With the 2023-24 NHL season beginning, the Tampa Bay Lightning have started off their season with a 1-2-1 record. After winning the Stanley Cup in 2021 and ending the 2022-23 season being third in their division, the expectations are high for this team. With a renewed sense of determination, the Lightning are hoping to take the Stanley Cup home once again this year. They started off strong, beating the Nashville Predators on October 10th, with a final score of 5-3. This was a great start to their season, especially since Andrei Vasilevskiy, the 2-time Stanley Cup-winning Lightning goalie, is currently going through major back surgery, meaning he will most likely be out for the first two months of the season.
Unfortunately, since the first game, the team has not won a game. They went on to lose against the Detroit Red Wings, the Ottawa Senators, and then the Buffalo Sabres in overtime. Lightning fans are hoping that the team gets out of this “funk” and that they get back on the ice with more wins under their belt. Devin, an avid fan of her hometown team says, “As season ticket holders, my family and I have been disappointed in this start for the Lightning. We are really excited for them to turn it around and have an epic season”(Devin Murphy ‘24).
One of the key parts of the Lightning’s success is their ability to maintain a core group of star players. Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Victor Hedman, and Brayden Point are beloved members of the team who are still going strong. Their leadership and skills are extremely valuable to the team’s chance of winning. However, it is also exciting to see new players join the team and go out on the ice. Josh Archibald, Brandon Hagel, Tanner Jeannot, Conor Sheary, and Luke Glendening have all been signed to the team this year. Tampa Bay fans are very excited to see what these prospects have to offer.
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In other hockey news, the Chicago Blackhawks recently drafted the number one NHL draft pick, Connor Bedard. At the young age of 18, Bedard has already had an incredible start to his season. He has had one goal and two assists, averaging about 21 minutes of playing time per game so far. This is really inspiring for young hockey fans, and Bedard is truly making waves in the world of hockey. He has a very bright future ahead of him, and it is exciting to see what his future will look like. On November 9th, the Blackhawks will play the Lightning. Will the Tampa Bay team switch gears and get into their groove by then or will Connor Bedard and his team dominate?
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