right? The first being Dylan Duke. I just felt like he needed to stand out in more than ways of just flying around the ice. I just didn't feel that he had an impactful enough training camp to warrant a position on the lightning, at least on the opening night roster. And that's a little foreshadowing. He was a Dark Horse candidate for me to make the team out of training camp. I thought that he could fulfill a bottom six role. I just felt like he kind of got lost in the fray, or he was trying too hard to be noticed, and it didn't necessarily work out for him the way that he wanted. And then obviously, in the last preseason game, he gets a 10-minute misconduct early in the first period, and you're kind of behind the eight ball. You're trying to make a final impression for the coaching staff and for Julian Breeswall, and you don't take yourself out of the game early on off a penalty where, yeah, the call was soft, but they were gonna limit whatever was gonna happen with the Florida Panthers, and you take yourself out of the game, and it just hurts your ability to make that impression. The other player that I wanted to see more from was Jacob Pelchier. Throughout the offseason, I've had many discussions on social media about Pelchier, and people, some fans were just so dead set that he should make the roster. And I'm not surprised that he didn't. I'm just not. I just I understand that he was the AHL MVP. I understand that he what he led the AHL in scoring, and that's great. It is. But here is something that I'm not sure people really grasp when they talk about Jacob Peltier making the roster. Okay, number one, the lightning roster is already a hard roster to crack at the four position. Incredibly difficult. So you better do something to stand out. Okay. I don't think that he stood out amongst the other forwards who made the opening night roster, another element of foreshadowing. I don't think he did enough. I thought that he was getting lost in the fray within the preseason games that he played, just not noticeable enough for me. And I look, he's had five seasons in the NHL. He's had five, you know, five years worth of stints or five seasons worth of stints in the NHL. He's got 90 plus career NHL games, and he hasn't been able to stick. He hasn't found a role. I personally don't think he's a bottom six player in the NHL, at least not for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he hasn't done enough to crack the top six. Right? So when you have those two things and you combine them, there's not necessarily good enough to crack the top six for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and you were lost in the fray in the games that you did play, not really noticeable. You kind of put yourself behind the eight ball, similar to Dylan Duke, where you are not able to make the type of impression that you want to make, to be able to put your best foot forward, to be able to have, to be able to have a chance to crack the lineup in an already, I would say, stacked forward group in the top six, where it's just very difficult. And personally, I didn't feel that he that he will be successful in a bottom six role for the Tampa Bay Lightning for what they're asking of him. I understand that he has done work on refining his two-way game, but that is at the AHL level. And in in the NHL games that I have seen him in, he hasn't really done much. He had a five-game call-up last year, wasn't really noticeable, and in the preseason games wasn't really noticeable. Obviously, his his contract converted to a one-way deal this year, so he's gonna make 875 down on the minors. But maybe I hate to say it, I don't want to put a limitation on him, but maybe that this is who he is. Maybe he will just be like that, you know, how like they have the triple-A baseball players. Maybe he is like that that 4A hockey player, you know, like somebody who will be very good at the AHL level and will be able to get stints at the NHL level, depending on what organization he's with, but he'll never be able to be a full-time or permanent NHL regular. Because I just don't, I just hadn't seen enough in his game, at least in the games that I've seen him play, for me to warrant to say if I'm Julian Breeswall or John Cooper, yes, that kid deserves to be in the lineup. He's a very good player at the AHL level. But you know who else was a very good player at the AHL level? Alex Barry Boulet. Now, are people like I've seen a lot of comparison? Oh, Pelchier's Alex Barry Boulay. No, he's not necessarily that, right? I think that he's still here for another year after this year. And it's not to say that he can't get called up. But I think the conditions have to be right for Pelchier to make the lightning roster to be either a top six or a middle six forward. Because I just don't think utilizing him in the bottom six is the is the best way to get the most out of him. And unfortunately, coming into this season, that's the only place, like kind of messing with the rosters, doing mock rosters and all that, that I could place him. Now let's get into the opening night roster. Okay, so I want to preface this by saying it is just the opening night roster. Okay. When