Lightning back in Cup-contending form despite injuries
Even though expectations were limited for the Tampa Bay Lightning, the group has shown resilience so far this season and is keeping up with the best in the NHL.
Even with the absence of captain Victor Hedman, defenseman Ryan McDonagh, and other players missing time, the Lightning have managed to pull through and stay in the hunt for first in the Atlantic Division. Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel have managed to step up and produce at a high rate, and Andrei Vasilevskiy has been lights out between the pipes.
As we dive deeper into January, the Lightning are looking like a team that’s a legitimate threat to go on a deep playoff push.
On Wednesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discuss how the Lightning remain Stanley Cup favorites, despite all of the hurdles they’ve encountered.
Tyler Yaremchuk: If I had to place my money right now on which team I’d trust the most in the Atlantic to go on a deep playoff run, it’s absolutely the Bolts. I know it’s funny because Andrei Vasilevskiy’s been an elite goalie for so long, but you forget he’s 31 years old. Like, this isn’t a guy who’s 35, 36. You look at the forward group, Kucherov’s 32, Point’s 29. Like, they actually have a lot of pieces now who, yes, they’re in their late 20s, but they’re not in their late 30s. This is a team that, maybe after a couple of seasons losing in the first round and not going on those deep runs, maybe they are a little recharged. Maybe they are ready to take a step and go to a conference final, go back to a Cup Final.
Carter Hutton: When you think about where you’re going to match up in the playoffs and what you have, they can find ways to win games just because of that talent. Then, the x-factor is Andrei Vasilevskiy, who’s been very good. You think back to those runs, right? Three cups in a row, and then a back procedure, and trying to get back to find yourself. One thing I will tell you when you go on a deep playoff run, just being on the ice and the grind of what goes into it. I think at times we forget…you start to think, they’re playing every single day, right? Every second day, there’s a game, three or four a week. Now, all of a sudden, you get that extra break to rejuvenate or be in the gym or find other ways to improve. I think that’s what you’re seeing right now with this group. A veteran group that has done it with injuries this year. Everybody has injuries, right? We hear it all the time. But, you know, McDonagh’s out right now. Hedman’s out. They’ve missed some really star players for a substantial amount of time and they’re still finding ways to win. This is a dangerous hockey team this year.
You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…