Tampa Bay Lightning: Top 5 Can't Miss Games of 2015-16

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Jun 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jason Garrison (5) battles for the puck with Chicago Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw (65) in the second period in game six of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

After completing a two month long journey to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Tampa Bay Lightning are ready to start looking ahead to their next challenge on the quest to bringing another championship back to Hockey Bay.

Keeping that in mind, the Bolts followed suit with the rest of the NHL and released their upcoming 2015-16′ regular season schedule approximately two months ago.

This season’s schedule is chock full of games you won’t want to miss. You can watch the Eastern Conference Championship banner be raised to the rafters for the first time since October of 2005, do battle with Brad Richards and the hungry Detroit Red Wings or even get another crack at those annoyingly good (some may even say great) Chicago Blackhawks.

With young superstars taking over the game, it will also be interesting to receive a close-up of Jack Eichel and the new-look Buffalo Sabres. Could they pose a legitimate threat to the Lightning’s chances of not only winning the Atlantic Division but potentially repeating as Eastern Conference champions?

No matter what, this season is shaping up to be something special, featuring plenty of games for both die-hard Lightning fans and those who enjoy taking a more analytical view of how the team’s performing.

In this slideshow, I’ll be giving you the Top 5 Tampa Bay Lightning games you won’t want to miss. Keep in mind this is solely my opinion, and you do not have to agree. If you don’t, or have a game you’d like to add, please feel free to leave that in the comment section below.

Next: Tampa Bay Lightning Home Opener

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Jan 12, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) screens Philadelphia Flyers goalie Rob Zepp (72) during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Lightning Home Opener

Date: October 8, 2015
Opponent: Philadelphia Flyers

The 2015-16′ Tampa Bay Lightning season gets underway with a reunion of sorts, as both Radko Gudas and Vincent Lecavalier return to Amalie Arena for a matchup with former teammates.

For Gudas, this will mark his debut wearing Philadelphia Flyers orange because of knee surgery that sidelined him for almost all of last season. Lecavalier, meanwhile, will be attempting to make a good first impression on new bench boss Dave Hakstol after having a tough go of things under 2014-15′ head coach Craig Berube.

On the other side, Braydon Coburn will be looking to lay big hits on former mates Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek and company. Heck, we could see a good old-fashioned Broad Street Bully type fight featuring the hard-hitting Gudas and the tough, unwilling to back down from any challenge Coburn. Now wouldn’t that be a treat!

There will be plenty of new faces on this Flyers roster as well. Goaltenders Michal Neuvirth and Jason LaBarbera, defenseman Davis Drewiskie and forwards Chris Connor and Chris Porter will attempt to provide this team with the play needed to make a postseason appearance after missing out in 2014-15.

Adding to the excitement of this particular night, the Lightning will raise their 2015 Eastern Conference championship banner. The first one to go up since October of 2005 so be sure to get there early for all the festivities.

Meanwhile, the Flyers will view this as a new beginning. They can spoil the Bolts special night while putting last seasons disaster in the rearview mirror.

Really, can you get any better than this?

Next: Eastern Conference Finals Rematch

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May 29, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers players shake hands after game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Eastern Conference Finals Rematch

Date: November 19, 2015
Opponent: New York Rangers

After sweeping three regular season meetings during 2014-15′ and then taking four closely contested games in the 2015 Eastern Conference finals, the Tampa Bay Lightning will have a challenge waiting when they first square off against the New York Rangers on November 19th, 2015.

Heck, for a pre-Thanksgiving showdown, there likely won’t be much “thanks” going around. Not considering one team received the opportunity to play for the most coveted trophy in all of sports, Lord Stanley’s Cup, while the other was stuck working on their golf swing a few weeks in advance.

Both teams should look eerily similar to the ones who battled for the Prince of Wales Trophy late this past spring as well.

For the Rangers, former Los Angeles Kings forward Jarret Stoll agreed to terms while future Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis called it a career. Considering St. Louis played up front himself, it seems like Stoll would slot into the elder St. Louis’ role. With his defensive awareness and a faceoff winning percentage of over 50 according to the Rangers team site, he could end up being an upgrade when it comes to limiting opponents chances of scoring on the already stingy Henrik Lundqvist.