this was released around 4 p.m. on Monday afternoon, there was a lot of commentary, people up in arms about who made the roster, who didn't, who should have made it, why is this person making the roster? And I just want to say it's just the opening night roster. Just because a player is on the opening night roster doesn't mean they're going to finish the season with the lightning. Dominic James is a good example. He did not crack the opening night roster with the temporary lightning, but he finished with the lightning throughout the playoffs and was probably one of their better forwards at the end of the year and going into the postseason. So just because the player is not on the opening night roster doesn't mean that they won't finish the season with the lightning. Okay, so the opening night roster for the 2026-2027 temperate lightning. We'll go forwards first. Anthony Sorelli, Connor Geeky, Zemkis Gergensen, Gage Gonsalves, uh Yanni Gord, who is injured, Jay Gensel, Brandon Hagel, Janssen Harkins, Pontus Homberg, Dominic James, who was injured for a few weeks, Nikita Kucharov, Ilya Mikhaeev, Braden Point, Scott Savarin, Jeff Raviel, Forwards, who did not make it. Okay. Who we were expecting. Sam O'Reilly. Uh Dylan Duke. I foreshadowed that. Jacob Pelche, I foreshadowed that. All three of them down to Syracuse. We're going to get to that in a second. On defense, they're carrying 8D heading into the opening nine. John Carlson, Eric Chernak, Max Crozier, Charles Edward, Dastu, Victor Headman, Emileberg, Ryan McDonough, J.J. Mosier. I said it coming into preseason. I thought they were going to carry a defenseman regardless. They had the caps base to do so. You have three 35 plus defensemen. They had to dip into organizational depth last year. I think it's a smart play to carry a defenseman if you can do it. So they're carrying a defenseman going into opening night. And the two goalies we knew Andre Vasilewski and Dennis Hildeby. Okay, so let's kind of get to some of the players who didn't make it. Sam O'Reilly. I'll be honest with you, I wasn't sure he was gonna make the roster. He impressed me greatly in preseason, but I think it's good that he is going down to Syracuse. First, because he's going to get to play all situations as a potential one or two C in the AHL. He's going to get minutes. And it will aid his development. And I do think that at some point this year he will get a call-up to the Lightning. And he may be fast-tracked. Number two, I just don't think. I just don't think having him with the Tempe Lightning playing a fourth-line center role is in any way going to aid his development as a potential big-time contributor, whether that be in the top six or a middle six center role for the Lightning in the future. Playing 10 minutes a night, I don't think that's going to aid his development at all. So knowing those two things, I think it was good that he got sent down to Syracuse. I already talked about why I think Duke and Pelchier got sent down. I think they got lost in the fray. There were other players who stood out more than them. And with that being said, unfortunately, you get squeezed out. And they're going to start the season in Syracuse. I talked about Geeky and his improvements. It doesn't surprise me he even with the opening eye roster. Just how he looked coming into camp, much faster. I'm not going to say he looked like a more complete player, but just because of that ability to skate around the ice and be a competitive skater and be able to put stick on puck and be able to skate with some guys who are more fleet-of-foot skating. He put himself in a position to make the opening night roster. I also think that he probably had an edge amongst the other forwards who were competing for a roster spot with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He's in the last year of his RFA entry-level contract. Therefore, I think that the Lightning are saying, all right, well, show us what you got. We're going to give you an opportunity. You've done the work over the last couple of years. You had a very good AHL season last year. You played all situations. In your time with the Lightning last year, there were some flashes, but not enough consistency. We're going to put you on the opening night roster like we did in your very first year, and we're going to see what it has looked like over the time that you have been with us. What does your development curve look like? How will it translate to the NHL when you begin on the roster opening night of 2026-2027? A player who got left off the roster, who he was one of the final cuts. And it's not even a cut. He got loaned back to Finland. Benjamin Ratiainen. Look, unfortunately, this sucks. His contract stipulates that he either made the NHL roster or he had to go back to Tappa in Liga in Finland. For his development, I'm not sure it helps a great deal because he's going back to a bigger ice surface in a league where he dominated last year. And I really felt that if there was a way for him to be able to play in Syracuse, it would have aided his development greatly. I know people are saying, well, why isn't he up instead of the likes of Scott