TAMPA, Fla. — Hockey is back in Tampa Bay!
After an awkward training camp involving team captain Steven Stamkos, the Tampa Bay Lightning now have their eyes set on the team's season opener against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.
The Lightning will open the season without injured star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, but much of the core of a team two years removed from winning back-to-back Stanley Cup titles remains intact and motivated to remain among the NHL's elite.
Vasilevskiy will miss at least two months after undergoing back surgery in training camp.
Tampa Bay still looks strong defensively as Victor Hedman aims to continue locking things up, while high-scoring forwards Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos and Brandon Hagel will try to help the team get off to a strong start.
Still, head coach Jon Cooper and his team will have many eyes watching them to see if they can make another Stanley Cup run, especially after losing key players such as Alex Killorn, Ross Colton, Corey Perry, and Pat Maroon in the offseason.
The additions of forward Conor Sheary and Tyler Motte will add an extra threat for opposing defenses this season, and Cooper will hope they fill the void of players no longer with the team.
Besides Stamkos, there's a lack of veteran depth, meaning some younger players will be forced to play bigger roles this season. The lack of a proven backup behind Vasilevskiy will be challenging, too.
Speaking more of Stamkos, the Lightning generated more headlines than usual this preseason, especially after the team captain showed up on the first day of training camp and expressed disappointment over the lack of discussions on a contract extension. General manager Julien BriseBois said he will wait until after the season to assess where the team stands and how the 33-year-old captain fits into Tampa Bay’s plans beyond that point.
Teammate Brandon Hagel – who's also a fan favorite – will definitely be a player to watch this year. The forward is coming off a breakout season in which he set career highs for goals (30), assists (34) and points (64). He signed an eight-year, $52 million contract extension and is one of the young players the Lightning are counting on to lead the charge back to the playoffs.
Puck drop for Tampa Bay's season opener is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. inside Amalie Arena.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.