Making the cut
Foote has the offensive skill to intrigue the Lightning, which could use another right-shot defenseman following the departure of Shattenkirk and Bogosian. According to assistant general manager Stacy Roest, Foote's skating has improved since turning pro and he was playing with more pace, getting up in the rush to close gaps and take away time and space in the defensive zone with more confidence by the end of the 2019-20 AHL season.
Most intriguing addition
Forward Barclay Goodrow, acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 24, was a perfect fit on a line with Yanni Gourde and Blake Coleman during the postseason. He averaged 2:49 per game in shorthanded situations, highest among Lightning forwards in the playoffs. The 27-year-old was also second in blocked shots (31) and third in hits (103) among Tampa Bay forwards in the postseason.
Biggest potential surprise
Barre-Boulet, who signed as an undrafted free agent March 1, 2018, was voted AHL rookie of the year after scoring 68 points (34 goals, 34 assists) in 74 games for Syracuse in 2018-19. He followed that up with 56 points (27 goals, 29 assists) in 60 games last season. If he doesn't make the team out of camp, he's likely to be on the taxi squad.
Ready to break through
Coleman, acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 16, has never scored more than 36 points in any of his four NHL seasons, but that could change significantly in a full season with the Lightning. Tampa Bay ranked first in the NHL in goals per game (3.47) in the regular season and fourth in the playoffs (3.08). The 29-year-old, who can play any of the three forward positions, scored 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and led the Lightning with 126 hits in 25 postseason games.
Fantasy sleeper
Left wing Ondrej Palat (average draft position: 159.6) scored 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) in 25 postseason games skating mostly on the top line with Kucherov and Brayden Point. Palat's fantasy ceiling is not nearly as high with Kucherov out for the entire regular season, but Palat could still be a difference-maker on a unit with Point and another elite forward, likely Stamkos. Palat should make up for any dip in offensive production with his strong hits coverage (145 in 69 games last season).-- Rob Reese
Projected lineup
Ondrej Palat -- Brayden Point -- Steven Stamkos
Alex Killorn --
Anthony Cirelli
-- Tyler Johnson
Blake Coleman -- Yanni Gourde -- Barclay Goodrow
Pat Maroon -- Alex Barre-Boulet -- Alexander Volkov
Victor Hedman -- Jan Rutta
Ryan McDonagh -- Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev -- Luke Schenn
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Curtis McElhinney