The Lightning, meanwhile, signed Erik Condra from the Ottawa Senators to replace veteran Brenden Morrow up front and then shifted gears to focus on re-signing captain Steven Stamkos whose current contract expires July 1st, 2016.

While there won’t be a reunion that hasn’t already occurred or an introduction, the matchup on ice should still be top-notch. You still have two elite goaltenders in King Lundqvist and Ben Bishop, along with rising stars on both sides (Jesper Fast, Kevin Hayes, Derick Brassard in New York plus Alex Killorn, Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat for the Bolts).

Defensively, Victor Hedman draws lots of attention and rightly so after his coming out party during the Cup final but Ryan McDonough is easily one of the NHL’s best defenseman.

Oh, and then there’s the fact Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle and Anton Stralman are all still former Rangers. They got a measure of revenge in 2015, winning seven of the 10 meetings between the two teams. Now we get to see whether their mates on Broadway can settle the score or if this is going to be a runaway in the Lightning’s favor.

If you like high scoring games, this is certainly one to tune into. Last season, the Rangers and Lightning were the two highest scoring teams in the league, averaging over three goals a game according to NHL.com. During their postseason series the two offenses exploded, with each team putting a seven spot on the opponent once.

Pretty much, grab a cold one (or three), take your bathroom breaks early and then be ready to sit until your butts asleep because these two teams are guaranteed to put on a show that has you hanging on the edge of your seat waiting for the next play to be made.

Don’t believe me? Then just watch. I guarantee it will be worth the time and money spent. No ifs, ands or buts.

Next: An Early Test for the Tampa Bay Lightning

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Apr 29, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Henrik Zetterberg (40), Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) and teammates congratulate each other after the game in the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Detroit Red Wings 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

An Early Test for the Tampa Bay Lightning

Date: October 13, 2015
Opponent: Detroit Red Wings

Fresh off a comeback series win that kickstarted the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s run to the Stanley Cup finals last spring, this early season nationally televised matchup with the Detroit Red Wings at legendary Joe Louis Arena on October 13th could serve as a springboard to each teams chance of potentially winning the Atlantic Division.

In the 2014-15′ season series the Lightning enjoyed much of the success, winning three of the four regular season games by lopsided scores. The postseason was quite different though, as the young Bolts learned the important lesson of never underestimating an opponent. Fortunately, they had time to turn things around before their playoff dreams went up in smoke, defeating the Red Wings in seven games.

Goaltender Ben Bishop first made his mark here as well, surviving a rocky start to his playoff debut before pitching a shutout in the Lightning’s all-important Game 7 victory.

Red Wings rookie Petr Mrazek, meanwhile, earned himself the opportunity to take over as the teams starting netminder in 2015-16′. That’s huge considering the carousel in net Detroit has faced during recent years.

Both surely view this game as an opportunity to further add to their resume while likely setting their respective team up for a postseason spot.

The Red Wings boast plenty of new faces to go along with the talented young guns that have made their way into the lineup the past few seasons. Two of the biggest free agents this summer, Brad Richards and Mike Green, landed in Motown where they’ll be expected to help head coach Jeff Blashill and veterans Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg mentor the players coming up from the minor leagues.

Speaking of Blashill, the former American Hockey League (AHL) coach takes over behind the bench for Mike Babcock who has moved on to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to the official Red Wings site, he was named head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s minor league affiliate, in 2012. One year later, his team captured the AHL’s Calder Cup championship.

Two teams full of youth, two former AHL coaches who won a championship at that level (Lightning bench boss Jon Cooper coached the 2012 Norfolk Admirals that captured the Calder Cup) and two goaltenders ready to add to their ever-growing NHL legacy makes this a game you’ll definitely want to watch.

Sidenote: With this particular game being held in the Motor City, you should also circle February 3rd on your calendar as that’s when the Red Wings return to Amalie Arena for the first time since their Game 7 loss this past April. The game’s at 8 p.m. and televised nationally on the NBC Sports Network.

Next: Happy Holidays, Tampa Bay Lightning Fans!

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May 12, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) leads his team in the post game handshake after they defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 during the third period of an NHL hockey game in game six of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. The Lightning won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Happy Holidays, Tampa Bay Lightning Fans!