Sabarin or uh a Janssen Harkins? And we'll kind of get into that in a second. But once again, Benjamin Ratiainen has a shit ton of skill. For me, watching him play throughout preseason, it doesn't serve him well. It doesn't aid his development similar to Sam O'Reilly to plug him on the fourth line, play 10 minutes where that skill is never displayed. That's just really tough for me to say, yeah, go ahead and put one of our better prospects down, plug him in on the fourth line so we can get 10 minutes a night. When I guess in a lesser of two evils, he goes back to Finland in a league where he will probably have, you're hoping he will have a season similar to last year and hopefully dominate. And then next year when he comes back for training camp, and well, not even necessarily after his season ends in Finland, he can come back to Tampa. So there's a there's a potential for him to be back in April, May, you know, that that's a possibility, right? Whenever the season in Finland ends, it's a possibility for him to come back. And what I want to see is if he doesn't, by next summer going into training camp, he's pushing to make a middle six, top six, you know, push on the Tampa Bay Lightning next year. And I think that'd be much better than playing fourth line minutes. And if he doesn't make the team out of camp next year, at least he will be in Syracuse playing those top six minutes, similar to how Sam O'Reilly is this year, getting that having that ability to aid his development and play in all situations. Look at the uh Jansen Harkins. A surprise. Like I said, he has over 300 career NHL games. He played in 40 plus games with Anaheim last year. 51% win face-off win percentage. I think that's probably a big reason as to why he he made the opening at roster. Will he stick? I don't know. Obviously, with Dominic James out for the first two weeks and Yanni Gord out to December, we needed help at center. And he's going to provide that. At least initially. He skates fairly well. I wouldn't say fair, I would say above average. He skates fast. At least more fast faster than I was anticipating. And watching him compete throughout preseason, he was a noticeable player. So it doesn't surprise me that he pushed to to compete for that fourth fourth-line center role. So when you when you look at it that way, it just makes a lot of sense, I think. Scott Sabron is the 13th Ford. It is what it is. Like he he has a role with the lightning. I think everybody knows what his role is. Kind of to make guys feel a little bit taller when he's playing and kind of police the ice. He's gonna be the 13th forward. I mean, I I don't like what more can you say? Everybody knows his role. It's not a really it's not really a surprise. And so for me, you know, I think I think the lightning got the opening night roster right, in my opinion. Kind of looking at uh the forward combos, right? So the we'll kind of get to some of the let's get into the forward combos and the defense pairs. So getting into it, the lines that have been consistent throughout camp are the lines that I think the lightning are going to open up the season with in New York. On the first line, Ilian McKayev on the left wing, Braden Point at center, Kutchov on the right wing. That's your first line. Your second line, Gensel left wing, Sorelli center, Hegel right wing, third line, Homburg, Gergensen's Viel, fourth line, Gonsalvis, Harkins, Geeky. That's your forward group. Sabron is the 13th forward. Obviously, that could change. But those were lines that we saw all throughout camp, and they were fairly consistent. Like I said, there was no hiding it this year with such a condensed camp. The lighting were pretty outright in saying, hey, this is what it's going to be. We're going to try to get as many reps as possible with this group. Um, whether they all they didn't, and they didn't all play together, they kind of split it so the top six would play, top six would play uh the home games, and the and the bottom six guys were on the road uh just in during preseason. The defense pairings were what I thought they would be coming like throughout offseason and coming into training camp, Mosier and Carlson, uh McDonough Chernack, Hedman Crozier, and in the press block, you got Destu and Lilleberg. I said in the last episode, out of those three, Crozier, Des Dew, Lilleberg, I thought Crozier had the upper hand. I like Crozier's game. Not only that, I think he's the best partner available for Victor Headman, and he's right-handed or right-handed shot. So that balance that the Lightning like to have on the left hand side, you've got Mojer McDonough Headman. On the right side, you've got Carlson Chernack Crozier. I like the balance. We'll see how it kind of shakes out a little bit. Obviously, Vasilevski and Hildeby are your goalies. And I, and now that I've kind of given you what the roster and what the lineup that we've seen throughout camp and throughout practice, understand something. It's very possible that this group starts out slow. They're in the same boat as any every other team in the NHL. Not a lot of reps throughout preseason with everything happening within 13 days. So things could be a little bit shaky, the chemistry could be off, the passing could be crap, whatever. Right? The gapping of defense on rush on rush coverage could be bad.

