Tampa Bay LIGHTNING Steven Stamkos EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION Offense The Tampa Bay Lightning were the team most affected by the NHL’s new playoff format. Their 101 points were third best in the conference, but all it earned them was a matchup with division foe Montreal Canadiens who finished fourth in the conference with 100 points. Steven Stamkos is a legit star in the NHL but he missed most of last season with a broken leg. That didn’t stop the Lightning from scoring 240 goals and finishing third in the Eastern Conference in that category. In just 37 games, Stamkos managed to put up 25 goals and 40 points. The fact that he returned late last season gives confidence that the team’s new captain will be at his best when the season starts. The biggest splash of last season came when the Lightning swapped captains with the New York Rangers and brought in Ryan Callahan in exchange for Martin St. Louis. Callahan quickly endeared himself to the Tampa Bay fans and players with his hard work and leadership skills. Resigning him was Tampa’s most pressing offseason move. It was a pair of rookies that picked up most of the offensive slack in Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson. Both players were selected as finalists Key Additions: Brenden Morrow, Anton Stralman, Brian Boyle, Jason Garrison Key Subtractions: Teddy Purcell, Cedrick Desjardins, Ryan Malone, Tom Pyatt Strengths: Young talent, elite forward and goaltender Weaknesses: Special teams Steve Audette/NHL/Getty Images
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