Kucherov, Lightning are showing they’re still serious contenders
After winning two Stanley Cups amid three consecutive final appearances, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been eliminated in the first round two years in a row, leaving many in the offseason to wonder if this was the beginning of the end for the NHL’s latest mini-dynasty.
The team let longtime captain Steven Stamkos walk in free agency, then followed that up with signing Jake Guentzel to a seven-year, $63 million deal. With a new look, would the team be able to replicate the success of the beginning of the 2020s?
Turns out they’re doing just fine, starting the 2024-25 campaign with three wins and plenty of goals. Nikita Kucherov, last season’s Art Ross Trophy winner, has six goals in his first three games, while Guentzel has assisted on four of them. Don’t forget netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy, who struggled with injuries last season but has started this year with a .932 save percentage and 1.67 goals against average.
On Friday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss the Bolts hot start and if it will lead to another playoff appearance this spring.
Tyler Yaremchuk: It’s early but let’s go and talk about the suddenly 3-0-0 Tampa Bay Lightning, where reports of their demise may have been a bit premature. The one thing that stands out to me is Nikita Kucherov, who has more goals than the rest of the roster combined.
Frank Seravalli: It’s crazy, he’s on another level. I say this knowing that I voted for him to win the Hart Trophy last season, it still feels like people sleep on him. When you have a conversation in the five best players in the game, is he mentioned every time?
Tyler Yaremchuk: Not really, I think a lot of people jump to Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, Cale Makar and the fifth spot is always up for grabs.
Frank Seravalli: He’s ridiculous, and Vasilevskiy has gotten back to Vasilevskiy form. To me, I don’t think they’re as good as they were, and I don’t think that’s a crazy reach to say that. The part I wasn’t sure about was if Vasilevskiy is back to Veznia Trophy-form, then it’s a totally different conversation.
You can listen to the full segment and the rest of the episode here…