31 in 31: Tampa Bay Lightning 2018-19 season preview

NHL Network's Mike Johnson and NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen look at the biggest questions facing the Tampa Bay Lightning this season and make their highly anticipated playoff predictions

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[IzDawg]

I feel like a lot of people don't realize how deep this organization as a whole truly is. First off they have Hedman, Stamkos, and
Kucherov all signed together for the next 6 years minimum. And even if THIS GROUP'S window is closing on winning the cup. They have a plethora of young talent down in Syracuse that are NHL ready to step in and fill in spots that Stevie-Y will have to empty due to the Cap. The sky is the limit for this Organization.

[Awolfx]

Gotta hand it to Yzerman. He sure know's how to build great teams.

[gigatron]

This team has got to win the cup one of these days.

[TBL]

I cannot wait for the next season for Tampa. After a disappointing last season, we need to rebound and get it going again, we might not be able to repeat the same franchise records we broke last year but who knows it could be even better this year too. It'll be very interesting to see how the young guys also keep stepping up, and one man who wasn't mentioned in the video was also Sergechev who had a better season last season than many expected I think, I hope he continues that production this year and becomes an even better player. Let's go Bolts!

[randybobandy]

Sounds like there’s a dog whistle with the audio

[icyspicytm]

Omg please tampa I am hoping for us to win!!! Winnipeg v Tampa Bay 2018/2019 Stanley cup finals, mark my words!!!

[joshyjr]

I can kinda see them making it to the final or the East Final

[IzDawg]

And the splits on Vasy's stats in the 2nd half of the season is not his fault at all whatsoever. If you truly follow this team game in and game out you'd know their defensive play let Vasy down in the later stages of the season. Ruined his chance to win the Vezina b/c in my eyes he's seriously the best goalie in the league.

[oooooooooorly]

Tampa strikes me as a team that will blow anyone away in a high-event firewagon game but that doesn't have much going for them in a more rigid, neutral-zone-trap type situation. Their skaters aren't great at working in tight spaces with clogged lanes, they rely a lot on "distributed" scoring threats which break down when their passing game is disrupted. They need a couple guys who can really hold onto the puck under pressure if they're going to avoid getting bounced by teams playing a stiff defensive system like the Caps did last year.

In many ways, they remind me of the Caps in the two years prior to this past one.

[nickkb]

Best team in the last 5 years not to win a cup. Who agrees?

[ckendall]

- I'm a Leafs fan here but I still say Tampa Bay is head & shoulders above the rest in the Atlantic Division, at least for now. The Leafs are getting much closer to Tampa's benchmark but they're not there just yet. Tampa is still stacked 4 lines deep & their Top 4 Defense is arguably one of the best in the league. I'm actually kinda hoping they DON'T trade for Karlsson because then that'll make their defense even scarier. If Karlsson winds up landing with a team in the West then the Bruins & Leafs will be breathing a sigh of relief that they won't see EK as much. Pressure is going to be sky-high again for the Lightning though, 3 Conference Final appearances in 4 years( all 3 series going the distance ), a Cup Final appearance in 2015...but still no Cup to show for their success. Now that the Capitals have finally broken through their glass ceiling and won their 1st Cup, the Lightning will probably be in that spot until they win another one themselves. And for them to be successful Stamkos must continue to stay on the ice & stay healthy, he makes their offense even more dangerous when he's out there. Tampa Bay is still the standard-bearer in the Atlantic, and as a Leaf fan that really doesn't surprise me to be quite honest.

[nathantoth]

For me there's always hesitation on Eastern Conference because of Penguins with Crosby and Malkin... LETS GO BLUES!

[scottw]

Their penalty kill scheme was terrible. That is why the coaching change.

[pixburgh]

should be a great 2016 ecf rematch this year

[JHockeyFan]

Should win the Cup this year, but I have a feeling they don’t again...

[Mightyduckster]

They are contenters for a very long time I can tell you that

[Bolt]

ECF in 3 out of 4 years just like my rangers and no Stanley cup for them how wonderful I kinda want a western team to win the cup this year since the east won a lot lately hoping for Boston or Toronto in finals but I think Tampa will be in ECF at least

[proffeine]

121 points, 1st in division, upset in 2nd round to Panthers in 7.

[davezarvan]

Tampa Bay has the best all-around group of skaters in the league. The PK absolutely underachieved last year, if they can come up to roughly league average, they'll be absolutely fine. Goaltending depth does concern me. Vasilevskiy is a top 10 goalie in the league. But they have a lose-lose situation: overplay Vasilevskiy and risk him getting worn out come playoff time, or give Domingue more starts and potentially lose a few wins and drop a little in the standings because of that.

Regardless, I think they come out of the regular season as the Presidents' Trophy winners, and have as good of a shot as anyone to win the Stanley Cup.

[themethodicalshow]

I picked they will lose in the first or second round depending on who they match up against, I expect them to play Boston round 1 probably take them out then get taken out by the Leafs in 6 or 7 in round 2 but ya never know the atlantic is a hard division to come out of nowadays