The Tampa Bay Lightning are riding one of the hottest streaks we've seen in years-and they just put an exclamation point on it.
Their latest feat? A wild 6-5 comeback win over the Boston Bruins in the NHL’s outdoor showcase at Raymond James Stadium.
And this wasn’t just another game under the stars. Between the Bruins’ early dominance, the Lightning’s furious rally, and a rare goalie scrap between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jeremy Swayman, this one had everything.
It’s already being talked about as one of the best outdoor games the league has ever staged.
But beyond the spectacle, the bigger story is what this win signals for Tampa Bay. The Lightning aren’t just hot-they’re surging into the conversation as the NHL’s top team. That title had belonged to the Colorado Avalanche for much of the season, but the two clubs are now heading in very different directions.
Colorado, once nearly untouchable with just two regulation losses through the first half of the season, has hit a wall. After a 2-0 shutout loss at home to the Red Wings, the Avs have dropped to 3-5-2 in their last 10.
Their total regulation losses have ballooned to nine. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has caught fire-posting a staggering 17-1-1 record over their last 19 games.
Yes, the Avalanche still lead the league with 81 points compared to the Lightning’s 74. But momentum is a powerful thing in hockey, and right now, it’s all flowing through Florida.
Still, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy-the honor given to the team with the best regular-season record-is no guarantee of postseason success.
In fact, history suggests the opposite. The last Presidents’ Trophy winner to hoist the Stanley Cup?
The 2013 Blackhawks, and that came in a lockout-shortened season. So while Tampa Bay is peaking at the right time, there’s still a long road ahead.
And no one knows that better than Jon Cooper. The Lightning’s head coach has seen it all-deep playoff runs, heartbreak, and championships.
He also knows how quickly things can unravel if you stop pushing. Even with stars like Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, and Victor Hedman leading the charge, this team isn’t immune to slumps.
That’s why there’s a growing sense around the league that Tampa Bay could use one more piece to solidify its status as a true Cup contender.
Enter Jonathan Marchessault.
On paper, adding the veteran winger from Nashville might not seem like a blockbuster. He’s got just 9 goals and 14 points in 36 games this season.
But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Marchessault has been a proven playoff performer, and his résumé speaks volumes.
He was the Conn Smythe winner during Vegas’ Stanley Cup run in 2023, where he racked up 13 goals and 25 points in the postseason alone. This is a guy who knows how to deliver when the stakes are highest.
And it’s not like his regular-season production has fallen off a cliff. He tallied 21 goals and 56 points just last year, and the season before that?
A 42-goal campaign. The potential is still there.
Marchessault’s contract runs through 2028-29 at $5.5 million per year, which gives Tampa Bay more than just a rental. It gives them a player who could slot seamlessly into Cooper’s system for multiple seasons. He’s the kind of addition that doesn’t just help now-it helps build continuity for future runs.
If the Lightning were to bring him in, he’d likely find a home on the second or third line, possibly replacing Gage Goncalves or Pontus Holmberg on the right wing. That kind of depth move could be the difference between a good playoff team and a great one.
Now, there is another name that would certainly send shockwaves through the league-Steven Stamkos. The longtime Lightning captain, now with the Predators, is having a resurgence in Nashville.
He’s already buried 27 goals in 55 games and is tracking toward another 40-goal season. He’s shifted to right wing on the Preds’ top line and looks every bit the elite scorer he’s always been.
But let’s be real: a Stamkos reunion in Tampa is a long shot. After 16 seasons with the Lightning, his departure in free agency stung on both sides. While he’s adjusted to life in Nashville and is thriving there now, the price to bring him back would be steep-and there’s no indication the Predators are looking to move him.
So while the idea of a Stamkos homecoming is a fun one, Marchessault is the more realistic-and potentially impactful-target.
The Lightning are already rolling. But adding a playoff-tested scorer like Marchessault? That might be the move that pushes them from red-hot to downright dangerous.