The city of Tampa Bay has been enjoying oodles of success in the past couple of years. From the Tampa Bay Buccaneers capturing the Super Bowl last year to the Tampa Bay Rays almost winning the World Series, to the Tampa Bay Lighting hoisting the last two Stanley Cups to be handed out. Yes, you could say it doesn’t get any sweeter than this for Tampa sports fans; but could it?
The Buccaneers are having another illustrious season, and have made good on their quest for a championship repeat so far, beating the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. The Rays still remain a question mark as baseball’s opening day doesn’t come for another couple of months. A team we can take a look at is arguably the best team in the NHL; the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Tampa Bay Lighting has become synonymous with winning in the NHL since their first Stanley Cup in 2004. It seems that ever since that first cup they have always been near the top of the leaderboards, and making deep playoff runs. Their success in the 2010s and onward can largely be attributed to General Manager extraordinaire Julien Brisebois. The Quebec native, with the help of former GM Steve Yzerman, has formed an organization whose sole focus is centered on winning.
Not only have the Lighting captured the last two Stanley Cups, but they are also sitting pretty at the top of the entire NHL leaderboards, tied with their fellow state partners (Florida Panthers) for the best record in the league. Having lost some of their players to cap restrictions, I was unsure if the Lightning could once again be at the top once again this season; I was surely wrong.
When you look at their roster, it’s easy to see why they are so damn good; Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Anthony Cirelli, Andrei Vasilevsky (the best goalie in the world at the moment), Mikhail Sergachev, and last, but not least, Nikita Kucherov. All of these names are considered to be the NHL’s best. Most teams have just one or two stars; the Lightning have seven!
At this moment, the Lightning have 3 players within the top 50 of NHL points by players. Their goalie, Vasilevsky, ranks in the top-10 in every goaltending category. It’s safe to say this team isn’t suffering from a Stanley Cup hangover (much like the Montreal Canadiens are). If they keep playing as they do, there is no knowing where they can ride this momentum, or is there?
Let’s not kid ourselves, it seems the only thing in Tampa Bay’s way this year is the Florida Panthers. What the Panthers might have in flash and pizazz, the Lighting have in experience. What I know, is that if they get into a playoff battle, the Lighting will come out on top. The Panthers definitely have some fight in them, and can probably pull a rabbit out of the hat, but the Lighting have been through this before. They went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015 (lost to Chicago) and would end winning the past two years. If there is one thing they know, it’s getting through to the Finals.
So, do I think the Lighting can repeat as champs? Hell yes, I do. They are still the best team in hockey, and if they keep playing the way they do, they will STILL be the best team in hockey. I think that says it all.