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Zone coverage when they're getting hemmed in could be poor. Just expect those early bumps and bruises because they didn't have a lot of time, a lot of game action and preseason kind of work those things out. But look, it's an 84-game season this year. So with that being said, right, similar to what I said about the opening night roster, just if the lightning don't start out like on fire, that doesn't mean they won't finish the season that way. Okay. I do think that in this division, and we're going to get to that, that it's imperative that the Lightnings start better than they did last year, right? Where I think they may have gotten what one win or one point in their first five, six, seven games. Like that can't happen. But do not be surprised if it just doesn't look good early on. It could look sloppy early on. And that's to be expected with training camp so short. Let's get into the two games for this week. Right? So on Thursday night, the Lightning will open their season at MSG to play the New York Rangers. It'll be the Rangers' second year under head coach Michael Sullivan. But last year the Rangers finished eighth in the Metro. They were abysmal. And although they were abysmal, they did beat the Lightning in the season series last year, two games to one. The Bolts' only win was at MSG, I believe right after Thanksgiving, where they held the Rangers to nine shots in a four-to-one win. Absolute domination. The Rangers got booed off the ice. I mean, absolute. I don't think I've ever seen a game like that in the regular game. I can't recall a game in my memory where the Lightning dominated like that. And the goal that the Rangers scored was kind of fluky to begin with. And it broke the shutout. But the Lightning absolutely dominated in that game. The Rangers did have some roster retooling. They signed Tony D'Angelo, uh, defenseman. They signed uh Dorfiev from, or they traded for Dorothyv. Traded for him, or they signed him. Regardless. He's on the team. He's been acquired, he's been signed. Signed a big contract with the Rangers. Uh Corposalo as a backup goaltender, uh, former Tampa Bay Lightning, Oliver Bjorkstrand on a one-year deal, and Ellie Tolman on a one-year deal. I don't know what to expect for first night. I'm really excited about it. I don't know what we'll get. Lightning have opened the season at MSG before. I'm jacked for it. Because that just means that we're a game closer to the home opener on Saturday night when they play the Washington Capitals. So this will be the Washington Capitals' fourth year under Spencer Carberry. They missed the playoffs last season just barely. They finished fourth in the Metro, third in the wild card with 95 points. Uh I am questioning if this is Ovi's last year. I, you know, so the Lightning Faithful will have two opportunities to see Alexander Ovechkin this year once on the home opener on Saturday, October 3rd, and then once in November, I believe November 17th, when he comes to Tampa potentially for the last time. Players that they some notable players, Alex Tuck, uh Jordan Cairo, Boone Jenner, teams that joined in the offseason. Tuck got a big contract. Some notable players that they lost to free agency. Trevor Van Reemsdijk, who was a long-term defenseman for them, and Brandon Duhaim, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency. The last year's season series, Boltz uh went 2-0-1 versus Washington. So look, I'm just really hoping that the Lightning get off to a good start. It doesn't necessarily have to equate to wins, but what you're hoping for is just obviously it's the first few games of the season. There's some excit, there's some excitability, just ready to go. Some excitement. I'm excited for these first two games. I will be in the building on Saturday for the first game for the home opener. I'll be glued to the TV for the season opener. The season starts on Tuesday. Uh Tuesday afternoon at 5 p.m. I believe the Panthers and Carolina kick off the NHL season. And the Lightning have to wait an additional two days before they kick off their season. As we wrap it up, I kind of want to talk about some goals, some benchmarks that I feel that the Bulls need to hit at a minimum really for what I would deem a successful season. So obviously making the playoffs. That's a given. With this core and what it is and the firepower that they have. I think making the playoffs, you have to. Winning around. Look, at some point, it's not up or shut-up time. We can keep going back to, oh, they were so close, right? Like last year, obviously they lose in game seven. Montreal gets two fluky goals and only have nine shots, but they lose this the series. It doesn't matter anymore. The lightning need to find a way to get into the playoffs, and they need to find a way to get past the first round again. They've got the talent to do it. No more of this. Oh, well, we were close. That shit's not cutting it anymore. It hasn't cut it the last few years. It's not going to