2014-15 record: 50-24-8 (108 points)
Lost to Chicago in Stanley Cup Finals
Captain: Steven Stamkos
The Tampa Bay Lightning ended up two wins short of winning their second Stanley Cup in franchise history, but the development of many of their key players has them believing that they can get back this year to the point of practically staying pat. Up front, the Lightning is still led by Steven Stamkos, though he is in his final year of the current contract and no deal has been in place as of this writing. Whether or not it is a distraction remains to be seen. Beyond him, the Lightning are stacked, as they led the league in offense, and it's been no accident that players such as Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov, and Ondrej Palat have broken through together through the minors and now the NHL. Certainly, coach Jon Cooper knows the buttons to push, and the Lightning can roll four lines of offense, so keying on Stamkos is no longer an option for opposing defenses. On the blue line, depth is a concern beyond the top four, but the top four are as good as any in the league, and it begins with Victor Hedman, who has become the team's number one defender. The signing of Anton Stralman prior to last season was also a shrewd move. The five through seven holes on the blue line can be considered up for grabs, which means don't be surprised if either Slater Koekkoek or Anthony D'Angelo end up starting on the Lightning roster on opening night. In goal, Ben Bishop was sterling, and he also showed his toughness by playing through pain in the Stanley Cup Finals. Losing Andrei Vasilevsky for 2-3 months will hurt, as he showed he was ready for NHL duty last season and even held his own when he had to start in place of Bishop in the Finals. Ray Emery gets his chance to back up Bishop in the interim. The power play was passable, but the top-ranked offense should be better than middle of the pack. On the penalty kill, the Lightning were top-10, and with pretty much the same roster and coaching staff in place, that should figure to remain the same.
Prediction: 1st in the Atlantic Division
The Lightning didn't make any significant changes to a roster that made the Finals last year, and health willing, they should make another deep run in the playoffs.
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