Vibes. They aren’t great in Detroit right now. A rough off-season is over. Will the regular season be even rougher, or will some of the youngsters shine bright in the Motor City?
2025-26 Record 41-31-10 (6th in Atlantic) 2025-26 Record Against Lightning 1-2-1 2025-26 Goals For 239 (22nd) 2025-26 Goals Against 254 (19th) 2025-26 Power Play 22/6% (12th) 2025-26 Penalty Kill 77.1% (23rd) 2026-27 Division Odds +3000 2026-27 Stanley Cup Odds +10000 Stats via NHL, odds via Hard Rock Bet as of 9...
The NHL’s Sun Belt expansion was cannon fodder for league critics for 20 years. The Los Angeles Kings were the sole southern club before the influx started in 1992 with the arrival of the expansion Tampa Bay Lightning. Expansion or relocated teams followed in Miami, Dallas, Nashville, Raleigh and Las Vegas. These teams typically floundered […]
Lightning News:
The Lightning will sit back the next few days as the rest of the NHL drops the puck on the new season. The Panthers head to Raleigh to face the Stanley Cup winning Carolina Hurricanes at 5 p.m. today while the Lightning won’t start their season until Thursday night at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers. The Lightning made their final roster cuts and as they finalize their opening night roster. [ Raw Charge ]
One of the last cuts this year was forward Benjamin R...
Nikita Kucherov doesn’t say much to reporters, so when he does, there’s a tendency to latch onto it. At the Tampa Bay Lightning’s media day, Kucherov was asked how hockey has changed over his career. “ The game now is a lot faster, but dumb, I think that’s all I can say. Yes, it is faster, but it’s very dumb. Low IQ. ” When a reporter asked him to explain in what way, he offered four words: “In a hockey way.” Thanks, Nikita. Very illuminating.
If the NHL really spent the last decade falli...
The five o’clock window for having a cap-compliant roster has come and gone, and the Tampa Bay Lightning have officially announced their 2026-27 roster. With no one claimed off of waivers, and the Bolts making no claims, the Lightning had one more transaction to conduct to get to 23 players (well technically they had to make three moves) and they did it by loaning Benjamin Rautiainen back to Tappara to finish off his European contract.
They then placed Yanni Gourde and Dominic James on in...
The season is about to begin, and Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov is heading into the final year of his deal still unsigned, as a pending unrestricted free agent. A bit of worry is now setting in amongst some observers of the team. Insider Elliotte Friedman reported on his 32 Thoughts podcast on Monday that we could be at an impasse in negotiations, and the Lightning could be at their limit. "It's almost like [Julian] BriseBois said, I've either got a number I'm not willing...
Can the Hurricanes repeat, or will another recent champion reclaim the Cup? Let the games begin.
The Sabres were one of the biggest surprises of the 2025-26 season. Can they build on their success or will they get swallowed up by a tough Atlantic Division?
2025-26 Record 50-23-9 (109 Points) 1st in Atlantic 2025-26 Record Against Lightning 3-0-1 2025-26 Goals For 283 (5th) 2025-26 Goals Against 240 (10th) 2025-26 Power Play 19.5% (21st) 2025-26 Penalty Kill 81.9% (4th) 2026-27 Division Odds +900 2026-27 Stanley Cup Odds +3000 Stats via NHL, Natural Stat Trick, and Hockey Reference. O...
The Kid Line will have to wait a little while longer before taking the NHL by storm. On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Lightning all but finalized their 2026-27 roster as they made eleven moves in order to trim the head count to 26 players. While they don’t take to the ice until Thursday, their final 23-player roster has to be finalized by 5:00 PM on Monday.
Most of the moves that the Lightning made were expected. Matteo Pietroniro and Jarred Tinordi were released from their try-out deals and will...
This isn’t a particularly novel thought, but it’s worth a reminder: Andrei Vasilevskiy is the lone constant in a position inherently subject to random variation. He is the perpetual answer and in conjunction with Nikita Kucherov, the primary reason why the Tampa Bay Lightning have remainder a contender for the past decade and change in…
The Florida Panthers finished the preseason slate with a 2-0-2 record after dropping a 3-2 shootout decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amernat Bank Arena.
Lucas Mercuri buried a backhanded centering feed from Nick Abruzzese to open the scoring 8:50 into the first period. The secondary assist went to Jeffrey Viel, who did some fine work along the wall.
The Panthers countered at 17:58 when Sandis Vilmanis quickly fired home after Kai Schwindt knocked the puck away from defenseman J...
Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice speaks after his team wrapped up their preseason with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Sunrise on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. The Panthers went 2-0-2 in the preseason. Florida opens its season on Tuesday at 5 p.m. against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh (ESPN). Video Courtesy Florida Panthers / @FlaPanthers / Panthers Vision Where Does Brady Tkachuk Fit with the Panthers? Next to Matthew, of course: https://fl...
Who doesn’t love a pre-season trade? On Friday evening, the Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning announced that goaltender Jonas Johansson was sent to the Senators in exchange for future considerations. This is a depth move for the Senators, as netminder Leevi Meriläinen was claimed off waivers. TRADE ALERT: The #Sens have acquired Jonas Johansson from…
Nikita Kucherov, the reigning MVP of the league, is a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the superstar forward are not close to any sort of agreement on an extension, though there is m utual interest and preliminary discussions have been had. But Kucherov, the two-time Hart Trophy winner, three-time Art Ross winner (scoring champion), two-time playoff scoring champion and two-time Stanley Cup champion, will be asking for a massive ...
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s preseason comes to an end in Sunrise tonight as they take on the Florida Panthers just a couple of days after the two teams met in Tampa. With the majority of the assumed regular season starters on both teams having hit their two-game maximum, tonight’s tilt should resemble a Syracuse Crunch versus Charlotte Checkers game more than a NHL contest.
That doesn’t mean it’s not worth a watch, especially for Lightning fans. If the lines from the morning skate are to be...
Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice speaks before his team wraps up their preseason slate against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. The Panthers are coming off a 5-3 preseason win against the host Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday; Florida (2-0-1) plays its final exhibition game of the preseason on Saturday in Sunrise. Video Courtesy Florida Panthers / @FlaPanthers / Panthers Vision Where Does Brady Tkachuk Fit with the Panthers? Next to Matthew, of course: https://floridahock...
The Ottawa Senators have added some goaltending depth, as the team announced on Friday, they've acquired goaltender Jonas Johansson from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Senators are sending back future considerations in the deal. Johansson was recently put on waivers, as the Lightning pushed him out with their offseason trade for Dennis Hildeby from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Johansson has spent the past three seasons as the backup to Andrei Vasilevskiy. Last season, the Swedish netminder p...
The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are in Sunrise to close out the exhibition slate. Florida upped its preseason record to 2-0-1 by beating the Bolts 5-3 at Benchmark International Arena on Thursday.
Each member of the line of Kai Schwindt, Cole Reinhardt and Hunter St. Martin found the back of the net with Reinhardt’s goal being the game-winner. Reinhardt and Schwindt added assists and Bokondji Imama and Sandis Vilmanis also lit the lamp for Cats. Cooper Black (14 saves on 16 s...
The Tampa Bay Lightning enter 2026-27 with plenty of familiar faces and high expectations. Tampa Bay finished 50-26-6
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Jonas Johansson’s time with the Tampa Bay Lightning has come to an end. After clearing waivers and being assigned to the Syracuse Crunch, the veteran backup was traded to the Ottawa Senators for future considerations.
With the move, the Bolts clear out his $1.25 million cap hit and open up a roster spot. Per Puckpedia the Lightning currently have 47 of their 50 contract slots are taken.
Johansson gives the Senators another experienced netminder after Leevi Merilainen was claimed off ...
Johansson fills a need for depth goaltending for the Senators after Leevi Merilainen was lost on waivers.
A third Swedish veteran enters the Senators' crease.
With just one game left on the preseason schedule and a week to go until the regular season starts, the Tampa Bay Lightning made their biggest roster cut of training camp. The roster was reduced by 21 players with most of them going to Syracuse. With the Crunch announcing their training camp starting on Sunday, it wasn’t a surprise that the transactions were made today.
Here’s how it broke down:
Players placed on waivers:
Simon Lundmark
Olivier Rodrigue
Steven Santini ...
Last season, the story in the Atlantic centered on which of the strongest teams would win the division. With five teams in this division making the playoffs, the Atlantic playoff push was one of the most exciting in the league. The Atlantic Division was the most competitive all season long. This year will be no […]
The post Atlantic Division Preview: Can Tampa’s Core Make One Last Run? appeared first on The Lead .
Last season, the story in the Atlantic centered on which of the strongest teams would win the division. With five teams in this division making the playoffs, the Atlantic playoff push was one of the most exciting in the league. The Atlantic Division was the most competitive all season long. This year will be no […]
The post NHL Atlantic Division Preview: Can Tampa’s Core Make One Last Run? appeared first on The Lead .