cut it this year if it happens. Just so we understand, I'm saying it before the season even begins. Make the playoffs, find a way to win around. That's it. We don't need any more explanations for why it's not happening. We don't need to say, oh, a little puck luck. Screw that. Make the playoffs, win around, go on a run. Once you win around and you get that monkey off your back, this team has the talent to go far. But they have to get that monkey off their back in the first round and find a way. The big time players have to find a way to deliver. Vasilevsky, Kutrov, Point, Hedman, Hegel, Gensel, as a collective group, not just individuals in spurts and games. They need to be on all cylinders. I would really like for the Lightning to get back to having a top 10 power play in this league. Last year, they were for a large portion of the season, they were in the upper teens. They were like 17th for a time. I believe they finished last season 13th with 20.7% success rate on the power play. This team is too talented. There is far too much talent for this power play to struggle the way it did and be non-effective and be like a momentum killer the way that they were for the Lightning last year. Far too much talent. You've got the league MVP. You've got guys who can shoot the puck on the power play. It might be time for a little more creativity. Stuff where we're working it through Kuchrov, and he's going to be on the half wall, and we're going to pass to the point, and we're going to cycle it around, and we're going to look for the bumper shot for Braden Point. You know, we're going to go behind the net and let Gensel kind of facilitate and do all that stuff. That's fine, as long as the puck's going in the net. But it's time, it might be time for more creativity. I can't stand to watch this power play continue to put this team in a hole or kill momentum for this team when they've got it going because they can't score. Obviously, in preseason, they struggle. But when they scored one power play goal, it doesn't really matter because that's preseason. I don't need it clicking in preseason. But starting Thursday, we need to see elements of something taking shape where they're going to be more dangerous. It's no more, oh, we're cutting it close. It's the same stuff as the playoffs. Oh, we're cutting it close. We're almost there. Put the puck in the net. It's as simple as that. Stop passing it around. Look to put pucks on net. Look for dirty goals. They don't always have to be pretty. Top 10 power play. Top five defense. Uh and goals allow average. The lightning were third last year. Continue that trend. And with the offensive skill that this team has, I like their chances to be one of the top teams in the league at the end of the year. They have really short up how they've played defensively, the forwards coming back deep to assist the defense, especially in this system. And understanding that strong defense with this offensive skill will ultimately create offense. Having a top five defense in terms of goals allowed average, I think bodes well for this team if they can do it. The last one is once again having a top five PK. They were third last season, 82.6% success rate on the penalty kill. You've got speed, you've got tenacity, you've got guys who are willing to look to convert chances on the penalty kill, and they're looking to leak out and score goals on the penalty kill. If they can convert a lot of those chances and, like say that they're one of the top teams in short-handed goals, that's a possibility because they've got talent. You've got a player in Iliam Mikaiev who loves the penalty kill. That is his pride and joy as an NHLer. I'm paraphrasing, but he has said he loves the penalty kill. He provides value in that role. And watching him live in the first preseason game, the first preseason game that I think I've ever gone to in my time as being a Bold fan, his speed comes as advertised. It will be an issue for teams on the power play if he's on the penalty kill. Because he is hunting that puck and he is looking to get the puck and transition the penalty kill into offensive momentum for the lightning. Converting those chances, if the lightning get them, will be just an additional bonus. And a very welcome additional bonus. So those are my goals for at minimum. The lightning need to make the playoffs, they need to win a round, a top 10 power play in the league, a top five defense, and a top five PK. Those seem lofty, but when you talk about the Tampa Bay Lightning and this core, everything has always been lofty. The standard is high. This is not a rebuilding team where they're just looking to get to 500. For the like I've said, for the time that Julian Breesbaugh is the general manager and John Cooper is the coach, and you have the likes of Kucharov point, Hegel, Gensel, Sorelli, Hedman, McDonough, those guys, and Andre Vasilevsky. I think that you can always push to try to win the cup. That's why they compete. That's why they play. That's why we we come to the games in droves, and we are hoping that they are seeking to do that again. And obviously, I think they're gonna try to do that, and I think they're gonna do