Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn spoke to NHL Tonight about the off-season, what the team needs to do to get back on top, and his outlook on the 2017-18 season.
The Tampa Bay Lightning has taken incredibly large strides towards forging a place among the top teams in the National Hockey League. They have gone from the team everyone in the league underestimated to one of the favorites to bring Lord Stanley’s Cup home by the end of the season.
Unfortunately, this journey has not been without its pitfalls. There has been more than a few injuries littering the way and removing some of the team’s most talented players from the equation. Also, what was initially believed to be a “common mistake” transformed into one of the biggest issues on the team.
As all 31 teams in the National Hockey League prepare for the start of the 2017-18 season, the attention of the fans has quickly turned to the outlook for their respective team’s immediate future and what said team will need to do in order to be successful. For some, the road will be rather daunting. For others, a simple shift in focus is all that’s required.
Tampa Bay Lightning
In regards to the Tampa Bay Lightning, their situation falls somewhere in the middle. The main issue in need of resolution is one the team has been plagued with for quite some time; however, the solution to this very same issue requires a few minor adjustments and an extremely talented cast of players to step up to the plate.
Late last week, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn spoke to the guys at NHL Tonight about the off-season, the success of the past few seasons, the pitfalls of last season, and what the Lightning need to do in order to get back to the championship status the team and the fans have become accustomed to.
Killorn was quick to get to the point when it comes to what the Tampa Bay Lightning needs to do in order to get back on top and make a solid run for the Stanley Cup in the upcoming season.
In fact, it can be summed up in one word…defense.
“Whenever you look at the teams who have done well in the past couple years, Stanley Cup winning teams, it’s typically the teams that have the lowest Goals Against Average, and if you look at it historically,” Killorn said. “It’s nice that we have so many offensive weapons, but if you can’t keep the puck out of your net, you’re gonna have a tough time winning in this league. So, I think when we focus on that the other stuff will come and our talent will take over. Really focusing on defense has been what’s given us a lot of success in the last couple years.”
ICYMI: @akillorn19 joined @nhlnetwork's #NHLTonight crew to chat his offseason, Tampa, & what's next for the #Bolts. https://t.co/z8repZ4ZJO
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) August 6, 2017
While some Tampa Bay Lightning fans may take this as the beating of a weathered and tired drum, sometimes the truth simply sucks. The Lightning has been dealing with offensive issues for longer than the diehard fan would like to admit, and while they have made a tremendous improvement, there is still plenty of work to be done.
When you take in all the trades Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman has made as of late, in combination with the contracts the team elected to let go by the wayside, there will be a lot of opportunities for one of the many talented defensive prospects in the organization to find themselves with a more permanent position on the Lightning roster.
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There is no doubt in our minds players like Slater Koekkoek, Jake Dotchin, and more will be fighting tooth and nail to make their way to the Lightning’s Opening Day Roster. It would not come as a surprise to see both of these aforementioned players in Lightning Blue on a more permanent basis.
The truth of the matter is, the Tampa Bay Lightning defensive core has a lot of work to do. There is still plenty of time between now and the official start of the season for the Bolts to dig in deep and get everything in order before the first official puck of the season drops.
There is one word which needs to become the Lightning’s mantra for the upcoming season; consistency. It doesn’t matter if you come out of the tunnel like a shot or if you finish off the season with a bang; it’s what you do along the way that truly determines the course of a team’s season.
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The Tampa Bay Lightning has a long journey ahead of them if they want to get back to where they used to be in the NHL. The good news here is, the Lightning is absolutely jam-packed with talented players who are ready to cement their place in the league. It will definitely be interesting to see what the future holds for the Boys in Blue.