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. Are the Lightning still a Stanley Cup contender?

They think they are even though they haven't won a round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since the Eastern Conference Final in 2022.

The Lightning will look different without Steven Stamkos and his big shot, especially on the power play. Stamkos, who signed a four-year, $32 million contract ($8 million AAV) with the Nashville Predators, scored 19 power-play goals last season. Tampa Bay was No. 1 in the NHL on the power play (28.6 percent).

But they replaced Stamkos with forward Jake Guentzel, who signed a seven-year, $63 million contract ($9 million AAV) on July 1. Guentzel scores in different ways, attacking often from down low and in front of the net. He is a more effective 5-on-5 player than Stamkos as a possession and play driver.

The Lightning still have Nikita Kucherov, who led the NHL with 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists) last season. Brayden Point had 90 points (46 goals, 44 assists) last season. They should be on the top line with Guentzel at least to start training camp.

Victor Hedman is still the anchor on defense with Erik Cernak and the return of Ryan McDonagh via a trade with the Predators. Andrei Vasilevskiy is still one of the top goalies in the NHL and Jon Cooper one of the top coaches.

2. Will they be better defensively?

The Lightning feel they should be an improved defensive team with the additions of Guentzel and McDonagh, in particular.

They better be, because to be a Stanley Cup contender again the Lightning can't be in the bottom third of the League in goals against per game and 5-on-5 defending. They were last season, when they allowed 3.26 goals per game (tied for 22nd) and 190 5-on-5 goals (28th).

Tampa Bay’s minus-18 goal differential at 5-on-5 (172-190) was 26th in the League.

"We've seen that stat a couple times and that's not where we want to be," Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli said. "That's an aspect of our game that we've got to get better at. It's little tweaks here and there that we've got to work on. That's a big aspect for us."

3. What will change about the power play?

The Lightning relied on their power play last season to make up some deficiencies they had defensively, and it worked. They led the NHL at 28.6 percent, with 19 of its NHL-high 71 power-play goals coming off Stamkos' stick.

The power play will have a different look this season without Stamkos' shot as a weapon, leaving some doubt about its ability to be the best in the League again.

Kucherov will still be an obvious dangerous threat in the right circle, the power play running through him. Point should be a problem for teams in the bumper and Hedman can shoot it from up top.

But the Lightning will need to re-position their power play to find the right spot for Guentzel, which will change the look and the areas they attack. How that impacts their success on the power play remains to be seen, but it adds more of an emphasis to their 5-on-5 play.