The Tampa Bay Lightning have played only two games, but one number is already standing out: 10 chances on the power play, zero goals.
That’s the kind of early-season stat that grabs attention, especially for a team that has made the man advantage one of its calling cards for years. Tampa Bay went 0-for-7 against the New York Rangers on opening night, then came up empty again on three chances in Saturday’s win over the Capitals.
That’s the full line so far: no power-play goals, none at all.
It’s still way too early to treat that as a crisis, but the trend line is hard to ignore. The Lightning were the NHL’s best power-play team in 2023-24 at 28.6%, then slipped to 25.9% and still stayed among the league’s top five.
Last season, though, the drop to 20.7% - 17th in the NHL - was a real step down. In the playoffs, the unit has been under 20% for the last two seasons.
Even with that background, this is still a tiny sample. Jon Cooper didn’t sound rattled after Saturday’s scoreless night, calling the power play “outstanding.”
“There's games when the power play can 3-for-4, and you're like, 'Wow, that was surprising,” Cooper said. “And there's games you can go 0-for-3 tonight, and be like, 'I can't believe it didn't go in the net.' Sometimes it just happens that way, but they deserved a better statistical line than they got tonight."
That’s the reality of a short season opening. Sometimes the puck bounces in off a scramble. Sometimes the goalie simply shuts the door, even when the looks are there.
Monday could be a good chance for Tampa Bay to break through. The Flyers have struggled on the penalty kill so far this season, and their numbers have been rough enough to notice.
Last year, they finished 22nd in the NHL at 77.6%. This season, they’re at 66.7%, and two opponents have already gone 2-for-4 against them.
Still, one game against a shaky kill won’t settle the bigger question. It’ll take more than three games to know whether the Lightning’s power play is truly a problem.
And even if it does stay below its usual standard, that might not change much in the standings. Tampa Bay scored 286 goals last season, good for fourth in the NHL, and that was only two fewer than when its power play was the league’s best in 2023-24. The year they led the NHL in goals, they scored just six more than in 2025-26.
That’s part of the payoff from the roster Julien BriseBois built. The team has more support at 5-on-5 now, which matters when the power play isn’t carrying as much weight. The penalty kill remains a strength, Andrei Vasilevskiy is back near his peak, and the backup situation may be improved as well.
So while the power play deserves a close look, it hasn’t defined either game yet. The loss to the Rangers went wrong in almost every way. Against the Capitals, eight different players got on the scoresheet.
That’s why this may end up being more of a talking point than a problem. If the Lightning keep winning, the missing power-play goals won’t stay front and center for long.
In Other News...
Dominic James Could Give Lightning An Early Boost They Need
The Lightning may be getting a small but welcome bit of good news in their early-season roster picture. Center Dominic James is expected to be day-to-day after Mondays game against the Flyers, a sign his recovery from a broken hand may be moving along faster than the team first expected.
James has been sidelined for about three weeks, and Tampa Bay originally anticipated he would miss the first two weeks of the season. If the current outlook holds, the Lightning could have him back roughly a week ahead of that schedule, while Emil Lilleberg also remains day-to-day and could be out as long as a week. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Back New Tampa Bay Tribute For Coaches Who Shape Kids
Pasco County Schools has teamed with the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation on a new Beyond the Game program meant to shine a light on coaches who do more than teach wins and losses. The initiative is built to recognize coaches across all sports who go above and beyond for their students, with honors planned for three coaches at each of four school board meetings during the school year.
The partnership goes beyond the awards themselves, too, with street hockey programs rolling into the district and students able to earn P.E. credits through hockey. For the coaches who get selected, the recognition comes with a hockey stick and the possibility of a spotlight at a Lightning home game, a fitting nod for people who often shape kids long after practice ends. [Read more 🡒]