Lightning season preview: Surviving Vasilevskiy absence will be challenge

The 2023-24 NHL season starts Oct. 10. With training camps open, NHL.com is taking a look at the three keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lineup for each of the 32 teams. Today, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Coach: Jon Cooper (12th season)

Last season: 46-30-6; third place in Atlantic Division, lost to Toronto Maple Leafs in Eastern Conference First Round

3 KEYS

1. Vasilevskiy's absence

Andrei Vasilevskiy had back surgery Sept. 28 and the goalie is expected to miss the first two months of the regular season. Vasilevskiy's absence is a huge blow to the Lightning, who are thin in net behind him with Jonas Johansson, Hugo Alnefelt and Matt Tomkins. Between them they have played in 36 NHL games, with Johansson playing 35 of them, spread across four seasons with three teams, including three games with the Colorado Avalanche last season. The Lightning could try to acquire a veteran goalie either through a trade or free agent signing, but whoever starts for them in the first two months won't be as capable and consistent as Vasilevskiy, who is first in wins (245) and second in games played (385) in the NHL since the start of the 2016-17 season. The Lightning have to find a way to stay afloat during the first two months without arguably the best goalie in the League in their net. It will be a challenge.

2. Benefits of a long offseason

The Lightning's loss in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs provided their longest offseason since 2019 following three straight trips to the Cup Final. It gave them plenty of time to rest and recover after playing the most games of any team from 2019-23 (367, regular season and playoffs combined). They've had some turnover, with forwards Alex Killorn, Pat Maroon, Corey Perry, Ross Colton and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, defenseman Ian Cole and goalie Brian Elliott leaving through trades or free agency. Forwards Conor Sheary, Tyler Motte and Luke Glendening and defenseman Calvin de Haan are new to the organization. Rest and some fresh faces could help the Lightning find their footing even without Vasilevskiy during the early part of the season.

3. Replacing Killorn's production

Killorn signed a four-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 1, ending an 11-season run with Tampa Bay. He never was as productive as fellow forwards Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos or Brayden Point, but his importance to the Lightning was just as valuable, and replacing what he did for them will be a challenge. For starters, Killorn set NHL highs in goals (27), assists (37) and points (64) last season. He was dependable, missing 25 games in 11 seasons. He played on the power play, killed penalties, was a top-six forward at 5-on-5 and a leader in the dressing room. Look for Sheary and Tanner Jeannot to be tasked with replacing Killorn's production and special teams ice time.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

Alex Barré-Boulet has the inside track to being in the lineup when Tampa Bay opens the season against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 10, possibly on the third line with Nicholas Paul and Jeannot. The 26-year-old is in his sixth training camp with the Lightning but primarily has been an American Hockey League player during his five professional seasons, playing 32 NHL games with the Lightning and Seattle Kraken and 271 AHL games with Syracuse. He was second in the AHL last season with 84 points (24 goals, 60 assists) in 69 games. Tampa Bay will have extra room under the NHL salary cap once Vasilevskiy goes on long-term injured reserve Oct. 10, which could open the door for the Lightning to keep a 23-man roster in the early part of the season. They have eight defensemen under contract, with Haydn Fleury and Zach Bogosian the likely extras. Unless the Lightning add a veteran goalie, it'll be Alnefelt or Tomkins in tandem with Johansson until Vasilevskiy returns.

Most intriguing addition

Sheary signed a three-year contract with the Lightning on July 1. The 31-year-old forward is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2016, 2017), and had 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) and averaged 15:46 of ice time in 82 games with the Washington Capitals last season. He could be in the Lightning's top six, potentially on a line with Anthony Cirelli and Stamkos, to start the season. Sheary has 120 goals in his 531-game NHL career. He can score and the Lightning will need him to help with their secondary offense the way Killorn did last season.

Biggest potential surprise

Michael Eyssimont has a chance to impact the Lightning's bottom-six forward group with his energy, forechecking and ability to get the puck on net. The 27-year-old had 124 shots on goal in 54 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks and Lightning. He averaged 2.29 shots per game even though he averaged 12:15 of ice time per game. He could provide the same production the Lightning got from Corey Perry last season (12 goals, 13 assists in 81 games). He's also 11 years younger.

Ready to contribute

Barre-Boulet and Eyssimont fit into this category, but so does defenseman Darren Raddysh, who came on late last season and was in the Lightning's top-six during the playoffs. Raddysh was recalled from Syracuse on March 2 after the 27-year-old had 50 points (13 goals, 37 assists) in 50 AHL games. He had three points (one goal, two assists) and averaged 16:28 of ice time in 17 regular-season games, but saw an increase to 25:13 per game in six playoff games. He could be on the second pair with Mikhail Sergachev to start the season.

Fantasy sleeper

Brandon Hagel, LW (fantasy average draft position: 142.7) -- He was a fixture on the top line with Kucherov and Point last season yet remains underrated in fantasy entering drafts. Hagel, who signed an eight-year contract with the Lightning on Aug. 22, set NHL career highs in goals (30), assists (34), points (64), plus/minus (plus-23) and shots on goal (178) last season, and his 22 even-strengths goals were tied with Kucherov for third on the Lightning, behind Point (31) and Killorn (23). -- Pete Jensen

PROJECTED LINEUP

Brandon Hagel -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov

Conor Sheary -- Anthony Cirelli -- Steven Stamkos

Tanner Jeannot -- Nicholas Paul -- Alex Barre-Boulet

Tyler Motte -- Luke Glendening -- Michael Eyssimont

Victor Hedman -- Nick Perbix

Mikhail Sergachev -- Darren Raddysh

Calvin de Haan -- Erik Cernak

Jonas Johansson

Matt Tomkins

Injured: Andrei Vasilevskiy (back)