second on the team to Hedman. The forwards will also do their part in the defensive end. Although their offensive numbers left the biggest mark, both Johnson and Palat are two-way forwards that received votes for the Selke Trophy. And new additions Brian Boyle and Brenden Morrow are physical forwards that will lend an edge to the Lightning. Goaltending Last season was a coming out party for Ben Bishop. After a few stops around the league, he put in a word class performance in his first real opportunity as the number one goalie. His 2.23 GAA and .924 save percentage were rewarded by being named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy and top-10 finish in the MVP race. The 27-year old American has a huge presence in the net at 6-7 and he signed a relatively team friendly two-year contract extension in the offseason that will make Bishop an interesting asset if Russian goaltending prospect Andrey Vasilevskiy lives up to his potential. Vasilevskiy is considered the best goalie prospect in the world by some scouts. The Lightning were without a reliable backup last season, and they brought in veteran Evgeni Nabokov in free agency. Nabokov has had elite seasons in the past and was reliable in his time with the New York Islanders, but at this point in his career he’s well suited for a backup role. Power Play Tampa Bay converted just 18.5 percent of their power play chances, which ranked 13th in the NHL, but a healthy Stamkos will change that. In just 37 games, Stamkos scored nine power-play goals and he’s had as many as 24 in a single season. He’s the clear leader of the unit and coach Jon Cooper should have plenty of options on who to place around him. Filppula is the leading returning point scorer on the power play with six goals and 14 assists. One of the few players that remains from the Lightning’s Stanley Cup championship team, Filppula put his best career numbers on the power play and had never averaged more minutes per game. Johnson and Palat are sure to contribute once again. They combined for 21 power-play points in their rookie seasons, and should see even more time on the unit. Victor Hedman, Ben Bishop Steve Audette/NHL/Getty Images On the blue line, Hedman carried the load last season but he’ll get some additional help from Jason Garrison. A big slapshot helped Garrison amass 17 power-play points for Vancouver last season, and he’s just a few years removed from scoring nine power-play goals for Florida. Penalty Kill The Lightning struggled even more on the penalty kill than the power-play. They finished in the bottom third of the league by killing off just 80.7 percent of their penalties. It’s not a new problem, as the team has not touched an 81% kill rate since 2010-11. A full season with Callahan on the roster will make a big difference. He prides himself on doing the dirt work, and will undoubtedly rally the team around him with his play. It should be no surprise that the wonder twins, Palat and Johnson, make an impact on the penalty kill, too. Both guys played big man down minutes and managed to score ten shorthanded points, including a league leading five shorthanded goals by Johnson. The additions of Boyle and Morrow gives the Lightning two more physical forwards with veteran leadership skills, and they could see a much improved penalty kill that will also see a rotation with young Richard Panik. Three Questions 1. How will the Callahan trade work over a full season? The shift from St. Louis to Callahan is a drastic one, but for a team looking to bolster their defense and grit it’s a smart play. Callahan fills a role that the Lightning could not fill internally. With the potential of Drouin emergence of Johnson and Palat, the Lightning are confident that they’ll be a better team overall this season. 2. What will the sophomore seasons of Johnson and Palat look like? Some players suffer from a sophomore jinx but it seems unlikely for these two. They have solid fundamentals, play a disciplined style of hockey and contribute on both ends. The future is bright for both players and we’ll be hearing plenty of noise out of Tampa Bay in the near future. 3. Will Ben Bishop fall back to Earth or continue his phenomenal play? Bishop was not drafted until the third round of the draft in 2005, but St. Louis was in no hurry to call him up. Since then, he’s made the most of the chances he’s gotten. Last season was the first time Bishop was given a chance to control a job and he was phenomenal. He takes up a lot of space and is always in the right position. Another big year is in store for Bishop and the Lightning are in an excellent position going forward. Prediction With a healthy Stamkos and some of the best young talent in the league, the Tampa Bay Lightning are set to compete for the foreseeable future. They are one of the best teams in the East but will struggle to catch up with the Boston Bruins. Unfortunately, their consolation prize is likely another first round meeting with the Montreal Canadiens.
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