2022-23 NHL team preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning won two Stanley Cups in the last three seasons. They lost some key players, but they still won the regular season. Last season they finished third in their division with a 51-23-8 record. In the playoffs they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers. Then they won four straight games to reach the Stanley Cup Final. The team had to cut ties with some big pieces to get back under the salary cap. They traded Ryan McDonagh to the Nashville Predators and let Jan Rutta and Ondrej Palat walk to free agency.

Tampa Bay Lightning have a strong offense with Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Brayden Point. Anthony Cirelli is one of the best defensive forwards in the game. Steven Palat was the big name up front this season. Alex Killorn will likely fall into the second line. Paul Hagel and Ross Colton could play in top six. Corey Perry, Patrick Maroon, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Corey Gourde are the other forwards. The team has improved its depth. It might not be a full unit, but it's a good starting point.

Tampa Bay Lightning have a strong defense. Victor Hedman is a Norris Trophy finalist for the past six seasons. Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak signed long-term contracts in the offseason. Ian Cole, Haydn Fleury and Cal Foote are new additions to the team. Philippe Myers hasn't found his game yet. The team is considered a Cup contender. The season starts on October 25th. It's possible that the Lightning will win the Cup. They have been known to get the best out of their players.

Andrei Vasilevskiy is one of the best goalies in the league. Last season he had a .916 save percentage, but he made up for it with another stellar run in playoffs. Brian Elliott returns as the backup for the second season in a row. He was solid for Tampa last year, winning more games than he lost.

Jon Cooper is the longest tenured coach in the NHL. He has been in charge of the Lightning since 2008. The team has won two Cups and missed the playoffs just once in his 11 seasons.  They rank fifth in even strength shot attempt share and fourth in expected goal share.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have a lot of young talent but they have to deal some pieces to fill the gaps in their roster. Isaac Howard is the team's top prospect, but it's hard to see where he fits into the forward group. Cole Koepke and Gabriel Fortier have played in the NHL and could make the roster at forward.

Tampa Bay Lightning have been one of the best teams in the NHL for almost a decade. The team has been to three straight playoff runs. They have lost significant pieces for the last couple of offseasons.

Tampa Bay Lightning have a lot of injuries to their line-up. Cirelli will be out for the first two to three months of the season. Paul will take Cireslli's spot.

Tampa Bay Lightning are a dynasty. They made tough decisions in the offseason. The team is going to try to keep the current players. They are going for the long-term.

Tampa Bay Lightning have a good core of players. Last season they were beaten by the Leafs and the Avalanche. They are still a contender for the Stanley Cup. They have to be better this year.