The Tampa Bay Lightning came out with a whimper in their season opener against the New York Rangers. They fell behind early and couldn't find a way to fight back.
Following a goalie goal to add the final insult to injury, they took a 5-1 loss.
Head coach Jon Cooper didn't hold back on his thoughts after the game.
“I just thought we had limited pushback, and that's just not a staple of what's gone on in this room," Cooper said, via the Tampa Bay Times. "It was almost like the game was an inconvenience to play our way out of summer, and that's what was disappointing.”
Coming out and saying his team wasn't ready to play is as blunt as it gets. That's Cooper for you, though. He's always said it how it is. It's a key reason why he's the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL.
While the eye test was enough to back up what he said, the stats agree. Let's start with the power play, where they went an astonishing 0-for-7. Having an extended opportunity to have a 6-on-4 offensive attack did little to help them find an answer.
This aspect of special teams was already causing concern starting last season, but now it's right back at the forefront. Success on the power play was this team's bread and butter for the longest time. Concern was 5-on-5, but instead of creating multiple strengths, the situation is merely flipping.
They finished 38.6% at the dot. For centers, it was even worse at 31.7%. That number is boosted a bit by Anthony Cirelli finishing at 45%.
Add on some messy giveaways that came back to bite them, and it was a recipe for a brutal night.
That helped set the tone in a hurry. If you consistently hand the puck to the other team, whether on a faceoff or on a messy pass, you're going to find yourself on defense a lot. You'll only be able to hold out for so long, too.
If they were ready to play, you wouldn't have known it.
Being part of certain teams, such as the Lightning, comes with upholding a standard. Cooper has worked to set that standard for over a decade. Saying it's just the first game won't cut it.
It's the second season in a row that the Lightning have dropped a season opener. They had a chance to make a statement early in the season after how 2025-26 began. The first opportunity went to waste.
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