Tampa Bay Lightning Report Cards: The Defense

#6 Sami Salo

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 25 points, 65-70 games, remains a powerplay presence but takes a slight step back in other areas, 18-20 minutes per game.

GP: 71 G: 4 A: 13 Pts: 17 +/-: 11 PIM: 18

Apr 3, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Sami Salo (6) skates with the puck against the Calgary Flames in the third period at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Sami Salo remained solid this year for the Lightning, but athletically, he took a noticeable step back. Salo was never a fast player, but this season, there were times where his footspeed caused problems for him. While he played a lot with Victor Hedman on the top-pairing, Salo probably slid significantly down the organization’s depth chart. That’s not so bad – he’s almost 40 years old, after all.

The biggest positive to Salo’s season was that it was, for the most part, a healthy one. Salo has a long history of injury-plagued seasons, and by his standards, 71 games played isn’t bad at all. Like Brewer, Salo saw his icetime decrease significantly in those games, going from almost 21 minutes per game in the 2013 season to 18:11 this year.

Salo’s numbers were also held back by reduced powerplay responsibilities. This, believe it or not, was a good thing for the Lightning as a whole – it happened because Victor Hedman finally grasped the role of the team’s #1 defenseman.

Over all it was a solid year for Salo. He wasn’t quite the shining light on the blue line that he was at times last season, but I’m not sure we could have expected much more.

Grade: B-

Looking Ahead: In all likelihood, this is Sami Salo’s last go-round in Tampa Bay. His contract is expiring after the playoffs, and it’s unlikely the Lightning will be willing to bring him back for anything close to what he’s making now ($3.75 million cap hit). It’s not impossible that Salo will be back, but if it happens, expect it to be at a much reduced rate. Otherwise, whether he decides to retire or signs elsewhere, Tampa will wish him well and thank him for a good two years.