Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos entered his twelfth consecutive season with the team on Oct. 3.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
By Patrick Tobin
The wait is finally over. More than five months after falling to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a tragic end to a historic season, the Tampa Bay Lightning returned to Amalie Arena on Oct. 3 with a season-opening win against the Florida Panthers.
Whether you’re a super fan or a newcomer to Lightning hockey, here are a few things you need to know going into this season.
- Brace yourselves for the hate.
In case you haven’t heard, after tying the all-time record for most points in a regular season and winning the President’s Trophy last season, the Lightning were swept by the eighth-seeded Columbus Blue Jackets during the first round of last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Fans were heartbroken, the team didn’t have any words and knew we didn’t want to hear them, and many people called it one of the biggest collapses in the history of professional sports.
The Lightning became a joke — and not just in the hockey world. Their comically depressing tweet after losing Game 4 went viral, and comments and replies on social media were filled with taunts and jokes that fans should seek the help of psychiatrists. It was bad.
To make it worse, it’s unlikely that this hate will fade away any time soon. Sports fans love to laugh at other teams, especially when that team is better than their own. Despite the humiliating end to last season, the Lightning are still a top contender for the cup this year. Until the curse is broken and the Stanley Cup comes home to Tampa Bay, Lightning fans will have to grow a thicker skin.
2. Good news and bad news: Brayden Point is signed and sealed, but not quite delivered.
The good news: After months of negotiations, Brayden Point and the Lightning reached a deal, agreeing to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $6.75 million.
The bad news: Shortly after news of the contract broke, Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois announced that Point would be placed on injury reserve after undergoing hip surgery during the offseason. BriseBois said Point will likely return in late October.
3. Changes throughout the roster.
While the core of the team remains the same, the Lightning roster underwent a few changes in the offseason that are worth noting.
Early this summer, Ryan Callahan was placed on long-term injury reserve for a back injury. The injury essentially ended his career, but he was soon traded to the Ottawa Senators.
Defensemen Anton Stralman and Dan Girardi both became free agents, and neither will return to Tampa Bay this season after Stralman signed with the Florida Panthers and Girardi retired. The Lightning also lost J.T. Miller when he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks.
Though the Lightning lost valuable experience in each of these transactions, they shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Fresh off of a Stanley Cup win with the St. Louis Blues, Pat Maroon signed a one-year contract with Tampa Bay. The Lightning also signed 30-year-old Kevin Shattenkirk to a one-year deal after years of trying to acquire the defenseman. Both Maroon and Shattenkirk scored goals in the Oct. 3 opener. Luke Witkowski will return to Tampa Bay this season after playing the last two seasons in Detroit. The 29-year-old defenseman signed a two-year contract with the Lightning.
While these players might not appear in the headlines or post record-breaking stats, that’s not what the Lightning need right now. Last season, the Lightning hit their highest high and their lowest low in a span of less than two weeks. It all happened so fast, there was no chance for redemption or even a last word.
What the Lightning need this season is maturity, discipline and — above all — consistency to the very end. So, buckle up, because this may be one of the most interesting seasons yet. It’d be a shame if you missed it.
