For the first time since May, the Tampa Bay Lightning finally had something real to talk about on the ice. It was only preseason, sure, but the first crack at game action is here, and the new season is underway.
The opener went Tampa Bay’s way, too. In a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators, the Lightning looked a lot closer to their opening-night group than Nashville did, and that showed in the shot total. The Predators managed just 13 shots on goal, while Tampa Bay got the job done with goals from Ilya Mikheyev and Conor Geekie.
Sam O’Reilly had the kind of night that gets noticed early in camp. He was named the first star after picking up an assist in 15:11 of ice time, and he was especially sharp in the faceoff circle, winning 6 of 8 draws.
There was one notable absence from the first preseason lineup: Dylan Duke. He wasn’t in the opening game, but he should get his chance Tuesday in Nashville. That puts some pressure on him to make a statement if he wants to force his way into the big club picture, especially with Geekie already scoring the winner and O’Reilly making an impression.
The rest of the sports calendar in Tampa Bay was just as crowded yesterday. The Buccaneers, Rays and Lightning all had home games, though the results came in very different flavors. The Bucs lost in a game delayed by lightning, the Rays won and are close to clinching the division, and the Lightning came away with the preseason victory.
Around the league, the unsigned restricted free agents continue to linger, and not every situation looks close to a clean finish. In Columbus, Adam Fantilli has not been with the team for training camp while he waits on a contract, even as general manager Don Waddell says he expects a deal soon.
Carolina’s Alexander Nikishin is in a very different spot. Fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Hurricanes, he remains unsigned after asking for a trade. Nikishin wants a bigger role than the one he sees for himself as the 3LD behind more established defensemen, and his agent has pointed the finger at the Hurricanes front office for moving slowly in trade talks.
Detroit’s unsigned RFA situation looks more settled by comparison. Simon Edvinsson has reported to camp and is practicing with the team despite not having a contract yet.
That has been tied to the front office situation in Detroit, where interim GM Shawn Horcoff has the authority to negotiate while the search for a permanent GM continues. Talks between the two sides are said to be moving forward.
The leaguewide preseason schedule also got rolling on Friday, and recent first overall pick Gavin McKenna got his first taste of NHL action. Toronto lost 4-1 to Montreal at home, then the two clubs met again in Montreal, where the Canadiens won 4-3 in overtime.
McKenna logged 19:34 of ice time on a line with John Tavares, who is also his landlord, and William Nylander. Toronto’s lone goal in the first game came from former Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh, who scored with his patented 100 mph slap shot.
The NHL will move to an 84-game regular season this year as part of a balanced schedule, with only four preseason games on the slate - a home-and-home against Nashville and Florida - before the regular season opens in New York City on October 1st.
In Other News...
Lightning Prospect Is Already Making Tampa Bays Roster Battle Interesting
The Lightning opened preseason against Nashville with a lineup that offered an early look at several prospects trying to make a case, and Sam OReilly quickly became one of the names worth tracking. Tampa Bay leaned on a mix of younger players in the first exhibition, including Oleg Kulebiakin and Ethan Czata, as the organization starts sorting out who can handle the next step. With three more preseason games left, every shift still matters, but some players are already giving the staff reasons to take a longer look.
Jon Cooper came away impressed with OReillys work, pointing to his faceoff ability and the defensive details that stood out in a game where small plays carried extra weight. For a roster battle that figures to stay open deep into camp, that kind of start is exactly the sort of thing that can change the conversation. The Lightning still have time to gather more information, but OReilly has already made the competition feel a little more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Camp Is Suddenly Turning Into A Real Roster Fight
Training camp is starting to feel less like a tune-up and more like a test for the Lightning, with the regular season less than two weeks away and only four preseason games left to sort out the edges of the roster. Tampa Bay has already begun using those games to get a look at players who may have real decisions ahead of them, including Sam OReilly, who is trying to make a case in his first preseason action, along with defensemen such as Victor Hedman and Max Crozier as the staff keeps evaluating depth and fit.
The mix of established names and new arrivals has made these next few games especially important, since additions like Ilya Mikheyev and Jeffrey Viel are also trying to carve out roles. Mikheyev has already given the Lightning an early preseason boost by scoring the first goal, and Viel may be next in line to get a closer look when Tampa Bay heads to Nashville again, leaving camp with more questions than answers as the roster battle sharpens. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Face A Brutal Kucherov Decision With Huge Cap Implications
Nikita Kucherovs next contract is already shaping up to be one of the biggest decisions on the Lightnings calendar. The forward is eligible for an extension, and the talks come with the kind of stakes Tampa Bay has navigated before, most notably in the Steven Stamkos era, when the organization showed it was willing to make hard choices to protect the larger roster picture. General manager Julian BriseBois has built a reputation for being deliberate and methodical with deals, which only adds weight to what happens next.
For the Lightning, this is not just about keeping a star winger in the fold, but about how far they are willing to push to do it. Negotiations are ongoing, and there is real intrigue around whether both sides can find common ground before the situation gets any more complicated. The longer it stretches, the more the contract becomes a centerpiece of Tampa Bays future planning, with every step carrying cap implications the front office cannot afford to ignore. [Read more 🡒]