that. And as we round it out here, let's get into some division predictions. I've been kind of mulling how I want to go about this. I'm just gonna kind of keep it short and to the point. There's a little bit of cop-out in this. So I'll start here. The team that I think is finishing last in the Atlantic division is the Red Wings. I look at that roster, I look at some of the turmoil they've had, Stevie Y gone in the middle of the summer. I said it last year, towards the end of the season, and into the playoffs. Like I thought Stevie Y's days were numbered. It turned out it was true. And so now they they didn't have a general manager for quite a bit throughout the offseason. Then they name Sean Horkoff as the intern general manager. So you don't have any stability in that role, at least from a permanent standpoint. You have your captain who is saying he wants out in the roster construction, they just have a lot of really outsider to brink it and cider, I would say. You just have a lot of players who are really complimentary pieces, I would say. And I just don't think that team is good enough to really compete for a playoff position. I thought so last year, and they kind of fell off. And now you've got the additional off-ice issues with no general manager and Captain Wanning out, and it's just too much distraction. So that's eighth. I mean, like five, six, and seven is and it's tough. I mean, the Leafs today traded for Marchenko, sending Nyes back, and and that wasn't that's just only piece, that's only a piece of the deal, but those are the the two notable players in the trade. Are the Leafs better with Marchenko from a skill standpoint? I would say yes. Nice was an excellent power forward who had excellent chemistry with that team. I just don't I just don't know what they're getting from Bobrowski. Right? They've got, at least on Puck Pedia, they've got Darren Radish and Morgan Riley as a top defense pair. That bottom six of Easton Cohen, Nick Paul, right? Sissons, I believe Zach McEwen, Duhaim, like I just and then Teddy Blueger. I just that bottom six does not scream support to me. Like that bottom six screams slow to me. Like I don't know if that bottom six, I I like Nick Paul's a notable point scorer in the league, at least when he was with Tampa, but he lost his step last year. And I think it was true that he needed a probably a change of scenery until they sent him back home to Toronto, which is fine what's it gonna be like this year? Right, because I think personally he played with more skilled players on his lines in Tampa than he's going to play with in Toronto. I don't know. I have him somewhere between fifth and seventh. That's my top out. I I don't know where I'm gonna put him. The other team that I have in that fifth through sixth is the Boston Bruins. Look, last year the Boston Bruins were an excellent road team. They were shambolic at home, like not good at home. Were they 500 or below at home last year? They got excellent goaltending from Jeremy Swayman. Obviously, they've named Posternach Captain. You look at that defense, you look at the bottom six, you just like where is the where are the goals going to come from outside of Posternach? I I just like this team to me, I think they're in line for like a major regression from what they were last year. Like I said, I think they were they were an they were an excellent road team. Like they've got Petrka, Lindholm, Pasternach, Pakpedia has that as the first line. You've got Middlestat, Zaka, Geeky, Morgan Geeky as the second line. You've got Haggins Minton on the third line, Janelle Corale, Castelik on the fourth line. I just like where are the goals coming from? You're hoping that you can get something out of Petrka, like he's going to elevate his game in a first-line role with the Boston Bruins, but outside of posture now, maybe Geeky. Right? You look at the defense, got a young player and Brunette, who I'm unfamiliar with. You got Charlie McAvoy, who's going to miss the first couple games of the season. Will Borgan, Handis Lindholm, Nikita Zodorov, Connor Clifton. I just don't I think this team is in line for a major regression. I've got them in seventh this year. The team is not very fast. They're big, but they kind of lug around the ice. And unless Posternock, Geeky, and what you're hoping in JJ Paterka scoring goals and Jeremy Swaven, uh Swayman Saveman, Swayman saving their ass this year. I think they're in line for just a significant regression towards what they probably are. Like you got to be able to win games at home. They didn't do that enough last year. Will they do that this year? I don't know. Like I said, it it remains to be seen. I just don't know if this team has enough firepower in this division to kind of keep pace. They don't have the speed, and I'm not sure they have the scoring finesse to be able to maintain their place that they were last year. Uh the other five or six, oh gosh. It was between the Sens and the Sabres. I just like this division is so tight. And it's like just another one of those cop-out things where who is it gonna be? Like who who who in that group of three for me five through six? I mean, you look at Buffalo's