Date: December 28, 2015
Opponent: Montreal Canadiens

Forget happiness. When the Tampa Bay Lightning face the Montreal Canadiens on home ice for the first time since winning Game 6 of the 2015 second round playoff series there will probably be one thought on the Habs players minds–revenge.

In saying that, the matchup on December 28th may not carry the same dirty play as previous meetings. This is because uber pest Brandon Prust, known for his many close encounters with Lightning netminder Ben Bishop, was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Zack Kassian and a 2016 fifth round draft pick.

The Canadiens also lost P.A. Parenteau to the rival Toronto Maple Leafs at the beginning of free agency. That could hurt a bit considering he tallied 22 points in 56 of 82 regular season contests according to Wikipedia. Not a bad total, especially if you take into account the fact he played in just over half a season worth of games.

Granted, this could be the push Alex Galchenyuk needs to finally perform up to expectations. His past couple of seasons have been underwhelming but not horrible, totaling 104 points in 193 games played.

He enters the 2015-16′ campaign with a new contract, however. Signed on July 30th, it’s worth $5.6 million over two years according to Wikipedia.

Former Lightning defenseman Mark Barberio was added to the mix in hopes of providing help both offensively and defensively. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but his shot is definitely something to watch out for.

Reigning Vezina and Hart Trophy winner Carey Price will still be manning the cage as well. The Lightning had success against him last season, sweeping the five game regular season series and taking the first three postseason contests before dropping a couple in a row. They then polished him and his team off in Game Six to capture the series.

Prior to that, Price allowed no more than two goals in a good chunk of the previous matchups between these two Atlantic Division rivals. In fact, after a rocky start to the 2014 first round series between the two teams, he was one of the main reasons the Canadiens swept the Lightning in four games.

With the history and success these two teams have seen recently, it’s hard to find a bigger rival than one another. OK, OK, I regress. Boston-Montreal and Philadelphia-Pittsburgh contain more hatred, but this pre-New Years matchup is surely a game you won’t want to miss.

Next: Stanley Cup Finals Rematch

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Jun 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) shakes hands with Tampa Bay Lightning goalie

Ben Bishop

(30) after game six of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Stanley Cup Finals Rematch

Date: October 24, 2015
Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks

For all the pain and heartbreak the Tampa Bay Lightning experienced in mid June, this late October tilt with the Chicago Blackhawks could provide a chance to replace a little bit of the sting felt while watching the opponent raise Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The team taking the ice at the United Center that night will be much different from the one last seen doing victory laps a few months ago. Gone are Brad Richards, Kimmo Timonen, Brandon Saad, Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya and Antoine Vermette. That’s quite a large turnover for a team fresh off yet another championship (their third in six seasons).

Salary cap issues played a big role in some trades (Sharp and Saad come to mind), while free agency claimed others. Timonen was the only exception, as he joined Martin St. Louis in retirement.

In saying that, the Hawks are still capable of playing meaningful games past April. Veteran captain Jonathan Toews, goaltender Corey Crawford and 2015 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Duncan Keith will make sure of it.

Excluded (for now) is Patrick Kane because of legal issues, but once that’s resolved he’s got an opportunity to play a key role on a Hawks team that will need his scoring touch at some point during the upcoming 2015-16 campaign.

Meanwhile, the Lightning return much of last seasons team which came two wins shy of achieving glory. Brenden Morrow has been replaced by former Ottawa Senators forward Erik Condra and defenseman Mark Barberio left via free agency. Other than that, the lineup remains intact.

They should also be fairly healthy. The partially torn groin that severely limited goaltender Ben Bishop in the final four games, even causing him to miss Game 4, will be healed. The same can probably be said for playoff hero Tyler Johnson, whose broken wrist limited both his faceoff ability and production during the Cup finals.

With that in mind, the October 24th matchup should provide another glimpse at two relatively evenly matched teams. One has the chance to gain an early leg up on the rest of the competition. The other can add to their legacy as a modern day NHL dynasty.

Can you get any better than that?

*Sidenote: Be sure to catch the Blackhawks return to Amalie Arena, set for January 21st, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

Next: Tampa Bay Lightning Prospect Profile: Brayden Point

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