In Tampa, the Lightning will once again lean on their number one goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) swats the puck away from Alexander Barabanov (94) – Photo by Jack Lima
It feels like Vasilevskiy has been in the NHL since 1998. It only seems that he has been plying his trade forever in Tampa. He is only 29 years of age.
After a 60-game schedule last season, one has to wonder how many more times the Lightning can go to the well and find a consistent goalie. Even Vasilevskiy.
“‘Vasy’ is the type of goalie that he likes to play and he’s at best when he plays a lot,” Tampa coach Jon Cooper said. “And I don’t care what other people say, your goalie can play 60 games. That shouldn’t be anything that hinders somebody. Vasy has proven it time and time again.”
The Bolts signed Jonas Johansson, to a two-year deal to be Vasilevskiy’s back up.
Goalie Brian Elliot was not re-signed over the off season. He was not alone.
Tampa has been under salary cap strain for years, and this off season they parted ways, by trades, with Pat Maroon, Corey Perry, Ross Colton. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Ian Cole were left unsigned.
“The big thing for us is probably the veteran leadership we lost,” Cooper said. “But I think because we have this core that’s been together and all of a sudden we’ve turned into a veteran team, I’m hoping that shouldn’t be a problem for us.”
Tampa did try to fill the gaps left by the departures with the additions of Conor Sheary, Logan Brown, Josh Archibald, Luke Glendening, Calvin de Haan, and Johansson.
“I don’t want anybody to sit here and say, ‘Jon Cooper is complaining,’ because I’m not,” Cooper said. “I think there are a lot of coaches out there that would like to take this core that we have and be able to run with it. It’s just the supporting cast is different. Our job as coaches is to figure out how this supporting cast will fit in.”
Steven Stamkos has been seemingly unhappy with the lack of movement on a new deal.
It’s a tall order to find that magic.
The top Lightning prospects are not expected to have a big impact this season.
Goalie Hugo Alnefelt is not slated for Tampa until next season. In the 2022-23 season, Alnefelt iced with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL.
Through 33 games with the Crunch, he went 17-12-2, with a 2.77 GAA, and .904 save percentage.
“I think he’s right on the right path,” Tampa general manager Stacey Roest said. “He showed he can start some games in a row in the minors. He’s right on target.”
Defenseman Jack Thompson iced with Syracuse this past season and was a respectable 8-15-23 in 71 games.
“He’s a good two-way defenseman that can move a puck,” Roest said. “He can really shoot it. It was a good season for him. He eased his way into it. Another year in Syracuse coming, hopefully a bigger role.”
Winger Jack Finley also skated in Syracuse last season, and in 67 games collected 12 goals and 21 points on the season.
“I swear he gets bigger every time I see him,” Roest said. “We’re very happy with how he adjusted to the AHL. He’s a very smart player, competitive, big and strong. He’s finding his way. His progression is good.”
Thompson and Finely are not expected in Tampa until the 2025-26 season.
Vasilevskiy, Stamkos, and Victor Hedman are about to go through some things this season. They will be relied on, leaned on, have the weight or an organization heaped on their shoulders.
Making a huge push for anything other than first round home ice advantage would seem to be a stretch this season. Stamkos is in his 16th season and that is just an ocean of hockey to put behind you.
Save it for the playoffs.
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