roster coming into this season Krebs, Thompson, Done, McLeod, Norris, Helenius, Benson, Austlin, Quinn, Kulik, Carrick, and Mallenstein. This team is fast, guys. This team is fast. Dallen, Krebier, Zellweger, Power, Grizz, Grizzlick, and Metzah. They've got Lucan in the lion. I think I think maybe some inconsistencies in finding out who their goaltender is. Because I think they rolled through what four guys last year. I think they kind of have to iron that out. But that four group skates incredibly well. And that kind of scares me if like I'm a lightning fan and knowing that the lightning had some trouble keeping up with them last year. Looking at Ottawa and comparing that. Looking at their roster, obviously they lose Brady Kachuk. But right now, Puckpedia has them their lineup looking at Berikowski, Stutzel, Batherson, Eklund, Cousins, Zetterlin, Amadio, Pinto, Giroux, Cousins, Greg, and Halliday, their defense, Sanderson, Yak, Chibot, Spence, Clevin, Manton Paulo, uh, and obviously Old Mark and Erson as their goalies. This bot. I just, oh gosh. I think it's Ottawa and fifth. I think it's Ottawa and fifth, but I think that this division is strong, so strong this year. This might be the best division in hockey again, where I think Ottawa is pushing for that second wild card. Because I think both wild cards are going to come out of the Atlantic. So I'm going to go right now. I've got Red Wings, I've got Red Wings eighth. I've got Bruin seventh. I've got the Leafs in sixth. I've got the Sens in fifth pushing for that second wild card. That will leave me to put the Sabres at fourth in the first wild card. I think that that group is very fast at the forward position. I still think they leave a lot to be desired in net. And so, you know, it'll be like, and I also just think that they had such an amazing season last year. Like they had that 30-point jump. I think maybe we might see a little bit more regression. So they had such, they mean they got on a roll and they kept it going. Now, when teams are gunning for you, we'll kind of see how it is. And like I said, I'm just unsure about their play, their goaltender and that. And if they're young, players can kind of replicate um some of the success that they had last year. Because not all success is linear, obviously. So what you're what you're thinking is that there will be a little bit of regression, and this team is going to, I think, solidify themselves in the first wild card. So right now, let me recap Red Wings in eighth, Bruins in seventh, Leafs in sixth, Sens in fifth in the division, but pushing for that second wild card. I think the Sabres are fourth in the division, but they solidify that first wild card. And now we're going to get to the top three. I know. They've got an excellent forward group. No doubt. Their first two defense pairings in Forzling and why am I drawing a blank? Ekblad, there we go. I'm thinking of Eklund, but no, it's Ekblad. They're a good first defense pairing. Their second defense pairing in Mikola and Seth Jones. I think that's a serviceable, a good second defense pairing. Like I get shades of what McDonough and Chernak are. Maybe not to the point like McDonough's defensive prowess, but I think that there's elements of that for them. Their third pair is a bit dodgy. Like you've got Kulakoff and Gutis. And I think that like that's a net negative for them. Like they may be able to lay punishment, but I think as a team, like if you have fast skaters, you're hoping that you can catch those guys on the ice. I think like you listen to the forwards that they have: Barkov, both Kachuks, right? Matthew and Brady, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Cardiver Hagee, Brad Marchand is on IR right now, Anton Lundell, Etu Louis Darinen, Garnet Hathaway for some sandpaper, Lars Eller, and then they've got Boko and Mama right now listed on the roster, Puckpedia. Gadjevich is listed on LTIR, and Vilmanis, who made the roster young. Young 22-year-old winger. I believe he's Latvian. But I'm going to tell you right now, I am not sold on that goaltending. I'm not sold on it. I think they're trying to take a page out of the Carolina Hurricanes book here with like we're going to rely on the system and play really well in front of our goaltending, so it doesn't matter who's in net. But Markstrom and Schmid have been known to give up lots of goals, look very uncomfortable in net. And so I am not sold on that goaltending. I'm just not. I think they're going to make the playoffs. People are saying they're going to finish first in the division. It's just because of the top nine, right? The offseason hype. Maybe they will, but I'm not sold on the goaltending. And I think that'll be their Achilles heel. Personally, they may be a healthier group. Obviously, it's an older group, similar to the Lightning. And I think they will provide some excitement with some health coming back. I think they're going to play the way that they always have. They tow the line. Like I said, top nine, I think, is the best in the league. But that goaltending leaves a lot to be desired. Not as much as the Buffalo Sabres. But for a team that wants to contend for a cup who