3 Biggest Questions For Last Week of Lightning Pre-Season

1. The Top Line

We speculated on this about a month ago prior to training camp as the top Lightning line has question marks around it for the first time in years. Ondrej Palat’s departure left a giant hole on the left wing spot while the other two positions have significantly more certainty around them.

From the outset of camp, we have seen the combination of Steven Stamkos- Brayden Point- Nikita Kucherov come and go. This has seemed unlikely to stick as the need to create a more balanced lineup is as imperative as it has ever been.

Most recently in camp, we saw Vladislav Namestnikov getting work on the left wing position with Stamkos and Kucherov. This is a combination we have seen in years past and has a very reasonable chance of taking the ice together on opening night. Namestnikov has not played with Tampa Bay since the 2017-18 season and being thrown on the top line right out of the gate would make for quite the reunion.

2.  Forward Spot up For Grabs

With Anthony Cirelli expected to miss the first several months of the season, that means that there is a spot in the lineup that is open for the taking by somebody who was not around a season ago.

With the Lightning placing Gemel Smith and Alex Barre-Boulet on waivers, Gabriel Fortier and Cole Koepke appear to be in line to round out the lineup. Which one of them will dress opening night will be determined in the next week.

Fortier appeared in 10 games last season with Tampa Bay and scored his first goal in the NHL on December 21st in Vegas. Koepke played in 69 games last season with the Syracuse Crunch in his first season as a full time pro. Koepke joined the Lightning as an extra body on their ride to the cup a season ago.  If I had to guess right now, I would say Koepke is the favorite at the moment and could even find himself in the top six.

3. Is Myers the Man?

Along with Cirelli, the Lightning will also be without the services of Zach Bogosian to start the season, meaning another spot is up for grabs. Throughout camp we have been seeing Phillipe Myers getting reps on the third defense pairing with Ian Cole.

Myers was acquired from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Ryan McDonagh in July. Initially, there were rumors that the Lightning would buy Myers out of his contract right away, but the Lightning believed that he could fill a role on this team and get a career that was quite promising in Philadelphia back on track.

Not only is Myers sticking around, but he will likely start out as the sixth Lightning defenseman in the rotation and may become the seventh with the unit at full health. The big right hand shot defenseman will have the opportunity to play 12-16 minutes a night and can carve out a role as well on the Lightning penalty kill.

If for some reason it is not Myers, it would likely be Nick Perbix. Perbix however, has only played 12 games professionally in the AHL after his NCAA season ended at St. Cloud State last year. Perbix may be more remembered for representing Team USA in the 2022 Olympic Games.