The Lightning’s preseason trip to Nashville had a little bit of everything before it slipped away late. Tampa Bay looked in control for most of the night, but Matthew Wood flipped the script with two goals for the Predators to tie things in the third period and send the game to overtime. Felix Nilsson finished the comeback with the overtime winner, while newly signed Jeffrey Viel was the bright spot for Tampa Bay, scoring both Lightning goals.
Now the focus shifts back home, where the Battle of Florida comes to Tampa on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET.
Before that, the Lightning trimmed the roster for the first time. Seven players were sent back to their junior teams, leaving Tampa Bay with 34 forwards, 18 defensemen and six goaltenders still in camp. More cuts are expected soon as the team works toward an opening-night roster of 23.
There was also some positive buzz around the Lightning from ESPN, where Greg Wyshynski rolled out bold predictions for all 32 NHL teams. His take on Tampa Bay would be welcome news for any Lightning fan.
Around the league, Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer didn’t shy away from discussing the Brady Tkachuk trade in a conversation with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Andlauer put much of the blame on Brady’s family, saying they seemed to do everything they could to get Brady out of Ottawa. That makes Tkachuk’s return to Ottawa on October 21st one to circle.
The NHL also has a new chairman for the first time in nearly 20 years. Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis has been elected to lead the league’s Board of Governors, taking over a role Jeremy Jacobs of the Boston Bruins had held since 2007. Leonsis will be the voice of the NHL owners as the league looks at possible expansion to 33 or 34 franchises.
In Minnesota, Bill Guerin picked up a new multi-year extension after a busy stretch with the Wild. Guerin was the Jim Gregory Award winner as General Manager of the Year last season and also served as general manager of the gold-winning USA Olympic team.
And in Dallas, the Stars locked up Sam Steel on a four-year extension worth a $3.7 million cap hit that begins next season.
In Other News...
Lightning Preseason Is Already Raising One Big Roster Question
The preseason has only just started, but Tampa Bay has already gotten a useful look at some fresh faces. After splitting two games with Nashville, the Lightning have seen early signs from newcomers John Carlson, Ilya Mikheyev and Jeffery Viel, while prospect Sam O'Reilly has also flashed enough to stand out in a group that is still sorting itself out. With the roster still in evaluation mode, those first impressions matter, especially for a team trying to blend experience with younger depth.
Conor Geekie has been part of that conversation too, even if his value has shown up in different ways from night to night. He delivered the game-winner in the opener and then handled himself well in the faceoff circle in the rematch, a reminder that preseason for a player like him is about more than just scoring chances. The next test comes against Florida in a back-to-back series, and with roles still up for grabs, these games should sharpen the competition even more. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Just Made A Clear Goalie Decision Behind Vasilevskiy
The Lightning have moved to settle one of their more practical preseason questions behind Andrei Vasilevskiy, placing Jonas Johansson on waivers and clearing the runway for a new backup plan. It is the latest sign that Tampa Bay is sorting out its goaltending depth with the regular season closing in, and it leaves Dennis Hildeby in position to occupy the No. 2 job behind the franchise centerpiece.
General manager Julien BriseBois said the club is working with Johansson and his agent to find the best landing spot, which gives this a familiar early-season feel for a team that has to balance roster decisions with player opportunity. If Johansson clears waivers, Syracuse is the obvious fallback, but that could create a crowded situation in the AHL and keep this storyline from resolving quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Face Growing Kucherov Tension As Free Agency Looms
Nikita Kucherov is back in the familiar spot of being central to Tampa Bays long-term planning while his current deal ticks toward its final year. The Lightning winger remains one of the franchises defining players, and with unrestricted free agency set for next July, his contract situation has become one of the most important storylines around the team even if the conversations themselves are staying private.
Julien BriseBois and agent Dan Milstein have been talking about a new contract, but so far those discussions have not produced an agreement. Kucherov is understood to be seeking a meaningful raise, which only adds to the pressure on a front office that has to balance the present with the future. For now, the Lightning still have time to work through it, and this does not appear to be the kind of negotiation that has to be settled overnight. [Read more 🡒]