has won the cup two out of the last three years, I think they need more net. And I'm not sure they're going to get it from Mark Strom or Keir Schmidt. My last two. This was really tough. I wanted to put the Boltz at first, but I'm going to go with them in second. It wouldn't surprise me if they push for first, and I'm going to give you my reason why. I think this has more to do with Montreal than it does with Tampa. Montreal returns everybody. Young, fast forwards, very good on defense. Players are taking less. They're building a culture similar to the Tampa Bay Lightning. You've got a coach in Marty Saint-Louis who has got those guys playing exactly the way that he wants them to play. You've got a young goaltender in Dobesh who surprised the hell out of me in the postseason. I think they're going to push to win the division this year, which ultimately leaves the Lightning to be in second. Here's my argument for why the Lightning could finish first. The Lightning finished second in this tough ass division last year with players the likes of Brainpoint, Victor Hedman, Nick Paul, who is no longer obviously with the team, having down years. This team, the Lightning dipping into organizational depth, playing as many as what, nine or 10, 11 defensemen from the organization this past season. Forwards, forward depth being tested. Not to mention, Point and Headman did not have great seasons last year. Far beyond what we're accustomed to seeing. And yet this team was what, two to three points outside of winning the division behind Boston, uh behind Buffalo. That's my argument for why they will finish first, but I think they're going to finish in second. And I think that has a lot to do with what Marty St. Louis and John Gordon and those guys are building in Montreal. It's really impressive. Players are taking less. Like I said, what you're thinking is, uh, and they also I think they have a better goaltender than what Buffalo does. So that's why, like, I'm not saying similar that success is linear because it's not. But a lot of those players, I think, in the last couple years, they have seen, they have had playoff experience, they have been there, they've got to the third round, and now I think they know what it takes to win a little bit. Could there be some regression for some of their younger players? Absolutely. But you've got the likes of Elaine Hudson, uh, Demi Dov, right? You've got that young bottom six who's they're not afraid of anybody. They they want they go toe-to-toe. They were excellent against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round last year, where they just dominated Tampa's bottom six in terms of uh scoring output. And not to mention, you've got the likes of Suzuki and Caulfield anchoring your first line. Like, I just really think that this team in Montreal, and not to like glaze them over and blow them up, but I think they're really good. And just because of that, and out of fear of wanting to be just, oh, you're a homer. No, I try to see things um with some perspective and give perspective and give an honest truth. I gave an argument for why I think the Landing could finish first, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're finishing second and the Habs win the division. And honestly, you can make it an argument for the Florida Panthers as well, if they get above average goaltending from Markstrom and Akira Schmidt. Like, because I think right now, with those guys in net, the Panthers are having to try to outscore their problems if they don't get their defensive structure in order early on. Right? They could be fishing for another goaltender come midseason if it's not what they're if it's not panning out. So, to recap, in eighth, the Red Wings, in seventh, the Bruins, in sixth, the Leafs, in fifth, the Sens pushing for that second wild card. Wouldn't be surprised if they get it because I think this is the strongest division in hockey as of late. In fourth, the Buffalo Sabres comfortably in that first wild card. In third, the Florida Panthers, you can make an argument for first. If they get better goaltending than what I think they're gonna get, um, especially with that top nine. The lightning in second, I made an argument for first. With if you get the types of seasons that we're looking for, the rebound seasons from the likes of the players of Point Headman and so on and so forth, coupled with health. And another amazing season by Kuchin Vassi. Wouldn't surprise me if they finished first, but I had the Montreal Canadians finishing in first this year. They're building a culture and they're still working to sustain it. Players are taking less, they're buying in. It's very, it's very Tampa Bay Lightning-esque. Wouldn't be surprised if they win the division at all. So they're my pick to win the division, and then we'll kind of get to some more stuff later on with the playoffs and all that stuff. But that that's my Atlantic division prediction. Guys, this has been fun. I think I went a lot longer than I wanted to. Um, look, opening night, Thursday night for the Lightning at MSG, home opener at the benchmark, Saturday night versus the Capitals. We'll talk we'll talk soon. DVD.