3 questions facing Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Tampa Bay Lightning.

1. Will a long offseason help the Lightning?

Tampa Bay lost in the Eastern Conference First Round to the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, ending a run of three straight years in the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning are nearing the finish line of their longest offseason since 2019.

No team wants to lose at any point, but the Lightning have played 367 games since the start of the 2019-20 season, 15 more than any other team (Vegas Golden Knights, 352). They're as healthy and rested as they have been entering training camp in a long time.

"The last few summers have been all about healing up and resting; this summer we've done that and then you can actually really push yourself in training too to try to improve," Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said. "That has felt very good. I got to see my trainer way more frequently this summer than I have in the past. It's been great. I don't want it to happen again, but it might be a blessing in disguise."

2. How do they replace the depth they lost?

Tampa Bay lost one of its core players when forward Alex Killorn signed a four-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 1.

The Lightning's salary cap situation made it impossible to keep Killorn, which means they must replace a player who set NHL highs in goals (27), assists (37) and points (64) in 82 games last season.

Tampa Bay also lost forwards Patrick Maroon (traded to Minnesota Wild), Corey Perry (traded to Chicago Blackhawks), Ross Colton (traded to Colorado Avalanche) and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (signed with Seattle Kraken), defenseman Ian Cole (signed with Vancouver Canucks) and goalie Brian Elliott (unrestricted free agent).

Forwards Conor Sheary, Logan Brown, Josh Archibald and Luke Glendening, defenseman Calvin de Haan and goalie Jonas Johansson were all signed this offseason to replenish the depth. The Lightning will rely on forwards Tanner Jeannot and Michael Eyssimont to play bigger roles.

3. How many starts will Andrei Vasilevskiy get?

Vasilevskiy has appeared in 73.8 percent of the Lightning's regular-season games since the start of the 2017-18 season (335 of 454), including 60 last season and 63 in 2021-22. Only Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets has played in more regular-season games than Vasilevskiy in the past six seasons (363). No one has played more regular season and playoff games combined than Vasilevskiy in that time (433).

"'Vasy' is the type of goalie that he likes to play and he's at best when he plays a lot," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of the 29-year-old. "And I don't care what other people say, your goalie can play 60 games. That shouldn't be anything that hinders somebody. Vasy has proven it time and time again."

Assuming he does it again, that still leaves the need for a serviceable backup. The Lightning signed Johansson to a two-year contract worth $1.55 million ($775,000 average annual value) on July 1.

The 27-year-old played three games with the Colorado Avalanche last season. He has played in 35 games (28 starts) in his four NHL seasons, going 11-13-4 with a 3.32 goals-against average and .887 save percentage. As of this moment he's Tampa Bay's No. 2.