Hedman is the engine that drives the Lightning and is in contention for the Conn Smythe.Ī fun question to ask is, “What current member of the Lightning has been with the organization the longest?” Chances are most folks will answer with “Steven Stamkos”. If anyone is kicking themselves for not drafting him, it’s the Islanders, although that’s tinged with a little bitterness over the way their relationship with John Tavares ended. Meanwhile Matt Duchene has had a nice career. Hedman is one of the best players in the history of the organization and is smoothly skating his way to the Hall of Fame. A big goal like he scored in Game Six could get him going offensively.īelieve it or not, “Hedman or Duchene” was actually a topic for discussion in 2009 so I guess Brian Lawton gets credit for making the right choice. He’s had a bit of a spotty postseason, but has spent the better part of the last three rounds against the opposition’s best players. He got his break due to injuries at the center spot that year, but once he joined the Lightning he never gave them a reason to send him back. Originally projected as a bit of a long-term project, Cirelli played his way out of the AHL and into the NHL in less than a season. Yzerman loved to pick in the middle rounds - two-way players with a high hockey-IQ. He was exactly the type of player that Mr. Will he add a Stanley Cup Final overtime goal to his resume? I wouldn’t bet against it.Ĭirelli didn’t put up eye-popping numbers during his junior career and that’s part of the reason he was available in the third round. Eastern Conference Final overtime goal - check. Let’s take a look at how these players joined the team, and who was responsible for the move. Many will refer to it as “Steve Yzerman’s Team” and while he deserves recognition for putting the bulk of the roster, this team doesn’t make it this far without the work of Julien BriseBois, Jay Feaster, and yes, even Brian Lawton. So, it’s impossible to give one man full credit for the 2019-20 Tampa Bay Lightning. Two of those gentlemen laid the foundation by drafting generational players, the next built the framework, and the fourth added the final touches that put the team over the top. It took the work of four different general managers to construct the roster that will be on the ice over the next ten days or so. While the first game didn’t go as planned (three Stanley Cup Finals, three Game One losses in history) they are still a long way from being eliminated. While Tampa Bay took home the victory in six games last season when set as a favorite of seven or fewer points (6-4), the squad went 2-2 when favored by 7.5 points or more.After a few seasons of coming up short, the Tampa Bay Lightning finally made it back to the Stanley Cup Final.The Buccaneers have six games scheduled against teams that finished with winning records in 2022, including four teams that had 12 or more wins and three with less than six wins last year.In terms of difficulty - and based on its opponents' projected win total this season - Tampa Bay will be facing the 15th-ranked schedule this year.The Buccaneers will have the ninth-toughest schedule in the NFL, based on our predictions.Taking into account their opponents' combined win total last year (138), the Buccaneers have the 21st-ranked schedule in the league.The Buccaneers had six wins when favored by seven points or fewer last season (6-4), and they won a pair of contests when favored by 7.5 points or more (2-2).In games under the lights, the team posted a 4-7 record. Tampa Bay was 4-2 in day games last season.The Buccaneers picked up six wins in one-possession games (in 10 opportunities), and three wins in five games decided by a field goal or less.Tampa Bay went 4-2 in the NFC South and 8-4 in the NFC as a whole.The Buccaneers were winless as underdogs (0-3), but they went 8-6 as favorites.Tampa Bay went 5-4 at home last season and 3-5 on the road.The Buccaneers' 8-9 record was good enough to make the playoffs last season.
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