Tampa Bay Lightning News

Tampa Bay will continue to roll with Vasilevskiy in net for their third game to start the season. After a pedestrian 2023-24 campaign when he posted a 2.90 GAA and .900 SV% in 52 games (30-20-2), the former Vezina-trophy winner seems to have found his elite form early in the season, boasting a stellar 1.00 GAA and .958 SV% through two games (2-0-0). Tampa Bay enters action on Thursday as a -137 home favorite against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Conor Sheary will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Atkinson to re-enter the lineup against the Vegas Golden Knights. Atkinson, the former 40-goal scorer, had 28 points (13G / 15A) and a -22 plus/minus, the worst of his career, in 70 games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season.

Cam Atkinson is expected to draw back into Tampa Bay's lineup on Thursday, resulting in Sheary being a healthy scratch. Sheary played 10:18 time-on-ice in his season debut and recorded four penalty minutes.

Tampa Bay will likely continue to roll with Vasilevskiy in net for their third game to start the season. After a pedestrian 2023-24 campaign when he posted a 2.90 GAA and .900 SV% in 52 games (30-20-2), the former Vezina-trophy winner seems to have found his elite form early in the season, boasting a stellar 1.00 GAA and .958 SV% through two games (2-0-0). Tampa Bay enters action on Thursday as a -137 home favorite against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Atkinson will draw out of the lineup to make room for the return of Michael Eyssimont (lower-body). Atkinson was a -1 in Friday's season opener, playing just 8:42 and registering one shot on goal.

Eyssimont has not played yet this season but will draw into the lineup on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 28-year-old appeared in 81 games with the Lightning in 2023-24, picking up 11 goals, 25 points and 104 PIMs.

Eyssimont has not played yet this season but could draw into the lineup on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 28-year-old appeared in 81 games with the Lightning in 2023-24, picking up 11 goals, 25 points and 104 PIMs.

Tampa Bay has only played one game so far this season due to a postponed contest last week and will return to Vasilevskiy, their game-one starter, on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. Vasilevskiy is coming off the worst season of his career, posting a 2.90 GAA and .900 SV% in 52 appearances in 2023-24 (30-20-2), but was stellar in his first contest this season, saving 20 of 21 shots (.952 SV%) in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The Lightning enter Tuesday's action against the Canucks as -129 home favorites.

Eyssimont missed Tampa Bay's season opener last Friday due to a lower-body injury and has a chance to return to Tampa's lineup on Tuesday vs. Vancouver. The 28-year-old appeared in 81 games with the Lightning in 2023-24, picking up 11 goals, 25 points and 104 PIMs.

The Lightning will unsurprisingly turn to their franchise netminder for their season opener on Friday night. Vasilevskiy was uncharacteristically mediocre in 2023-24, though an early season back injury could be to blame. He posted a .900 SV%, a 2.90 GAA, and a 30-20-2 record across 52 starts. He'll be looking to regain his Vezina caliber form this season, but he draws a tough assignment on opening night. The Lightning enter action as +125 underdogs in Carolina.

Guentzel battled some injuries over the course of the preseason and after being unable to complete practice on Monday, did not participate in practice on Tuesday. There doesn't seem to be a lot of concern around the longevity of Guentzel's absence but his offensive prowess will be sorely missed if he is unable to suit up for Tampa Bay's season opener on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes. In 67 games in 2023-24, the 30-year-old winger had 30 goals and 77 points.

Geekie left the Lightning's bench on Wednesday during their preseason game on a legal line change for the purpose of starting an altercation after his dust-up with Florida's Josh Davies and has been suspended for one game by the NHL Player Safety Department. The 20-year-old forward is battling for one of Tampa Bay's final roster spots after being acquired during the offseason in the deal which saw Mikhail Sergachev end up in Utah.

Eyssimont was originally expected to be out until the middle of October, but he removed his non-contact jersey for Thursday's practice. Head coach Jon Cooper said that Eyssimont will need to get his conditioning up but it seems possible that he could be ready for the Lightning's season opener. He skated with Nick Paul and Conor Sheary in Thursday's practice session.

Tampa Bay's opening season forward depth took a hit on Wednesday as it was announced Luke Glendening will be limited at training camp due to an undisclosed injury and hopes he'll be ready to start the season. The 35-year-old center filled in Tampa Bay's bottom six admirably in 2023-24, with 10 goals, 11 points, 39 PIMs and 57 SOG in 81 games played.

After playing 81 of 82 games in 2023-24, it appears Michael Eyssimont will miss some time in 2024-25 after it was announced he would not be ready for training camp due to a lower-body injury and is hoping to be ready by mid-October. The 28-year-old center is entering his third season in Tampa Bay and put up career highs in almost all categories last season with 11 goals, 25 points, 104 PIMs, and 149 SOG in 81 games played.