The road to the Stanley Cup Playoffs might be different this year for the Tampa Bay Lightning. A team so used to coasting to the postseason, might have to work a little bit harder now.
The Lightning had to shake up their roster yet again this past offseason. The core group of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, and Steven Stamkos is still there, but all in all this team looks a little different on the ice this season. With that in mind, here are a few teams that the Lightning need to worry about.
There is a very real possibility that the road to the postseason this year for Tampa Bay involves the Wild Card. In years past, the Lightning have had no problem finishing in the top three within their own division, but with so many good teams on the rise within their own division that might not be the case this season.
The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs still look like locks to finish in the top three of the Atlantic Division. That third spot obviously is the goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but Detroit looks like a real wagon early this season, and that does not include the Panthers, Senators, and Sabres.
Every team in the Lightning’s division seems to be built to make the playoffs with the lone exception being the Montreal Canadiens. That means there are seven teams vying for just 5 available spots, and that also includes a group of teams in the Metro also hoping to make the postseason.
With all that in mind, the Lightning need to play well against their own division, something that has not been the case so far. As of this writing the Lightning have played seven games on the year. Their three wins have come against teams outside their division and they have gone 0-2-2 against their division rivals in Detroit, Ottawa, Toronto and Buffalo. That has to change fast.
The three teams the Tampa Bay Lightning have to worry about most.
1. Ottawa Senators
Winning the matchup against the Ottawa Senators might be the main key to get the Tampa Bay Lightning back into the postseason. Ottawa looks like a team built to win this season, but the Lightning still have more star power.
2. Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers snuck into the playoffs last year and made an epic run to the Stanley Cup Final. This season the Lightning might be one of those teams that has to sneak in late in the season. Winning the regular season series against this state rival will be key to getting enough points to make the postseason.
3. Buffalo Sabres
The Lightning need to win their games against the Buffalo Sabres this year. They already played once, with the Sabres winning the game in overtime, but they play three more times this season, once in January, February and April. So, with that in mind, the Lightning need to make sure they pick up the six points still available in this series.
Obviously every game is an important matchup, but when it comes to these three divisional rivals, winning the matchups against one another might be the difference maker to make the postseason.