Why the Tampa Bay Lightning have nothing to worry about
By Jim Lynch
The Tampa Bay Lightning did not have the best October. For a team that was recently in the Stanley Cup Final, going 5-4-0 and being in and out of a playoff spot might not be the best result. That being said, there really is nothing to worry about down in Tampa Bay.
Why the Tampa Bay Lightning have nothing to worry about
The Colorado Avalanche might be the defending Stanley Cup Champions, but the Tampa Bay Lightning are still the premier league in the NHL. The Lightning won back-to-back championships and followed that up with another run to the Final this past year.
The Lightning have nothing to worry about. Despite their team losing some key players again this offseason due to the salary cap, they still have the main stars this roster needs.
Nikita Kucherov has 15 points in the team’s first ten games. Steven Stamkos leads the team with seven goals and Brayden Point is healthy with five goals and ten points in their first ten games.
While this team might not have won every game they played in October, they are getting production from the players they need right now. Which brings me to another reason the Lightning do not need to worry.
Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul are taking on bigger roles this season then they have had in the past. Hagel is averaging almost 17 minutes a night and Paul is playing over 18. Both were added to the team last year and were expected to provide that second waive of talent. So far each player has six points including this goal from Hagel.
The Tampa Bay Lightning might not have every player that won their back-to-back championships. Their lineup might have been hurt due to the flat salary cap of the past three years, but overall this group is still one of the best in the league.
The Lightning might not be in the top ten in our power rankings, and they might not get home-ice advantage this year. All that matters for this team is getting back into the playoffs yet again. Because once they get in, they have shown anything can happen.
The Lightning’s next game is on Thursday, Nov. 3, at home against the Carolina Hurricanes.